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Virgil Wander
The first novel in ten years from award-winning, bestselling author Leif Enger, Virgil Wander is a sweeping story of new beginnings against all odds that follows the inhabitants of a hard luck town in their quest to revive its flagging heart. Carried aloft by quotidian pleasures of kite-flying, movies, fishing, baseball, necking in parked cars and falling in love, Virgil Wander is a swift, full journey into the heart and heartache of an often overlooked upper Midwest by an award-winning master storyteller.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2018
2205 people are currently reading
25640 people want to read
About the author
Leif Enger
19 books2,674 followersLeif Enger was raised in Osakis, Minnesota, and worked as a reporter and producer for Minnesota Public Radio for nearly twenty years. He lives on a farm in Minnesota with his wife and two sons.
His writing is a smooth mix of romanticism and gritty reality, recalling the Old West's greatest cowboy stories.
Enger's novel, Peace Like a River, was one of Time magazine's top-five novels of the year 2001 and appeared on several other best seller lists.
His second novel, So Brave, Young, and Handsome also appeared on best seller lists in 2008.
For further details, see the author's Wikipedia page.
His writing is a smooth mix of romanticism and gritty reality, recalling the Old West's greatest cowboy stories.
Enger's novel, Peace Like a River, was one of Time magazine's top-five novels of the year 2001 and appeared on several other best seller lists.
His second novel, So Brave, Young, and Handsome also appeared on best seller lists in 2008.
For further details, see the author's Wikipedia page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,955 reviews
July 14, 2018
What a gorgeous, quirky, and utterly charming book! Leif Enger may have made us wait 10 years since his last book, but his newest,
Virgil Wander
, is definitely worth the wait.
Virgil Wander is the slightly curmudgeonish owner of The Empress, a movie theater in decline in the town of Greenstone, Minnesota—which is also in the midst of its decline. One evening, on a snowy night in early autumn, Virgil's car goes flying off a bridge and into the frigid Lake Superior. Fortunately, the owner of the town's local salvage yard happened to be hunting for saleable wares on the shore when Virgil's car went airborne, so he was able to save Virgil's life.
Amazingly, Virgil comes out of the accident concussed, struggling with finding the correct words (particularly adjectives) and living with the memory lapses typical of those sustaining brain injuries. At the same time, he emerged with a different personality, more endearing, decisive, friendly, caring—qualities which are much appreciated by the motley group of friends and townspeople who live in Greenstone.
"If I were to pinpoint when the world began reorganizing itself—that is, when my seeing of it began to shift—it would be the day a stranger named Rune blew into our bad luck town of Greenstone, Minnesota, like a spark from the boreal gloom."
Into this broken town comes Rune, an affable Norwegian man and kite-creating magician. He came after learning that his last trip to the United States years and years ago led to the birth of a son he never knew about—only to learn that this son, minor league baseball pitcher Alec Sandstrom, had died, in a mysterious plane crash. Alec was a mythical figure in the small town, and his disappearance still affected many, including his widow, Nadine, and their teenage son, Bjorn.
As Rune tries to assemble a portrait of the son he never knew, and perhaps start a relationship with the grandson he didn't know he had, he and Virgil build a close friendship, with each depending on each other. But the gorgeous kites that Rune creates and flies captivate the town's residents, who feel freer, unburdened after taking a turn at the strings.
However, Greenstone has been known as a town of hard luck for many years, and it will continue to live up to its reputation. The town's residents experience tragedies, strange occurrences, and the return of a prodigal son whose presence both enlivens and frightens. And while Greenstone's residents show their characteristic resilience, they also experience moments of extreme joy and connection, all set against the gorgeous, open, Midwestern landscape.
This is a difficult book to describe, but it felt so wonderful, almost like a hug in literary form. The novel meanders a bit, and these characters are definitely Midwestern Quirky, but they are so charming and endearing. At times it almost takes on a fairy-tale quality, but it isn't fantastical or beyond the pale of reality, for the most part.
Virgil Wander is a book about rebuilding your life and finding yourself again, about fighting the battles you need to in order to move on, about friendship, family, love, and the charm of a small town where everyone knows everyone's business. Enger is a magnificent writer, as evidenced by his two earlier books, Peace Like a River and So Brave, Young, and Handsome , and he deserves a place alongside writers such as Kent Haruf.
You won't be able to get this one out of your mind—or your heart.
NetGalley and Grove Atlantic provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.
Virgil Wander is the slightly curmudgeonish owner of The Empress, a movie theater in decline in the town of Greenstone, Minnesota—which is also in the midst of its decline. One evening, on a snowy night in early autumn, Virgil's car goes flying off a bridge and into the frigid Lake Superior. Fortunately, the owner of the town's local salvage yard happened to be hunting for saleable wares on the shore when Virgil's car went airborne, so he was able to save Virgil's life.
Amazingly, Virgil comes out of the accident concussed, struggling with finding the correct words (particularly adjectives) and living with the memory lapses typical of those sustaining brain injuries. At the same time, he emerged with a different personality, more endearing, decisive, friendly, caring—qualities which are much appreciated by the motley group of friends and townspeople who live in Greenstone.
"If I were to pinpoint when the world began reorganizing itself—that is, when my seeing of it began to shift—it would be the day a stranger named Rune blew into our bad luck town of Greenstone, Minnesota, like a spark from the boreal gloom."
Into this broken town comes Rune, an affable Norwegian man and kite-creating magician. He came after learning that his last trip to the United States years and years ago led to the birth of a son he never knew about—only to learn that this son, minor league baseball pitcher Alec Sandstrom, had died, in a mysterious plane crash. Alec was a mythical figure in the small town, and his disappearance still affected many, including his widow, Nadine, and their teenage son, Bjorn.
As Rune tries to assemble a portrait of the son he never knew, and perhaps start a relationship with the grandson he didn't know he had, he and Virgil build a close friendship, with each depending on each other. But the gorgeous kites that Rune creates and flies captivate the town's residents, who feel freer, unburdened after taking a turn at the strings.
However, Greenstone has been known as a town of hard luck for many years, and it will continue to live up to its reputation. The town's residents experience tragedies, strange occurrences, and the return of a prodigal son whose presence both enlivens and frightens. And while Greenstone's residents show their characteristic resilience, they also experience moments of extreme joy and connection, all set against the gorgeous, open, Midwestern landscape.
This is a difficult book to describe, but it felt so wonderful, almost like a hug in literary form. The novel meanders a bit, and these characters are definitely Midwestern Quirky, but they are so charming and endearing. At times it almost takes on a fairy-tale quality, but it isn't fantastical or beyond the pale of reality, for the most part.
Virgil Wander is a book about rebuilding your life and finding yourself again, about fighting the battles you need to in order to move on, about friendship, family, love, and the charm of a small town where everyone knows everyone's business. Enger is a magnificent writer, as evidenced by his two earlier books, Peace Like a River and So Brave, Young, and Handsome , and he deserves a place alongside writers such as Kent Haruf.
You won't be able to get this one out of your mind—or your heart.
NetGalley and Grove Atlantic provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.
October 11, 2020
This story is narrated by the character of middle aged, movie theater owner, Virgil Wander. When the story begins, Virgil has just miraculously survived his car sailing off the road into frigid Lake Superior and only lived because the local junk dealer saw the event and was able to pull Virgil out of the sinking car. Virgil now has a traumatic brain injury, with loss of memory, muddled speech and thinking, and no assurance he'll get back his past or his former self. In fact, Virgil calls his current self, tenant 2 and his before-accident self tenant 1 because that's how foreign this world and his body feel to him since his accident.
Everything we learn is through Virgil or through stories told to him by others and then related to us. This Virgil is kindhearted, quick to tears (as he is sure was not the case with tenant 1), generous, and haunted by visions from right before the wreck and of a man he thinks of as death. His town of Greenstone has been dying for a very long time and tragedy and bad luck abound. Yet the people of the town just keep on going and even have named their current yearly celebration Hard Luck Days. Most of the people in this tiny town look after each other and Virgil, as he looks after them, despite his current "new tenant" status. Into town comes Rune, the father of the town's former single A baseball player, who went missing after taking a solo flight. Rune, and his kite making and flying, bring the town together more than ever, adding a bright spot to each day.
But there is evil and darkness lurking and it's more evident whenever a long time town member comes back into town. As the book comes to a close, with the town and it's folks mostly looking at a brighter future, I do wish we could know more about Alec Leer, whose presence seems otherworldly and ominous. We only know what the new Virgil knows and what he tells us but I feel there is more than one story lurking behind this book. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the people of Greenstone and being a part of Virgil's recovery from his accident and acceptance that things are different now, as he and the town's folk make their way into the future.
Publication date: October 2, 2018
Thank you to Leif Enger, Grove Atlantic, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Everything we learn is through Virgil or through stories told to him by others and then related to us. This Virgil is kindhearted, quick to tears (as he is sure was not the case with tenant 1), generous, and haunted by visions from right before the wreck and of a man he thinks of as death. His town of Greenstone has been dying for a very long time and tragedy and bad luck abound. Yet the people of the town just keep on going and even have named their current yearly celebration Hard Luck Days. Most of the people in this tiny town look after each other and Virgil, as he looks after them, despite his current "new tenant" status. Into town comes Rune, the father of the town's former single A baseball player, who went missing after taking a solo flight. Rune, and his kite making and flying, bring the town together more than ever, adding a bright spot to each day.
But there is evil and darkness lurking and it's more evident whenever a long time town member comes back into town. As the book comes to a close, with the town and it's folks mostly looking at a brighter future, I do wish we could know more about Alec Leer, whose presence seems otherworldly and ominous. We only know what the new Virgil knows and what he tells us but I feel there is more than one story lurking behind this book. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the people of Greenstone and being a part of Virgil's recovery from his accident and acceptance that things are different now, as he and the town's folk make their way into the future.
Publication date: October 2, 2018
Thank you to Leif Enger, Grove Atlantic, and NetGalley for this ARC.
