Hestia Strikes a Match

You know a book is good when you feel like you've lost a friend after finishing the last page. Even though the narrator didn't have the brightest outlook on life, her humor more than made up for it.

It's 2023, year of a modern American civil war, with the Southern seceding to form their own country. There are bombings of all sorts, and of course all forms of bigotry and name-calling between the two factions. An extremely anxiety-inducing app sends out real-time/batched alerts about dangers in one's neighborhood.

In the midst of the chaos, Hestia jumps from boyfriend to boyfriend, dumping them immediately once things feel too comfortable. She works in a nursing home, encouraging residents to participate in an oral history project that will be shared with their families. The one other conflict in her life involves her parents, whom she calls by their first names. They are former academics who criticize nearly every aspect of Hestia's life. Oh, and their political loyalties (as Confederates) are opposite hers, leading to estrangement.

This was sprinkled with life wisdom from nursing home residents, hilarious romantic entanglements gone wrong, and ultimately the warmth of friendship in the most unexpected moments. The cast of characters was quirky but believable. It was lovely and refreshing—I'd highly recommend.

Hestia Harris uses mainly two apps on her smartphone: one is checking for terrorist threats in the area, and the other is … a dating app. It’s 2023, and the United States is in the middle of a civil war. The country was divided; some states were pro-Union, while others separated and called themselves the New Confederates States of America. Families are divided, life-long friendships are dissolved, and Hestia’s marriage is another casualty of the war.

The description of the background of Christine Grillo’s novel “Hestia Strikes a Match” paints a bleak picture, yet the book is funny, even if it’s often dark humor. Hestia, whose parents named her after a Roman goddess of the family life, and the state order, is 40 years old, very independent, and searching for companionship, perhaps even for love but mainly just trying to enjoy life and navigate the new, scary situation. Her choice of boyfriends is not always right on target, but her description of their personalities is always hilarious. She is a very nurturing person working at a retirement village where she befriends an elderly lady, Mildred. Mildred likes to sneak out to smoke and share her wisdom about life and men. Just as Hestia strikes a match lighting Mildred’s cigarette, she hopes to strike a match on her smartphone dating app.

It’s a novel that can be read on many levels – a dystopian story, a cautionary tale, and a great read with a heroine as lovable as Bridget Jones. I loved it. Easy to read, it is thought-provoking and entertaining at the same time. One can’t escape thinking, “what if something like this happens” looking at the country described in the book. The scenes in the novel bring memories of photos we saw in the newspapers not so long ago, and Hestia is not just trying to live despite the situation; she tries to find her happiness and help others. The musings the elderly residents put in writing are beautiful reminders that life goes on. As Mildred says, when Hestia is heartbroken: “Oh dear, Hestia, you fell in love, it’s not the worst disaster. It’ll pass. (…) It always does. (…) We are very adaptable creatures.”

A bleak, hilarious, and thought-provoking novel about the United States falling apart and one woman’s quest to find romance and friendship and pass the time. It is 2023 and the United States is in the midst of a violent civil war. Hestia is 42, living in Maryland, and just wants to find some companionship. Sure the world is pretty much on fire but there is still time for some ill-fated dating.

I adored Hestia - she is charming, kind, self-deprecating, and a wonderful friend. The writing was utterly absorbing and achieves a tricky balance of horrifying scenarios and humor. The story explores a nightmare scenario that somehow doesn’t seem that far-fetched given the current political discourse. This is a fresh, exhilarating read that I highly recommend. What an exciting debut novel.

Thank you very much to @fsgbooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This clever, funny, and thoughtful novel is set in an alternate version of the present day, one where the United States is once again embroiled in a civil war. Hestia's husband has left her to go fight for the Union, and she is trying to date, make friends, and make the most of her job at a retirement village. I loved all the side characters, and Hestia's dating misadventures are a lot of fun, but Grillo also slips in a lot of heavy truths and observations that really hit home. This is one of those books that sneaks up on you; I wasn't even sure what my star rating would be until I started writing this review and reflecting on how much I enjoyed this novel, and how certain aspects continue to linger with me. It's always impressive when someone can write a fun, entertaining book that's easy to read and yet addresses some really big, important themes, in particular the great divide in our country that seems to be growing wider every day. Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for a digital review copy.