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The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos
Entrancing and sentimental, told with wit and sharp insight, The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos examines the joys and traumas of the Latinx American experience through the lens of a young man awakening to the nuances of identity, love, colonization, and home.
As Gregorio recovers from a soccer injury, he relives a decisive period of his life when he is eighteen and adrift. His parents are divorcing, his sister is estranged, and his poor goalkeeping has just cost his soccer team their most important game of the season. As a graduation present, Gregorio’s defiant uncle Nico takes him to Colombia, where he is introduced to old friends, family memories, and a culture ailing after years of conflict and colonization. When they return, Gregorio follows in his uncle’s footsteps and pursues employment at an art museum in Washington, D.C., where he moves into the basement of a townhouse owned by Magdalena, a Basque exile he befriends. As the year wends on and anti-immigrant rhetoric reaches an apex, Gregorio notes the disparities in his community while struggling to define his own identity and direction. Gregorio joins his friend Raúl’s soccer team, resuming his role as goalkeeper, seeking purpose and redemption.
The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos is a compassionate story of benevolence, memory, and preservation that considers what has been lost, what must never be forgotten, and our collective responsibility to one another. Poetic and thoughtful, Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya has given us an unforgettable voice in Gregorio astute, charming, and illuminating. Additional
AN Electric Literature presents " ," and excerpt from The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos , recommended by Tariq Shah. AN The Offing presents " ," an excerpt from The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos . SELECT
| 9/20/2023
María Alejandra Barrios spoke with debut novelist Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, author of The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos , about "the process of writing his novel, the beauty of short and powerful books, his favorite Colombian authors, what’s next for this Colombian American writer," and more!
| 7/20/2023
Daniel A. Olivas, for the Latino Book Review , spoke with author Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya about the journey his debut novel took from inception to publication, the effect that writing about his parents' homeland of Colombia had on him, how he crafted his characters and his settings, and much more!
| 7/9/2023
"This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, who discusses his new debut novel The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos. Topics of conversation include the relativity of time, sports novels, pain pills, Colombia, the value of literature, and much more! Bookin' Podcast is sponsored by indie bookstore . | 8/19/2022
We talk with Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya about his forthcoming debut novel, The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos .
As Gregorio recovers from a soccer injury, he relives a decisive period of his life when he is eighteen and adrift. His parents are divorcing, his sister is estranged, and his poor goalkeeping has just cost his soccer team their most important game of the season. As a graduation present, Gregorio’s defiant uncle Nico takes him to Colombia, where he is introduced to old friends, family memories, and a culture ailing after years of conflict and colonization. When they return, Gregorio follows in his uncle’s footsteps and pursues employment at an art museum in Washington, D.C., where he moves into the basement of a townhouse owned by Magdalena, a Basque exile he befriends. As the year wends on and anti-immigrant rhetoric reaches an apex, Gregorio notes the disparities in his community while struggling to define his own identity and direction. Gregorio joins his friend Raúl’s soccer team, resuming his role as goalkeeper, seeking purpose and redemption.
The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos is a compassionate story of benevolence, memory, and preservation that considers what has been lost, what must never be forgotten, and our collective responsibility to one another. Poetic and thoughtful, Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya has given us an unforgettable voice in Gregorio astute, charming, and illuminating. Additional
AN Electric Literature presents " ," and excerpt from The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos , recommended by Tariq Shah. AN The Offing presents " ," an excerpt from The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos . SELECT
| 9/20/2023
María Alejandra Barrios spoke with debut novelist Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, author of The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos , about "the process of writing his novel, the beauty of short and powerful books, his favorite Colombian authors, what’s next for this Colombian American writer," and more!
| 7/20/2023
Daniel A. Olivas, for the Latino Book Review , spoke with author Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya about the journey his debut novel took from inception to publication, the effect that writing about his parents' homeland of Colombia had on him, how he crafted his characters and his settings, and much more!
| 7/9/2023
"This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, who discusses his new debut novel The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos. Topics of conversation include the relativity of time, sports novels, pain pills, Colombia, the value of literature, and much more! Bookin' Podcast is sponsored by indie bookstore . | 8/19/2022
We talk with Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya about his forthcoming debut novel, The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos .
170 pages, Paperback
Published July 11, 2023
6 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 19, 2023
I liked this quiet yet meaningful coming of age story about a young Latinx man navigating life mostly in the United States. There’s a nice slice-of-life quality to the narration that gives the book a calm, movie-like feeling. At the same time, Rodrigo Montoya incorporates themes unique and salient to the Latinx experience, such as the toll of anti-immigrant rhetoric and policy. I wanted a bit more depth and substance to the story and some more hard-hitting scenes, however, I’d still recommend this to those interested in its synopsis.
