I'm on a roll with these criminal type characters; all of them mostly into drugs. Johnny from We'll All Be Burnt in Our Beds, Daniel from In the Cage, and now Jared. Jared is different, though, in a significant way - he's still a teenager, living at home with his mother. Except for the times … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
In the Cage by Kevin Hardcastle
In the Cage is pretty much the opposite of the last book I wrote about. Far from "heartwarming", it's rough, gritty (yes, "gritty"), and sad. This is not a criticism - many of you know I like dark, heavy books. However, I wouldn't normally be drawn to books about fighting or fighters, but I have … Continue reading In the Cage by Kevin Hardcastle
The Unlikely Redemption of John Alexander MacNeil by Lesley Choyce
Lesley Choyce has written a crazy number of books; over 80 for adults, teens, and children. I only own one that I deliberately bought a few years ago because I was anxious to read it. It is still unread. He also lives in Nova Scotia. All of this to say that I'm wondering what makes … Continue reading The Unlikely Redemption of John Alexander MacNeil by Lesley Choyce
Giller Longlist: We’ll All Be Burnt In Our Beds Some Night by Joel Thomas Hynes
When I started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. With a title like that, and a cover that looks like the world is on fire, and almost all the praise and reviews using the word "gritty". ("Gritty" means gross, right? Yes. And other things.) But the thing is, once I got … Continue reading Giller Longlist: We’ll All Be Burnt In Our Beds Some Night by Joel Thomas Hynes
Rose & Poe by Jack Todd
A fable for adults, Rose & Poe is also a re-imagining of The Tempest from the point of view of Caliban (Poe) and his mother (Rose). My thoughts on the book are from someone who has never read The Tempest, and only knows the bare bones of it. I might be missing some cool connections to the … Continue reading Rose & Poe by Jack Todd
2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlist
The Giller Prize shortlist is out! The Shadow Jury will be reading and reviewing these books over the course of the next 6 weeks, and will be choosing a shadow winner a few days before the official Giller Prize announcement on November 20th. Rachel Cusk for her novel Transit, published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd My thoughts: Unfortunately I wasn't a … Continue reading 2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlist
Literary Wives: Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Literary Wives is an on-line book group that examines the meaning and role of wife in different books. Every other month, we post and discuss a book with this question in mind: What does this book say about wives or about the experience of being a wife? Don’t forget to check out the other members of Literary Wives … Continue reading Literary Wives: Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Literature on the Black Loyalists of Nova Scotia
This spring and summer I got reading about Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia, inspired mostly by reading Lawrence Hill's Black Berry, Sweet Juice and by the subsequent discussion I had with my sister. Around the same time I also read Steal Away Home by Karolyn Smardz Frost. All of this made me want to know … Continue reading Literature on the Black Loyalists of Nova Scotia
Angie Abdou: Between, The Canterbury Trail, and The Bone Cage
I finally decided to pick up one of Angie Abdou's books this summer. I've been meaning to for years now - I wish I could remember what it was that prompted me to do it - it was something I read about her last book, Between. So that's the one I started with. I loved … Continue reading Angie Abdou: Between, The Canterbury Trail, and The Bone Cage
The Blue Castle Readalong: #ReadingValancy
Back in May, Sarah Emsley extended an invitation to read and discuss The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery in November. May was a while ago, but November is coming up fast, so this is a friendly reminder. Please join us by commenting, talking about the novel on Twitter (hashtag #ReadingValancy), and/or by writing a blog … Continue reading The Blue Castle Readalong: #ReadingValancy
Consumed by Ink 