Every Last Cuckoo: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Kate Maloy (Author)
Key Phrases: Kate Maloy, New York, Albert Graves (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Maloy explored northern landscapes and Quaker faith in her memoir A Stone Bridge North; she returns to both in her moving debut novel. When 75-year-old Sarah Lucas's husband, Charles, succumbs to an injury at the peak of a particularly brutal Vermont winter, her worst later-life fears of physical mishap are realized. In grief, Sarah's memories take her back to the Great Depression, when her parents generously opened their home to countless friends and relatives, and to her own regretted missteps as a parent. The chance to recreate the one experience and rectify the other arrives uninvited when a variety of lost souls—Sarah's own teenage granddaughter; an Israeli pacifist; a devastated young mother and child—seek shelter and solace in Sarah's too-empty home. The motley assortment of characters, many of whom have been touched by violence, deliver passionate apostrophes on peace and justice, and together Sarah and her boarders discover unseen beauty in the landscape, uncover hidden talents and develop a nurturing, healing community. Maloy's wordplay and startling nature imagery enchant, but readers will have to decide if the spectacular climax, an expression of its characters' principles in action, is out of place with the novel's quiet thoughtfulness. (Jan.)
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Review
"Every Last Cuckoo is an impressive step in a new literary direction."-- MSNBC.com column, “Can't Miss: This Week's Best Offerings," week of 1/20 - 1/26 (MSNBC.COM )

"A story about the profound gifts of time, love, and loss. . . . Maloy's message is about affirming the profundity of grief by expressing that energy in positive ways. This story is her generous vision of how things could be."--The Olympian (The Olympia Olympian )

"A striking portrait of a marriage that is as imperfect and amiable as its participants."--Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews )

"A wonderful story of human potential and what is possible when strangers become family. . . . This heartwarming tale is an excellent read."—Roanoke Times (Roanoke Times )

"Kate Maloy's sweetly inspiring first novel, "Every Last Cuckoo," is a lovely meditation on what miracles can happen when we simply open our hearts. . . . Maloy's novel grabs the reader by the heart -- it is rare indeed to find such assured fiction about love that endures over time. . . . In this portrait of a long and loving marriage, Maloy gives us a real human family, with all its love and conflict and change, as well as a look at the richness that can come with age."--New Orleans Times-Picayune (New Orleans Times-Picayune )

"The appeal of Maloy's debut--which has the fast-forward quality of a fairy tale--is not in its subtlety but in its conviction."—People, 3-star review (People Magazine )

"This lovely tale depicts the surprises and changes that come about with aging. . . .Maloy has created a truly engrossing novel, with situations at times both joyful and horribly sad and an entirely likable protagonist surrounded by an eclectic cast of friends and family. An excellent book club selection; highly recommended."--Library Journal (Library Journal )

"[A] moving debut novel. . . .Maloy's wordplay and startling nature imagery enchant."
—Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly )

A story about the profound gifts of time, love, and loss. . . . Maloy's message is about affirming the profundity of grief by expressing that energy in positive ways. This story is her generous vision of how things could be.--The Olympian (The Olympia Olympian )

A striking portrait of a marriage that is as imperfect and amiable as its participants.--Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews )

A wonderful story of human potential and what is possible when strangers become family. . . . This heartwarming tale is an excellent read.Roanoke Times (Roanoke Times )

Every Last Cuckoo is an impressive step in a new literary direction.-- MSNBC.com column, Can't Miss: This Week's Best Offerings, week of 1/20 - 1/26

Kate Maloy's sweetly inspiring first novel, Every Last Cuckoo, is a lovely meditation on what miracles can happen when we simply open our hearts. . . . Maloy's novel grabs the reader by the heart -- it is rare indeed to find such assured fiction about love that endures over time. . . . In this portrait of a long and loving marriage, Maloy gives us a real human family, with all its love and conflict and change, as well as a look at the richness that can come with age.--New Orleans Times-Picayune (New Orleans Times-Picayune )

The appeal of Maloy's debut--which has the fast-forward quality of a fairy tale--is not in its subtlety but in its conviction.People, 3-star review (People Magazine )

This lovely tale depicts the surprises and changes that come about with aging. . . .Maloy has created a truly engrossing novel, with situations at times both joyful and horribly sad and an entirely likable protagonist surrounded by an eclectic cast of friends and family. An excellent book club selection; highly recommended.--Library Journal (Library Journal )

[A] moving debut novel. . . .Maloy's wordplay and startling nature imagery enchant. Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 277 pages
• Publisher: Algonquin Books (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156512541X
• ISBN-13: 978-1565125414
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #412,237 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A WONDERFUL, HEARTFELT READ, January 1, 2008

By	R. A. Taylor "avid reader" (FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I hated when Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy ended--the sign of a truly good book! I wanted to learn more about characters that I had come to feel I knew. The characters are so well drawn and fully fleshed out that it doesn't take long before you feel you know them and would be more than happy to have them in your home.
This is the story of Sarah and her long marriage to Charles. After Sarah loses Charles to an accident, we see Sarah's devastating grief, feel her despair. But circumstances keep Sarah from isolating herself with her grief. Sarah starts taking in struggling and lost souls, people who need a place to rest and recuperate from what life has handed them. And while Sarah still grieves for Charles, she becomes comfortable in this new part of her life.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a warm-hearted story of love and loss, living your life the best way you can under hard circumstances. Ms. Maloy has done a truly outstanding job with this book and I look forward to more books by her.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant look at life, February 13, 2008

By	Gayla M. Collins (Sheridan, WY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Kate Maloy takes a common situation, the death of a spouse, to ruminate on what truly is important in one's life. At age 75, Sarah mourns her beloved Charles, but before she can become embedded in her grief unexpected situations force her forward movement. Three teenagers, all lost in their youthful insecurity and pomposity, find lodging in Sarah's abode as well as a mother and son, misplaced by a vicious fire that kills the husband. Add to this mix an abused wife with a baby, a Jewish scholar from Israel and you have a melding of human kind struggling together in Sarah's home toward normal if the state exists. From each of their situations, Sarah gleans a stronger understanding of purpose, and perhaps more importantly, acceptance.

In this gently paced tale Maloy never preaches wisdom; she uniquely opens it for consideration. What do we do when life throws punches and we aren't equipped to fight back? Train in the safe arena of friends till we have the tools to protect our hearts and souls? Find new avenues to contentment? Accept and let be? Maloy is lyrical in her proposed solutions and that highlights this lovely work.

A beautiful, wonderfully composed gift to the world of the written word.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book with a soul and a conscience, January 18, 2008

By	Lisa Peet (Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was a kind book, and smart, and I found myself deeply caring about every one of the large cast of characters -- and I had no trouble keeping them straight in my mind, which is something. There was a true warmth to it -- sweet and a bit sentimental without being in any way mawkish or ever ringing false. The small adjustments we all constantly make in our lives in order that they be good and so that we can live with ourselves and each other -- Kate Maloy captures the dynamics of family, and humanity, with real soul. This book made me feel good.

The heroine, Sarah, is my new role model for growing old. Now if only I can figure out how to move back to Vermont...