literature publicists can dream of - a decade-long homosexual relationships in the run-up narrative, carried out in feuilleton fashion, platonic love story that works against all decade to same-sex marriage legalisation. especially in the descriptions of choral odds, against realistic expectations as well scenes of bereavement or amusement, like as against bigotry and façades of bourgeois Women in speaking roles are few and far the Scottish funeral shortly followed by respectability. Of course it isn’t Scottish clubbing. Stylistically, the account between and their emotionsmooth sailing, or the four hunis delivered through plenty of dialogue al depths are regrettably left The story dred pages of this tome would that sometimes mirrors lilts and bilingualunexplored, even when they starts with have no reason to circulate, but ism; however, emotions and thoughts are are pivotal to the action, like true love conquers all, and for it mostly expressed verbally, with the mature calligraphic wallflower Beth who an airplane the church bell tolls. characters as articulate as news anchors morphs from moody rebel teentrip across and the young punctuating their serrated ager to taciturn efficient hotel the Strait rhythm with interjections and exclamation From carnal infatuation, the manager, to support the object of of Gibraltar marks, while the description of non-verbal protagonist’s sentiments for the her childhood friendship, puppy to reach a communication is minimal and relegated to young and breathtakingly beaulove and unconditional adult fictitious the dance floor, where a torrent of emotiful wannabe flamenco dancer devotion, or the ginger-haired city-state tions pours out the heel-stomping frenzy. half his age steadily evolve into Junoesque landlady who comes Figures of speech are sprinkled located a grey area of idealistic love and across more as libertine eclectically in the level-headed self-denial that well fit the classic than liberated in her somewhere The Last syntax, to originate atmospheric Roman concepts of patronage cougar prowess with in an Arabic Fandango turns of phrase like ‘the only and adoption, while sexual gratifisub-Saharan escapees. country cloud hanging over our relationmakes cation is sought outside the partOther females are cold ship had the distinct outlines of nership. Written in first person by and calculating, like enjoyable an erect male organ’. a forty-something ordinary English ‘Mister the French Madagascan cynic escapism Blister’ (how Robin describes him) who is gold-digger (an atavistic antipaand indeed content with his retiring life in the Almería thy for ‘les frogs’ slithers through Despite a few faux-pas, such as deserves its backlands and cared for by an unrequited the pages), or busybodies on a the uncalled-for racist stab at dignified and proudly discreet governess and her mission who can either make it Romanians, and the maladroit place in brother, the story starts at the turn of the or break it for the protagonist like turn of a Scottish wake into rainbow Millennium with an airplane trip across the larger-than-life ex-schoolgirl farce, The Last Fandango makes the Strait of Gibraltar to reach a fictitious lesbian who, despite meaning enjoyable escapism and indeed heart city-state located somewhere in an Arabic well and dispensing sensible deserves its dignified place in literature. country that could be Morocco, Algeria or advice, still sounds pushy and rainbow heart literature. even Egypt, according to the author. This insolent; or the petite, taciturn prim-anddetail raises the question with the reader proper military wife and piano teacher who about why one should cross the straits to seals the protagonists’ destiny through one travel from Almería to Algeria rather than gossipy slip of the tongue. Village life is flying or crossing by ferry from Malaga, but kept together by the monolithic presence they will gladly accept the poetic licence of a nonagenarian Scandinavian virago, ex that allows sneaking Gibraltar in the mix. spy and ex war hero, rumour has it, and If it wasn’t clearly stated on Page One that honorary lifelong chief, who could comthe year is 1999, you would be fortably be a man and nobody forgiven for assuming it is at least would ever spot the difference It discloses a century earlier, not withstand(her official title is Headman and the insider’s ing airplane tickets and mobile her voice modulates on baritone, point of phones, for the international after all!), later revealed to be the view on settlement is being trapped in key to somewhat restoring the Victorian censorship that constatus quo after one storm in a homosexual dones and encourages arbitrary teacup spiralled into life-shatterrelationships interventions against alleged in the run-up ing tsunami. debauchery purported behind decade to closed doors. Alex, meant to be just the tragic same-sex catalyst for the decisive encounmarriage The main characters are a felter between Peter and his cocky legalisation. lowship of British, middle-aged, (in more than one way) protégé, rich and powerful men who seem stays etched in our minds as the to live by Grecian pederasty rules, in their one who got away, the right lover for a pursuit of barely overage lovers, the more balanced pursuit of happiness. Of course exotic the better, usually bisexual and drama-prone Peter wouldn’t settle for the actually pledged to stable heterosexual easy road to his twilight years, and opts for relationships, just to save appearances. To silencing his frustrated fatherhood wailings some readers, this breezy conscious couby letting himself being used by a salaRobin Hellaby pling and uncoupling may ring unrealistic, cious, capricious, ambitious prima-donna with all caution and political correctness escaping paternal intransigence with the thrown to the wind despite the efforts spectacular leap of faith that only fandanVisit TheLastFandango.com to purchase your of the ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’ go can allow. paperback or e-book copy. Paperbacks are handing out condoms at shindigs, yet it also stocked in Gibraltar and Sabinillas, priced discloses the insider’s point of view on A nod to Aestheticism runs throughout the £12.99 or €15. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2018
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