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Tag Archive for: praise

B. A. Shapiro on The Hundred-Year House

The Hundred-Year House is a funny, sad and delightful romp  through the beginning, middle and end of an artists’ colony as well as the  family mansion that sheltered it and the family members who do and don’t survive  it. Told backwards from the viewpoints of an array of eccentric and intertwined characters, the story’s secrets are revealed with stunning acuity. An ambitious work, well-realized.”
—B. A. Shapiro, author of The Art Forger

Posted in News, Reviews on December 6 2013· Tagged: ,

Charlie Lovett praises The Hundred-Year House

“A mesmerizing story of self-reinvention that delights on every page, told with keen wit and a perceptive eye. Like the unforgettable characters in this gripping novel, Laurelfield will draw you into its spell.”
Charlie Lovett, author of The Bookman’s Tale

Posted in News, Reviews on December 6 2013· Tagged: ,

Praise for The Hundred Year House

“A mesmerizing story of self-reinvention that delights on every page, told with keen wit and a perceptive eye. Like the unforgettable characters in this gripping novel, Laurelfield will draw you into its spell.”
Charlie Lovett, author of The Bookman’s Tale

Posted in Reviews on March 5 2013· Tagged: , ,

The Borrower featured in The Week

The Borrower was highlighted recently in the regular “Six Favorite Books” column in the magazine The Week. Author Carol Rifka Brunt writes, “Take one well-meaning librarian, one possibly gay 10-year-old boy, and one road trip across the country, and you have the wonderful and witty story of The Borrower. The moral ambiguity of so many of the decisions made along the way was what kept me thinking about this book long after the last page.” See the whole article here.

Posted in Reviews on August 7 2012· Tagged: , ,

Flavorwire Names The Borrower a top debut of 2011

Flavorwire named The Borrower one of the top ten debuts of 2011, saying it is “filled with lovely but unsentimental writing — something of a feat considering the material.” Read the full writeup here!

Posted in News, Reviews on February 10 2012· Tagged: , ,

Chicago Magazine’s Best Chicago Fiction of 2011

Chicago Magazine has chosen The Borrower as one of the four best works of Chicago fiction of 2011. Remarkably, its author was overlooked yet again for both the Best New Chef and Best Doctor lists, so this will have to suffice.

Posted in News, Reviews on December 6 2011· Tagged: , ,

The Borrower named one of Booklist’s top ten debuts

Booklist‘s new issue (out October 15th) names The Borrower as one of the top ten debuts of the past year (and has borrowed Lucy’s car for their nifty heading graphic)! See the full list online here.

Posted in News, Reviews on October 16 2011· Tagged: , ,

Story in Best American ’11 Praised in Boston Globe

The Boston Globe reviews The Best American Short Stories 2011, singling out my contribution (a story that originally appeared in Tin House).

From the review: ‘In “Peter Torrelli, Falling Apart,’’ one of the best in the collection, Makkai draws comparisons between the deteriorating artistic world and her characters’ lives. Drew and actor Peter have been friends since childhood; when Peter’s life degenerates, Drew risks his career to help him. Makkai’s stories have been included in “BASS’’ four consecutive years.’

Read more here.

Posted in News, Reviews on October 16 2011· Tagged: , , , , ,

Rebecca’s work in BASS ’11 singled out for raves by Chicago Tribune

The Best American Short Stories 2011 is finally out, and the Chicago Tribune put this ridiculously nice spotlight on my story “Peter Torrelli, Falling Apart.” From the review: “It’s easy to see why editors love her work: It’s crisply written and fast-moving, with plenty of nifty observational details. But there is also an underlying seriousness, a thoughtful and sometimes even heartbreaking moral core.” Buy the entire collection here — it looks fabulous this year!

Posted in News, Reviews on October 2 2011· Tagged: , , , ,

Marie Claire Reviews The Borrower

The Borrower’s out-and-out charm is heightened by its furious, righteous heart and conviction that books offer salvation and hope when life is messy and near-unbearable.” Read more.

Posted in News, Reviews on July 23 2011· Tagged: , , , ,

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