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Virgil Wander

Leif Enger

4.06 · Rating details · 3,108 ratings · 878 reviews

The first novel in ten years from award-winning, million-copy bestselling author Leif Enger, Virgil Wander is an enchanting and timeless all-American story that follows the inhabitants of a small Midwestern town in their quest to revive its flagging heart.

Midwestern movie house owner Virgil Wander is "cruising along at medium altitude" when his car flies off the road into ...more

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Hardcover, 303 pages

Published October 2nd 2018 by Grove Press

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Man Booker Prize Eligible 2019

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Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

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Jul 09, 2018 Larry H rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

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 ...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Angela M rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

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 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. ...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it

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 memor 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. ...more

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Aug 31, 2018 Debra rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

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 b ...more

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Oct 21, 2018 Maggie Stiefvater rated it it was amazing

Shelves: recommended, adult

This book is like one imagines old people are like when one is little: big-hearted and long-winded.

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Sep 25, 2018 Dorie - Traveling Sister :) rated it really liked it

Shelves: edelweiss, literature, netgalley-feedback

*NOW AVAILABLE*

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 *NOW AVAILABLE*

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. ...more

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Sep 27, 2018 Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs, kindle-version, 2018-reads

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, ber ...more

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Dec 31, 2018 Elyse Walters rated it really liked it

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 ...more

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Aug 21, 2018 Cheri rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, minnesota, 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 Run ...more

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Sep 05, 2018 Karen rated it really liked it

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 f ...more

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Sep 15, 2018 Mackey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-reviews, fiction-general, midwestern-authors, netgalley-ew, books-read-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 of ...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Esil rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

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 ...more

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Nov 02, 2018 Bkwmlee rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley-books, fiction

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 e 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
...more

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Nov 05, 2018 Phrynne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5000-books

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 adjec ...more

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Oct 23, 2018 Jenny rated it liked it

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 ...more

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May 27, 2018 PattyMacDotComma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: calibre, fiction-adult, kindle, just-read, arc-netgalley-read

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 ups ...more

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Aug 28, 2018 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, contemporary, read-2018, favorites

After reading the last page of Virgil Wander I feel like I'm saying goodbye to old friends. This book is set in a small town in Minnesota that has seen better days. After a near death experience Virgil Wander wakes up with a new lease on life. There are plenty of eccentric characters and a mystery to keep you turning the pages. Leif Enger is a master storyteller and I have loved all of his books. I highly recommend and I hope I don't have to wait another ten years for his next.

Thank you Netgalle ...more

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Oct 28, 2018 Marialyce rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library

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 harborin ...more

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Jan 19, 2019 Tim rated it did not like it

A complete letdown. 0 of 10 stars

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Oct 05, 2018 Barnabas Piper rated it it was amazing

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.

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Oct 02, 2018 Bam rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-netgalley, 2018-reads

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 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. ...more

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Aug 18, 2018 Martie Nees Record rated it really liked it

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 tha 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.

Find all my book reviews at:
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Twitter: Martie's Book Reviews: https://twitter.com/NeesRecord ...more

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Nov 12, 2018 Tucker rated it liked it

3.5 stars.

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Nov 07, 2018 Andrew Smith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

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 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. ...more

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Oct 26, 2018 Kathleen rated it it was amazing

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 h ...more

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Oct 12, 2018 Jeanette rated it really liked it

Rarely, rarely do you come across such superior writing description and a story that involves more than a dozen characters who are carved individuals. And seem quite real life. They did to me.

And then you have all of Minnesota ambiance as November turns to December and in Greenstone whose new "Hard Luck Festival" being planned really does "fit". Because the town has in nearly every nuance of measurement lived up to its name of "hard luck" history.

This is one I really will remember. While it is Rarely, rarely do you come across such superior writing description and a story that involves more than a dozen characters who are carved individuals. And seem quite real life. They did to me.

And then you have all of Minnesota ambiance as November turns to December and in Greenstone whose new "Hard Luck Festival" being planned really does "fit". Because the town has in nearly every nuance of measurement lived up to its name of "hard luck" history.

