Play, Rewind

by John Vurro

Wes is stuck. He should be spending his twenties finishing the schooling that will help him land a career in movies, just like he’s always dreamed about. Instead he divides his time between clerking in the most low-rent video store in Queens, and caring for a mom struggling with Alzheimer’s. His father’s out of the picture, and he has no realistic means of finding care for her—beyond the harried home nurse who’s already on the brink of quitting—but even though he’s sure his mother won’t even remember his efforts, he’s still committed to her. Still, he doesn’t have much to do outside life’s boring routines, except pressing Play and Rewind to try and identify the moments when it all went wrong. (And maybe watching the random vacation video that some customer left at the store to be copied.)




change. A friend from high school returns to the neighborhood after a mysterious absence, and a disreputable man from the neighborhood takes over the store. (He may or may not be mobbed up. Who can say, really? It’s not the sort of thing you ask your new boss.) And he finds out his father may be closer than he thinks. In short order, Wes’s life’s starting to look different. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing is tough to say—the store’s new owner wants to make easy money selling bootleg videos out front, and we all know the FBI frowns on that sort of thing; the high school friend may be too eager to make amends, and to hide the secrets of her own past mistakes—but still, it’s something. Now Wes has to navigate feelings far more frightening than stasis, and find a way forward despite everything pulling him
back.




Play, Rewind is a lovely literary look at a place near and dear to our hearts, one we all might want to visit if we had a time machine—the video store. (And it sends us to another vanished place, peaceful and innocent pre-9/11 New York.) More importantly, it’s a great glimpse into lives we can all relate to, people struggling against impossible odds, unsure if anything will ever change. It’s a fantastic debut novel from an amazing new author—John Vurro.




"I loved it so much that after I read it, I wanted to rewind back to the beginning and read it again. Vurro’s is a bold and brilliant new literary voice. This beautiful novel moved me deeply.”
— Alena Graedon, author of The Word Exchange

383 pages, Print Edition

Published April 29, 2025

About the author

John Vurro’s debut novel Play, Rewind was published April of 2025 from Tortoise Books. It was shortlisted for the Masters Review Novel Excerpt Contest, and was also a finalist in Craft’s First Chapter Contest. His story, “Turnkey,” was chosen for Carve‘s One to Watch feature in their 2015 summer issue. His story, “Carmine’s War,” won Harpur Palate‘s 2013 John Gardner Award. His fiction has been published in The Literary Review, Eclipse, Glint, and elsewhere. His poems have been published in The Examined Life, Sugar House Review, Action, Spectacle and elsewhere. His essay “Guardians'' was published in The Sun and nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He lives in New Jersey.

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well of course I was drawn to this book by its cover. I'm very nostalgic about the rise of home VCRs, fondly remember purchasing blank videotapes, and reveling in the ability to program my VCR to tape programs while I was at work. This story takes place in Queens, NY a few years before the 9/11 tragedy. Wes is in his twenties and stuck in the stressful situation of dealing with his mother's dementia, while also working at a local small-time videotape rental store. His father hasn't been in the picture since he was a young kid, and he's got so much to juggle to get through daily life. He's got a nurse named Gloria that helps watch his mother, but things have progressed to critical mass and Mom needs professional care in a nursing home.

I thought I would enjoy the moments that took place in the video store environment, but was disappointed here. The characters of Dom and Vito that ran the video store were both unlikeable, shady characters. Also, the clientele who made appearances were almost non-existent, but also unappealing. When the story focused on the home environment, it was upsetting reading about the mom's extreme dementia, and Wes's reluctance to face that he could no longer safely care for her. The one uplifting character of Lola, an eccentric girl friend from high school days who had suddenly disappeared before graduation- now reappearing in Wes's life- broke up the tension a bit and added color to the story.

The writing style was free, easy, and straightforward as I like it. I enjoy simple stories about everyday people and their challenges, and this certainly fit the bill with the very real problem of dealing with a mentally impaired parent. I cared enough to keep reading to the end, but the weakness of the storyline residing in the videotape rental store pulled down the overall enjoyment of the book for me. It still was a good and relevant story as the problem of long-term care for parents that need it continues to be a huge problem.

