Infinite Books

Hestia Harris uses mainly two apps on her smartphone: one is checking for terrorist threats in the area, and the other is … a dating app. It’s 2023, and the United States is in the middle of a civil war. The country was divided; some states were pro-Union, while others separated and called themselves the New Confederates States of America. Families are divided, life-long friendships are dissolved, and Hestia’s marriage is another casualty of the war.

The description of the background of Christine Grillo’s novel “Hestia Strikes a Match” paints a bleak picture, yet the book is funny, even if it’s often dark humor. Hestia, whose parents named her after a Roman goddess of the family life, and the state order, is 40 years old, very independent, and searching for companionship, perhaps even for love but mainly just trying to enjoy life and navigate the new, scary situation. Her choice of boyfriends is not always right on target, but her description of their personalities is always hilarious. She is a very nurturing person working at a retirement village where she befriends an elderly lady, Mildred. Mildred likes to sneak out to smoke and share her wisdom about life and men. Just as Hestia strikes a match lighting Mildred’s cigarette, she hopes to strike a match on her smartphone dating app.

It’s a novel that can be read on many levels – a dystopian story, a cautionary tale, and a great read with a heroine as lovable as Bridget Jones. I loved it. Easy to read, it is thought-provoking and entertaining at the same time. One can’t escape thinking, “what if something like this happens” looking at the country described in the book. The scenes in the novel bring memories of photos we saw in the newspapers not so long ago, and Hestia is not just trying to live despite the situation; she tries to find her happiness and help others. The musings the elderly residents put in writing are beautiful reminders that life goes on. As Mildred says, when Hestia is heartbroken: “Oh dear, Hestia, you fell in love, it’s not the worst disaster. It’ll pass. (…) It always does. (…) We are very adaptable creatures.”