This book was beautiful. The characters were interesting and quirky and mainly people you would like to know. People you can care about. People who are in the process of becoming, even as their town is, just maybe, becoming. Even the few characters who are not good people are interesting and are not villainous so much as, perhaps, just not getting along in this world.

There are interesting themes to contemplate. Memory is a major theme here - the lead character Virgil has lost much of his memory after the accident that begins the book. Rune comes to town, because he never knew he had a son (who died before he found out about him) and so has no memories of him - so he talks to everyone possible about their memories. There are memories of what the town once was.

And kites - the kites that Rune brings to town. Perhaps symbolizing the hopes of renewal?

This isn't a book to be summed up - it's a book to be read and savored. I am still thinking about many of the events in the book, and working through what they meant. I expect it's one I'll want to re-read down the road, because I think there is more to be found in this book.

Warm, lovely, kind…words I might use to describe my fiancée, but certainly not a reading choice. Normally I tend to go for something considerably darker, to match my worldview. So I was somewhat reluctant to read this slice of small town Americana with a distinct Midwestern flavor. And yet the gamble paid off. When done right, kind and lovely apparently can do well on the page, and this book is positively suffused with warmth, incongruous as it is with its Minnesota setting. Virgil Wander is a man who, despite his name, stays in one place and shies away from excitement. His grand adventures are played out on silver screen, one belonging to the movie theatre he owns, operates and lives above. It’s a quiet life in a quiet town classic, until Virgil drives off the road and nearly dies. Rescued, he survives and befriends a stranger in town, a Norwegian man by the name of Rune who’s come to trace the life of a son he never knew he had, Greenstone’s beloved son, high flying baseball playing neon sign creator who has disappeared ten years ago prompting much speculation. Rune is one of those magical characters that brings everyone together, the man positively twinkles, he bakes bread and he infuses the place with magic by flying kites. Awesome, awesome kites. And on the opposite end of the magic spectrum there’s another visitor to the town, the long gone Leer, a man of money, panache and apparently evil nature. And so it is the two magnetic opposites that oscillate and orient the town, each with their own gravitational forces. But, of course, the good wins out in the end, it’s just that kind of a story, a praise of genuine goodness of character embodying all the traditional Midwestern qualities of steadiness, good manners and taking care of your neighbors. Presumably…I don’t know, I’ve never been to Midwest or lived in a small town, but this is exactly the sort of place that city dwellers tired of it all suppose/dream/assume is on the other side of the fence. Greener grass, slower pace, quiet grace of quotidian pleasures. That’s the place the author created. Took his time too, first book in a decade, but it’s so good. It positively oozes charm. Uncharacteristic of a choice as it was for me. It’s like a literary equivalent of a warm blanket on a winter evening. It makes you slightly happier for having read it…kind of like seeing a creatively made kite flying in the sky. It read somewhat slow for the page count, but it was well worth it. Enger’s a natural storyteller, his command of language is terrific and he turns out subtly lovely sentences, humorous at times and occasionally a thing of pure beauty. So yeah, warm, lovely and kind…in a book and it’s a pleasure to read. Go figure. The real world is going to be difficult after this one. But this was a great find. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

This is my first book by Leif Enger and it won't be my last. This book was amazing and kept my attention from the first page.

Virgil Wander is the main character and the story centers around the people he knows and his take on them after he is driving and flies off the cliff into Lake Superior. After he come out of his concussion he realizes he is different and does not know why. His memory and his language is altered, but his Doctor tells him it will all come back in time.

Virgil owns the movie theater in Greenstone, a dying mining town where he lives, and he starts piecing his life back a little at a time with the help of all his friends, and new friends as well.

I don't want to give too much away but this author has weaved a tale of life in a small town with the same people, most born there, and weaved a tale of ordinary life into a tale of magic and love, perseverance, and the ability to survive no matter what happens! Will Greenstone ever make a comeback- read and find out!

I gave this book 5 brilliant stars!

Virgil Wander is like a sweet lazy river where characters drift quietly together to share a late cool evening before drifting away. The language and portrait that Enger paints of this sleepy but stoic little Minnesota town are so quiet and gentle that when something sinister or sad happens it catches you off guard. The enduring spirit of this Midwestern town and its inhabitants will steal your heart. They have seen good times and bad but somehow they pull themselves up or each other, and keep plugging along. Endearing characters in the spirit of Fannie Flagg and Fredrik Backman, Virgil and the townspeople of Greenstone will stay in your heart. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I wanted to like this book but never saw the point of the story and finally just gave up. It was a sad story about a mundane life that just kept going on and on.

Leif Enger's first novel, Peace Like a River, is one of my all-time favorites. His second was a disappointment, but I was eager to read this, his third. It's been a long wait.

There were many things I truly enjoyed. The tale's protagonist is Virgil Wander, who indeed seems to be bumbling through life without much direction. He runs a decrepit movie theater in a has-been town on the shores of Lake Superior; to make ends meet, he also works part-time as the town clerk. In the opening pages, he is in a car accident from which he is miraculously saved from the freezing waters of Lake Superior by a witness. We get to know Virgil during his early days and weeks of recovery, when it is not clear how much his mind will recover from a severe concussion. The crash seems to have disrupted not only his memory but his habits of being, and so he finds himself acting with more boldness and being open to new experiences and thoughts. In some ways, this is a coming-of-age story, but for a middle-aged man.

