In this
refreshing, imaginative novel of self-discovery, a debut author has his
work--and his life--edited by the inimitable Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Steven Rowley (Lily and the Octopus)
explores the complicated relationship between mothers and sons in his wise and
deeply engrossing second novel, The Editor. Set in Manhattan in the
early 1990s, the story centers on James Smale, an aspiring writer in his late
20s, who has worked "a never-ending string of toxic, depressing temp
jobs" and is in a committed--although maybe not forever--relationship with
Daniel, a loving and spirited companion who works in the theater.
The book
opens with a dramatic and dynamic scene that establishes the tone of the novel:
James is summoned to the high-powered offices of Doubleday--the book company
has expressed interest in his novel, The Quarantine, a
semi-autobiographical story about an emotionally estranged mother and son.
Nerves and self-consciousness plague James as he waits in a conference room,
and matters grow even more overwhelming when in walks Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis--former first lady of the United States who has become an esteemed
editor in the last third of her life.
That
moment marks the start of a working relationship that will later turn into
friendship. Perceptive, analytical and astute Jackie becomes a literary mentor
to James. She also raises questions--on the page and off--that gently nudge
James to dig deeper into the emotional landscape of his fraught relationship
with his mother and the rest of his family.
The
resonance of Rowley's originality and sensitivity shines on every page. He has
written a refreshing, superbly crafted novel of hard-won self-discovery filled
with big, well-paced scenes and a pitch-perfect blend of humor and compassion
that will charm and fully engage readers.
The Editor: by Steven Rowley
Putnam, $27.00 Hardcover, 9780525537960, 320 pages
Publication Date: April 2, 2019
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NOTE:
This review is a reprint and is being posted with the permission of Shelf Awareness. To read
this review on Shelf Awareness: Reader's Edition (April 9, 2019), link HERE