A bighearted debut with technicolor characters, plenty of Texas swagger, and a powder keg of a plot in which marriages struggle, rivalries flare, and secrets explode, all with a clever wink toward classical mythology
The Briscoe family is once again the talk of their small town when March returns to East Texas two years after he was caught having an affair with his brother's wife. His mother, June, hardly welcomes him back with open arms. Her husband's own past affairs have made her tired of being the long-suffering spouse. Is it, perhaps, time for a change? Within days of March's arrival, someone is dead, marriages are upended, and even the strongest of alliances are shattered. In the end, the ties that hold them together might be exactly what drag them all down.
An expansive tour de force, Olympus, Texas cleverly weaves elements of classical mythology into a thoroughly modern family saga, rich in drama and psychological complexity. After all, at some point, don't we all wonder: What good is this destructive force we call love?
PRAISE FOR OLYMPUS, TEXAS
“A total page-turner. Swann’s debut is rich in Texas flavor and full of nods to classical mythology—quotes from Ovid, twins human and canine, and the kind of relentless bad luck that usually means you’ve offended a deity.”
—Kirkus (starred review)
“Here is a lightning field of a novel: enthralling, vast, dark, bright, beautiful and dangerous. I was hypnotized by it. Stacey Swann is an unforgettable force, and Olympus, Texas will carry you and embrace you with all its heart, strength, and hope.”
—Paul Yoon, author of Run Me to Earth
“Olympus, Texas is the most wildly entertaining novel I’ve read in a long time, and Stacey Swann is a writer to watch.”
—Richard Russo, author of Chances Are . . .
“A remarkable debut. Olympus, Texas is a gripping, big-hearted epic, full of characters you may recognize and will absolutely remember.”
—Jennifer duBois, author of The Spectators
“Olympus, Texas is sheer delight: hilarious, heartbreaking, true. I loved this novel.”
—Amanda Eyre Ward, author of The Jetsetters
“The endearing characters of Olympus, Texas gallop through a plot luscious with secrets and scandals. Escape to Olympus for the rollicking fun. Stay for the heartbreakingly lyrical writing and tender message about the enduring gift that is family love.”
—Sarah Bird, best-selling author of Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen
“An uncanny twin-myth of modern Texas and ancient Greece that feels familiar and strange, loving and painful—like family itself. Olympus, Texas is an achievement of sustained brilliance, and an audacious opening to Swann’s fated journey into the canon of greats.”
—Smith Henderson, author of Fourth of July Creek
“A moving and exhilarating debut! With exquisite prose and unerring pace, Swann guides us through the strained-loyalties, love affairs, and violent disasters of a rural Texas town populated by characters as vibrant and compelling as the ancient gods they echo. Swann masterfully crafts both soul-stirring moments of connection and gasp-out-loud action—often on the same page. With the wit of Flannery O’Connor and the emotional scope of Donna Tartt, Swann sings family in all its painful, riveting beauty. I love this novel!”
—Owen Egerton, author of Hollow and The Book of Harold, the Illegitimate Son of God