September 3, 2018
4+ stars
I loved the writing from the beginning and fell for all of these quirky characters, and in the middle of the book I thought maybe this would be a nice story, predictable and sweet. I was partially right. The story ended up being more than that. In this down and out, waning town of Greenstone, MN, not far from Duluth, a lot of tough have things happened and it made perfect sense to rename their annual festival “Hard Luck Days.” Oh it’s humorous to read about them “the frog monsoon” with “thousands of frogs raining down” or when the water tower “slid off its footings”, but there really is a lot of loss and sadness for the people of Greenstone. The mining and the shipping businesses were gone, the jobs were gone and people left. There are two boys who have lost their fathers, a kite flying stranger from Arctic Circle who has lost a son he never knew he had, and there is Virgil, our main character who has lost some of his memory, some of his words, mostly adjectives when his car skids off the road in a near death accident and there are the people whose fate is death.
Virgil Wander, part time city clerk and owner of the The Empress, an old fashioned single screen movie theater that sees few customers, is the center of this beautifully told, albeit odd story. Yet, I fell in love with this quirky cast of characters for their kindness to each other, their compassion and how easily they know the needs of their friends. There’s something sad and melancholy about this place, these characters. I worried about them - Rune, the man with his beautiful kite creations - a dog, a bicycle, a car, a stained-glass window, a cloudberry pie and other wonderful creations that drew the town to him. I worried about ten year old Galen, who knows he has to get that sturgeon, the one his father tried to catch. I worried about Virgil and whether he’d get his adjectives but mostly whether he’d find happiness. I worried about what would happen to this place whose inhabitants were full of heart in spite of the humorous and sad things that happened and whether they would survive the evil that also existed here. These were characters I didn’t want to leave and ones that I recommend you come to know. (Peace Like a River by Enger is one of my favorite books and I would recommend that as well.)
I read this with Esil and Diane as our book for September and as always a joy to discuss with them especially when we end up feeling the same way.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley.
I loved the writing from the beginning and fell for all of these quirky characters, and in the middle of the book I thought maybe this would be a nice story, predictable and sweet. I was partially right. The story ended up being more than that. In this down and out, waning town of Greenstone, MN, not far from Duluth, a lot of tough have things happened and it made perfect sense to rename their annual festival “Hard Luck Days.” Oh it’s humorous to read about them “the frog monsoon” with “thousands of frogs raining down” or when the water tower “slid off its footings”, but there really is a lot of loss and sadness for the people of Greenstone. The mining and the shipping businesses were gone, the jobs were gone and people left. There are two boys who have lost their fathers, a kite flying stranger from Arctic Circle who has lost a son he never knew he had, and there is Virgil, our main character who has lost some of his memory, some of his words, mostly adjectives when his car skids off the road in a near death accident and there are the people whose fate is death.
Virgil Wander, part time city clerk and owner of the The Empress, an old fashioned single screen movie theater that sees few customers, is the center of this beautifully told, albeit odd story. Yet, I fell in love with this quirky cast of characters for their kindness to each other, their compassion and how easily they know the needs of their friends. There’s something sad and melancholy about this place, these characters. I worried about them - Rune, the man with his beautiful kite creations - a dog, a bicycle, a car, a stained-glass window, a cloudberry pie and other wonderful creations that drew the town to him. I worried about ten year old Galen, who knows he has to get that sturgeon, the one his father tried to catch. I worried about Virgil and whether he’d get his adjectives but mostly whether he’d find happiness. I worried about what would happen to this place whose inhabitants were full of heart in spite of the humorous and sad things that happened and whether they would survive the evil that also existed here. These were characters I didn’t want to leave and ones that I recommend you come to know. (Peace Like a River by Enger is one of my favorite books and I would recommend that as well.)
I read this with Esil and Diane as our book for September and as always a joy to discuss with them especially when we end up feeling the same way.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley.
September 1, 2018
Ever "Wander" why a book doesn't quite work for you?
Virgil Wander is the owner of the local "movie house" when his car goes off the road and into Lake Superior. The accident has left him with memory and language issues and his entire town is unfamiliar to him. Speaking of the town, there are many quirky and interesting characters who remained in their Midwestern town long after others have moved on.
So, I am most likely in the minority on this book, but I have to say that I found parts of this book to be boring. Yes, there are some quirky and interesting characters but at times things just felt flat and the zaniness and the silly situations the characters found themselves in got old fast. I can't fault the writing which was very good, this is just a case of this book wasn't for me. I found myself stopping and starting this book as I found my attention wandering while reading. I believe I picked up and read four other books while attempting to finish this one. In many ways this book reminded me of Fredrik Backman's books but without the charming feel I get from them. This one left me underwhelmed.
Three stars for the beautiful prose. Other's loved this book and I am reminded that we all can't love the same book. It bares to mind the sentiment that not two people read the same book. I really wanted to love this one. I choose it based on a positive review, but it didn't work for me. Was it me and not the book. I don’t know. For me, the book started slowly then got better and by the end began to lose some momentum again.
Thank you to Grove Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Virgil Wander is the owner of the local "movie house" when his car goes off the road and into Lake Superior. The accident has left him with memory and language issues and his entire town is unfamiliar to him. Speaking of the town, there are many quirky and interesting characters who remained in their Midwestern town long after others have moved on.
So, I am most likely in the minority on this book, but I have to say that I found parts of this book to be boring. Yes, there are some quirky and interesting characters but at times things just felt flat and the zaniness and the silly situations the characters found themselves in got old fast. I can't fault the writing which was very good, this is just a case of this book wasn't for me. I found myself stopping and starting this book as I found my attention wandering while reading. I believe I picked up and read four other books while attempting to finish this one. In many ways this book reminded me of Fredrik Backman's books but without the charming feel I get from them. This one left me underwhelmed.
Three stars for the beautiful prose. Other's loved this book and I am reminded that we all can't love the same book. It bares to mind the sentiment that not two people read the same book. I really wanted to love this one. I choose it based on a positive review, but it didn't work for me. Was it me and not the book. I don’t know. For me, the book started slowly then got better and by the end began to lose some momentum again.
Thank you to Grove Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
October 21, 2018
This book is like one imagines old people are like when one is little: big-hearted and long-winded.
August 7, 2020
*NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK*
This book for me was definitely a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for the writing. I longed to read this new book by the author of “Peace Like a River” which I probably hand sold to hundreds of people. Did I love this book, no I did not, but I liked it. Here’s why:
As you know from the blurb and extensive reviews Virgil Wander is the main protagonist in this book and the story is told from his point of view. We begin with Virgil recovering from a near drowning after his car crashed through a barrier into lake Superior in icy water. Fortunately there was a local man who routinely looks for interesting items washed ashore who saw the accident, called the police and Virgil was saved. He has a concussion but is slowing getting his words and ambulation back.
As he is at his home which is above the Empress theater which he owns a curious man appears, his name is Rune and he is a kite making, kite flying master. He has recently discovered that he had a son who lived in town but that son has been missing after flying his solo airplane across the Lake. He does however have a grandson and daughter in law whom is trying to get to know as well as asking everyone in town about his lost son and what he was like.
There are so many characters in this book it can make your head hurt. There is the young attractive widow, Nadine, whom Virgil has loved from afar for ages; another orphaned young man 10 years old, Galen, who is determined to catch a mythical sized sturgeon whom he believes pulled his father into the water where he drowned. There is a towner, Adam Leer, who “made it big” as a filmmaker and has come back to spruce up his ancestral home, he may or may not be a “bad guy” since many bad things happen to people with whom he has disagreements. Jerry is a down and out guy whose marriage is floundering and is out of work. We see some hope for him when Adam gives him a job, but is this a good situation??? Where is this character really headed?
The list of characters goes on and on. If that weren’t enough there are also racoons, ravens and sturgeons to account for. The book for me felt like it meandered on and on. I grew frustrated with the slow progress of the story yet I stuck with it because of the beautiful writing.
I’m surprised that not many reviewers have mentioned all of the symbolism used by Mr. Enger, as he did in his previous books. Kites are symbols of prophecy and fate, also a wandering spirit. Black Ravens are symbolic of good prophecy. A man walking on water can either symbolize death or in Christian views, Jesus, walking on water, a sign of life. The most obvious use of symbolism was Lake Superior frequently referred to as the “sea” which is highly symbolic and from research I found this: “Usually, 'the sea' is used as a symbol in literature to represent life and its hardships. The sea, with its daunting width and depth, simply stands for life itself. It may be quite calm, but it become raging and even deadly in an instant, with the waves representing the sudden obstacles life throws our way”.
That description of the sea is exactly what this book is about, life itself and how people deal with it’s ups and downs. I don’t really think this book is about small towns as I live in Wisconsin and have never encountered a small town or it’s inhabitants like this one. I really would classify this entire book as magical realism if it were my choice.
I would recommend this book to someone who is willing to sit and read for long periods of time and has patience, with the story and the characters. I am looking forward to meeting this author in town next month and listening to what he has to say about the writing of this novel and what is all means.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
This book for me was definitely a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for the writing. I longed to read this new book by the author of “Peace Like a River” which I probably hand sold to hundreds of people. Did I love this book, no I did not, but I liked it. Here’s why:
As you know from the blurb and extensive reviews Virgil Wander is the main protagonist in this book and the story is told from his point of view. We begin with Virgil recovering from a near drowning after his car crashed through a barrier into lake Superior in icy water. Fortunately there was a local man who routinely looks for interesting items washed ashore who saw the accident, called the police and Virgil was saved. He has a concussion but is slowing getting his words and ambulation back.
As he is at his home which is above the Empress theater which he owns a curious man appears, his name is Rune and he is a kite making, kite flying master. He has recently discovered that he had a son who lived in town but that son has been missing after flying his solo airplane across the Lake. He does however have a grandson and daughter in law whom is trying to get to know as well as asking everyone in town about his lost son and what he was like.
There are so many characters in this book it can make your head hurt. There is the young attractive widow, Nadine, whom Virgil has loved from afar for ages; another orphaned young man 10 years old, Galen, who is determined to catch a mythical sized sturgeon whom he believes pulled his father into the water where he drowned. There is a towner, Adam Leer, who “made it big” as a filmmaker and has come back to spruce up his ancestral home, he may or may not be a “bad guy” since many bad things happen to people with whom he has disagreements. Jerry is a down and out guy whose marriage is floundering and is out of work. We see some hope for him when Adam gives him a job, but is this a good situation??? Where is this character really headed?