This is one I really will remember. While it is common in fiction material holding such depth of character study so formed in this one- for me anyway, it is still norm to forget them STILL within a short period of time after the read. Yes, it happens. Why when you can recall a Scarlett or a Anne of Green Gables instantly? Maybe because most characters in fiction now published are either high dysfunction or else pure stereotype cored? Well, these are not and neither is true. Not at any point in the novel either. You had pauses and near rote boredom with the kite flying repeats, (for me anyway) but still- it was Rune real.

How about a minor character named Jerry who is "almost" anything you can name. He is "almost" a husband at one time,"almost" a fix it man, "almost" an independent citizen, "almost" physically well etc. etc. Or another minor character who only skirts in and out but who is mostly hardily looking for the butter side up support in a duo relationship. The kind which comes with success and actual incomes. And who blames Ann?

Or an immigrant from Norway, or a couple of boys with deceased fathers, or a town mayor that is female and kindness rolled into one. And the theater! And who is going to jail for all those prime "stolen" reels from the Golden Days of Hollywood.

This is one I'll remember as I remember "The Last Night at the Red Lobster". Because the people are real good intent town mix and the writing was actually superior to the character driven core skills on top of it.

There are at least a dozen quotes I could list. But read it and see for yourself. Excellent, excellent metaphors. Succinct to the point conversations as people who know each other talk in reality or within phone jabs. And also a misty, nearly Gothic level of dream sequences during "interesting" times all around. And are some of them prophetic or telling the dreamer some beware or awareness red flags. That's how I took it.

Memory's greatest trick is letting you in age believe that it is accurate. Oh wisdom, Leif Enger!

Virgil is a wonder, not just a Wander. And his plunge has changed him.

Why not 5 stars? Because it wanders so widely to every edge of Greenstone "eyes" that I found at times the continuity became disjointed. But it is at least a 4.5 star. And I recommend this one as if it were a rare 5.

And Galen against the sturgeon! Hard Luck Days has fireworks like no other.

This writer is excellent. I'll read anything he writes next. ...more

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Jun 03, 2018 Kasa Cotugno rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, loc-usa-upper-mid-west, author-visit

"Greenstone was full of people who could make you sad just by strolling into view." The mining town on Lake Superior's shore seemed to have outlived its shelf life, but there were those who continued living there despite decreasing opportunity and prospect. At least that was Virgil's feeling at the outset. Virgil, having just suffered a near death experience behind the wheel, finds his perspective has changed and his senses heightened, almost as if he's a new person. As the story unfolds and the ...more

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Sep 06, 2018 Judy rated it really liked it

There's something alluring about this book that called to me as I read. There's not a lot of action here nor is there any edge-of-your seat suspense. Just a quiet tugging to read more about the lovable, quirky characters and this community in Greenstone, MN that has fallen on hard times, but the residents still come together as friends and neighbors who know and care about each other.

Virgil Wander has had an accident where his car went off the road and into the lake, but someone saw it happen a ...more

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Jul 29, 2018 Jill rated it it was amazing

“We all dream of finding but what’s wrong with looking?”

Virgil Wander is a book about seekers – those who get lost in the journey we call life and then, if they’re fortunate, get found. Virgil Wander – a middle-aged man who is the proprietor of the Empress Theater – is a microcosm of his small and failing Greenstone, Minnesota town, “cruising at medium altitude, aspiring vaguely to decency…moderate in all things including romantic forays.”

And so it might have gone if two things hadn’t happened: ...more

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Jun 08, 2018 Lesley Kagen rated it it was amazing

Leif Enger is one of my favorite writers and I've waited for so long for a new novel that I was almost afraid to start reading it. But I did . . . I did . . . at a savoring pace, because I could not bear for it to end. I was enraptured. His voice. The town. The kites. The imagery. The deep sense of loss and rebirth. Geeze.

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About Leif Enger

Leif Enger

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Leif 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 ...more