Review: Pulitzer winner’s ‘Villa Coco’ is 266 pages of pure pleasure Chris Hewitt, The Minnesota Star Tribune Jun 12, 2026 2 hrs ago 0 "Villa Coco," by Andrew Sean Greer (Doubleday/TNS) PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE/TNS Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Chris Hewitt, The Minnesota Star Tribune Honestly, I don’t know whether this is a review or a thank you note.kAmp?5C6H $62? vC66C’D “':==2 r@4@” 92D E96 DF>>6CJ[ 6?E6CE2:?:?8 766= @7 D@>6@?6 HC:E:?8 H92E6G6C 96 766=D =:<6 HC:E:?8] vC66C 92D 2=C625J H@? E96 a_`g !F=:EK6C !C:K6 W7@C “{6DD[” H9:49 96 7@==@H65 H:E9 “k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DE2CEC:3F?6]4@>^C6G:6H\=6DD\:D\=@DE\3J\2?5C6H\D62?\8C66C^e__a_fcceQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm{6DD xD {@DEk^2m”X 2?5 92D D@=5 C62>D @7 4@A:6D @7 9:D 3@@<D W5@?’E D=66A @? E6CC:7:4 “%96 r@?76DD:@?D @7 |2I %:G@=:[” H9:49 AC646565 E96 !F=:EK6CX] $@ 6G6? 9:D 65:E@C H@F=5 92G6 E@ 28C66 E92E 96’D 62C?65 E96 C:89E E@ 92G6 7F?]k^Am kAmw6 A=6586D E@ 5@ ;FDE E92E :? 2 ?@E6 :? 25G2?46 4@A:6D @7 “':==2 r@4@” W:E’D ?@E :?4=F565 H:E9 C68F=2C 4@A:6D[ F?7@CEF?2E6=JX] x? :E[ 96 2D<D H92E6G6C 92AA6?65 E@ 3@@<D E92E H6C6 4C62E65 E@ 492C> — 3@@<D 3J HC:E6CD :?4=F5:?8 vC292> vC66?6 2?5 !2EC:4< s6??:D[ 2?5 x’> AC6EEJ DFC6 96’D E2=<:?8 23@FE vC66?6’D “%C2G6=D (:E9 |J pF?E” 2?5 s6??:D’ “pF?E:6 |2>6]” u@C 2 >@C6 C646?E 4@>A2C:D@?[ E9C@H :? !2EC:4< 56(:EE’D 2F?E\=6DD “k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DE2CEC:3F?6]4@>^C6G:6HD\7C6?49\6I:E\3J\A2EC:4<\56H:EE\2?5\DH:7E\G6?862?46\E\;6776CD@?\A2C<6C^ch`eeefe`Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmuC6?49 tI:Ek^2m[” H9:49 >:CC@CD E96 56=:89ED @7 E9@D6 3@@<D 2?5 E96? =@@<D F?56C E96 9@@5 E@ 7:?5 @FE H92E E96 56=:89E >:89E 36 9:5:?8]k^Am People are also reading… Smyth County undertakes groundwork to prepare for potential data center interest Smyth County seeks public input on future use of Carnegie School 'The Coolest Hometown': Actors, stage crew sought to support new play about Marion Health Commission analysis finds Smyth hospital 'at risk of closure' Mount Rogers Community Services makes case for its funding requests Privacy laws prevent Smyth school board from commenting on parent allegations Smyth's Octagon House enters new chapter with donation of original materials Smyth explores billing real estate taxes twice a year Inmate 'died in agony' at Western Virginia Regional Jail, lawsuit claims Three-star cornerback Dozier commits to Virginia Tech Marion's ArtWalk to feature Ned Johnson's artwork, music by Wayne Dunford Smyth's top prosecutor launches Junior Commonwealth's Attorney Program Virginia football flips former Penn State commit Semajay Robinson Commonwealth's Attorney's Office to host church security training for Smyth County Virginians are 'buying the living daylights' out of AR-15s and other soon-to-be illegal guns kAm“':==2 r@4@[” =:<6 2== @7 E9@D6 3@@<D[ :D 7F== @7 =2C86C\E92?\=:76 492C24E6CD[ 5@:?8 =2C86C\E92?\=:76 E9:?8D 2?5 E6249:?8 =2C86C\E92?\=:76 =6DD@?D] %96 E:E=6 9@FD6 :D :? %FD42?J[ 2?5 :ED @H?6C :D ha\J62C\@=5 r@4@ — H9@> @FC F??2>65 p>6C:42? ?2CC2E@C C676CD E@ 2D “E96 q2C@?6DD2” F?E:= E96 6?5 @7 E96 3@@<[ H96? D96 364@>6D “>J q2C@?6DD2]”k^Am kAmr@4@ 92D DF>>@?65 @FC ?2CC2E@C W=6E’D 42== 9:> y@6[ D:?46 E96 @E96C 492C24E6CD 42== 9:> H92E6G6C E96J 766= =:<6X E@ %FD42?J E@ 42E2=@8 96C 4@==64E:@? @7 EC62DFC6D[ H9:49 >2J @C >2J ?@E :?4=F56 2 !:42DD@] y@6’D 324<DE@CJ :D 3C66K65 E9C@F89 :? E96 7:CDE 76H A286D @7 “':==2 r@4@[” 2?5 J@F 5@?’E ?665 E@ C6>6>36C 2?J @7 :E 3642FD6 E96 A@:?E :D E@ 6DE23=:D9 E92E 96’D 2? 6>AEJ G6DD6=[ C625J 7@C @FE=2?5:D9 4@F?E6DD6D[ 6=682?E 4@? >6? 