The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III

Published by

Sarah Ann

on

May 29, 2010

The Garden of Last Days is the epitome of masterful storytelling. It’s a bit longer than most books, at around 530 pages, but you won’t notice. You’ll just enjoy the ride.

On a lazy Florida afternoon, a young stripper named April takes her three-year-old daughter Franny to work when her babysitter calls in sick. Franny will be supervised by the strip club’s “house mother” while April dances onstage. But of course, a strip club is no place for a toddler, and Franny goes missing.

The entire book takes place within about five days. Its plot is centralized around April and Franny, but there are chapters sprinkled in that provide intimate glimpses into a bunch of colorful characters:

Lonnie, a bouncer at the strip club who has feelings for April
A.J., an alcoholic who was 86’d from the club that night for rough behavior
Deena, A.J.’s estranged wife
Virginia, A.J.’s ailing and ignorant mother
Jean- April’s tenant and babysitter
Bassam, an Egyptian terrorist who plans to cause problems in the U.S.

Together, these characters create a chain of events that result in the ultimate butterfly effect. The story really makes you want to take a closer look at the actions and decisions you make on a daily basis.

I love how The Garden of Last Days has no lulls. Its chapters and breaks occur at just the right times, and it’s super fast-paced as a whole.

One thing I don’t love about this novel is its ending, which is based on true events. Its already so well-written—it would have been nice to see more of an original, fictional ending.

I think this book is infinitely better than House of Sand and Fog, which was a sleeper for me that I couldn’t finish. If you were put off by that one, don’t let it prevent you from picking up The Garden of Last Days.

Andre Dubus III has also written these books:

Dirty Love (2013)
Gone So Long (2018)
Such Kindness (2023)

What did you think about The Garden of Last Days? Have you read anything else by this author?

Last Updated on February 17, 2026 by Sarah Ann

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