Quarter Finalist

Assessment:

Plot: Norah is on her way to Amsterdam to visit a man she met 50 years ago on a trip across Europe. Her husband has Parkinson’s and dementia, and now Maarten may be ready to end his life in the aftermath of a car accident that has left him severely injured. Told in alternating chapters set in 2018 and 1968, this novel describes a powerful relationship that has endured even though Norah and Maarten have spent only a few days together over the course of half a century, and their relationship has developed through letters.

Prose/Style: The author tells the story as a straightforward narrative for each of the two main timelines. She provides a substantial amount of travel detail, as if she is referring to journals Norah kept on her first trip to Europe in 1968.

Originality: This Can’t Be the Last Time is a fascinating reflection on the nature of love and the power of a passion that exists almost exclusively in the imagination to sustain a life. It is a tour de force written by an author with an acute understanding of the human condition.

Character Development/Execution: We learn about Norah and Maarten’s relationship and why, even though they seem to be soulmates, they decided not to try to be each other’s life partners in flashbacks over the course of the story. Durr’s measured unveiling of their personalities is handled with expertise and shows a deep understanding of the necessary limits of even such a compelling attraction.

Blurb: This Can’t Be the Last Time is a fascinating reflection on the nature of love and the power of a passion that exists almost exclusively in the imagination to sustain a life.

Date Submitted: August 11, 2021