The list of characters goes on and on. If that weren’t enough there are also racoons, ravens and sturgeons to account for. The book for me felt like it meandered on and on. I grew frustrated with the slow progress of the story yet I stuck with it because of the beautiful writing.
I’m surprised that not many reviewers have mentioned all of the symbolism used by Mr. Enger, as he did in his previous books. Kites are symbols of prophecy and fate, also a wandering spirit. Black Ravens are symbolic of good prophecy. A man walking on water can either symbolize death or in Christian views, Jesus, walking on water, a sign of life. The most obvious use of symbolism was Lake Superior frequently referred to as the “sea” which is highly symbolic and from research I found this: “Usually, 'the sea' is used as a symbol in literature to represent life and its hardships. The sea, with its daunting width and depth, simply stands for life itself. It may be quite calm, but it become raging and even deadly in an instant, with the waves representing the sudden obstacles life throws our way”.
That description of the sea is exactly what this book is about, life itself and how people deal with it’s ups and downs. I don’t really think this book is about small towns as I live in Wisconsin and have never encountered a small town or it’s inhabitants like this one. I really would classify this entire book as magical realism if it were my choice.
I would recommend this book to someone who is willing to sit and read for long periods of time and has patience, with the story and the characters. I am looking forward to meeting this author in town next month and listening to what he has to say about the writing of this novel and what is all means.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
September 4, 2018
4+ In Northern Minnesota there is a small town called Greenstone. Having lost it's industrial footing, those who remain are a hardscrabble, kind of stuck in a rut, group of people. Virgil, is our narrator, he lives above and own the local movie theater, a theater that sells few tickets, but is s community staple. At the beginning of our story, he has just been rescued after driving, accidentally or so he says, off a cliff into a body of water. Recovering he finds out that not only does his memory have glaring gaps, but his use of adjectives has been seriously hindered.
Into this down on it luck town, come a man named rune, a man who loves and flys kites, looking for information on the son, he recently discovered he had fathered. There are small mysteries here, and a town full of quirky characters, very different people, but all intriguing. The town itself, as expected is z bit of a throwback, things happen here that seldom happen elsewhere. It has rained frogs, yes frogs not men, they have a huge vole problem, and a former pet raccoon seems to have turned rabid. There is magic, certainly magic in the kites, those flying them become calmer somehow, and more liable to talk. There is a man, a sort prodigal son, who returns and seems to want to aid the town in its recovery. Somehow though, everyone who comes into contact with him seems to suffer some misfortune. There are other characters, all unique, all intriguing and liksble.
There is humor here, in the lines, in the situations characters find themselves in, willingly of not. I enjoyed this novel immensely, the people, or rather most of them seem emblematic of some I could identify in my own small town. They are flawed, likable and pull together to help each other. Virgil,himself is a wonderful character, with hopes and dreams of his own, who often reaches out a helping hand to those in need. It's been quite a few years since this author has written a new novel, and I for one think it was worth the wait. Though I hope he doesn't wait as long before writing his next.
This was our monthly read for Angela, Esil and myself. Think we all fell I love with this one!
ARC from Edelweiss.
Into this down on it luck town, come a man named rune, a man who loves and flys kites, looking for information on the son, he recently discovered he had fathered. There are small mysteries here, and a town full of quirky characters, very different people, but all intriguing. The town itself, as expected is z bit of a throwback, things happen here that seldom happen elsewhere. It has rained frogs, yes frogs not men, they have a huge vole problem, and a former pet raccoon seems to have turned rabid. There is magic, certainly magic in the kites, those flying them become calmer somehow, and more liable to talk. There is a man, a sort prodigal son, who returns and seems to want to aid the town in its recovery. Somehow though, everyone who comes into contact with him seems to suffer some misfortune. There are other characters, all unique, all intriguing and liksble.
There is humor here, in the lines, in the situations characters find themselves in, willingly of not. I enjoyed this novel immensely, the people, or rather most of them seem emblematic of some I could identify in my own small town. They are flawed, likable and pull together to help each other. Virgil,himself is a wonderful character, with hopes and dreams of his own, who often reaches out a helping hand to those in need. It's been quite a few years since this author has written a new novel, and I for one think it was worth the wait. Though I hope he doesn't wait as long before writing his next.
This was our monthly read for Angela, Esil and myself. Think we all fell I love with this one!
ARC from Edelweiss.
December 31, 2018
There are many places to pause and re-read some really funny prose...
or linger over some beautiful sentences in the town of Greenstone. It’s a town where people who live there are not sitting around judging it - even though it needs some sprucing up. And/ or their lives need some ‘sprucing’.
Virgil’s near escape death accident - flying off a cliff in his car - brings curiosity. Townspeople have interesting questions for him about his accident. Many questions surprise him.
Virgil is curious about his changes.
His personality has changed. Everything seems different to him. He doesn’t even recognized his clothes in his closet. His doctor wishes he wasn’t living alone... but he thinks he can manage. He has a best friend - and his sister visits ( once a year). He owns a movie house. He will figure things out. ( we hope)...
There are many great characters -
with funky quirky oddball situations -
This book is about the characters - the community - the town - the animals too - much less than about the story itself.
One can learn lessons from these characters: They treat each other well - they work hard.
We see all of them grow. Not everyone has a happy ending -
but there is a lot of soul hope - and love -
I sure felt it!
or linger over some beautiful sentences in the town of Greenstone. It’s a town where people who live there are not sitting around judging it - even though it needs some sprucing up. And/ or their lives need some ‘sprucing’.
Virgil’s near escape death accident - flying off a cliff in his car - brings curiosity. Townspeople have interesting questions for him about his accident. Many questions surprise him.
Virgil is curious about his changes.
His personality has changed. Everything seems different to him. He doesn’t even recognized his clothes in his closet. His doctor wishes he wasn’t living alone... but he thinks he can manage. He has a best friend - and his sister visits ( once a year). He owns a movie house. He will figure things out. ( we hope)...
There are many great characters -
with funky quirky oddball situations -
This book is about the characters - the community - the town - the animals too - much less than about the story itself.
One can learn lessons from these characters: They treat each other well - they work hard.
We see all of them grow. Not everyone has a happy ending -
but there is a lot of soul hope - and love -
I sure felt it!
September 28, 2018
4 charming stars to Virgil Wander! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Virgil Wander, the main character, owns a movie theater and lives in small town Minnesota. He has a driving accident where his car lands in frigid Lake Superior. After the accident, his memory and language are impaired, and life is completely new to him.
Virgil sets out to piece his life back together with information he can find outside himself. Through some quirky characters, he is able to fill in gaps, while he helps them revitalize their sleepy, bereft of business, but not of people, town. There are also side stories with the quirky characters that add intrigue and mystery like a missing husband/son.
Virgil Wander is a charming story about healing: restoring Virgil to his former glory while also restoring the town and community. The tone is somber and wistful. I wanted these characters to find happiness, for Virgil to regain his language, because I connected to them in a genuine way. They felt real, and their longing was relatable.
There were times I smiled at the happenings, some moments of humor and hope amidst the sadness, and those balanced out the melancholy. I did not want to leave my time in Greenstone. I grew attached to its people, especially to Virgil. That experience alone lets me know I was enamored with this story, his story.
Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press/Grove Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Virgil Wander, the main character, owns a movie theater and lives in small town Minnesota. He has a driving accident where his car lands in frigid Lake Superior. After the accident, his memory and language are impaired, and life is completely new to him.
Virgil sets out to piece his life back together with information he can find outside himself. Through some quirky characters, he is able to fill in gaps, while he helps them revitalize their sleepy, bereft of business, but not of people, town. There are also side stories with the quirky characters that add intrigue and mystery like a missing husband/son.
Virgil Wander is a charming story about healing: restoring Virgil to his former glory while also restoring the town and community. The tone is somber and wistful. I wanted these characters to find happiness, for Virgil to regain his language, because I connected to them in a genuine way. They felt real, and their longing was relatable.
There were times I smiled at the happenings, some moments of humor and hope amidst the sadness, and those balanced out the melancholy. I did not want to leave my time in Greenstone. I grew attached to its people, especially to Virgil. That experience alone lets me know I was enamored with this story, his story.
Thank you to Atlantic Monthly Press/Grove Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
August 21, 2018
4.5 Stars
“Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
“Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's probably where they'll bury me”
--Small Town, John Mellencamp, Songwriters: John Mellencamp
”If I were to pinpoint when the world began reorganizing itself—that is, when my seeing of it began to shift—it would be the day a stranger named Rune blew into our bad luck town of Greenstone, Minnesota, like a spark from the boreal gloom. It was also the day of my release from St. Luke’s Hospital down in Duluth, so I was concussed and more than a little adrift.”
So begins the story of our narrator, Virgil Wander, of this town, and those who have come to this town, and even the stories of a few of those who have left. The fantastical, multiple stories woven together of the residents and the town, itself looming over all as this story slowly comes to light, unveiling a little at a time, even if some of this feels slightly, weirdly, mysterious.
Greenstone was once an active mining town on the shores of Lake Superior, but those days are now past. Most things you could say about Greenstone were in the past tense: it was once home to a once-famous pitcher whose fame was as long lasting as his pitch – it disappeared along with him after pitching a no-hitter. Even Virgil, himself, was once a different version of the man he is becoming, a man who seems to have lost all of his adjectives since the accident that left him concussed, but also a more congenial, if not necessarily happier, Virgil.
Virgil, city clerk for this town, and owner of the one and only movie theatre, the Empress, a theatre with an unusual collection of films. Add into this mix a cast of characters and a continuous stream of seemingly unreal sequence of events that left me feeling a bit dizzy – if still amused. There’s a very subtle humour in the way this is written, the kind that embraces these people and their quirky, somewhat befuddled ways.
”So it seemed a decent Christmas—maybe even a kind of pinnacle, given the realities of a place like the Empress; and it didn’t escape me that this little group belonged in a movie itself, the fatigued ragtag ensemble unlikely to win the day.”
Perhaps even more than embracing these people, what Virgil discovers, ultimately, is how to embrace life.
