Goodreads review of The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos. "A young Colombian American grapples with injury, a fractured family and his personal identity in this transnational coming-of-age journey." --New York Times "At the center of any great book is a character who connects with the reader--one who pulls us into their dilemmas and asks us to confront their struggle alongside them, to meet the people they do, and to immerse ourselves in their world. The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos, the debut novel by Colombian-American writer Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, is one such book: a wonderful story that should not be overlooked by contemporary readers. Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya''s work is wonderful. This story is told with a playful, vivid and bouncy wit, writing Gregorio Pasos with the mercurial wisdom of an insider." --Edward Banchs, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review: The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos "Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya has crafted a debut novel that overflows with generosity, honesty, tenderness, and hope. As I was reading Montoya''s words, I was nodding at the dexterity in which it moves between two worlds: the U.

S. and Colombia. This novel doesn''t shy away from narrating stories about Colombia''s violent history or talking about death or grief, and yet, the prose carries everything with luminosity and grace. Gregorio Pasos is a singular character. One that, despite the incredible grief and hardship his family has experienced, narrates the world with an ease that makes every page shine with empathy and wonder. Gregorio remains curious and open to the world around him. He contemplates finding his path while not leaving behind everything that has made him who he is." --María Alejandra Barrios, The Rumpus Interview: "Main Character as Witness: A Conversation with Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya" "As Gregorio convalesces from having some ribs busted in a soccer game, he looks back on a formative stretch of years of his life: his parents splitting up, his graduation from high school in Connecticut, living with his dying uncle Nico who takes him to Colombia, and his return to the States and his encounters and experiences there.

There''s a warmth and solemnity to Gregorio''s voice, as he reflects on death and strain, and the almost inarticulable woe of being an immigrant in the States post-2016. Restrepo Montoya, with poignancy, precision, and subtle force, explores the choices that lead us to the places we end up, and what we carry with us in memory and in action. There''s love at the core of the book, for family, for teammates and pals, for partners. Gregorio is observant, sensitive, funny, and a goalkeeper, too, guarded, guarding, keeping close and active watch." --Nina MacLaughlin, The Boston Globe Review: "Debut novel navigates immigration in post-2016 America" "Deeply compelling and impactful, The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos by Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya is a stunning reflection on community, grief, and cultural identity. Marked by a sparse, understated style that masterfully conveys the varied emotions welling under its surface, Holy Days is a carefully conceived and stirring debut. Restrepo Montoya''s bildungsroman explores themes of loss, political instability, and fraught family dynamics with a nuance that is impressive in a book of such brevity. It is a subtle work that carefully observes the world it inhabits, portraying it with bare sincerity, achingly attentive to the small intricacies that shape people''s lives.

It reveals its brilliance quietly, under its breath, offering readers a moving story that will linger in their minds long after the last page has been turned." --Isabella Pilotta Gois, Latino Book Review REVIEW: The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos "I was alternatively exhilarated and giddy with Restrepo Montoya''s gently intelligent, effortlessly humorous story of the novel''s title character as he experiences small moments of self-realization and enlightenment both in the United States and his homeland of Colombia. And as I dug deeper into the novel, I found myself cheering on this sometimes perplexed but always striving protagonist who sometimes plays the role of spectator in a world filled with contradictions, mystery, and ultimately beauty. Simply put, Restrepo Montoya is a talented and mature craftsman who has written a debut novel that delights and edifies the reader through its humor and humanity." --Daniel A. Olivas, Latino Book Review INTERVIEW: "Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya Regarding His Debut Novel, The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos" "[Gregorio''s] emotional generosity infuses what is a very serious book about loss--of jobs, of people, of stolen indigenous land, of home and even the idea of it--with a sense of quiet hope. Through Gregorio, Restrepo Montoya poses big questions about the nature of forgiveness and love, and what it means to live a life with an open heart. When it comes to Gregorio Pasos, ''holy'' is the absolute right word.

An absolutely gorgeous book from a notable new voice in fiction." --Wendy J. Fox, Electric Literature "15 Small Press Books You Should Be Reading This Summer" "Rather than situate Gregorio''s coming-of-age on either continent, the novel draws parallels between Colombia''s violent history and the United States under Trump''s presidency. These parallels are written in impactful prose that feels weighted with grief. Restrepo Montoya walks a fine line between scathing and maudlin and invites readers to listen in on the conversations that happen between families in times of conflict." --Kirkus (Read the full review of The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos) "Well, what now? This is the dreadful, unspoken question that drives Gregorio, the protagonist of Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya''s novel The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos, who finds himself in that strange liminal zone between high school and adulthood, where meaning is scarce and worth more than anything. From Bogotá to Washington, DC and into the past, he weathers death, divorce, and history as he attempts to answer this question for himself." --Tariq Shah, Electric Literature "A Fresh Start in a City Ruled by History": An excerpt from The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos, recommended by Tariq Shah "This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, who discusses his new debut novel The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos.

Topics of conversation include the relativity of time, sports novels, pain pills, Colombia, the value of literature, and much more! Bookin'' Podcast is sponsored by indie bookstore Explore Booksellers. --INTERVIEW: Bookin'' Podcast: Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya (July 9, 2023) "What I absolutely loved most about this novel is the blend of Gregorio''s personal reflections with the larger context and experiences of his family (both in Columbia and as immigrants in the U.S.). His writing is authentic and heartfelt, intimate a.