A novel about a difficult subject, Anna McPartlin's The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes highlights the highlights of the life of Rabbit Hayes , the protagonist, before illness took her to heaven.
During this 464-page novel (published by Le Cherche Midi), we will follow the last eight days of the life of Mia Hayes, more commonly known as Rabbit. She has breast cancer that has become widespread, and doctors have predicted that she probably has a week to live. All his relatives know it, the moment they have been dreading for years will finally arrive. So during these last eight days of life, we will learn more about the (short) life that Rabbit spent before and during the disease.
A caring environment
What we will remember above all from this book are the characters – and they are rather numerous. During our reading, we all meet Rabbit's relatives, namely his two parents, his brother and sister, his twelve-year-old daughter, his best friend and his children… not to mention his love of youth and always: Johnny.
To tell the truth, the importance of the characters is such that it is themselves who punctuate the book. The novel is not divided into chapters but into the number of days remaining for Rabbit, and each subsection is dedicated to one of the characters. For each subsection about a character, we learn more about that character and his time spent with Rabbit at some point in their lives.
We can add that the author makes us travel in time during the novel. Sometimes we end up with Rabbit and his best friend at twenty, and then the next sub-part will talk about Rabbit with his daughter ten years later, when she learns of his illness. All this makes it possible to form a puzzle that takes shape as the reading progresses, and that one can contemplate from afar once the book is finished.
What is particularly appreciable in this book is that all the characters bring or have brought positive in Rabbit's life. There is no toxic relationship or unhealthy character, seeking to harm our protagonist. They are all there to remember their lives in her company, and help each other to see her go. All this brings a warm atmosphere to the novel despite a complicated theme.
The fear of dying?
Rabbit Hayes has widespread cancer. She has been hospitalized for a while now, and her family visits her every day. Obviously, over the course of the novel, we clearly see the difference between the moments in the past when Rabbit was not sick with those when she was already sick. It's as if history goes from day to night – but a starry night. As said before, this novel is never completely negative, although it deals with the subject that most frightens the human being: illness, the path to death. In fact, the author offers us a gentle journey to welcome death, which is ultimately part of life. Through the novel, we indirectly accept the fact that someone's life stops, even if it is the person we love the most in the world. Even if life is unfair, we all end up dying, sooner or later, and rather than collapsing over the death of someone we love, we might as well remember the good times and keep them close to us forever.
Living together the disease
Despite the state of distress Rabbit finds himself in – which one can easily imagine if his days are numbered – his ami.es and family are always close to her to listen to him and take care of his desires. During the reading, we appreciated the fact that the disease is not seen as a burden on loved ones, but as a real handicap for the sick person, and that we must first pay attention to his well-being rather than complain oneself about having to support someone sick. The disease was welcomed by Rabbit's entourage and everyone tried in their own way to help him towards his path to recovery, and finally his path to death.
Rabbit wasn't the only sick character in this novel. His childhood sweetheart, Johnny, a musician in a well-known rock band, was struck by multiple sclerosis. As he became increasingly ill, Rabbit took care of him and wanted to be there to accompany him on a daily basis.
The book forcefully conveys a message of mutual aid and solidarity for sick people on a daily basis.
Finally, we really liked the ending, which probably closes this novel in the best possible way. On the other hand, we prefer to warn you that this book is quite – perhaps too – easy to read and although the themes addressed are important and deep, the writing is not very catchy, which can lead to some slowness at times. The story simply tells the life of normal people in our daily lives, so if you want to change your minds with more exceptional and catchy stories, we advise you to leave this one in your pile to read while waiting for the right moment for a relaxing novel!
So, if this reading inspires you, do not hesitate to meet Rabbit and his family, who will welcome you with open arms!
