Incorporating elements of mystery, Vespa has written a touching story about the transition into adulthood that pierces the heart while avoiding what Alexandra, one of Maggie’s correspondents, calls “badly wrought sentimental life lesson”s. Vespa creates a memorable group of friends experiencing grief, struggling with their sexual identity, and striving to find acceptance. These include Maggie’s friend Adam Moon, who says to his father “You’d prefer that I was out of my mind, shooting heroin into my arm, or dead, rather than be attracted to guys?” (The response is devastating.) Meanwhile, Maggie works her way through school, takes on odd—and sometimes dangerous—jobs from shady acquaintances, and continues to add friends to her already proudly unusual bunch, whose letters burst with wit and feeling.

Written with empathy plus much snarky, dark humor and razor-sharp dialogue, and always attentive to life as it’s lived in moments of connection, Seven Perfect Days fleshes out its cast in three dimensions as they enter the world, in vividly described locales like Singapore, the Maldives, and the unnamed island. The novel is long, but Vespa keeps it brisk and focused, offering an intricately woven tapestry of friendship, family, and romance.

Takeaway: Sweeping coming of age story full of adventure, romance, and dark humor.

Comparable Titles: Allison Larkin’s The People We Keep, Anne Youngson’s Meet Me at the Museum.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A