Thank you to the publisher Tortoise Books who provided an advance reader copy via Edelweiss.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a moving portrayal of the highs and lows of taking care of a parent battling dementia, and the difficult choices that’s need to be made, all while managing the rest of your life - career, relationships, passions - and what it takes to not just survive but thrive. I enjoyed the story, plot was strong. The writing was simple and enjoyable.
Lola and Wes’ relationship was the only characterization I had issues with - it was a bit rushed and not fleshed out completely. But his relationship with his (feuding) bosses and Gloria were really well done.

[Ellis Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy novels by Haruki Murakami and the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you’ll like this debut by John Vurro. I stayed up past my bedtime two days in a row to finish it. 😂

I was first drawn in by the cover and by the description: a young man working in a New York 90s video store, struggling to find his way out of poverty and into his dreams. I stayed for the plot development, the lovely prose, and for the strange, amazing, hilarious characters. Two of my favorites were feuding video store owners, bent on destroying each other.

The book is also an accurate depiction of the struggle to care for a disabled family member, and a very heartbreaking portrayal of the sorrow of dementia. Love and loss and longing, all tied together.

Overall, this was an excellent read, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves literary novels.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Play, Rewind by John Vurro is a highly recommended literary family drama set in Queens, New York, during the year 2000.

Wes, 26, is caring for his mother who has Alzheimer’s and still working as a clerk at Video Planet. He had planned to go to film school for a future career in the movies. Now that dream is gone and he's struggling but committed to caring for his mother. His father walked out on them years ago. The home health care nurse, Gloria, helps with his mom when he's at work. His days are like a video tape, play and rewind.

Then some changes happen to Wes's world. Vito takes over the store from Dom and begins to make changes, including giving Wes a raise, cleaning up the store, and expecting Dom to actually work too. An even more welcomed change is Lola. They knew each other in high school and she returns to the neighborhood and seeks out Wes. The two begin a relationship.

This is in many ways a difficult novel to read as readers see Wes dealing with his mother's dementia, but even amidst the struggles there are moments of hope. Gloria has been a great support for Wes, but she is also realistically telling him it is time to get his mother into a home with full time care. Lola is a wonderful addition to his life. Wes is a young man who should have friends and be connecting with other people.

In some ways this is also a tribute to movies and video stores. There is a plethora of movies mentioned throughout the novel. Readers who love movies are going to relish this. For those who remember video stores, the lists of movies will also bring back memories of going in and searching the aisles to pick out a movie or two.

Wes is a sympathetic character in a difficult situation. He is portrayed as a realistic individual with strengths and weaknesses. His mother's dementia is realistically portrayed and heartbreaking. Lola is an interesting character whose character is developed and secrets are revealed over the course of the novel.

Play, Rewind is a well-written literary novel that will be appreciated by those who enjoy family dramas and movies. Thanks to Tortoise Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2025/0...

[Christian Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I’d like to say that I am extremely proud of my cousin John for writing and publishing this book. This is an incredible accomplishment and was an honor to read.

As far as the book, a line from one of the final chapters really stands out - a representation of the book: “An honest life is a quiet life.”

Throughout the book, the main character is surrounded by the truth, just circumventing it slightly. If you look hard enough, or even pay closer attention to what’s around you, you can really see what’s going on. Thankfully, he had people around him who are able to guide him, which is exactly what friends are for. Without them, he would be perpetually stuck hitting Play, Rewind. Always avoiding forward.

While the ending is happy, my heart hurt throughout the book. This is a fantastic literary piece to look into what it is like to take care of someone, especially your mother, with dementia. How one person losing their mind can make you lose yours just as easily.

If you’re looking for something that you can relate to, whether dementia has a personal connection to you or not, this is the book to read. I would highly recommend.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Play, Rewind is a beautifully written and emotionally powerful story about Wes, a young man caught between his dreams and his responsibilities. With his dream of film school on hold, Wes finds himself caring for his mother as she slips further into dementia. The toll—mental, physical, and financial—is immense.

While working at a local video store, Wes finds a homemade vacation movie left behind by a stranger. That simple discovery sparks something in him, inspiring him to begin filming his mother’s day-to-day life as her memory fades. But as he captures these intimate moments, long-buried family secrets come to light—leading him on a journey to find the father he believed had abandoned them. What he uncovers changes everything.

