The Last Gift is a novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah. It is Gurnah's eighth novel and was first published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2011.[1][2] The plot centres on Abbas, an immigrant from east Africa living in England, who reflects on his past after he has a stroke.[3]
![]() First edition | |
Author | Abdulrazak Gurnah |
---|---|
Publisher | Bloomsbury |
Publication date | 2011 |
Publication place | UK |
Pages | 288 |
ISBN | 978-1-4088-1518-2 |
Preceded by | Desertion |
Followed by | Gravel Heart |
The novel received mixed reviews. Aminatta Forna, writing for the Financial Times, described it as "majestic in scale" and praised Gurnah's storytelling and examination of familial relationships.[2] Giles Foden of The Guardian applauded Gurnah's prose.[4] On the other hand, a reviewer for Kirkus Reviews criticized the transitions between the past and the present and felt that the book's central dilemma was not compelling enough.[1] Publishers Weekly wrote that the narrative's pace was occasionally too slow, but praised the plot and the themes of mortality and memory.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "The Last Gift". Kirkus Reviews. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ a b Forna, Aminatta (13 May 2011). "The Last Gift". Financial Times. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ a b "The Last Gift". Publishers Weekly. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ Foden, Giles (21 May 2011). "The Last Gift by Abdulrazak Gurnah – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2021.