Pub Date: 02 OCT 2018
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Grove Atlantic / Grove Press
“Got nothing against a big town
Still hayseed enough to say
Look who's in the big town
But my bed is in a small town
Oh, and that's good enough for me
“Well I was born in a small town
And I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
And that's probably where they'll bury me”
--Small Town, John Mellencamp, Songwriters: John Mellencamp
”If I were to pinpoint when the world began reorganizing itself—that is, when my seeing of it began to shift—it would be the day a stranger named Rune blew into our bad luck town of Greenstone, Minnesota, like a spark from the boreal gloom. It was also the day of my release from St. Luke’s Hospital down in Duluth, so I was concussed and more than a little adrift.”
So begins the story of our narrator, Virgil Wander, of this town, and those who have come to this town, and even the stories of a few of those who have left. The fantastical, multiple stories woven together of the residents and the town, itself looming over all as this story slowly comes to light, unveiling a little at a time, even if some of this feels slightly, weirdly, mysterious.
Greenstone was once an active mining town on the shores of Lake Superior, but those days are now past. Most things you could say about Greenstone were in the past tense: it was once home to a once-famous pitcher whose fame was as long lasting as his pitch – it disappeared along with him after pitching a no-hitter. Even Virgil, himself, was once a different version of the man he is becoming, a man who seems to have lost all of his adjectives since the accident that left him concussed, but also a more congenial, if not necessarily happier, Virgil.
Virgil, city clerk for this town, and owner of the one and only movie theatre, the Empress, a theatre with an unusual collection of films. Add into this mix a cast of characters and a continuous stream of seemingly unreal sequence of events that left me feeling a bit dizzy – if still amused. There’s a very subtle humour in the way this is written, the kind that embraces these people and their quirky, somewhat befuddled ways.
”So it seemed a decent Christmas—maybe even a kind of pinnacle, given the realities of a place like the Empress; and it didn’t escape me that this little group belonged in a movie itself, the fatigued ragtag ensemble unlikely to win the day.”
Perhaps even more than embracing these people, what Virgil discovers, ultimately, is how to embrace life.
Pub Date: 02 OCT 2018
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Grove Atlantic / Grove Press
November 1, 2018
Well, there are certainly a lot of subplots going on in this story, but I did enjoy it overall, especially due to the characters.
Greenstone, Minnesota on the shores of Lake Superior used to be quite a booming town but is in a season of “hard luck” days. We have the likes of Virgil who has a near death experience at the start of the book and all the other characters and happenings revolve around him... and, I loved him 😊
We have a missing Major League Baseball player from the past, a Nordic kite flyer, a pet raccoon, a homicidal sturgeon, a wayward son of the town founder, and a beautiful young woman ( the missing baseball player’s wife) and her son, and even more side lines going on.
Sounds like much ado... and there is, but I feel most people will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Press for the advanced digital book!
Greenstone, Minnesota on the shores of Lake Superior used to be quite a booming town but is in a season of “hard luck” days. We have the likes of Virgil who has a near death experience at the start of the book and all the other characters and happenings revolve around him... and, I loved him 😊
We have a missing Major League Baseball player from the past, a Nordic kite flyer, a pet raccoon, a homicidal sturgeon, a wayward son of the town founder, and a beautiful young woman ( the missing baseball player’s wife) and her son, and even more side lines going on.
Sounds like much ado... and there is, but I feel most people will enjoy this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Grove Press for the advanced digital book!
September 15, 2018
We have waited a decade for more beautiful, heart-wrenching tales from the incredible Leif Enger but the wait was worth it to have the astounding story of Virgil Wander.
Virgil Wander is a sad tale about a declining rust-belt town; a town that has seen much better days as has it people. Yet the perspective changes when Virgil’s car plunges off a cliff into the icy waters below. His survival, subsequent “spidery” thoughts due to a concussion and the arrival of a mystical Swede named Rune, will offer hope and perhaps a small bit of redemption for all they meet.
Enger has given us a book of imagery, a parable of sorts, with characters that resonate and amuse the reader. They are quirky Midwesterners who have a way of making even the worst of times appear to be humorous. The book personifies goodness and evil, hope and despair in a way that only a extremely gifted writer can accomplish – and Enger is, indeed, that gifted writer.
Rarely have I loved a book as much as I have this one but then rarely does an author create a place as marvelous as Greenstone, MN or with characters who steal your heart the way that Greenstone’s residents have stolen mine. You will laugh with them, cry and hurt and, yes, rejoice with them. This is a book that will stay in your heart and mind for a very long time. My only regret is that I have only FIVE STARS to offer this book – it deserves far greater.
Thank you to the author for this enrapturing tale; to the publisher, #GroveAtlantic, and to #Edelweiss for my advanced copy of #VirgilWander.
Virgil Wander is a sad tale about a declining rust-belt town; a town that has seen much better days as has it people. Yet the perspective changes when Virgil’s car plunges off a cliff into the icy waters below. His survival, subsequent “spidery” thoughts due to a concussion and the arrival of a mystical Swede named Rune, will offer hope and perhaps a small bit of redemption for all they meet.
Enger has given us a book of imagery, a parable of sorts, with characters that resonate and amuse the reader. They are quirky Midwesterners who have a way of making even the worst of times appear to be humorous. The book personifies goodness and evil, hope and despair in a way that only a extremely gifted writer can accomplish – and Enger is, indeed, that gifted writer.
Rarely have I loved a book as much as I have this one but then rarely does an author create a place as marvelous as Greenstone, MN or with characters who steal your heart the way that Greenstone’s residents have stolen mine. You will laugh with them, cry and hurt and, yes, rejoice with them. This is a book that will stay in your heart and mind for a very long time. My only regret is that I have only FIVE STARS to offer this book – it deserves far greater.
Thank you to the author for this enrapturing tale; to the publisher, #GroveAtlantic, and to #Edelweiss for my advanced copy of #VirgilWander.
August 2, 2020
Memory's oldest trick is convincing us of its accuracy.
The small town of Greenstone, Minnesota has had its share of bad luck through the years. Once a thriving mining and shipping community, it is now systematically withering on the vine. Virgil Wander is a man who probably should have died, but was saved. He's banged up, with a severe concussion resulting in partial memory loss and a general confusion of how things really are. Beat with him as he tries to regain his memories and his adjectives. In this town, you'll find a man who looks like he can wait, a woman whose sanity is spotty and sporadic, and a man named Rune who has a broken face, but who laughs easily and often. Quirky, scarred, and altogether charming. I'm missing the fine folk of Greenstone already.
The small town of Greenstone, Minnesota has had its share of bad luck through the years. Once a thriving mining and shipping community, it is now systematically withering on the vine. Virgil Wander is a man who probably should have died, but was saved. He's banged up, with a severe concussion resulting in partial memory loss and a general confusion of how things really are. Beat with him as he tries to regain his memories and his adjectives. In this town, you'll find a man who looks like he can wait, a woman whose sanity is spotty and sporadic, and a man named Rune who has a broken face, but who laughs easily and often. Quirky, scarred, and altogether charming. I'm missing the fine folk of Greenstone already.
September 3, 2018
4+ stars
In case you’re wondering, Virgil Wander is the name of the main character in this book. He deserves this unusual name because he is a quirky man living in an odd town at the centre of a unusual story. From one perspective, Virgil is an unlucky man living amongst many unlucky people. The story opens with Virgil recovering from a spectacular car accident, and other characters die or have unfortunate accidents. But this isn’t really a story of woe, but more about community — how the people around Virgil are in each other’s business and how they care for each other. There’s also a fair bit of goodnatured humour to the story. I loved the writing. It’s simple, but every now and then, seemingly out of nowhere, there’s a stunning moment of insight or beautiful description. I liked the original characters and the strong sense of community. I generally enjoyed the plot — although I felt that it got wobbly in the middle and I’m not sure what I think about one aspect of the end — but I was certainly interested in seeing where Virgil was taking me. In the end, this was a 4 star read with a + in recognition of the strong writing. This was another lovely monthly buddy read and Diane and Angela. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
I just noticed that it’s Read Now on Netgalley.
In case you’re wondering, Virgil Wander is the name of the main character in this book. He deserves this unusual name because he is a quirky man living in an odd town at the centre of a unusual story. From one perspective, Virgil is an unlucky man living amongst many unlucky people. The story opens with Virgil recovering from a spectacular car accident, and other characters die or have unfortunate accidents. But this isn’t really a story of woe, but more about community — how the people around Virgil are in each other’s business and how they care for each other. There’s also a fair bit of goodnatured humour to the story. I loved the writing. It’s simple, but every now and then, seemingly out of nowhere, there’s a stunning moment of insight or beautiful description. I liked the original characters and the strong sense of community. I generally enjoyed the plot — although I felt that it got wobbly in the middle and I’m not sure what I think about one aspect of the end — but I was certainly interested in seeing where Virgil was taking me. In the end, this was a 4 star read with a + in recognition of the strong writing. This was another lovely monthly buddy read and Diane and Angela. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
I just noticed that it’s Read Now on Netgalley.
October 5, 2018
It's been a while since I was sad that I book I was reading ended. This was just such a book. Enger is a genius, maybe the best living novelist. His characters are the fullest, deepest, and best. They are what make his stories go - it's not what *happens*, it is what they *do* that drives the plot. And he is funny. And he is a master of subtle description. To top it all off he writes the tone and place of Minnesota so well.
I give this book 9 out of five stars.
I give this book 9 out of five stars.
November 2, 2018
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
This is one of those books that I found extremely difficult to rate, as there were many things I enjoyed about the book, yet at the same time, there were also moments where I struggled and thought about giving up on this one and moving on to other more productive reads. A few of the things I loved about this book: the writing, which was gorgeous and masterful and flowed so easily that I got swept up in it from the first page; the characters, all of whom were quirky yet endearing in their own ways – these were characters I fell for, cared about, and wanted to spend time with, which also meant that I was saddened to have to let them go when I reached the end of the book; the “intelligent humor” mentioned in the book’s summary -- which took me by surprise at first given the undertones of sadness and wistfulness I seemed to sense in the story -- but then I quickly grew to love once I got to know the characters more and began to understand the dynamics of this small, close-knit Midwestern community; and finally, the storytelling, which felt both whimsical and smart – there were times where I felt I was reading a work of art rather than an actual book (if that makes any sense).