This story is moving, intimate, and incredibly relatable—especially for anyone navigating the emotional terrain of caring for aging parents while still trying to live their own life. It’s a story about memory, identity, and the fragile threads that hold families together. A must-read for fans of character-driven fiction with heart.

[Alli Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following a twenty-something on a quest to resuscitate his film-making dreams amidst the stark reality of his mother’s battle with dementia, this novel hits all the notes - a tribute to movie classics, perfect comedic timing, heart-wrenching truths about caring for aging and ailing parents, and what it means to pursue a dream despite far-from-perfect circumstances. The characters are quirky and unforgettable, a perfect cast of restless souls, led by the witty and sardonic Wes, whose unfiltered honesty makes reading this novel feel like catching up with an old friend. Vurro’s writing is sharp and poignant, delivering gut-punch emotional truths with the perfect dose of hope. Hop in Wes’s Cutlass and buckle up for a ride - this brilliant debut from Vurro is a moving tribute to the movies, Queens, caregivers, and our propensity for dreaming just beyond our limits, as to always have something to hope for.

[Kevin Flook · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Vurro masterfully blends tragedy and comedy in this novel set in Queens about the redemptive and healing powers of art. Wes is a 26 year old aspiring filmmaker who finds himself directing an unusual film - a sort of genre blending film that's part documentary of his mother's decline into dementia and part comedy as his girlfriend uses her improvisational skills to coax long forgotten memories and even unearth a few secrets from his mother. Parallel to this is Wes's day to day job as a video store clerk in a mob fronted VHS/DVD rental store. The grim realities of living with a mother with Alzheimer's and living from paycheck to paycheck are rendered unsparingly, but Vurro manages to find poetic beauty and humor in even the grimmest of circumstances. But the question that truly leaves a lingering sting from this novel is a frank exploration of how art functions in our day-to-day life, as both escapist fantasy and maker of meaning.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this book and was very pumped to read it. The description of the book that caught my attention was the backdrop of the video store which had me nostalgic for the early 2000s working in a movie theater with people who were so into movies and self-proclaimed movie buffs that I could relate to Wes and his movie references and his job at the video store. But that was just the surface. Wes is a young guy in his 20's wanting to grow and start his life but is taking care of his sick mom. You feel sympathy for him but he is not a typical selfish 20 something that is resentful of his circumstances. If anything, he does whatever he can to make sure his mom is cared for. This story will take you through all of the emotions of laughing, crying and some shocking moments. You won't be disappointed in this story as there are many facets and the characters really come off the page. I was invested to see how Wes' story unfolds.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! At its heart it’s the story of a young man who puts his life on hold to care for his aging mother, all while working a dead-end job at one of the last video rental stores in late ‘90’s Manhattan. Just when he’s stretched too thin, an old crush reappears and it’s hard to tell if she’ll bring healing or more heartache. The emotional complexity of his relationships are written with such depth that it’s impossible not to feel the ache of every choice he makes.

I could not put this book down!

[Melissa Badamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Play, Rewind is a delightful time capsule into the era of video stores and 2000s New York City. Vurro perfectly captures the raw struggles of caring for a mother with dementia, working a dead-end job, and healing from past family memories—all while rekindling an old flame, reinvigorating broken dreams, and searching for a sliver of hope and beauty in it all.

A real treat of a novel, it's easy to get lost in Vurro's smooth and thoughtful prose, poignant imagery, relatable character arcs, and classic film references. It's the perfect nostalgic read for film lovers and dreamers alike.

[Jamey Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Vurro’s Play, Rewind is a solid novel about a young man caring for his mother as she struggles with dementia. It is emotional without being sentimental. It is rich in setting: a time and place in history. Queens in 2000. I enjoyed the book and genuinely cared about the characters by the end.

[Avner Landes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, the cover is damn cool, but I was delighted to discover that the book is just as great. I'm not the type of reader that needs a lot of heart in the books I read, and I don't need them to be thrilling either, but this book is not only a heartbreaker, but it's damn hard to put down. I found the last fifty pages to be particularly crafty. I found myself asking, How is this book almost done? It felt as though there was so much story left to tell, and then it goes in a completely unpredictable yet satisfying direction.