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)
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 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
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 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
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
After reading The Pursuit of Memory by Joseph Jebelli, a nonfiction title about the research and treatment development of Alzheimer's Disease, I wanted to find a good novel to go with it. What luck for me that Rachel Khong's delightful Goodbye, Vitamin came out last year. (It is also on the 2018 Tournament of Books shortlist.) Ruth … Continue reading Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong
