"A bravura first novel. . . . Compelling. . . . Galassi propels his readers forward on a thought-provoking, often hilarious, bittersweet ride." –
Los Angeles Review of Books "Entertaining. . . .
Muse is many things: a satire of New York's social world, a portrait of publishing that is both love song and takedown, and an intriguing mystery." –
The New York Times Book Review "A love letter to beautiful writing. . . . Galassi has a treasure trove of information which he supplies to readers in great, and gorgeous detail." –
The Huffington Post
"Excellent. . . . A terrific novel. . . . A loving document of a bygone era and a crackling good story." –
USA Today "A testament to the purity of the written word, and the turmoil that can be required to get it on paper." –
The New Yorker
"Keenly observed. . . . Incisive. . . .
Muse–much like John Updike's early Bech books–leaves insiders with a knowing portrait of the publishing world before the digital revolution, and gives outsiders a gently satirical look at the passions and follies of a vocation peopled by 'fanatics of the cult of the printed word.'" –
The New York Times
"Make[s] poetry and publishing feel alive with complexity and drama and feeling. . . . How beautifully Galassi represents moments of literary triumph." –
Commonweal "Charming. . . . It is one of the pleasures of Muse to watch Galassi mix his fictional literati with the real ones." –
The New York Review of Books
"Packed with lively secrets and insider gossip from the world of literature." –
Entertainment Weekly
"A long-awaited, and worthwhile, event. Galassi's main character is the heir to a prestigious publishing house who becomes the confidante of his favorite writer, a poet whose personal life is as famed as her writing." –
Vanity Fair
"Beguiling . . . Galassi imbues his offbeat tale with emotional intensity and a lingering resonance." –
Miami Herald "An enjoyably incestuous tangle of life and art. . . . Preserve[s] the quirks and charms of a colorful era in literary culture." –
The Boston Globe
"Accomplished. . . . Affecting. . . .
Muse adds still another gold star to Galassi's literary report card." –
The New York Journal of Books "A fictional send-up of New York's publishing industry, by one of its real-life members. . . . While industry insiders will likely recognize the thinly veiled references to key players in publishing, outsiders will giggle at Galassi's accounts of aggressive agents, arrogant authors and barbaric book fairs." –
New York Post "A witty, elegant, tons-of-fun debut novel. Jonathan Galassi has got all the dirt on the publishing industry and he is ready to
dish. But he also takes us from Union Square and a hideaway country cottage to Venice, for a love story all his own." –Gary Shteyngart
