A gleefully cynical riff on life, death, and second chances.
In Evanichko’s comic novel, a dying man’s life flashes before his eyes in the form of his final grocery store purchases.
It’s true that product tester Vincent Mariccio technically had 14 items in his basket when he went through a 10-items-or-less self-checkout lane, but does he really deserve to die over it? That’s what happens in 2010 when he walks out into a Columbus, Ohio-based supermarket’s parking lot and into the path of a motorist fleeing the police. As Vincent’s spirit floats above his mangled corpse, however, he sees something completely unexpected: the spirits of his scattered groceries starting to float up, as well: “All fourteen items rise and hover above the accident site like glowing fireflies,” he narrates with horror. “They approach me and begin circling, almost tauntingly.” Each item sparks a memory for Vincent, and none are pleasant. Shampoo reminds him of the time he invited his high school girlfriend over, hoping to lose his virginity, only for her to fool around with his sister instead. The pork chops call to mind when he cooked a special dinner for another girlfriend—a much more serious one—only to learn that she’d been cheating on him with her boss. Can these memories offer him any clarity on how his life became such a disappointment? And could the clues to a better life really be waiting among the floating images of groceries? His guardian angel—a man named Howard, whose death Vincent witnessed as a child—seems to think so: “This was meant to happen, and you need to figure things out,” he tells Vincent. It’s A Wonderful Life, this isn’t; many readers will find both present-day Vincent and his memories to be almost uniformly unpleasant. They’ll also be divided on whether Evanichko’s story earns its ending. That said, there are plenty of cringe-inducing laughs, shocks, and oddities scattered along the protagonist’s path for readers to encounter: One notable example is the recollection triggered by soy milk, which takes Vincent back to when he tried to eat healthy and exercise; this led to him having to be rescued from a sewer—in front of live television cameras.
A gleefully cynical riff on life, death, and second chances.Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2022
ISBN: 9798849009612
Page Count: 265
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 16, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.
A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.
Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.
A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.Pub Date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
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