PositiveNew York Times Book ReviewA historical romance of a grand, old-fashioned and very British variety, with hints of L.P. Hartley, D.H. Lawrence and Evelyn Waugh — an impressive feat for an American author writing many decades after them ... Where the first section, told from Marion’s perspective, is smooth, subtle and often ravishing, even as it juggles multiple threads and timelines, the shift to Jamie’s perspective feels overwhelmed ... Cross is a clever world builder, but in a tale with a fairly simple premise...the threads around Jamie’s story often feel like a tangled study in tedium ... Cross remains a talented ventriloquist. Her eye for detail and her romantic language transport the reader ... Believably charming ... Astute ... There is also real daring and originality in her portrayal of the sexuality ... Though sometimes tricky and bloated, the first and final sections of Amanda are compelling and ultimately convincing, which is one of the most difficult things a love story can be.
PositiveThe New York Times Book ReviewSwoony, atmospheric ... Early passages shine with the promise of a delicately entwined story to come ... If the end feels disappointing...it’s because it doesn’t quite live up to the vast possibilities Rowe has conjured through her affecting, sensual, otherworldly prose ... Early passages from within the saint’s semi-consciousness are particularly beautiful. Rowe’s descriptions are sure-footed and surprising ... Every word is prized and imbued with clear intention, yet the novel’s sum doesn’t quite live up to its parts, the lovely lines and the thoughts and gaping needs of its characters.
Yoko Tawada, trans. by Margaret Mitsutani
RaveThe New York Times Book ReviewDeeply weird ... Tawada’s work reminds us that weirdness is not always a bad thing ... The novel is an optimistic portrait of pluralism. While other writers might be hesitant to channel experiences outside their own, Tawada boldly embodies the voices of characters who are trans, intellectually disabled or less than politically correct ... All this kumbaya inclusiveness could easily get sticky sweet, but the novel’s sheer wackiness keeps that from happening ... Might be a new kind of novel. Tawada’s prose is light on its feet, informal while still feeling deliberate, providing delicate and straightforward descriptions of events that are often complicated and bizarre.
