That Old Cape Magic

Meh, wasn't very good. It seemed unfocused and all over the place. The characters weren't that compelling, nobody seemed like a real living breathing entity. They were just words on a page. Not the worst thing I ever read, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I'd read Straight Man and Empire Falls which I rate very highly. This book did not seem to have a meaningful complete story and was a bit scattered, although it had a lot of Russo's great turns of phrase and delving into non-optimistic characters.

This novel focuses on Jack Griffin and his unhappy childhood with his selfish, snobby, and unfullfilled parents. It's a very thoughtful look at how our parents shape our lives, and how hard it can be to get over past hurts and get on with one's life.