I read this book as an attempt to read more authors from Prince Edward Island. It was quite unusual, but a good find. It starts... It is death brought me here, ladies and gentlemen. I am not the man you wanted. The speaker has been asked to come give a lecture in place of Tarrington … Continue reading The Stand-In by David Helwig (2002)
Category: Canadian Lit
The Red Word by Sarah Henstra
Consent. Rape culture. The male gaze. Sex-positivity. The Red Word asks a bold question: what if women weren’t content to wait for the next assault to take action? What if they got tired of the his-word-against-hers stalemates? Set against the sex wars of the 1990s and the birth of third-wave feminism, the result is a smart, dark, … Continue reading The Red Word by Sarah Henstra
Nova Scotia Heritage Day: Mona Parsons
Nova Scotia celebrates Heritage Day in February, on the same day that many other provinces in Canada celebrate Family Day. ( Here's a quick guide to the provincial differences.) I immediately became fascinated with this year's nominee - Mona Parsons - how could I not have heard of this remarkable woman before? Conveniently, there was … Continue reading Nova Scotia Heritage Day: Mona Parsons
In the Fall: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod
Not long after writing about Alistair MacLeod's short story, The Boat, I started hearing about plans for making In the Fall into a short film, which you can read about here and here. It's going to be a beautiful film if they can capture the atmosphere from the story, but boy is it going to … Continue reading In the Fall: A Short Story by Alistair MacLeod
You Are Among Monsters by Jon R. Flieger
You Are Among Monsters came to me in the mail a few weeks ago, and although it was the first I'd heard of it, I ended up racing through it in two days. Thank you, Palimpsest Press! What made this book so compelling (and fun to read)? 1) The creep factor was huge. Not only does … Continue reading You Are Among Monsters by Jon R. Flieger
The End of Music by Jamie Fitzpatrick
I read The End of Music shortly after reading Most Anything You Please. Both are set in Newfoundland, both involve music as an important part of the characters' stories, and both are set (at least partly) during the war and post-war years. They share many similarities, yet are very different. Where Most Anything You Please … Continue reading The End of Music by Jamie Fitzpatrick
Survival: ‘Touch’ by Alexi Zentner and ‘Castle of Water’ by Dane Huckelbridge
Touch by Alexi Zentner I read Touch for my A-Z CanLit Project, thinking it was my last book. But I missed "Y", so I still have one more to go... which I'm hoping will be Effigy by Alissa York. Touch turned out to be more unusual than I was expecting. I was drawn to the "three generations … Continue reading Survival: ‘Touch’ by Alexi Zentner and ‘Castle of Water’ by Dane Huckelbridge
Rock Paper Sex: The Oldest Profession in Canada’s Oldest City by Kerri Cull
Here's what I got out of this book: Sex workers are everywhere, there are so many more than I would ever have thought, they come in all shapes and sizes and ages and genders, they could be anyone (maybe someone you know or work with). There is no one truth about sex work or the … Continue reading Rock Paper Sex: The Oldest Profession in Canada’s Oldest City by Kerri Cull
Most Anything You Please by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
This multi-generational story about women in Newfoundland was a joy to read. The setting The story is set in Rabbittown, St. John's, and is told through the eyes of the three central Holloway women; Ellen, Audrey and Rachel. In 1936, when Ellen's family was still young, she opened up a corner grocery store below the living … Continue reading Most Anything You Please by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
Malagash by Joey Comeau
Malagash is a gem of a book. And I can't think of anyone I wouldn't recommend it to. The title of the book refers to the community where the story is set. Malagash is located along the north shore of Nova Scotia, and is one of those places you can easily pass through without knowing … Continue reading Malagash by Joey Comeau
Consumed by Ink 