| Summary Note |
A sharply observed, 24 hour urban love story that follows Stephen Connolly - a character from the bestselling novel The Children - through one of the worst days of his life. The day he has decided to dump his girlfriend. On a stiflingly hot December day, Stephen has decided it's time to break up with his girlfriend Fiona. He's 39, aimless and unfulfilled, he's without a clue working out how to make his life better. All he has are his instincts - and unfortunately they might just be his downfall . As he makes his way through the pitiless city and the hours of a single day, Stephen must fend off his demanding family, endure another shift of his dead-end job at the zoo (including an excruciating teambuilding event), face up to Fiona's aggressive ex-husband and the hysteria of a children's birthday party that goes terribly wrong. As an ordinary day develops into an existential crisis, Stephen begins to understand - perhaps too late - that love is not a trap, and only he can free himself. Hilarious, tender and heartbreaking, Animal People is a portrait of urban life, a meditation on the conflicted nature of human-animal relationships, and a masterpiece of storytelling. |
