That Old Cape Magic
Richard Russo’s latest novel, That Old Cape Magic, is out today, his second novel since Pulitzer Prize-winning Empire Falls in 2001. That Old Cape Magic tells the story of Jack Griffin, a middle-aged screenwriting professor who must spread his parents’ ashes on Cape Cod, where he vacationed as a child. The task sends him reeling through flashbacks of his childhood and 30-year marriage. The novel’s Cape Cod setting is a departure from the small, declining towns of Russo’s past novels, and sets the scene for some hilarious, often slapstick scenes. Critics are calling the novel funny and readable, but most agree that it is not as satisfying in the literary sense as his past novels. Still, fans of Russo’s ability to create humor in otherwise serious situations will find themselves laughing harder than ever. See below for full reviews.
“If there’s a funnier serious book than That Old Cape Magic, it’s in orbit in the Margaret Atwood galaxy.” – Betsy Willeford, Miami Herald
“That Old Cape Magic is eminently filmable [...] But readers looking for the warmth and complexity of that old Russo magic may prefer his harder-hitting, small-town novels.” – Heller McAlpin, Los Angeles Times
“Though Russo can write gorgeous sentences and some situations are amazingly rendered [...] the navel-gazing interior monologues that constitute much of the novel lack the punch of Russo’s earlier work.” – Publishers Weekly
“As for the readable, it is, as always, right on target.” – Roger Miller, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
*************
Want to know more about us? Check out “What is Books & Authors and Why Should You Care?”