2?5 D=J A@CEC2:E 2CE:DED E@ 7:== FA H:E9 4C2KJ D496>6D]k^Am kAm%96C6’D 2 96:DE :? “':==2 r@4@” — @7 4@FCD6 E96C6 :D — 2?5 A@DD:3=J AFC=@:?65 ;6H6=D 2?5 :?25G:D23=6 =@G6 2772:CD] ~?6 A2:?E:?8 E92E’D 366? D:8?65 3J E96 HC@?8 2CE:DE H:== DF886DE E@ C6256CD E92E ?@3@5J D9@F=5 56=G6 E@@ 566A=J :?E@ E96 AC@G6?2?46 @7 E92E “!:42DD@]”k^AmkAmxE 4@F=5 36 2C8F65 E92E 2== @7 E9:D DEF77 :D 72:C=J =@H\DE2<6D[ H:E9 2 3F?49 @7 C:49\:D9 A6@A=6 2C8F:?8 23@FE 96:C=@@>D[ 3FE E96 246 FA vC66C’D D=66G6 :D E92E E96 DE2<6D 2C6 :?4C65:3=J 9:89i y@6 :D =62C?:?8 2? 2AAC@249 E@ =:76[ 2?5 E96 32C@?6DD 2?5 96C 7C:6?5D 2C6 ?@E ;FDE D:==J D@4:2=:E6D 3FE[ =:<6 pF?E:6 |2>6[ 2C6 9F>2?D H9@ 92G6 6IA6C:6?465 A2:? 2?5 92G6 56G6=@A65 D<:==D 7@C 562=:?8 H:E9 :E]k^Am kAm%9C@F89@FE “':==2 r@4@[” y@6 E2<6D ?@E6 @7 =:EE=6 3:ED @7 25G:46 W“tG6CJ 9@FD6 2?5 =@G6C 92D 2 72E2= 7=2H”X[ 36?5D 9:D 923:ED E@ 9@FD69@=5 DFA6CDE:E:@?D W“}@ 92ED @? 365DP”X 2?5 49F4<=6D 2E 3:K2CC6 ?@? D6BF:EFCD W”%@52J H6 D92G6 E96 5@8DP“X] #625:?8 E96 3@@<[ J@F >2J 56G6=@A 2 D6?D6 E92E E96 q2C@?6DD2 :D 4@?EC@==:?8 6G6CJ 6G6?E[ 2?5 J@F H:== 36 C:89E[ 3642FD6 D96 92D 2? 2=>@DE DFA6C?2EFC2= H2J @7 8F:5:?8 y@6 E@ E96 A6@A=6 96 ?665D E@ >66E 2?5 E96 E9:?8D 96 ?665D E@ 6IA6C:6?46 :? @C56C E@ 364@>6 2 4C62E:G6[ 6>A2E96E:4 A6CD@?]k^Am kAmxE’D 2 AC@E@EJA:42= 3@@< :? H9:49 2 J@F?8 A6CD@? 36?67:ED 7C@> E96 H:D5@> @7 9:D 6=56CD] qFE vC66C 92D DF49 2 =:89E[ ?:>3=6 E@F49 — E96 4@=@C @7 2 5C6DD @C E96 DEF5:65 >6DD:?6DD @7 2 C@@> 4@?G6JD 2 =@E — E92E “':==2 r@4@” C625D =:<6 2 8C2?5 25G6?EFC6[ ?@E 2 =6DD@?]k^Am kAm{@?8 DE@CJ D9@CEi x 92G6 ?@ ?@E6D[ @E96C E92? E92E x H:D9 :E H6C6 =@?86C]k^AmkAm0000k^AmkAmkDEC@?8m':==2 r@4@k^DEC@?8mk^AmkAmkDEC@?8mqJik^DEC@?8m p?5C6H $62? vC66C]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m!F3=:D96Cik^DEC@?8m s@F3=652J[ aee A286D]k^Am 0 Comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Ann Patchett reveals the love story at the heart of her novel ‘Whistler’ In March, Ann Patchett had only just started doing interviews for her new novel, “Whistler,” but she was already willing to nudge the conversa… 30 novels, mysteries, romance and nonfiction books for your June TBR list Summer offers a range of reading opportunities, whether you’re lounging outside by a body of water or inside near a glass of water. Along with… Summer books: Our 50 coolest books for your hottest months I just asked AI what the reading situation looks like this summer. I asked, knowing very well what it looks like, but I was curious what it wo… Five books we can't wait to read in June MINNEAPOLIS -- It’s not quite beach time in Minnesota but it’s never too early to break out the beach reads. Whether you’re heading to the cab… Looking for a book for America 250? Here’s what historians are reading What a difference 50 years makes. The country that commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Jul…
Ann Patchett reveals the love story at the heart of her novel ‘Whistler’ In March, Ann Patchett had only just started doing interviews for her new novel, “Whistler,” but she was already willing to nudge the conversa…
30 novels, mysteries, romance and nonfiction books for your June TBR list Summer offers a range of reading opportunities, whether you’re lounging outside by a body of water or inside near a glass of water. Along with…
Summer books: Our 50 coolest books for your hottest months I just asked AI what the reading situation looks like this summer. I asked, knowing very well what it looks like, but I was curious what it wo…
Five books we can't wait to read in June MINNEAPOLIS -- It’s not quite beach time in Minnesota but it’s never too early to break out the beach reads. Whether you’re heading to the cab…
Looking for a book for America 250? Here’s what historians are reading What a difference 50 years makes. The country that commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Jul…