July 20, 2025
'For most people around the world, Pablo Escobar is the only idea that exists of this country. Pablo, cocaine, and coffee.'
Empanadas, football, art museums, and so much more. One of the best narrators ever. At the start of the novel, the narrator made a comment about 'goalkeepers' always being 'second to the plot'. And then the writer carried on making a very conscious and deliberate decision of allowing him fill the role of the (most endearing) protagonist of the novel. There are just too many good things to say about the book. And/but fuller RTC later.
'Andrés Escobar, Colombia’s best defender, scored an own goal. Ten days later he died in Medellín. He was shot six times. According to witnesses, the killer shouted gol each time he pulled the trigger.'
'Chile’s best player, Arturo Vidal, missed the first penalty of the shootout. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, the best player in the world, missed the second. — Messi was on the verge of tears throughout the rest of the penalties. Everyone else was able to convert, except for another Argentinian player, Biglia, who had his penalty saved by Claudio Bravo. When this save was made Messi began to cry, — he began to sob. Openly. — We were mostly quiet as we watched. Several times my mom muttered the same phrase she always did during shootouts. “Penalties are not fair."'
Absolutely brilliant (even if it has one 'typo' that I actually appreciate because to me, it was a funny one). I was a bit nervous reading the romantic subplot, because personally for me that's always a risky addition (which could either elevate or wreck the narrative and general vibe of the novel), but even that was a rather necessary contribution to the story as a whole. It could have been written a bit better, surely (especially in terms of description); but somehow even its messy, flawed ways complements the progression of the plot (at that specific point of it anyway). I didn't mind the slight cringe, because that 'cringe' made sense (literarily anyway). It seemed like a meaningful addition to the characterisation and the plot itself. And thematically, it balanced the bleaker ones, tones it up so beautifully (and in a lot of ways the leftover sentiments made the ending so much more poignant).
'Raúl was the most yellow-carded player on the team. He picked one up every game. But, unlike some of our other teammates, he never saw a red. I never worried he would, either. It’s been said that knowing how to defend is knowing how to foul. By this metric, Raúl was the best defender I’ve ever known. His infractions were not acts of frustration, aggression, or retaliation. They were simply correct decisions. Like the sly tug of a forward’s shirt during a counterattack, or a subtle trip of an opponent running full speed. — He wasn’t always in exactly the right place, but he always knew where he was. That, and where he needed to be.'
'I felt the players from both teams inching closer to intervene. I heard someone mention the police. I kept going. I stood over the referee as he tucked his whistle — That’s when Raúl put himself between us. He pushed me slowly and firmly away, repeating himself. “It doesn’t matter, — This doesn’t matter."'
Raúl (who plays a minor but rather essential role in the novel) is probably my favourite character in the book. Definitely not because I relate to him, or think of him as an 'admirable' character for any sort of reasons. I just think that he's a rather unforgettable, and a thoroughly interesting one. Maybe it's just how he carries himself; ever so precise/careful and empathetic(?) with everything he does that even his super 'chill' exterior feels deliberate (but in an entirely beautiful way).
'Electronic Superhighway (Nam June Paik) was always crowded. Typically, people would be most fascinated by whatever state they were from. They took a lot of pictures. Of themselves, mostly. There was a man who always happened to be sitting on one of the benches no more than ten feet away from the installation, staring at the screens but not one in particular, as if he were staring into a void. I loved the way he sat there, as if it were his own living room, as if he didn’t mind who came to visit so long as they eventually left him alone. There was something honest about the way he’d decided to surround himself with televisions. I’d sit on one bench and the man would sit on the other. There was never a word between us. I’m not sure if he ever noticed me.'
'— born in the fall. I in the rainy October of Medellín; you in the North American November, the month when the leaves turn and die, only to be raked into piles and burned. — born into a world of war. Remember this, always. There is blood in our oil. There is blood in our batteries. There is blood in our sugar. The world we live in is made of this blood. Death is nothing short of law on this stolen land.'
'Do not obsess yourself with the spectacular. Know this. The pyramid is a tombstone. The opera is a circus. The pageant is a bullfight.'
'Be lucky. It’s the best thing you can be in this life.'
July 6, 2023
A picture of this book is next to the word melancholy in the dictionary. It’s there, I checked.
The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos is not a loud book, shouting for your attention. It won’t have you on the edge of your seat, furiously flipping pages until you reach the next plot twist. In fact, it demands that you read it slowly. It is a short book, but deceptive. It makes you spend time in the story, going through this circular, (mostly) directionless journey with the narrator. The prose itself is rather dreamlike and reminiscent. The sentimentality makes you feel like you’re floating through the actions rather than experiencing them. All of this to say, embrace the fluidity of time in this little novel.
