[An] engaging debut ... Stradal skillfully develops his story in a nonlinear fashion ... It’s a shrewd strategy. Providing Helen’s perspective humanizes her without whitewashing her behavior ... the novel is so rich and satisfying. Characterizations are pleasingly three-dimensional ... The zingers don’t disguise Stradal’s fundamentally optimistic view of human nature, a belief that people can change and virtue can be rewarded, at least sometimes. This generous spirit makes The Lager Queen of Minnesota a pleasure to read and the perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer day.
A love story to Minnesota, craft beer, and the power of second chances, Stradal’s second novel goes down easy. Perspective shifts among Helen, Edith, and Diana, letting each woman speak for herself and allowing their narratives to build off one another, despite the non-linear timeline. Imbued with Midwestern references and the importance of a 'can-do' attitude, this warm, witty novel will appeal to fans of Curtis Sittenfeld and Meg Wolitzer.
... encompasses an astonishing swath of time while feeling like an intimate account of the journey of a single family ... Serendipity may not bubble up in real life as often as it does in Stradal’s world, but who cares? Other readers can nitpick all they want about what’s realistic and what’s not. I willingly suspended disbelief, shotgunning the whole optimistic, meticulously researched story in one satisfying gulp.
... delightfully intoxicating ... Throughout the many plot twists, Stradal perfectly ferments sediment and sentiment ... While Stradal skillfully insinuates you into small-town Minnesota life, he also takes you into a fascinating insider backstory of the rise of the craft beer industry in America over the past few decades. Yes, you can see the plot trajectory brewing, especially when never-tasted-a-beer grandmother Edith lends a hand at Diana’s brewery and brings along her grandmotherly friends. But allowing this story to age slowly is a pleasure ... Stradal is an understated storyteller whose American voice and quaint, ambling prose reads like it would feel at home in A Prairie Home Companion or A River Runs Through It. Raised in Minnesota and now living in Los Angeles, Stradal clearly knows Midwestern women, and his sensitively crafted portrayals read authentic and come from the heart ... This hopped-up story will make your smile with its droll humor, and its poignant moments will stop you to reread and confirm that they are really that good.
... Stradal’s novels are a treat to read. They would pair well with locally sourced heirloom tomatoes or a sample pack of craft IPA. They are that satisfying ... The ending is surprising and understated, which is how we do things in Minnesota. Everything about this book satisfies — from how the characters grow to how beer-making is described to Stradal’s hilarious assessment of lagers vs. IPAs. You may never drink a beer in ignorance again.
J. Ryan Stradal ventures back into the kind of kitchen that made his debut, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, a success—and from there into the ever-evolving world of beer culture ... Stradal artfully keeps the suspense brewing for over 300 pages ... this book tastes great, is quite filling and never bitter.
Stradal is not exactly kind to his characters along the way, as Edith (and Diana) particularly endure hardship and setbacks. His books bring to mind the early novels of John Irving. For me, he conjures Jon Hassler, another Minnesotan who had an ability to populate his world with specific characters that also are instantly recognizable as being of a specific place. As a native Midwesterner, these people all feel very familiar to me and I love them for it ... Stradal’s gift for getting the reader to invest in these lives is particularly profound; when some of the novel’s bad moments strike, they land as real emotional blows ... By the end of the book, we are in the years when Trump is indeed president, but he remains invisible. These characters are apparently immune to his influence, even as some of them (or at least some of those surrounding them) would have found his candidacy quite appealing ... As a reader, it was a deep pleasure to spend time in a world where I do not routinely doubt the decency of my fellow citizens and where I do not doubt my own decency, as fear and loathing rises within me for a president who seems to be aiming to divide and destroy the country in the service of gratifying his own ego.
Stradal’s writing is sharp and funny while still managing to treat each character with warmth and respect. His women are complicated and interesting people who find fulfillment in hard work—and, perhaps most refreshingly, he never mocks the career hopes of older women. Although the characters' lives are full of loss, the story doesn’t wallow in grief or indulge in despair. Instead, this is an ultimately hopeful and heartwarming story that never feels sentimental or trite. Readers will love watching these truly original characters overcome their challenges and take care of each other ... An absolutely delightful read, perfect for a summer day with a good beer and a piece of pie.
... refreshing ... This is not a story of drinkers and drinking, but is rather a testament to the setbacks and achievements that come with following one’s passion. This story about how a family business succeeds with generations of strong and determined women at the helm makes for a sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always winning novel.