With all that said, the one thing I wasn’t too keen on was the story itself – or more specifically, the lack of a cohesive plot. Not much happens in the story, which was extremely slow-going and there was not much there to really move the story along. In a way, this story was more a series of vignettes where we are provided glimpses into the daily lives of various characters and get to witness them doing the most ordinary of things – watching a movie, cleaning a theatre, flying a kite, etc. There were many moments while reading where I felt like I wanted more, though exactly more of what was hard to pinpoint at times. Perhaps I was expecting the story to be more engaging, or maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me to read this book, as I already knew I wouldn’t have large swathes of time to devote to reading right now due to work and things going on in my personal life – this is the type of book that requires quite a bit of patience and concentration and also needs to be read in one go rather than broken up between other tasks. I did the latter and ended up struggling through, to the point that there were times when I had to put the book down to attend to other things but then didn’t feel like picking it back up afterwards. I think if I had read this one in fewer sittings, over a longer, more focused time period, it would have felt less scattered and most likely I would’ve felt differently about it. This is why I decided to round up to 4 stars on this one, as I feel that, under different circumstances, this would definitely have been a 4 star (or above) read for me (and the fact that there truly were quite a few things I liked about the book, of course).
Overall, I would definitely recommend this one, though with the caveat that you need to be in the right mood to read it and also be able to devote the time and focus to it that it deserves. At some point down the line, I do intend on reading some of this author’s other works as well, since I’ve heard so many great things about a few of them. And if he decides to write another novel in the future, I would want to read that as well – hopefully we don’t have to wait another 10 years for it though!
Received ARC from Grove Press via NetGalley
This is one of those books that I found extremely difficult to rate, as there were many things I enjoyed about the book, yet at the same time, there were also moments where I struggled and thought about giving up on this one and moving on to other more productive reads. A few of the things I loved about this book: the writing, which was gorgeous and masterful and flowed so easily that I got swept up in it from the first page; the characters, all of whom were quirky yet endearing in their own ways – these were characters I fell for, cared about, and wanted to spend time with, which also meant that I was saddened to have to let them go when I reached the end of the book; the “intelligent humor” mentioned in the book’s summary -- which took me by surprise at first given the undertones of sadness and wistfulness I seemed to sense in the story -- but then I quickly grew to love once I got to know the characters more and began to understand the dynamics of this small, close-knit Midwestern community; and finally, the storytelling, which felt both whimsical and smart – there were times where I felt I was reading a work of art rather than an actual book (if that makes any sense).
With all that said, the one thing I wasn’t too keen on was the story itself – or more specifically, the lack of a cohesive plot. Not much happens in the story, which was extremely slow-going and there was not much there to really move the story along. In a way, this story was more a series of vignettes where we are provided glimpses into the daily lives of various characters and get to witness them doing the most ordinary of things – watching a movie, cleaning a theatre, flying a kite, etc. There were many moments while reading where I felt like I wanted more, though exactly more of what was hard to pinpoint at times. Perhaps I was expecting the story to be more engaging, or maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me to read this book, as I already knew I wouldn’t have large swathes of time to devote to reading right now due to work and things going on in my personal life – this is the type of book that requires quite a bit of patience and concentration and also needs to be read in one go rather than broken up between other tasks. I did the latter and ended up struggling through, to the point that there were times when I had to put the book down to attend to other things but then didn’t feel like picking it back up afterwards. I think if I had read this one in fewer sittings, over a longer, more focused time period, it would have felt less scattered and most likely I would’ve felt differently about it. This is why I decided to round up to 4 stars on this one, as I feel that, under different circumstances, this would definitely have been a 4 star (or above) read for me (and the fact that there truly were quite a few things I liked about the book, of course).
Overall, I would definitely recommend this one, though with the caveat that you need to be in the right mood to read it and also be able to devote the time and focus to it that it deserves. At some point down the line, I do intend on reading some of this author’s other works as well, since I’ve heard so many great things about a few of them. And if he decides to write another novel in the future, I would want to read that as well – hopefully we don’t have to wait another 10 years for it though!
Received ARC from Grove Press via NetGalley
June 8, 2020
I have no idea why I added this book to my TBR list, but add it I did. It's not because I saw reviews praising it and thought, "Well, it's not something I'd normally read but I think I'll give it a try because this review is so enticing". (A couple friends have since written glowing reviews, but at the time, I don't think anyone had). I added it the day I catalogued it for my library so something about the book blurb caught my eye though I really can't figure out what it might have been. Maybe it was just the mood I was in that I thought I wanted to read a book about small town America. Whatever it was, I'm glad I read it! Sometimes it pays to go off course and try books we normally wouldn't read, and in this case it did.
So what's it about? Well, it's about this guy who had a car accident that left his memory with a few holes in it. It's set in a small town in Minnesota and through Virgil's eyes we come to know many of the town's citizens. There's not much action though there is a bit of a mystery. It's largely character driven and again, not something I would normally add to my TBR list. There's just something about it that makes you deeply care about the characters. It is charming and witty and delightful. It reminds me of At Home in Mitford It wasn't an oh-wow-I-absolutely-love-this-book kind of book, but it was still an excellent read. It feels good and the writing is superb. Even if I never figure out why I added this, I'm glad I did.
So what's it about? Well, it's about this guy who had a car accident that left his memory with a few holes in it. It's set in a small town in Minnesota and through Virgil's eyes we come to know many of the town's citizens. There's not much action though there is a bit of a mystery. It's largely character driven and again, not something I would normally add to my TBR list. There's just something about it that makes you deeply care about the characters. It is charming and witty and delightful. It reminds me of At Home in Mitford It wasn't an oh-wow-I-absolutely-love-this-book kind of book, but it was still an excellent read. It feels good and the writing is superb. Even if I never figure out why I added this, I'm glad I did.
January 20, 2019
A complete letdown. 0 of 10 stars
October 28, 2018
4.5 captivating stars
My reviews can be seen here: http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
“Memory’s oldest trick is convincing us of its accuracy.”
Vigil Wander has been in a horrific car accident as his car careened over a cliff and plummeted into the water. He survives thanks to the quick action of a friend but his life changes. He is left with damage and struggles to regain not only his use of language , particularly adjectives, but also to find that lost something, He is a bachelor harboring a love for a woman, Nadine, who lost her husband, Alec Sandstone, in a supposed plane crash, never to be found. All the other characters from Rune, the father of the lost pilot and a master kite builder, to Leer, a character that bears a metaphysical, eerie nature, Leif Enger has created a world of people, and even animals who come together not in a showy way, but in a way where deep down one knows there is caring, symbolism, and perhaps love. There are many levels to this book. It can take the reader into countless directions as you travel the road with Virgil and the people who inhabit his world.
As Virgil recovers the town also seems to do so. This character driven novel is not a quick read, it is one you want to savor as Mr Enger opens us up to all possibilities, the real, the sublime, the magical, the deadly. His characters struggle, they fail, they succeed, they stumble, they go forth. There is, like life itself, so much happening within its pages and the analogies, the folktales, and the magic come at you as you are mesmerized by the words that strike a human core.
I definitely recommend this book for all the above reasons. It was a masterful telling of life, a telling of real people, a telling of struggle, success, and most of all how people in the end do care about one another and that often life has a way of righting itself.
Thank you once again to my local library.
My reviews can be seen here: http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
“Memory’s oldest trick is convincing us of its accuracy.”
Vigil Wander has been in a horrific car accident as his car careened over a cliff and plummeted into the water. He survives thanks to the quick action of a friend but his life changes. He is left with damage and struggles to regain not only his use of language , particularly adjectives, but also to find that lost something, He is a bachelor harboring a love for a woman, Nadine, who lost her husband, Alec Sandstone, in a supposed plane crash, never to be found. All the other characters from Rune, the father of the lost pilot and a master kite builder, to Leer, a character that bears a metaphysical, eerie nature, Leif Enger has created a world of people, and even animals who come together not in a showy way, but in a way where deep down one knows there is caring, symbolism, and perhaps love. There are many levels to this book. It can take the reader into countless directions as you travel the road with Virgil and the people who inhabit his world.
As Virgil recovers the town also seems to do so. This character driven novel is not a quick read, it is one you want to savor as Mr Enger opens us up to all possibilities, the real, the sublime, the magical, the deadly. His characters struggle, they fail, they succeed, they stumble, they go forth. There is, like life itself, so much happening within its pages and the analogies, the folktales, and the magic come at you as you are mesmerized by the words that strike a human core.
I definitely recommend this book for all the above reasons. It was a masterful telling of life, a telling of real people, a telling of struggle, success, and most of all how people in the end do care about one another and that often life has a way of righting itself.
Thank you once again to my local library.
November 9, 2018
A new author to me and I enjoyed it so much that I will certainly be looking out for his other two books.
I am a fan of books set in small town America, full of quirky characters, curious incidents, lots of baking and good old fashioned friendships. These places probably only exist in fiction but I lap them up. Virgil Wander is one of those quirky characters, on the high end of quirk since a near death experience has left him with a little bit of brain damage and an inability to recall many adjectives.
Enger's writing is beautiful and takes time to read because you do not want to miss any of his beautifully turned phrases. His humour is delightful too and I think I smiled through most of the book. Add to that lots of totally lovable characters and you have a book which is a joy to read.
I am a fan of books set in small town America, full of quirky characters, curious incidents, lots of baking and good old fashioned friendships. These places probably only exist in fiction but I lap them up. Virgil Wander is one of those quirky characters, on the high end of quirk since a near death experience has left him with a little bit of brain damage and an inability to recall many adjectives.
Enger's writing is beautiful and takes time to read because you do not want to miss any of his beautifully turned phrases. His humour is delightful too and I think I smiled through most of the book. Add to that lots of totally lovable characters and you have a book which is a joy to read.
October 27, 2022
The set-up of this novel reminds me very much of Richard Russo’s Nobody’s Fool: a small town where everybody seems to know everyone else, the town itself having seen better days and a central character being a well liked man who has yet to achieve anything of significance in his life. I really loved Russo’s book and I have to say that this one doesn't suffer too much by comparison. In this instance the town is called Greenstone and is situated on the shore of Lake Superior. It was once sustained by the mining and shipping of iron ore but now the taconite has run out there are few jobs to support the remaining inhabitants.