We travel with Gregorio through Arizona, Colombia, and DC as he is transitioning to adulthood and learning about his family, his home, and himself. He is stumbling, but he has hope to grab onto to keep himself upright. The feeling of being young and lost but not truly knowing how lost you are is palpable in this book. That isn’t to say it doesn’t provide guidance when it can, but it doesn’t shy away from the vast and scary void of life either.
This book reads like a transitional scene in a movie. But what a great movie it is.
The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos is not a loud book, shouting for your attention. It won’t have you on the edge of your seat, furiously flipping pages until you reach the next plot twist. In fact, it demands that you read it slowly. It is a short book, but deceptive. It makes you spend time in the story, going through this circular, (mostly) directionless journey with the narrator. The prose itself is rather dreamlike and reminiscent. The sentimentality makes you feel like you’re floating through the actions rather than experiencing them. All of this to say, embrace the fluidity of time in this little novel.
We travel with Gregorio through Arizona, Colombia, and DC as he is transitioning to adulthood and learning about his family, his home, and himself. He is stumbling, but he has hope to grab onto to keep himself upright. The feeling of being young and lost but not truly knowing how lost you are is palpable in this book. That isn’t to say it doesn’t provide guidance when it can, but it doesn’t shy away from the vast and scary void of life either.
This book reads like a transitional scene in a movie. But what a great movie it is.
January 1, 2024
A short but moving novel that follows a 21-year-old Colombian American man who is recovering from a serious soccer injury and trying to find his path in life. The prose is relatively simple and the chapters short, but the ideas and insights are often profound.
on-hold
December 21, 202326%
Read
August 16, 2023Very nice. Does not read as a first novel, even though is is a coming of age story.
July 17, 2023
This was such a beautiful coming-of-age story, and it’s incredible that it’s this author’s first novel. Not a plot-driven book, but a story that washes over you quickly, sinks in, and stays. Restrepo-Montoya has a strong and simple style that makes this an easy read — worth it for the sake of the prose alone. Highly recommend.
July 9, 2023
A triumph. The sheer humanity shines through every page. Dialogue is unbelievable. Hard-hitting wisdom packaged in beautiful prose. Cannot recommend enough.
January 10, 2024
I doubt I would have come across this beautiful, thoughtful story of coming of age as a Latinx person in the age of Trump if it weren't for my local branch featuring it on their employee-recommended shelf. Yay libraries! It's a quick read, but worth savoring. I'd never heard of the author or the publishing company, Two Dollar Radio. I will be on the lookout for more from both.
July 17, 2024
This book -- the book I intended to read in between work and projects -- instead, quickly became a priority of its own. I couldn't concentrate on anything else knowing that the plight of Gregorio was unresolved (though, isn't it still?).
This necessity I felt to be with this book is no doubt amplified by the horrifically coincidental timing. As the ramifications of the 2016 election unfold in the book -- stories told not like the strike of a machete but multiple, swift papercuts -- I read this as Trump returns for another chance. The fears and the consequences actualized in this book are being relived once again. The beautiful, difficult book was made even more so knowing that I could be standing today on the street corner with Gregorio hearing the same words.
My family, too, just returned from visits to family in El Salvador, a country like Colombia still burning from its war that displaced, separated, murdered its people. The questions of what makes a home and the ignorance of those who would deny people the safety of one are direct experiences of people I love.
The strength of this book was its subtlety. A calm ferocity. There was no need for rants or diatribes. Everything that needed to be said came full force in the description of a character or in words painted on a pastor's door.
Too bad the people that need to read this book never will. If only there was a God who would come to visit and sit on a throne made meticulously of discard who would make it so...
This necessity I felt to be with this book is no doubt amplified by the horrifically coincidental timing. As the ramifications of the 2016 election unfold in the book -- stories told not like the strike of a machete but multiple, swift papercuts -- I read this as Trump returns for another chance. The fears and the consequences actualized in this book are being relived once again. The beautiful, difficult book was made even more so knowing that I could be standing today on the street corner with Gregorio hearing the same words.
My family, too, just returned from visits to family in El Salvador, a country like Colombia still burning from its war that displaced, separated, murdered its people. The questions of what makes a home and the ignorance of those who would deny people the safety of one are direct experiences of people I love.
The strength of this book was its subtlety. A calm ferocity. There was no need for rants or diatribes. Everything that needed to be said came full force in the description of a character or in words painted on a pastor's door.
Too bad the people that need to read this book never will. If only there was a God who would come to visit and sit on a throne made meticulously of discard who would make it so...
March 2, 2024
A random library pickup, as are so many of my reads.
A young Columbian recovering from a futbol injury reflects on one of the most formative periods of his life. The tale recounts his life as an immigrant in DC at the dawn of Trump's 'Murika. It's a slow boil, as moment after moment of Gregorio's life surface in tightly written semi-chronological vignettes. Montoya's prose is tidy and direct, neatly formed sentences showing...in their structures and intimations...evidence of a mind that also thinks en espanol.
