The Sun and Other Stars: A Novel
Twenty-two-year-old Etto is drowning in grief. His twin brother, Luca, died in an accident, and within the year, his mother committed suicide. He has no real relationship with his father, and in his small town of San Benedetto, Italy, he has no prospects other than following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a butcher. Etto has no hope until disgraced Yuri Fil, a famous Ukrainian soccer player accused of fixing a game, comes to San Benedetto with his sister, Zhuki, and the rest of his entourage. Yuri shows Etto that everything can be made better with soccer. Pasulka’s poetic language captures the wild fanaticism of European soccer fans, the slow pace and intimacy of small-town life in Italy, and the heartbreak of losing loved ones while struggling to maintain relationships that are seemingly beyond repair. Even if you aren’t a fan of the game, this is so much more than a soccer novel; it is a beautiful story rich in detail and authenticity. --Carolyn Kubisz