We meet Virgil Wander as he is recovering from a major concussion. He’d driven his car off the road and into the lake and was lucky to have been rescued from his sinking car by a local who’d been out collecting recyclables on the shoreline. Virgil has been warned by his physician that his short-term memory would most likely be impacted and that other side-effects would, for a time, encroach on his life. As we monitor his early days following his release from hospital we start to see evidence of this. We also start to meet some of the people that Virgil routinely comes into contact with in his everyday life.
But it takes a while for the more interesting characters to make an appearance. A film maker returns to take up residence in his large house that's been empty for some time and a unkempt fellow with a link to a missing local man makes Virgil’s acquaintance. These two will liven up this tale. As for the missing person, it seems that the one-time local sports star (and trained pilot) just took off in an aeroplane one day, never to return. Did the plane crash or has he made a new life for himself elsewhere? Nobody knows. The writing is excellent and I found myself being drawn deep into the lives of these people. I was routing for Virgil too, a decent man who rather seemed to have lost his way. Maybe the current changes wrought by the accident will offer an opportunity for Virgil to re-evaluate his life and maybe even re-invent himself? This book lacks the constant humour of Russo’s modern classic but it really does have a lot to offer. The town and its people are deftly brought to life and before I knew it I was at home in this place and starting to care about what will happen to them all.
The intrigue here really centres around a few key questions:
- To what extent will Virgil’s recovery (or lack of) influence what life has in store for him?
- Who is the unkempt fellow and what is his link to this town?
- What has brought the mysterious film maker back and how will his appearance impact others?
- Will the mystery of the missing man be resolved?
To a large extent nothing much happens for the majority of this tale. The interest is sustained by the interactions between the key characters and the slow discovery of what matters most to these people. And therein lies the rub: how do you finish a story in which nothing of true significance has occurred? Well, you make something happen. And if I have one criticism of this book it’s that this element is the least satisfying component. It jarred, because I don't think it really fitted in with what had gone before - it felt like a hastily conceived add-on. In fact, I'd go as far as to say, the way the final section of the book is conceived – with many (but not all) of the loose ends being too neatly tied off - somewhat spoilt the experience for me. I just wish the author had gone in a different direction here.
My last comments aside, I’d encourage anyone who’s enjoyed Russo or similar character driven writers to give this one a try. Lief Enger is, I think, a real talent and I'm certainly encouraged to seek out more of his work.
My sincere thanks to Little Brown Book Group Uk and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We meet Virgil Wander as he is recovering from a major concussion. He’d driven his car off the road and into the lake and was lucky to have been rescued from his sinking car by a local who’d been out collecting recyclables on the shoreline. Virgil has been warned by his physician that his short-term memory would most likely be impacted and that other side-effects would, for a time, encroach on his life. As we monitor his early days following his release from hospital we start to see evidence of this. We also start to meet some of the people that Virgil routinely comes into contact with in his everyday life.
But it takes a while for the more interesting characters to make an appearance. A film maker returns to take up residence in his large house that's been empty for some time and a unkempt fellow with a link to a missing local man makes Virgil’s acquaintance. These two will liven up this tale. As for the missing person, it seems that the one-time local sports star (and trained pilot) just took off in an aeroplane one day, never to return. Did the plane crash or has he made a new life for himself elsewhere? Nobody knows. The writing is excellent and I found myself being drawn deep into the lives of these people. I was routing for Virgil too, a decent man who rather seemed to have lost his way. Maybe the current changes wrought by the accident will offer an opportunity for Virgil to re-evaluate his life and maybe even re-invent himself? This book lacks the constant humour of Russo’s modern classic but it really does have a lot to offer. The town and its people are deftly brought to life and before I knew it I was at home in this place and starting to care about what will happen to them all.
The intrigue here really centres around a few key questions:
- To what extent will Virgil’s recovery (or lack of) influence what life has in store for him?
- Who is the unkempt fellow and what is his link to this town?
- What has brought the mysterious film maker back and how will his appearance impact others?
- Will the mystery of the missing man be resolved?
To a large extent nothing much happens for the majority of this tale. The interest is sustained by the interactions between the key characters and the slow discovery of what matters most to these people. And therein lies the rub: how do you finish a story in which nothing of true significance has occurred? Well, you make something happen. And if I have one criticism of this book it’s that this element is the least satisfying component. It jarred, because I don't think it really fitted in with what had gone before - it felt like a hastily conceived add-on. In fact, I'd go as far as to say, the way the final section of the book is conceived – with many (but not all) of the loose ends being too neatly tied off - somewhat spoilt the experience for me. I just wish the author had gone in a different direction here.
My last comments aside, I’d encourage anyone who’s enjoyed Russo or similar character driven writers to give this one a try. Lief Enger is, I think, a real talent and I'm certainly encouraged to seek out more of his work.
My sincere thanks to Little Brown Book Group Uk and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2018
Virgil Wander lives in Greenstone, Minnesota, a town with little to offer and even fewer prospects for the future. The inhabitants are good natured but quirky. In fact most are quirky.
Virgil, the owner of the local movie theater, claims to be “cruising at medium attitude, aspiring vaguely to decency.” But life is altered when Virgil loses control of his Pontiac during a sudden snowstorm and plunges into Lake Superior. Saved by a fellow townsman, Virgil learns he has a mild traumatic brain injury. This is the beginning of our journey through Greenstone and the introduction to its inhabitants. All these people seem to be good natured transplants from Lake Wobegon. The people long for the past golden hay days of the town and believe that a festival called Hard Luck Days can be the instrument of their revival.
As Virgil recovers from his trauma and attempts to rediscover himself, he meets Rune, a man looking for information about a son he never knew. He investigates by flying kites. I wondered if some insight into the meaning of life would be revealed but no it was about how to build and fly kites.
Several more interactions or described but little insight is garnered. Finally all issues are explained and resolved in the final pages of the book. Unfortunately the ending is too neat and contrived.
This book felt like a collection of vignettes, not like a well constructed novel. Long descriptions do not equal a well structured plot development. This was an unfulfilling reading.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #netgalley #virgilwander
Virgil, the owner of the local movie theater, claims to be “cruising at medium attitude, aspiring vaguely to decency.” But life is altered when Virgil loses control of his Pontiac during a sudden snowstorm and plunges into Lake Superior. Saved by a fellow townsman, Virgil learns he has a mild traumatic brain injury. This is the beginning of our journey through Greenstone and the introduction to its inhabitants. All these people seem to be good natured transplants from Lake Wobegon. The people long for the past golden hay days of the town and believe that a festival called Hard Luck Days can be the instrument of their revival.
As Virgil recovers from his trauma and attempts to rediscover himself, he meets Rune, a man looking for information about a son he never knew. He investigates by flying kites. I wondered if some insight into the meaning of life would be revealed but no it was about how to build and fly kites.
Several more interactions or described but little insight is garnered. Finally all issues are explained and resolved in the final pages of the book. Unfortunately the ending is too neat and contrived.
This book felt like a collection of vignettes, not like a well constructed novel. Long descriptions do not equal a well structured plot development. This was an unfulfilling reading.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #netgalley #virgilwander
January 4, 2019
4.5★
“I couldn’t nail down what had changed in the apartment. To begin with, it seemed to belong to someone else. This made a kind of sense—my perceptions had shifted, just as Dr. Koskinen said.
. . .
Bending down I saw my two pale ankles sticking out of my shoes. I’d forgotten socks. Dr. Koskinen said I might forget to turn off the faucet, might gas myself somehow, set my sleeves on fire. He wasn’t thrilled I lived alone.”
Virgil Wander is an unusual name and an unusual fellow because he lives upstairs from, and devotes himself to, an old movie theatre (the Empress) in a frost-bitten town on Lake Superior, and he sells maybe half a dozen tickets a night. When the book opens, he’s been rescued, freezing, from his car, which plunged into the Lake. As a result, his brain and his memory have taken a bit of a bashing.
I was reading this at the same time as I was beginning a book, Tacking on the Styx: An Epileptic Sails the Facts, Fiction and Philosophy of a Mental Illness, about a man with epilepsy, and the similarities between him and Virgil were very much the same in some places. The opening quotation was from Virgil, fresh out of hospital. He has to work out how to deal with the blanks in his memory.
“But as my bones settled on the mattress, a notion crept in. A short sentence appeared in my mind implying I could go ahead and wear those shirts. I could paint the walls, sell the furniture, throw out the candle. I could do whatever I liked with the building, for one simple reason. The previous tenant was dead. Poor Virgil didn’t actually make it. I popped off the mattress and pulled on shoes. They didn’t seem like my shoes exactly. They resisted my hands and feet. I pulled them on anyway and got away from there.”
The previous tenant was dead. But the rest of the town doesn’t quite know how to deal with him. He’s having trouble with loud sounds (same as epilepsy, migraines, etc.)
“. . . a bad concussion jangles everything. My mind was not clear. His gentle baritone came at me like elbows.”
I have an abiding curiosity about brain function, enhancement, impairment, and when a skilled author can work it into a fanciful, yet believable, tale, I love it.
And another thing. There’s an old Scandinavian guy, Rune, who appears in town and makes and flies amazing kites. I went to a place once where kite-flying competitions were popular, and it was fantastic! This was students and adults, and being awkward enough (or mean enough!) to cross and cut someone else’s string was cause for war, or at least stern confrontation. You work for hours, days creating one, and then it crashes. Or in Rune’s case, it would skitter away down Lake Superior and probably drown.
There is a long story with many threads and many characters, broken in their own ways, and it takes Virgil time to piece it all together. He gets involved an old mystery about a man who disappeared, he has a gnawing worry about the future of the Empress and his films, and meanwhile, he is pressed to take part in a project to make the small town financially viable.
And it’s freezing! I don’t know how people live so cold, especially if they go out to fly kites by an icy lake! Virgil occasionally hallucinates. But it soothes him.
“Flying it I felt my Empress panic subside. Hither and yon it zipped across the bright cold sky, wheels spinning with a lively purr that came down into my fingers. I let out more line. A buoyancy expanded in my chest and I seemed to rise toward a small cumulous cloud scudding toward the province of Ontario. The cloud misted me with a greeting and went on its way. A brace of late snow geese moved south along the shoreline; their black wing tips whistled as they passed.”
