For Dua’s Monthly Read for May for the Service95 Book Club, she’s joined by one of Ireland’s most acclaimed short story writers, Claire Keegan. Together, they delve into Keegan’s striking story So Late In The Day – a precise, quietly unsettling portrait of a man (Cathal) whose lack of generosity towards his fiancée gradually exposes the often-imperceptible nature of modern misogyny.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between Cathal and Sabine, his French fiancée. In classic Claire Keegan style, every word choice is deliberate – no excess, no syllable wasted – each sentence carefully revealing the small, almost invisible fractures Cathal brings to their shared future. As the author reflects in this episode, “He has had several failed relationships with women... and it’s probably due to his lack of generosity.”
Rather than relying on sweeping explanations, Claire’s writing demonstrates the power of restraint. Precision does the work; meaning emerges through what is said and, just as importantly, what is left unsaid. The result is a story that lingers, with each additional reading revealing new details and bringing tensions further into focus (we recommend reading the book at least twice – it doesn’t take long).
This layered story provides the foundations for Dua and Claire to open up a wider conversation about modern relationships: how everyday moments of dismissal or disrespect can slip by unnoticed; how power dynamics often reveal themselves in subtle gestures; and what Keegan’s story can teach us about the quieter forms of misogyny embedded in contemporary life.
Watch the full conversation between Dua and Claire now on Service95’s YouTube channel here, or listen to it as a podcast here.
There’s More – Delve Deeper Into So Late In The Day With The Service95 Book Club...
LISTEN to their conversation with the Service95 Book Club podcast
DISCOVER the books that inspired Claire Keegan to write So Late In The Day
EXPLORE an essay by American writer Jackson Katz on how misogyny diminishes men
