AT LAST by Edward St. Aubyn (fic)

     At last I read Edward St. Aubyn's final book (I think) in the series of Melrose novels.  I have reviewed the previous novels in a blog in 2012.  St. Aubyn is one of my favorite writers despite the gritty content of his novels which deal with abuse, addiction and destructive behavior.  If you haven't read the other books in this series, you should not begin with this novel.  You need the previous books to understand the characters and their various transformations with the passage of time.  "At Last" and the other Melrose novels are the closest the reader may ever come to examining the dysfunction of certain Upper Class British, unless you count the British press/Murdoch bugging scandals and the Chipping Norton set who aren't really Upper Class anyway, despite playing at it.
    As "At Last" opens time has passed since we last left Patrick in pretty awful straits.  Somehow he has resurrected himself and seemingly found some peace without resorting to spiritual psycho-babble.  The novel is constructed around his mother, Eleanor's funeral in the course of one day. As the ceremony drones on, we become voyeurs into the thoughts of the various characters from the previous novels, some close to death themselves, others resurrected and redeemed.
    St. Aubyn maintains his amusing sardonic voice and insights into his appalling childhood of abuse, both physical and mental.  We again meet Patrick's understanding wife, Mary; his precocious and observant sons, Robert and Thomas; the self-absorbed and ironically funny Aunt Nancy and Nicholas Pratt; as well as some other peculiarly funny specimens of humanity.  At the same time we have a closer look at Eleanor and her own dysfunctional background.  If all this sounds too dreary, it isn't.  St. Aubyn who admits he draws on his own background, writes with such skill and talent that despite the dark content, his novels are fascinating and addictive.  If you have read his other novels, I don't have to tell you that you cannot stop without reading this addition to Patrick Melrose's history and you will not be disappointed.