Enger's strength is in his language, and so many sentences are dripping with affect (in a good way). He can paint pictures that are vivid - I could see every kite that the mysterious Rune built and flew, every creaky seat in the sticky theater, every dilapidated building and factory in Greenstone. Characterization is a bit more uneven. Some people read like caricatures (Jerry Fandeen, Adam Leer) and others just weren't well-developed. Like Virgil, the plot sometimes seemed to lose its way. I was interested enough to finish the book, but it wasn't a page turner.

The book's accessibility was hindered by format. I am grateful to the publisher for providing me an ARC via NetGalley, but pdfs are very difficult and limiting to read. Why not an epub, which is the industry standard?

A novel that begins with its protagonist coming near death by flying off a cliff in his car and coming close to drowning in Lake Superior begins with an arresting premise. Virgil Wander survives this catastrophe almost intact. His memory has not quite fully returned. As he returns to his hometown, the hard luck,down at the heels town of Greenstone , MN we are gradually introduced to a cast of dark characters.. The town is dark. Many of its citizens are dark and they have tragic effects on the brighter citizens of Greenstone.

The story line of this novel, while interesting enough to hold my attention, is not the reason to read this book. It's the author's way with words, turns of phrases and ability to describe emotions, people and places that makes this book stand out. His descriptions are so vivid that I could easily see this being turned into an Academy Award winning film..

If you appreciate good writing Virgil Wander, should be on your list of Fall Must-Reads.

Great book! Love this Author! I could not put this book down! I will be reading more by this Author no doubt!

Virgil Wander is the owner of The Empress, an old movie theater in decline in the town of Greenstone, Minnesota. Virgil is the protagonist in the story. It all begins when his car careens off a bridge into the river and he is pulled to safety by a friend. Remarkably he avoids serious injury but his life and attitude are changed for the better as a result of the accident.

Greenstone is every small town in America that has past it's peak. The residents hang in there though, after all, for better or worse, it's home. When a stranger, Rune, rolls into town with some special kites and other reason of his own, he befriends many resident from the small town. We meet several Greenstone residents and become familiar and invested with the nitty gritty of their daily lives.

Refreshing and original, prose that are so detailed and descriptive you feel like you're right there in Greenstone with your best friends. How does a book get any better than that? The author has done a wonderful job of giving us the perfect book. A most enjoyable read. Highly recommend.

I was quite excited to read this book as I loved Peace Like a River. This quiet book did not disappoint.

The setting: The Midwest. Greenstone, Minnesota, a nothing/bad luck town. Virgil, owner of a movie house, is in a car accident. As a result, his language [particularly the loss of adjectives] and memory are altered. "Awakening in this new life, Virgil begins to piece together his personal history and the lore of his broken town, with the help of a cast of affable and curious locals--from Rune, a twinkling, pipe-smoking, kite-flying stranger investigating the mystery of his disappeared son; to Nadine, the reserved, enchanting wife of the vanished man, to Tom, a journalist and Virgil's oldest friend; and various members of the Pea family who must confront tragedies of their own." And of course, Adam Leer, who sets some of the "action" in motion. And Ann and Jerry Fandeen.

The language is beautifully descriptive. Virgil was driving a "heartbroken Pontiac." He breached a safety barrier and made a long, lovely some might say cinematic arc into the churning lake." "His face had slid back downhill." "...greeted by a muscular hangover..." "...wind shivered his trouser legs." And so on.

All of the characters are quirky. A minor complaint--at times, the story seems to stall. But, the book is charming--as are most of the odd characters.

Does the title character's name have something to do with the story? Probably. All the townfolk are in search of something--wandering, seeking, hoping. In fact, some of the other names are also telling: Rune [ruin?], Leer [think Lear], even Virgil.

If you like quiet, contemplative books with beautiful language, this is for you.

Virgil Wander is a story with a sense of place...a sense of community. Leif Enger had fans waiting for 10 years for his return, but the wait was worth it. His newest work is a rich and whimsical tale of loss and rebirth. The town of Greenstone comes to life with this rich ensemble cast of characters. Readers will enjoy getting to know Virgil and his world, as he puts the pieces back together. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

An accident prone Virgil Wander, is a middle aged guy who acts as the town clerk, as well as the projectionist and owner of the declining Empress theatre in the small former mining town of Greenstone, Minnesota. He is somewhat confused and adjective deprived following an incident that should have taken his life. As Virgil slowly rebuilds his vocabulary and his life we are introduced to a Rune, a Norwegian looking for his long lost son. Rune also possesses an unusual talent for kite making and attracting folks when his kites take to the air.

