Today's Read Contributor Gary Shteyngart’s latest novel, Vera, or Faith, arrived on shelves on July 8, 2025, to widespread critical acclaim. The book has earned accolades from major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and San Francisco Chronicle, all heralding it as one of the most anticipated and timely reads of the summer. Time magazine also included it among its “16 Most Anticipated Books of the Summer”.
Set in a near-future dystopian America echoing current political tensions, the novel centers on ten-year-old Vera Bradford‑Shmulkin—half-Russian, half-Korean—who guides readers through shifting societal frameworks, family dynamics, and her own anxious inner life. Narrated in close third person, each chapter reflects Vera’s ongoing mental to-do list, with whimsical but revealing titles such as “She Had to Survive Recess” and “She Had to Hold the Family Together”.
Read Also: https://todaysread.com/vera-or-faith-by-gary-shteyngart/
Critics have praised Shteyngart’s trademark satirical wit combined with emotional resonance. WBUR described it as “written with his distinctive blend of buoyant satire and bruise‑your‑heart poignancy,” highlighting how a recognizable, near‑present dystopia can produce deeper unease than far‑fetched extremes. Kirkus Reviews called it “a brilliant fable about childhood, and so much more, in our broken country,” asserting that Shteyngart, through humor and heart, performs “his most important work ever”.
The novel is daringly brief—just 256 pages—yet packs a profound punch. Shelf Awareness praised its “slim” form, noting that “a lot happens,” from a school debate on a racially biased constitutional amendment (“Five‑Three”) to road trips, reunions, and shocking truths about Vera’s birth mother. Star Tribune called it “the most endearing book about anxiety ever written,” combining tender humor, political satire, and the universal longing to belong .
The family at the story’s center is richly textured: Vera’s father, Igor, is a struggling immigrant editor navigating a media landscape turned upside-down; her stepmother, “Anne Mom,” is a progressive WASP from Boston striving to maintain order and optimism amid political upheaval; and her younger half‑brother, Dylan, embodies inherited privilege. A key dramatic arc follows Vera’s quest—for friendship, for her biological heritage, and for affirmation as constitutional reforms threaten to render her and her family second-class citizens.
Shteyngart has discussed his approach in interviews. He explained that he began writing the novel after a long flight, inspired by revisiting Kramer vs. Kramer and Henry James’s What Maisie Knew, but reframed through humor and a child’s perspective. In an interview with Literary Hub, he emphasized the decision to write in third person, aiming for “hovering over a ten‑year‑old” perspective that melds external observation with Vera’s internal world.
Beyond its storyline, Vera, or Faith engages with pressing contemporary issues—immigrant identity, anxiety, language and learning, AI companionship (Vera’s best friend is a talking chessboard named Kaspie), reproductive rights via the dystopian “Cycle Through” program, and racial-political eugenics masked as constitutional amendments. This lends it an uncanny resonance with today’s cultural and political anxieties. Moreover, author Gary Shteyngart, who fled Soviet Union repression as a child, has reflected on parallels between his upbringing and the fictional authoritarian drift of America—a tension deepened in his July 19 Guardian essay: “My parents got me out of Soviet Russia… Should my family now leave the US?” .
What makes Vera, or Faith rise above its contemporaries is Shteyngart’s delicate balance of stark satire and emotional insight. Bookish Elf called it “a literary triumph” that trusts its child narrator with heavy themes without losing sight of friendship, family, and belonging. BookBrowse asserted it leaves readers with the conviction that “there’s nothing Gary Shteyngart can’t do” in delivering style, substance, and humanity.
This summer’s shorter page-count makes Vera, or Faith an ideal companion for reflection—it’s not weighty in bulk, but it’s dense in resonance. It’s a compelling read for those who appreciate Shteyngart’s earlier works (Super Sad True Love Story, Lake Success, Little Failure), lovers of child-perspective dramas (What Maisie Knew, Room), or readers drawn to modern dystopian commentary (The Handmaid’s Tale, Prophet Song) .
At its core, Vera, or Faith offers a paradoxical comfort: in the face of democratic backsliding, familial dysfunction, and uncertain futures, Vera’s voice carries an enduring sincerity and hope. In an age of cynicism, this novel reminds readers that sometimes the greatest faith lies in the clarity and courage of a child’s heart.
