News & Politics

Alice McDermott’s Literary Letdown

McDermott's latest novel, After This, was a disappointment

Bethesda writer Alice McDermott’s latest book, After This—about a Catholic family from the 1940s through the ’70s—is a disjointed novel in which relationships are left undeveloped in favor of McDermott’s typically shimmering prose. Previous books like Charming Billy did it all so well that we still can’t wait for her next one.