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Vaclav & Lena
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
9 posts | 15 read | 7 to read
NAMED BY THE NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION AS A 5 UNDER 35 AUTHOR Vaclav and Lena seem destined for each other. They meet as children in an ESL class in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Vaclav is precocious and verbal. Lena, struggling with English, takes comfort in the safety of his adoration, his noisy, loving home, and the care of Rasia, his big-hearted mother. Vaclav imagines their story unfolding like a fairy tale, or the perfect illusion from his treasured Magicians Almanac. But one day, Lena does not show up for school. She has disappeared from Vaclav and his familys lives as if by a cruel sleight of hand. For the next seven years, Vaclav says goodnight to Lena without fail, wondering if she is doing the same somewhere. On the eve of Lenas seventeenth birthday he finds out. In Vaclav & Lena, Haley Tanner has created two unforgettable young protagonists who evoke the joy, the confusion, and the passion of having a profound, everlasting connection. Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Readers Circle for author chats and more. Praise for Vaclav & Lena Wonderful and wrenching . . . Vibrant characters, believable romance and dark undertones make for a moving tale.The New York Times From the moment they meet, Vaclav and Lena make magic together. . . . Through all the twists and turns of the book, the most enduring theme of the novel is love.NPR Haley Tanners assured narrative voice finds new ways to describe emotion and character, stunning the reader again and again with small shocks of awareness. This book is sad, funny, true, and shot through with grace.Judy Blundell, National Book Awardwinning author of What I Saw and How I Lied Highly recommended . . . Tanners captivating debut novel is a love story of unusual innocence and intensity [and] a suspenseful, literary work that is hard to put down.Library Journal A debut to savor . . . Tanners charming story unfolds as gracefully as a flower.People The magic Tanner makes is as dazzling as it is profound.Booklist
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Ast_Arslan
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have a lot of books.

Day 52th

Join the fun if you want!

#tbrpile

22 likes1 stack add
review
LiteraryinPA
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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Mehso-so

... Interesting. Well, this book has been on my shelf for years, and I‘m glad I finally read it. The storytelling voice was really strong, but ultimately I think the whole novel was less than the sum of its parts. Maybe it would have worked better as a collection of vignettes? I think the author is talented and the characters were interesting, but I didn‘t feel it worked as a complete story somehow.

LiteraryinPA @TheAromaofBooks This was my March #bookspin too 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
jmtrivera Exactly how I felt! 4y
75 likes3 comments
review
jmtrivera
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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Mehso-so

This book explores love & friendship, and how they can overlap so much that you can't always tell when you betray one by prioritizing the other. That, combined w/Rasia's perspective as a mother trying her best, really moved me. Still, things didn't always add up plot & writing-wise. The “mystery“ of wanting Lena's story kept me reading & the answers didn't satisfy completely anyway. I liked how the end was filled w/love & hope, but not a fave.

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babyruth2510
Vaclav and Lena | Haley Tanner
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Panpan

Vaclav is determined to be a magician whatever it takes. Lena is his best friend. One night Lena disappears and Vaclav's world is torn apart. 7 years later Lena shows back up.
There was a lot of set up with this book and very little pay off. Although the author explains a lot of why Vaclav and Lena do what they do I just couldn't connect to the characters. I wanted so much more from this book. It had potential.

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Lcsmcat
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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Vaclav is all about #magic in this story of friendship. #readingresolutions @Jess7

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Lcsmcat
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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Vaclav searches for the #perfectillusion with Lena as his assistant in this poignant novel. #AugustGrrrl @Cinfhen

Cinfhen Well played 🙌🏻🏆This is a new to me book😊 7y
Lcsmcat @Cinfhen It's a sweet and sad coming of age story. 7y
Cinfhen Darn you! Stacked!!! 7y
24 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Anna40
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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I just started reading her book so can't say much about it but her dedication is beautiful and made me cry.

5 likes1 stack add
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HardcoverHarlot
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
Pickpick

Not what I expected. It took awhile to hold my attention, but stick with it. I especially liked the later chapters after some years have passed.

SarahRotenberry Read this several years ago. A very unique story but it has stuck with me. Glad you ended up liking it too 8y
43 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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HardcoverHarlot
Vaclav & Lena: A Novel | Haley Tanner
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Reading this one for a reading challenge. Not sure how much I like it yet, but it's still early.

58 likes3 stack adds