In this week's edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Gary Shteyngart's Vera, or Faith, a lightly speculative take on a blended family negotiating internal and external tensions. In its review, PW says "Readers will go all in for this story’s singular heroine."
Here's how the book came together:
Gary Shteyngart
“For Vera, I was on a 14-hour flight from Tokyo and I rewatched Kramer vs. Kramer, and I kept thinking, What would this story be like if it was told from the kid’s point of view? A few days after landing, I met with my editor, and he told me the book I was writing, a spy thriller, sucked. And I said ‘Wait, I have a Plan B!’ And I told him the plot of Vera I had been working on. He liked the idea.”
Denise Shannon
“In November 2023, Gary submitted his 50,000-word draft of Vera. I sold to his longtime editor David Ebershoff rather quickly. We were both convinced that he had written his best book yet.”
David Ebershoff
“Like Gary says, he wrote Vera in 51 days. He sent me chapters faster than I could read them. I could tell he had tapped into something special, and I just wanted to let that flow. I fell in love with Vera immediately. Once he turned in the full draft, we did a bit of work to tease out a few moments and themes, but nothing major. The book arrived all but fully formed, like Vera herself.”
Greg Mollica
“We worked with Rodrigo Corral Studio, which has designed covers for a few of Gary’s previous books. We wanted the design to feel playful and intimate—for the reader to feel like they’re seeing through the eyes of Vera. Both the art and lettering were hand drawn, which I think gives it a youthful energy and a vibrancy that connects to his past covers.”
Kristin O’Neil
“We’ve heard from accounts that they think this is Shteyngart’s best book, and I completely agree. It’s that rare combination of terrific writing and a great story. It’s a perfect read.”