Author Leif Enger’s VIRGIL WANDER puts me in mind of William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace with it’s mostly charming and endearing characters trying their darndest to make the best of the hand they’ve been dealt. Its Enger’s writing that shines in the little details it exposes about town and its inhabitants as well as his rhythmic dialog and the many accurate and philosophical observations he makes about life such as “Memory’s oldest trick is convincing us of its accuracy” and “A person never knows what’s next. The surface of everything is thinner than we know. A person can fall right through without any warning at all”.

If there is a villain in this story it is the screenwriter Adam Leer, who has returned to Greenstone for reasons unknown. There is also the mystery of the failed baseball player who disappeared years ago and the question of “is he alive or dead”.

I loved this town with its glacial winters and it’s ever hopeful and helpful inhabitants and found myself lingering here and there over a beautiful phrase or passage. If you, like I, are growing tired of brutality, shoot outs and car chases in your reading material, VIRGIL WANDER is the book for you.

Virgil Wander by Leif Enger is a gentle rumination on life in a small town in the northern Midwest. Enger tells the story from Virgil’s perspective, a man that accidently drove his car into a lake and is taking measure in his place in life. He meets a stranger named Rune, visiting to learn more about the son he never knew he had, who played minor league baseball in the community and disappeared years ago in his plane. Rune allows us to be introduced to the various members of the community as he helps Virgil get back on his feet, and find love and happiness in unexpected places. This book is likely not for a person who’s looking for an edge-of-the-seat cliffhanger, but is perfect for someone who wants to sink into the bones of a community and feel like they’ve lived there all along by the book’s end. Enger does a masterful job of making the characters and setting jump off the page without it ever feeling like he’s trying to do so. A perfect warm and fuzzy look at life.

A lovely story of a small town and its people. Told from the point of view of Virgil Wander, the local movie theater owner and protectionist after a near death experience. Virgil is a powerful protagonist and the minor characters around him are touching in their honesty. The prose is beautiful. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story of Greenstone

The story of Virgil Wander, here titled The Projectionist (which is it?) is a rather rambling tale of a young man living in a small failing town in northern Minnesota and all the characters that surround him. In spite of its shortcomings, such as having to re-read some paragraphs more than once because the literary transitions were obscure or non-existent, I really liked this book. The characters were likable and I could relate to their flaws and shortcomings. The disappearance of Virgil's friend flying a small plane out over a lake and never re-appearing was a mystery that became a background to much of the rest of the story. This is a story with many levels, not the least of which is the paranormal component that hovers around the edges. Is the man standing on the horizon of the lake real, a spirit, or a hallucination for Virgil who has a concussion from his own near-death experience. I'll be interested to see if others liked the story as much as I did.

This book kept me engrossed from beginning to end. The setting is a small mid-western town with an wide-ranging collection of inhabitants, a touch of magical realism, artistically descriptive writing and enough mystery to keep you wondering.

I recommend this book highly.

Advance Reading Copy disclosure:
I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Publication Date: 10/02/2018

Apparently, this was just not my kind of book. I couldn’t get into it

Virgil Wander lives in Greenstone, Minnesota, a town that has seen better days. Jobs are scarce and the residents who remain are barely hanging on. Virgil owns the Empress Theater, a place where the sale of 5 tickets is a big night. He is a reserved man who is profoundly changed when his car plunges into Lake Superior and he suffers a brain injury. When he is released from the hospital, his apartment and even his clothes seem unfamiliar in many ways, almost as if he has been brought home to the wrong place. He struggles with his memory and words(especially adjectives)elude him.
Things change dramatically when he meets a kite flying stranger named Rune. Rune has come to Greenstone to meet the son he never knew he had and is devastated to learn that he vanished many years ago and is presumed dead. But Rune's kites, seem magical as those who fly them feel a sense of joy. Virgil and Rune become friends and not only does Virgil begin to heal, he also starts to see his town and himself in a different way. There were so many quirky characters in Greenstone and each one had me laughing at their actions at times and feeling sympathy for what they had suffered.
There were many aspects I enjoyed about Virgil Wander. The author described Greenstone in such wonderful detail that I felt as though I was in this fading town. I could picture the abandoned buildings and sense the failure that was waiting around every corner. I could feel the string in my hand as well as the childlike joy of flying a kite. I wasn't furiously flipping pages and I didn't stay up all night to finish. I savored a few chapters at a time and thought about the author's words before reading more. It is my first Leif Enger book and I thought his writing style was pure magic.
I received an ARC from Grove Atlantic through NetGalley.

I read "Peace like a River" a long time ago and really enjoyed the writing so I was excited to see Enger had a new book (what took him so long?!). This book did not disappoint. The writing is simple, but beautiful. Set in a small Minnesota town past it's glory days, the story follows Virgil Wander as he recovers from an accident and discovers that life can and will continue to surprise you. The characters are well developed and there's a little bit of mystery to keep things interesting.

This book delivered what it promised - a book about a character in a small town who had a life-changing experience. What made it a book I would recommend is the way the author placed this character in a town full of people who were also trying to survive their own life-changing experiences. The various layers of feelings explored by the author were initially presented as complex, but ultimately simple in nature. What I got from this book - sometimes life is only as complicated as you make it.