The Library Vault

Wellness by Nathan Hill

Finding the right book has been difficult. Recently, every book that crosses my path has been monotonous. Nothing has brought me joy. Aren’t books suppose to spark joy? I think so. If I do not like a book, I will not read it to its entirety; however, I used to. As a reader, I have evolved. So, in my trials and tribulations of sourcing through book after book, I happened upon the right book, at the right time. 

Scrolling through our wondrous apps Libby and Hoopla. I looked for an audiobook that would tickle my fancy and bring me out of my reading rut. The author John Irving came to mind. Perusing through his many titles, I came across author recommendations. A familiar title struck my eye: The Nix by Nathan Hill – I would recommend this novel to anyone. Still, it was not the book that reversed my reading woes. But I thank you for staying along this journey, because from The Nix the app jumped to Nathan Hill’s latest novel, Wellness. This book made me feel.

The title Wellness nods to parody — to not only the trend, but also just human beings sense of wellness. In other words, Hill writes his novel with a sense of commentary on society, on a specific group of people reaching a turning point in their life, known as ‘middle age.’ The author depicts a young couple in the nineties that were against “the man”: angry, questioning society, and wanting to create a better future. They realize, at the end of the day, that we all become our parents. It is a harsh reality that we don’t want to admit. Hill illustrates this concept as an overarching theme in the focus of two characters, Elizabeth and Jack. 

Elizabeth and Jack meet in Chicago while attending college among the grungy art scene of the nineties. Both identify as orphans, which binds them to each other. They fall helplessly in love. The novel bounces back and forth between the time of their youthful days to the present. Elizabeth and Jack are questioning not only the love for each other, but themselves. They aren’t the same people they once were and evolve into people they promised they would never be. Is this growing up? I am not quite sure. There is an evolution of these two characters delving further into their individual pasts to help define their characters. The New York Times book review compares Hill’s character creation to that of Jonathan Franzen. If that’s not a compliment, then I don’t know what is.

Though contemporary, Hill writes in the suspense style. The narrative effortlessly changes perspectives between Elizabeth and Jack. There is ever omnipresent third narrator that lingers between the two main characters. Who it is? Maybe our own conscious. Nathan Hill’s prose is thoughtfully constructed to entice the reader and this 600 page turner will be over before you know it. The novel is a ride on placebos, marriage, love, polyamorous relationships, simmering on the back burner of internet algorithms in the misinformation era. It’s a perfect beach read. I feel that beach reads tend to be mind-numbing and not serious. I think that is completely wrong. Nathan Hill’s novel Wellness is the perfect book for summer. Just in time for the warmer months.

Hill’s novel takes place in a significant point in American history. Since the novel is so deeply rooted in America, that can mean only one thing: we must pair it with a domestic wine. This may be my first pairing of an American wine. There is always a first for everything. The Vin de Days is a unique white blend of five vineyards around Willamette Valley from the producer of Day Wines. It is a perfect everyday wine. It is a blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Müller-Thurgau, and Muscat.

The Willamette Valley is a renown wine-making region in Oregon. Some of the best pinot noir is grown in it rolling hills. Since summer is on the horizon, it’s time to focus on a cool white that is meant for every occasion. The winemakers for the vineyards specifically chose each wine’s characteristics, be it aroma, acid, or just their fruity characteristics to create a masterpiece. The Vin de Days pairs perfectly because it is a detailed construction of character, which Hill creates with the story of Elizabeth and Jack. 

Vin de Days transports the reader back to a simpler time. Yes, Hill’s novel may be suspenseful,  but the love story of Elizabeth and Jack enchants the reader to a time when they themselves might have fallen in love. Trials and tribulations come through growing old with someone. There is something beautiful in the journey, as there is in this wine. The Vin de Days Blanc is complex and full of emotions from not only the intricate blend, but from the fragrant nose and exotic finish. It leaves the palate thirsting for more. The wine itself is just as suspenseful as Hill’s novel. The question then arises, ‘are you well?’ ‘I am not quite sure, so I think it’s time to drink some wine!’