We are right back with our favorite cast of characters as author Golden November ropes us in for a new adventure in Varrius: Enter Milestoneville. Let's get the format out of the way first, because it is the most loved aspect by November fans and perhaps the most confusing for new readers. November's books are not a sit down and read affair; they are a 'grab your best friends and assign them characters to act out the novel' type of event. Varrius is an unknown who starts out with everything going quite well in his non-Milestoneville circle, only to have it come crashing down around him before he gets lost at sea. This is the 'Enter Milestoneville' part because that is exactly who rescues Varrius. From this point forward, Varrius becomes like the rest of us: addicted to the people and the town, and ready to make it his own.
It is so much fun to have the opportunity to read a new Golden November book. I waited for a weekend when a couple of friends could come to spend the afternoon acting out Varrius: Enter Milestoneville with me. The picture prompts are my favorite part and I love how some of them carry from one book to the next, giving a genuine sense of place and allowing a settled-in feel for us regulars. It's like going home. A relationship blossoms here and there is a mayoral race that will pit two beloved residents against one another, which may or may not have turned into a wrestling match on my own living room floor as the debates got started. What happens in Milestoneville stays in Milestoneville. Or something like that. November is as sharp as a tack and the deadpan comedy that forms the bulk of the dialogue is pure quality. Fun as always!
Varrius: Enter Milestoneville by Golden November is a dialogue only and picture prompt scripted story and part of a series created in its own vein but interconnected by character association to the author's other stories. Varrius is a man lost at sea in a predicament of his own making. Literally. The guy took a sailboat out on the ocean, got stuck, and was rescued five days later by the Milestoneville folks. Varrius spends time in the place made famous to readers of November's work, and we get to see him and the town through the fresh eyes of an outsider. Before long, Varrius is dating Flower Rose, is party to background chatter about two friends running against each other for mayor and a local theater for sale, and is looking for both a stolen ring and an apartment in Milestoneville.
Varrius: Enter Milestoneville might just be my new favorite in the Milestoneville universe that Golden November has created. I always find their work to be funny but the beauty of reading an author's full canon is that you can witness their evolution as a writer in real time. November has shown that this remains true and, to me, this is firm evidence. The dialogue is witty and intelligent, and often it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. There is a particular scene where Varrius, stranded on his boat, is having a full-on conversation with a dolphin who appears to be responsive to what he's being told. It was the belly-ache inducing laugh that guaranteed a really good time to come. Another is the mayoral debate between Click Clack and Asterick. Trust me when I say that getting lost in Milestoneville is always worth it.
Varrius: Enter Milestoneville is the second installment of the Varrius series by Golden November. Varrius, the owner of a consultancy firm, takes his leave from being a part-time Renaissance actor and traverses the ocean in a rented sailboat when a raging storm leaves him stranded at sea. Rescued by G and JBT, Varrius arrives at the remote yet beautiful Milestoneville Mountains full of renewed vigor. After meeting the spunky rare book store owner Flower Rose, Varrius begins a burgeoning romance with her. Meanwhile, G and JBT eagerly await the opening of their brand new five-star resort. Additionally, G's brother Asterick finds himself running for the position of town mayor against his own father-in-law, Click Clack. But there is another candidate named Cody who is wanted for conning a client from Varrius's firm out of a million dollars.
Fans of Golden November's books have much to rejoice about for Varrius: Enter Milestoneville incorporates characters from November's Milestoneville series, giving them both sets of characters to enjoy. Much like November's other books, the narrative is non-traditional, with multiple plot threads running simultaneously and characters popping in and out of the narrative according to the requirements of the ongoing scene. There is a scene toward the end of the book where the author inserts himself as a character in the story. It feels very meta, and November doesn't miss a chance to make a subtle dig at the critics. But it's all in good fun, and I found myself chuckling out loud a couple of times. Recommended to readers who are familiar with Golden November's other books.
