Book image courtesy of Amazon.com

I’ve just started reading Maeve Binchy’s final book, A Week in Winter. Binchy has been one of my favorite authors for years. It is with sadness that I started reading this, her final book, as when it’s over, it’s really all over. What I mean by that is Binchy writes about characters. The people in her books follow from book to book. Sometimes, the characters will be just mentioned as a distant relation. Sometimes, the places the characters came from are the same as in other books. There is a continuity between all of her writing, so that when you stumble upon a familiar name it is like you are part of the family reunion. And, when you finish one of her books, you are a bit sad because you’re leaving behind friends and family that you have known for years. There will be no next book, no continuing story. I will miss the characters, will miss her writing.

Circle of Friends is probably Binchy’s best known book as it was turned into a movie with a plumped-up Minnie Driver. My favorite I think is Night of Rain and Stars. Binchy passed away last summer. Here is her website, if you want to learn a little more about her.