Funny name. Made me want to see what it was all about. Last Night at the Lobster by Stuart O'Nan is a story about Manny, the manager of a Red Lobster, and the last day the restaurant will be in business. Manny has been told that his restaurant is not meeting its number and therefore will close five days before Christmas. Manny and a few of his employees (that he hand-picked) are moving on to the Olive Garden, but unfortunately it's a demotion to assistant manager for Manny.
The side story to this depressing account is Manny's love for a waitress. O'Nan makes it obvious that the two had an affair and that Manny still has strong feelings for Jackie, but he also has a pregnant girlfriend to go home to.
The overall tone is very dry and instead of feeling sorry for the main character, I found him a bit pathetic. As short as the book was, the author definitely defines the emotions and personalities of the characters and what they are expecting from life. Though it wasn't a very exciting read, I enjoyed the writing style; smooth and flowing, and am interested in reading another of Stuart O'Nan's books. I think I will add A Prayer for the Dying to my list.
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