The Last Resort
The Last Resort by Jan Carson is one of our fiction recommendations for June. The Last Resort is Jan Carson’s latest offering and is available to purchase on the Seaside Books online shop. We reviewed The Fire Starters, Jan Carson’s second novel and winner of the EU Prize for Literature, back in March. Jan Carson is a writer and community arts facilitator based in Belfast. Her previous work includes Malcolm Orange Disappears, a novel; Children’s Children, a short story collection; and Postcard Stories, a flash fiction anthology. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and on BBC Radio 3 and 4. She was the winner of the Harper’s Bazaar 2016 short story competition.
When writing about a book I think it is helpful to include the blurb as this is what folks might first read if they picked up this book in a bookshop. We are told of The Last Resort:
The season's just begun at Seacliff Caravan Park, but none of the residents are having a good time.
Frankie is haunted by his daughter's death. Vidas, homeless and far from Lithuania, seeks sanctuary in an abandoned caravan. Anna struggles to shake off the ghost of her overbearing mother. Kathleen struggles to accept her daughter for who she is. Malcolm, a failed illusionist, makes one final attempt to reinvent himself. Agatha Christie-obsessed Alma faces her toughest case yet as she tries to help them all find what they've lost.
With trademark wit and playfulness, in this stunning linked short-story collection Jan Carson explores complex family dynamics, ageing, immigration, gender politics, the decline of the Church and the legacy of the Troubles. The Last Resort firmly places Carson as one of the most inventive and daring writers of her generation.
The Fire Starters is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year, and The Last Resort is close behind. I’ve mentioned before that I love magical realism — Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Flannery O’Connor are two of my long-time favourite authors. Jan Carson has a way of weaving the magical and surreal into her writing while also making her characters seem relatable and familiar. The residents of Seacliff Caravan Park are no different. Within this short, sharp collection we get a range of characters and surreal happenings that make it a really enjoyable read, perfect for a day soaking up the sun in the garden.
The book takes place in the fictional Seacliff Caravan Park. On her blog, Carson describes the story as: “A caravan-park on the Northern Irish coast is beset by a series of impossible thefts, forcing its disparate group of residents to come together to find their missing belongings. However, in this uncanny place where static caravans teeter on an eroding cliff-edge overlooking the ocean, each holidaymaker soon finds themselves similarly wavering between certainty and doubt; one world and the next; the past and the present; and even reality and fantasy.” This book was broadcast as a series on BBC 4 (you can catch up on that here). I wasn’t sure if the story would translate onto the page since I hadn’t listened to the series, but I would say that you don’t need to hear the book to get its full effect. It is just as magical in print, but it is a fun experience to listen to each character’s voice, especially since all the voices are Northern Irish accents which are rare to hear on the BBC. Carson writes that this was something she wanted to highlight with this work.
The Last Resort weaves together the story of ten different residents of the caravan park. Similarly to the Fire Starters, the elements of magical realism progress through the narrative until they are front and center in the closing action. These elements are balanced out by larger themes around belonging, family, belief, and community. Each character is fully formed and even in a short passage we get a feel for their worldview and the role they play within the larger narrative. Carson doesn’t shy away from complex family relationships. We see a mother struggling to accept her daughter’s sexual orientation that is in conflict with her religious beliefs. We hear from an immigrant who has found himself homeless and wondering how to overcome the challenges of a new country. All of these stories are vulnerable and honest.
If you are a fan of The Fire Starters, I think you will love this collection. If you enjoy experiencing the weird and wonderful then this book has enough to go around. It is also a short read making it great for readers looking for something they can devour on a sunny afternoon or on their commute (with the fun option to listen along). I loved this collection, and I can’t wait to read whatever Jan Carson comes out with next.