Intentionally slow and intimate, this might have been a slog if it had been overlong or overindulgent. As it was, the listless drifting of the protagonist's young immigrant life is told at just the right length. It takes on an unexpected emotional heft, a quietly tragic weight that is carefully earned.
Genuinely affecting. Glad I picked it up.
A young Columbian recovering from a futbol injury reflects on one of the most formative periods of his life. The tale recounts his life as an immigrant in DC at the dawn of Trump's 'Murika. It's a slow boil, as moment after moment of Gregorio's life surface in tightly written semi-chronological vignettes. Montoya's prose is tidy and direct, neatly formed sentences showing...in their structures and intimations...evidence of a mind that also thinks en espanol.
Intentionally slow and intimate, this might have been a slog if it had been overlong or overindulgent. As it was, the listless drifting of the protagonist's young immigrant life is told at just the right length. It takes on an unexpected emotional heft, a quietly tragic weight that is carefully earned.
Genuinely affecting. Glad I picked it up.
July 14, 2023
Believe the hype. Short but mighty. Yes, it's a coming-of-age story, but told by someone still young, still tender yet with the melancholy of a much older, more weathered man. Countless quotable sentences - lines lifted from a poem. While compelled to keep the pages turning, this novel asks you to read it slowly, savor it, read it out loud. What an extraordinary debut novel published by the careful curators at Two Dollar Radio.
August 8, 2025
A beautifully calm read on heavy topics. As a fellow Colombian-American, many scenes in this book harken back to my childhood, similarly filled with family stories of cartel violence and comparing the United States to where they grew up.
Reading this in 2025 echoed many feelings from 2016. Crazy to remember those years.
Reading this in 2025 echoed many feelings from 2016. Crazy to remember those years.
June 16, 2024
I love this book; it's nice to think about lifelong learning but not in a school setting. The latter half that takes place in DC reminds me of my experience of living there; keeping an eye out for free stuff, wandering at night in a town with a pretty early bed-time, basement apartments.
July 9, 2023
What a beautiful and moving book. Very sentimental and meaningful. Loved it!
July 29, 2023
What a beautiful book. Full of keen observation and lyrical prose.
August 14, 2023
A quiet, beautiful novel, about family.
Read
December 3, 2023What a mensch of a book, one that finds real warmth in the world as we know it to be. Absolute win from randomly pulling small things off the library shelf.
December 10, 2023
Beautifully written first novel - I look forward to reading more from this author.
February 26, 2024
This is a lovely little coming of age book.
February 29, 2024
So sweet, so melancholy, so real!!
I love Gregorio and how he sees the world and how he feels things.
I love Gregorio and how he sees the world and how he feels things.
June 19, 2024
Too much alcohol as a plot driver, insincere philosophizing, trite side swipes at the United States and a creepy love story. What's not to like?
August 7, 2024
devoured this one after months of having the ARC glare at me from my shelf. beautiful
December 9, 2024
beautiful book, tho a little too disjointed at times
June 22, 2025
4.5 i read it sooo slow with multiple books in between because i didnt want it to end oh my god
January 3, 2025
A leisurely, meditative debut that I found super relatable. A quiet coming-of-age of a Hispanic American reconnecting with his heritage, visiting his family's home country for the first time, and moving to DC during Trump's first election. Made me miss my days living in DC as I recognized many of the narrative's settings. Restrepo Montoya has a breezy, direct voice full of profound insight and sweet acceptance. I'd maybe compare it to Banana Yoshimoto. A fantastic and surprising novel.
February 9, 2024
This is the best book I’ve read in awhile. Such well-crafted, interesting characters, beautiful prose and an important perspective. The novel is a kind of coming of age story for Gregorio, a Colombian American who recently graduated high school. In ways the story is about Colombia, in other ways it’s about being an immigrant in America, in still other ways it’s about the life lessons we can draw from soccer.
Mostly we spend a lot of time with Gregorio and the handful of people he’s close to at this time in his life, who include his terminally ill uncle and later his landlady. The book is also about people Gregorio isn’t close to who he carefully observes as a young, Latino American walking around, drinking and working low level jobs in Washington, DC surrounding the time that Trump is elected president of the Unites States of America.
Mostly we spend a lot of time with Gregorio and the handful of people he’s close to at this time in his life, who include his terminally ill uncle and later his landlady. The book is also about people Gregorio isn’t close to who he carefully observes as a young, Latino American walking around, drinking and working low level jobs in Washington, DC surrounding the time that Trump is elected president of the Unites States of America.
December 31, 2024
Quietly moving. Deceptively short - there's a lot in this book. Thought provoking. I'll be excited to read more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews