The Closing Days

by Isaac Kovach

When Alex Vogel is expelled from Stanford for plagiarism, he travels to Vienna to escape the disappointed glare of his parents and to forget about how thoroughly his last girlfriend dumped him. His trip begins promisingly when he meets Johanna, a captivating student with whom he immediately shares an intense connection. He takes a job working for her grandfather and grows close with them both. They provide the sense of family that Alex often failed to find back home.

One afternoon over coffee, Johanna’s grandfather asks Alex to spy on a man as a personal favor. Alex accepts. What he observes forces him to consider that Johanna’s grandfather may have committed an unspeakable crime. Reluctant to falsely accuse her family, Alex keeps his suspicions from Johanna while he searches for the truth. Unsure whom to believe and desperate to preserve his relationship with Johanna and her grandfather, Alex plunges forward in pursuit of uncovering the past.

Genres: Fiction

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2024

Reviews

[Jason Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Within the first few pages, the book hooked me with its wry sense of humor, and then it really pulled me in when it transforms into a serendipitous love story set in the beautiful city of Vienna. It reminds me of one of my favorite films, Before Sunrise. In both stories, the audience delights in being a fly on the wall, observing whimsical dialogue between two characters with undeniable chemistry. As it further transforms into a thriller, I was drawn in even more, and I’m amazed that the book straddles multiple genres and handles it with such grace. Highly recommend!

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel through Books Global Challenge: Austria. I chose this book for the challenge because most books I found set in Austria were about the war; I wanted something that taught me about what happened after that, and this book was perfect for that.

I've been to Austria, but never Vienna, and this book felt immersive in its setting. I loved all the details about the food and cultural differences, the beautiful architecture and map points I was able to look up for my book atlas journal. After googling photos of places I read about in the book, it put me right in the main character's head. I also liked that it took place in the 1990s, a nostalgic time of my youth, and a good period to explore the residual effect of World War II on Austria.

This book had a bit of romance, a bit of mystery, crime, and history. Maybe a few too many sports metaphors, but at least it was the 1996 Chicago Bulls because who wasn't a fan in that era? The ending seemed a little abrupt to me, but overall a great read!

[Neil Vakharia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to believe that this is Kovach's debut novel! A beautifully written historical fiction novel, flooded with wit and suspense. The author has done an excellent job in crafting a story that is both engaging and informative. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy for readers to become invested in their journey.
The writing style is descriptive and vivid, allowing readers to easily visualize the setting and events as they unfold. The author's use of language is also noteworthy, as it adds depth and complexity to the narrative., exploring a multitude of themes of relationships, the sense of belonging to name a few.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, mystery, or suspense. It's a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, I quite enjoyed Alex’s character and the way he narrates his story, and the theme of found family is very big in this book. I liked the sense of mystery as the plot unfolds and overall this book was intriguing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written with lived-in characters, great wit and humor, romance, mystery, crime. hard to even pin down the genre but it kept the pages turning and made me want to spend time in vienna.

highly recommend

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing and well-written novel, but one where the ending undoes a little of the book’s elegance (4.5/5, rounded down to 4 stars).

The Closing Days follows American university student Alex on his travels to Austria. He meets and falls for local girl Johanna, who finds him some work with her grandfather Heinrich. When Heinrich asks Alex to stalk an old acquaintance, it’s unclear whether he should trust his employer or if something concerning is going on…

First off, the good. Alex is extremely believable and relatable as a character. As so much of the story is told from his perspective, Alex’s character feeing real is a huge strength. The prose is another highlight - it’s clear and elegant, with a great sense of place. The novel tackles some interesting ideas too: the burden of history (especially complicated, painful or regrettable pasts), whether it’s always worth facing difficult history, and the extent to which culture unites or divides.

While the ending delivered on the plot, the final 30-40 pages leave the reader in no doubt about the author’s views on the novel’s themes. I couldn’t shake the feeling that some of the characters were talking for the author at times. I think The Closing Days would have been more successful if the author had left more space for readers to reach their own conclusion.

There were also a few aspects of the book that felt a bit forced. For instance, Alex has deep knowledge of cameras, which is first mentioned when a camera becomes useful for the stalking he has been sent to do. At very least this could have been foreshadowed more, otherwise it feels like the plot is driving the characters rather than the other way around.

Still, on the whole The Closing Days was a very enjoyable read. It (mostly) delivered on plot, ideas, prose and characters, and books that do that are not common.

One final thought is that having read the book, I wasn’t surprised to learn that the author spent time in Vienna. Parts of Alex’s explorations and homesickness have a slight travelogue feel to them. I’d be very keen to read Kovach’s next book, and in particular to see what we can do when the setting and subject matter are a little less personally familiar.

The Closing Days is recommended for those who like a good mix of plot, characters and themes and aren’t afraid to read about difficult topics. I probably wouldn’t recommend it for those who want a lot of action from page one, or for those looking for a bit of thematic ambiguity.

Thank you to Netgalley, Isaac Kovach and Parallel Grey Press for a free review copy of The Closing Days, provided in exchange for an honest review.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Closing Days captured my attention with its blend of humor, danger, and richly drawn characters. The protagonist really propels everything. He's relatable, witty, unassuming, and his dry sense of humor stays in tact even as the stakes gradually rise, which transforms the story into a thriller tied to real historical atrocities. And he's the lens through which the reader experiences Vienna - he paints such a vivid picture that, despite never having been there myself, I feel as though I’ve spent years there. Immersive but not heavy, the book's a page-turner that kept me engaged to the end.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this smart and entertaining novel. I was immediately drawn in by the author's clean prose and perceptive, dry wit, wanting to spend more time with the narrative voice even before the mystery hooked me. This book transports you to a fully realized Vienna, with its particular architecture, cafe culture, and residual WWII ghosts. The love story is never cloying but still tender and moving. And the history of atrocity is treated with seriousness while never becoming a moralizing slog. A book that will make you laugh and also prompt you to reflect - my favorite kind.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts historical fiction, love story, crime novel, and bildungsroman, Kovach’s The Closing Days reminds us why we cherish great novels—adventure, romance, human intimacies and peculiarities, universal truths, triumphs and foibles. With effortless prose, humor, and wit, Kovach brings to life 1990s Vienna and sets the stage for what begins as a typical American backpacking-across-Europe-to-find-themselves trip and ends as an American immersing-themselves-into-one-city’s-culture-and-sorted-history-to-actually-find-themselves escapade. Like a great actor, Kovach disappears into the role of Alex and in so doing creates an indelible, uniquely American protagonist.

[Geoff Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite an enjoyable read but didn't live up to my expectations. The basis of the story is just about feasible but I kept questioning it. Not sure the main character would have done what he did (no spoilers!) There is an excess of detail in some parts of the book but plenty of interesting detailed description of Vienna. The ending was sudden, quick and brief and left me with a number of 'what happened to him / her' questions.

[Hassan Elabbady · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book this year. Particularly recommend to those who've spent time traveling and out of their comfort zone, Kovach manages to capture this exciting yet exhausting experience so well 😄 Add on the gripping plot as well as the complex, like-able characters and it's clear why this is such an enjoyable read

[EH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kovach writes an intriguing novel that starts as a coming-of-age travel story and turns into an exciting thriller. I recommend this as a great read for anyone who loves Vienna, History or Mysteries.

[MR JAKA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Partly a drama, partly a story about a new relationship, partly an homage to Vienna and its culture (and food!).

A good read that works on a few different levels, and a strong debut novel from Isaac.

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

exciting and fascinating though the idea is at point underbaked and the story felt too short. tysm for the arc

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing

[SK]

DNF. Just kind of got bored.

[Marty Buccafusco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this to me and although I'm usually particular with my reading choices, I'm so thankful for the heads-up. This book was an unexpected joy and I'm already recommending it to MY friends. I'm so glad that I took a chance with this one. The characters are fabulous - they're richly drawn and totally engaging. And beyond the characters, Vienna comes to life through some incredible prose - so much so that I'm already looking for my next book set in that incredible city.

I love to read, but I'm not much a reviewer, and yet I felt compelled to give this new author the shoutout he deserves (aaaaand so I can show my friends that I read it before they did, lol). Do yourself a favor and devour this book and share it with your friends. Then I'll see you in Vienna...