I very much enjoy the way Enger has put his imagination on the page. He neatly connects the characters from several side stories and ties up most of the loose ends, while leaving us with something to mull over at the end. I liked the new Virgil Wander, occasional hallucinations and all, but I think I would have found “the previous tenant” a bit timid and colourless. The new one is having a lot more fun.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
#NetGalley #VirgilWander
“I couldn’t nail down what had changed in the apartment. To begin with, it seemed to belong to someone else. This made a kind of sense—my perceptions had shifted, just as Dr. Koskinen said.
. . .
Bending down I saw my two pale ankles sticking out of my shoes. I’d forgotten socks. Dr. Koskinen said I might forget to turn off the faucet, might gas myself somehow, set my sleeves on fire. He wasn’t thrilled I lived alone.”
Virgil Wander is an unusual name and an unusual fellow because he lives upstairs from, and devotes himself to, an old movie theatre (the Empress) in a frost-bitten town on Lake Superior, and he sells maybe half a dozen tickets a night. When the book opens, he’s been rescued, freezing, from his car, which plunged into the Lake. As a result, his brain and his memory have taken a bit of a bashing.
I was reading this at the same time as I was beginning a book, Tacking on the Styx: An Epileptic Sails the Facts, Fiction and Philosophy of a Mental Illness, about a man with epilepsy, and the similarities between him and Virgil were very much the same in some places. The opening quotation was from Virgil, fresh out of hospital. He has to work out how to deal with the blanks in his memory.
“But as my bones settled on the mattress, a notion crept in. A short sentence appeared in my mind implying I could go ahead and wear those shirts. I could paint the walls, sell the furniture, throw out the candle. I could do whatever I liked with the building, for one simple reason. The previous tenant was dead. Poor Virgil didn’t actually make it. I popped off the mattress and pulled on shoes. They didn’t seem like my shoes exactly. They resisted my hands and feet. I pulled them on anyway and got away from there.”
The previous tenant was dead. But the rest of the town doesn’t quite know how to deal with him. He’s having trouble with loud sounds (same as epilepsy, migraines, etc.)
“. . . a bad concussion jangles everything. My mind was not clear. His gentle baritone came at me like elbows.”
I have an abiding curiosity about brain function, enhancement, impairment, and when a skilled author can work it into a fanciful, yet believable, tale, I love it.
And another thing. There’s an old Scandinavian guy, Rune, who appears in town and makes and flies amazing kites. I went to a place once where kite-flying competitions were popular, and it was fantastic! This was students and adults, and being awkward enough (or mean enough!) to cross and cut someone else’s string was cause for war, or at least stern confrontation. You work for hours, days creating one, and then it crashes. Or in Rune’s case, it would skitter away down Lake Superior and probably drown.
There is a long story with many threads and many characters, broken in their own ways, and it takes Virgil time to piece it all together. He gets involved an old mystery about a man who disappeared, he has a gnawing worry about the future of the Empress and his films, and meanwhile, he is pressed to take part in a project to make the small town financially viable.
And it’s freezing! I don’t know how people live so cold, especially if they go out to fly kites by an icy lake! Virgil occasionally hallucinates. But it soothes him.
“Flying it I felt my Empress panic subside. Hither and yon it zipped across the bright cold sky, wheels spinning with a lively purr that came down into my fingers. I let out more line. A buoyancy expanded in my chest and I seemed to rise toward a small cumulous cloud scudding toward the province of Ontario. The cloud misted me with a greeting and went on its way. A brace of late snow geese moved south along the shoreline; their black wing tips whistled as they passed.”
I very much enjoy the way Enger has put his imagination on the page. He neatly connects the characters from several side stories and ties up most of the loose ends, while leaving us with something to mull over at the end. I liked the new Virgil Wander, occasional hallucinations and all, but I think I would have found “the previous tenant” a bit timid and colourless. The new one is having a lot more fun.
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
#NetGalley #VirgilWander
December 6, 2018
Enger has beautifully written a tale of magical realism. Greenstone, Minnesota is a town on the shores of Lake Superior that is limping along—the taconite mines have closed, the big ships no longer stop, and even the water tower collapsed and rolled through town. Virgil is the City Clerk and owner of the The Empress movie theater, a derelict building where he shows movies to a half-dozen patrons. The local baseball sensation disappeared ten years ago after flying out over the big lake, leaving his beautiful wife Nadine and son Bjorn to wonder if he is alive or dead.
Virgil was driving along the cliffs along the lake and his car broke through the guard rail to plummet into the cold, watery depths of the lake. Fortunately, Marcus Jetty, owner of the Greenstone Salvage & Tinker was scavenging the beach at the time and was able to save him. Virgil’s only injury was a concussed head—a little wobbly and the inability to recall adjectives while speaking.
Rune Eliassen, arrives in Greenstone the same day that Virgil is released from St. Luke’s Hospital. Rune is a Norwegian kite maker and Bjorn’s grandfather. Rune is “a spark from a boreal gloom” and his kites bring joy to the town. At roughly the same time, Adam Leer, the wealthiest resident of Greenstone also returns to town—“a sheen of charm and panache provides a thin veil over a flinty heart”.
Magical realism would not be complete without plenty of symbols: kites represent prophecy and fate—a wandering spirit; black ravens suggest good prophecy; the man walking on the water seems to foretell death; and the sea represents life/hardship.
There is death by sturgeon, a frog-laced rainstorm, a rabid raccoon, stolen classic movies, and so much more. It is a pretty wild tale. But, underlying it all is a town’s commitment to support each other with compassion. Highly recommend.
Virgil was driving along the cliffs along the lake and his car broke through the guard rail to plummet into the cold, watery depths of the lake. Fortunately, Marcus Jetty, owner of the Greenstone Salvage & Tinker was scavenging the beach at the time and was able to save him. Virgil’s only injury was a concussed head—a little wobbly and the inability to recall adjectives while speaking.
Rune Eliassen, arrives in Greenstone the same day that Virgil is released from St. Luke’s Hospital. Rune is a Norwegian kite maker and Bjorn’s grandfather. Rune is “a spark from a boreal gloom” and his kites bring joy to the town. At roughly the same time, Adam Leer, the wealthiest resident of Greenstone also returns to town—“a sheen of charm and panache provides a thin veil over a flinty heart”.
Magical realism would not be complete without plenty of symbols: kites represent prophecy and fate—a wandering spirit; black ravens suggest good prophecy; the man walking on the water seems to foretell death; and the sea represents life/hardship.
There is death by sturgeon, a frog-laced rainstorm, a rabid raccoon, stolen classic movies, and so much more. It is a pretty wild tale. But, underlying it all is a town’s commitment to support each other with compassion. Highly recommend.
November 6, 2018
“Virgil Wander” is Leif Enger’s third novel. His first “Peace Like a River” was amazing, and Enger just can’t create the same magic. That said, “Virgil Wander” is worth a read; just don’t expect it to be in the same category.
The protagonist, Virgil Wander, narrates the novel. He suffers a “mild traumatic brain injury” after a major car accident. One major affliction of the accident is his speech. He has seemed to have lost his adjectives. All through the novel, he gains a few back and is proud of himself. It’s a quirky novel, with quirky characters. It helps that Virgil sees them as such, given he’s our narrator.
The novel begins with the chapter titled “the previous tenant”. That too comes up a lot as Virgil rediscovers his self. He realizes his personality changes and comments often about what the previous tenant (of his body) would have done. Yes, the novel is quirky, but it is also about reinvention. Haven’t we all reinvented ourselves? One does when they become a parent or an orphan. Some times our reinventions are subtle or take years. Enger meditates on personal change, not just with Virgil, but also with other characters.
It’s an enjoyable read. Enger is in the high class of gifted writers. This is a slow read that requires attention; otherwise some of the subtle humor will be lost. The story is slow, but the writing is amazing. I’ll continue to be a follower of Enger, even if he doesn’t attain the beauty of his first novel.
The protagonist, Virgil Wander, narrates the novel. He suffers a “mild traumatic brain injury” after a major car accident. One major affliction of the accident is his speech. He has seemed to have lost his adjectives. All through the novel, he gains a few back and is proud of himself. It’s a quirky novel, with quirky characters. It helps that Virgil sees them as such, given he’s our narrator.
The novel begins with the chapter titled “the previous tenant”. That too comes up a lot as Virgil rediscovers his self. He realizes his personality changes and comments often about what the previous tenant (of his body) would have done. Yes, the novel is quirky, but it is also about reinvention. Haven’t we all reinvented ourselves? One does when they become a parent or an orphan. Some times our reinventions are subtle or take years. Enger meditates on personal change, not just with Virgil, but also with other characters.
It’s an enjoyable read. Enger is in the high class of gifted writers. This is a slow read that requires attention; otherwise some of the subtle humor will be lost. The story is slow, but the writing is amazing. I’ll continue to be a follower of Enger, even if he doesn’t attain the beauty of his first novel.
April 30, 2019
Virgil Wander almost died. Following his accident, he's a new person. His language has lost many adjectives and adverbs, but that only makes him sound more assertive, something Virgil has never been guilty of.
Middle-aged and a bit of a loner, he's been cruising along, working as a city clerk during the day and running at a loss the Empress - the only cinema in the small, dying Greenstone, Minnesota. Life was uneventful and extremely predictable.
The accident gives him a bit of notoriety. One day, Virgil stumbles across an old Scandinavian man named Rune who was flying a kite by the lake. Virgil offers Rune his spare room above the Empress. The old man Rune becomes a town fixture, well known for his marvellous kites.
Peppered with a cast of interesting characters, this novel is deep, humorous, whimsy and very atmospheric. It's perfect for a movie adaptation or a short TV series.
I found it utterly charming.
I've received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Middle-aged and a bit of a loner, he's been cruising along, working as a city clerk during the day and running at a loss the Empress - the only cinema in the small, dying Greenstone, Minnesota. Life was uneventful and extremely predictable.
The accident gives him a bit of notoriety. One day, Virgil stumbles across an old Scandinavian man named Rune who was flying a kite by the lake. Virgil offers Rune his spare room above the Empress. The old man Rune becomes a town fixture, well known for his marvellous kites.
