Russo Redux

Once disappointed, I tread lightly. That was my thought when I saw that Richard Russo had published a new novel, “That Old Cape Magic.” I’d read and enjoyed “Straight Man,” “Risk Pool” (my favorite Russo book) and “Empire Falls.” When “Bridge of Sighs” came out I was eager to read that, too,

My friends and I have often discussed the reasons why critics heap praise on a novelist’s latest, even if it doesn’t measure up to his or her previous works. That’s what I think happened with “Bridge of Sighs.” Tedious, too long, and lousy editing made it a chore to finish. Now along comes “That Old Cape Magic” which flew to number two on this week’s New York Times Bestseller List in the first week of publication. Critics praise it, of course. After all, “Empire Falls” won the Pulitzer Prize a few years ago.

But Janet Maslin’s review in the August 9th edition of the New York Times confirmed my hesitancy. So I will pass it up. Here’s an excerpt from her review. To read it in its entirety, go to www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/books/10maslin.html.

It’s Summer at the Cape, but This Is No Vacation
“That Old Cape Magic” is the only Richard Russo novel that has its own theme song. It’s also the only Russo book that needs one. And Mr. Russo supplies enough props, picture postcards and pratfalls to underscore the fragility of his latest venture. Its main character, the autobiographical-sounding Jack Griffin, feels adrift after having lived in the worlds of both moviemaking and academia and is no longer sure where his heart or his talents lie. This entertaining but facile book suggests that Mr. Russo is himself contemplating those same questions.

Changing Genres

If asked to choose just one genre, I’d read literary fiction. I’ve learned, however, that it’s a good idea to sample the other treats on the table. Now, it seems I might be getting hooked on mysteries and thrillers.

Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a wonderful read. (I’ve heard that his second novel, The Girl Who Played with Fire, is even better. So it will go on my list.) Larrson is a very good writer. He developed an intriguing plot with well defined characters. Lisbeth Salander, the “girl” of the title, is a computer hacker who teams up with Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, to find out the truth about a teenage girl who disappeared thirty years ago. The book combines a family saga and corporate intrigue.

I’ve just finished The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. I think the reason I picked it up is that it takes place in 1945 in Barcelona, a place on my “to visit” list. To quote Booklist, it is “part detective story, part boy’s adventure, part romance, fantasy and gothic horror.” I enjoyed the book very much and was especially in awe of the intricacies of the plot and how expertly Zafron wove the details.

P. D. James, “widely acknowledged as the greatest contemporary writer of classic crime” (The London Sunday Times) is the author of fifteen crime novels. Recently some friends were discussing what a good writer she is. Though I’ve read two of her crime novels and have probably seen a couple that were dramatized on PBS, I’ve decided to add her and her protagonist, Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard, to the growing pile of books by my bedside.

And a couple of years ago, after hearing it reviewed on the radio, I read Tess Gerritsen’s The Mephisto Club which I thoroughly enjoyed. Fans of the mystery novel have their favorites. Whether it’s Agatha Christie or Josephine Tey or Anne Perry or James Patterson, the stories provide hours of entertainment. And it’s fun trying to guess the outcomes.