Staff Reviews

How down on its heels is Greenstone, Minnesota? This former town famous for mining taconite (what is this exactly?) is ready to plan a Hard Luck Days festival. Take Virgil’s fate. Still recovering from when his car drove into the lake, he’s got some problems with language, particularly adverbs. In addition to working as a city clerk, Virgil runs a struggling movie theater that passes for a community center. New to town is Rune, an elderly Norwegian with a penchant for creating quirky kites, searching for information about his late son, who disappeared flying over Lake Superior. Then there’s the silver spoon documentarian, mysteriously returned home, the fix-it guy who can’t save his marriage, the young boy who wants to catch the fish who he thinks killed his dad, and a secret stash of illegal classic films. And that’s not even a third of the story or half the characters. Virgil Wander is a triumphant success from the author of Peace Like a River, a story of community and connection in a sliver of flyover country, filled with unforgettable characters and a touch of magic.

The author of Peace Like a River is back after ten years with a wonderful new novel that is the perfect antidote in our frenzied, snarky world. Virgil Wander, the eponymous narrator, is just recovering from a car accident that left him with a mild traumatic brain injury. He will recover eventually, his doctor assures him, but for now he has balance problems, headaches, language issues, particularly with adjectives, and partial amnesia. This partial amnesia allows the reader to (re)discover Virgil’s world as he does. This world includes a cache of old movies, magical kites, a giant vengeful sturgeon, and a festival called ‘Hard Luck Days’ in a town full of quirky and memorable characters. Simply magical!

Virgil Wander’s name is ironic because he’s been in one place for a long time, a beautiful but rugged Lake Superior town that’s well past its best days. Then Rune arrives, a magnetic man with a talent for making and flying wonderfully unusual kites, a man closely tied to everyone’s past, and a sign of their future. As he meets Rune, Virgil is recovering from a concussive near-death crash into the lake. It’s changed him; he’s more direct, more openly emotional, a little irreverent. He’s told to “watch out.” Maybe his name is a calling. It’s easy to like Enger’s characters. Their intelligence and sincerity make a winter setting feel warm and open to unlikely renewal. And the story is engaging, expertly crafted for anticipation and suspense. If you want a great holiday read, and a welcome reprieve from negativity, Virgil Wander is perfect!