Peppered with a cast of interesting characters, this novel is deep, humorous, whimsy and very atmospheric. It's perfect for a movie adaptation or a short TV series.
I found it utterly charming.
I've received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 3, 2018
I enjoyed this charming, character-driven novel set in a down-yet-not-quite-out former mining/shipping town in Minnesota called Greenstone, perched on the shores of Lake Superior, near Duluth.
The main character, the eponymous Virgil Wander, is recovering from a nearly-fatal car accident that has left him slightly "different" from a head concussion. Virgil learns that many townspeople thought he had died in the horrifying accident: "The message was that I should've died, but didn't. That was the sense I kept getting. Everyone was nice about it, but I was a living mistake."
When an old gent named Rune Eliassen comes to town from his home in Tromso, Norway, Virgil invites him to stay in one of the rooms over the ramshackle theatre that Virgil owns and runs. Rune loves to design and fly kites and soon many of the townspeople have acquired his passion for kite-flying, including Virgil.
But Rune is really there to learn more about his son Alec, a famous baseball player who had lived in Greenstone until the day he flew off in a small plane and disappeared, leaving his wife and small son to wonder what had become of him.
There are many other intriguing characters in this novel: the town's wealthiest man who often seems to be somehow involved when tragedy strikes; the down-and-out handyman who is trying to crawl out of depression and make a fresh start; the sheriff who may have had enough of the job; the drunken fisherman who may have been led to his death by a giant sturgeon--and that's just to mention a few.
The town itself is a main character as well, of course: "Greenstone is cursed. We had mines, but they shut. Ships used to dock, now they drive past. Our water tower comes loose and rolls over people, our congressman gets leprosy, Bob Dylan drives through and gets two flat tires." Could a festival called "Hard Luck Days" turn things around for the community, transforming tragedy into a fresh start?
I was intrigued by the name 'Virgil Wander.' I wanted to know what significance that might have to the story. As Virgil himself says: "For a man named Wander, I'd spent a long time in one place." Is it a calling, as some have suggested? Combine that with 'Virgil,' the Roman poet who wrote about Aeneas's journey to the underworld, and I wonder if Greenstone, MN, could be portrayed as a modern-day underworld? Is the Grim Reaper still waiting for Virgil?
Highly recommend this novel for people who enjoy engaging characters. There's a bit of drama tossed in at the end too that throws in some sparks.
I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. I will definitely look forward to reading more of Leif Enger's work.
The main character, the eponymous Virgil Wander, is recovering from a nearly-fatal car accident that has left him slightly "different" from a head concussion. Virgil learns that many townspeople thought he had died in the horrifying accident: "The message was that I should've died, but didn't. That was the sense I kept getting. Everyone was nice about it, but I was a living mistake."
When an old gent named Rune Eliassen comes to town from his home in Tromso, Norway, Virgil invites him to stay in one of the rooms over the ramshackle theatre that Virgil owns and runs. Rune loves to design and fly kites and soon many of the townspeople have acquired his passion for kite-flying, including Virgil.
But Rune is really there to learn more about his son Alec, a famous baseball player who had lived in Greenstone until the day he flew off in a small plane and disappeared, leaving his wife and small son to wonder what had become of him.
There are many other intriguing characters in this novel: the town's wealthiest man who often seems to be somehow involved when tragedy strikes; the down-and-out handyman who is trying to crawl out of depression and make a fresh start; the sheriff who may have had enough of the job; the drunken fisherman who may have been led to his death by a giant sturgeon--and that's just to mention a few.
The town itself is a main character as well, of course: "Greenstone is cursed. We had mines, but they shut. Ships used to dock, now they drive past. Our water tower comes loose and rolls over people, our congressman gets leprosy, Bob Dylan drives through and gets two flat tires." Could a festival called "Hard Luck Days" turn things around for the community, transforming tragedy into a fresh start?
I was intrigued by the name 'Virgil Wander.' I wanted to know what significance that might have to the story. As Virgil himself says: "For a man named Wander, I'd spent a long time in one place." Is it a calling, as some have suggested? Combine that with 'Virgil,' the Roman poet who wrote about Aeneas's journey to the underworld, and I wonder if Greenstone, MN, could be portrayed as a modern-day underworld? Is the Grim Reaper still waiting for Virgil?
Highly recommend this novel for people who enjoy engaging characters. There's a bit of drama tossed in at the end too that throws in some sparks.
I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. I will definitely look forward to reading more of Leif Enger's work.
August 18, 2018
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Grove Press
Pub. Date: Oct. 2, 2018
The author, Leif Enger, is the winner of many awards including the 2008 Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Award Honor Book for Fiction. He captures the heart of small-town life when the town has seen better days. This may be because he lives on a farm with his wife and two children in the Midwest. The title gets its name from the story’s protagonist and narrator. Virgil owns and runs the town’s only movie theater, The Empress. For that reason and other similarities, this novel has shades of the 1971 film, “The Last Picture Show.” But there is also much different. The film is a realistic version of a flagging town. This book is like reading about a small-town while smoking a joint. The writing is playful, sometimes too much so and it can get puzzling.
The book’s pages are filled with quirky characters. Among others, there is, of course, Virgil, who survives a near-death experience in the book’s opening pages. He awakens in the hospital in a fog-like state, which sets the tone for the rest of the novel. There is also his friend who was a minor league eccentric baseball pitcher. He disappeared years ago, leaving behind his beautiful wife and now depressed teenage son. We also meet an old man kite-flying Norwegian pied-piper, who has come in search of the son he never knew he had until recently. The son is the disappeared pitcher. There is even a pet raccoon, not to mention a killer sturgeon fish who takes the life of a father, leaving yet another fatherless son in the story. The town’s bad luck is every bit as much of a character. Still, expect a fun read. All in all, this is a story that will make you chuckle. You will smile that happiness can be found in hard times. But, the goofiness can begin to feel like overload.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
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Publisher: Grove Press
Pub. Date: Oct. 2, 2018
The author, Leif Enger, is the winner of many awards including the 2008 Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Award Honor Book for Fiction. He captures the heart of small-town life when the town has seen better days. This may be because he lives on a farm with his wife and two children in the Midwest. The title gets its name from the story’s protagonist and narrator. Virgil owns and runs the town’s only movie theater, The Empress. For that reason and other similarities, this novel has shades of the 1971 film, “The Last Picture Show.” But there is also much different. The film is a realistic version of a flagging town. This book is like reading about a small-town while smoking a joint. The writing is playful, sometimes too much so and it can get puzzling.
The book’s pages are filled with quirky characters. Among others, there is, of course, Virgil, who survives a near-death experience in the book’s opening pages. He awakens in the hospital in a fog-like state, which sets the tone for the rest of the novel. There is also his friend who was a minor league eccentric baseball pitcher. He disappeared years ago, leaving behind his beautiful wife and now depressed teenage son. We also meet an old man kite-flying Norwegian pied-piper, who has come in search of the son he never knew he had until recently. The son is the disappeared pitcher. There is even a pet raccoon, not to mention a killer sturgeon fish who takes the life of a father, leaving yet another fatherless son in the story. The town’s bad luck is every bit as much of a character. Still, expect a fun read. All in all, this is a story that will make you chuckle. You will smile that happiness can be found in hard times. But, the goofiness can begin to feel like overload.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
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July 24, 2020
It's not often you come across an offbeat novel about a dying town with a lot of quirky characters, mostly down on their luck types with no place else to go, and are filled with appreciation at the end for being allowed to spend some time with them. That was my feeling on finishing this book.
The plot is a little too involved for a recap here, but the climax was very satisfying in many ways. I like a few unanswered questions that lets me continue the story in my head, but still giving me the feeling that my favorite characters will be okay. The Empress Theater was very real to me, an old fashioned movie theater just trying to survive. I could see the projector's booth still using the reel to reel films, the aging seats showing wear and tear, the sticky floors after a showing. I'm not much of a movie expert, but the arcana surrounding some of the old films was fascinating. It was also nice to spend some time in Minnesota for a few days instead of the heat and humidity we have been experiencing for the last few weeks.
All in all, a nice experience for me, and maybe an example of "the right book at the right time" syndrome. I'll miss Greenstone, I felt very welcome there.
The plot is a little too involved for a recap here, but the climax was very satisfying in many ways. I like a few unanswered questions that lets me continue the story in my head, but still giving me the feeling that my favorite characters will be okay. The Empress Theater was very real to me, an old fashioned movie theater just trying to survive. I could see the projector's booth still using the reel to reel films, the aging seats showing wear and tear, the sticky floors after a showing. I'm not much of a movie expert, but the arcana surrounding some of the old films was fascinating. It was also nice to spend some time in Minnesota for a few days instead of the heat and humidity we have been experiencing for the last few weeks.
All in all, a nice experience for me, and maybe an example of "the right book at the right time" syndrome. I'll miss Greenstone, I felt very welcome there.
May 22, 2021
Painting evocative pictures with words
When it comes to master storytellers Leif ranks at the top of the list. Similar to Richard Russo, he engages the reader with his remarkable characters who in and of themselves are unique. A fan of small town stories, it's rare to have such an array of memorable scenes in each chapter. I immediately fell in love with his word smithing and found myself immersed in the story world often for hours on end. His unique characters include Virgil Wander, a city clerk and owner of a failing movie theater, a teen boy that surfs Lake Superior, and a Nordic kite builder among others. Virgil gives us hope, reminds us of our humanity and spins a tale that's worthy of the Pulitzer. Of all my favorites, this story took me by surprise and rose quickly to the top of my list!
When it comes to master storytellers Leif ranks at the top of the list. Similar to Richard Russo, he engages the reader with his remarkable characters who in and of themselves are unique. A fan of small town stories, it's rare to have such an array of memorable scenes in each chapter. I immediately fell in love with his word smithing and found myself immersed in the story world often for hours on end. His unique characters include Virgil Wander, a city clerk and owner of a failing movie theater, a teen boy that surfs Lake Superior, and a Nordic kite builder among others. Virgil gives us hope, reminds us of our humanity and spins a tale that's worthy of the Pulitzer. Of all my favorites, this story took me by surprise and rose quickly to the top of my list!
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