Book Review: "Evenings & Weekends" by Oisín McKenna

London, June 2019. The city is in the midst of a record heatwave. But beyond the joys of summer, London is experiencing chaos, as a large whale has gotten stuck near the shore of the Thames. The world watches as marine biologists try to figure out how to save it.

Maggie can’t believe she’s 12 weeks pregnant, but she and her boyfriend Ed are getting ready to move back to their suburban hometown to start a new chapter. Both are overwhelmed by the stress, and Ed is also dealing with the possibility that some secrets from his past might be revealed.

Meanwhile, Maggie’s best friend Phil is in love with one of his housemates, Keith, but Keith also has a boyfriend. Phil is struggling whether to tell Maggie what he knows about Ed, and he also has to figure out what he truly wants in life.

Phil’s mother Rosaleen is proud of her marriage and her two sons, but at times longs for the illicit friendship she had back in Dublin when she was younger. She’s now dying of cancer, but she can’t seem to get in touch with Phil to tell him.

All of their lives intersect over the course of several days. There will be happiness and tears, life-changing decisions, secrets and betrayals, and plenty of introspection.

This is one of those character-driven, slice-of-life books, in which not a lot happens but there are ramifications for all. I enjoyed this debut novel but at times Oisín McKenna packs so many details into a paragraph that they seem to go on and on endlessly. However, this book definitely highlights his talent!