There was always that shadowy twin, thin when I was fat, fat when I was thin, myself in silvery negative, with dark teeth and shining white pupils glowing in that black sunlight of another world. --Margaret Atwood What Mona Awad does so well in this book is to put us inside the head of a woman with … Continue reading Shadow Giller: 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad
Shadow Giller: The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
I put off writing my review of The Wonder for a couple of weeks after reading Kim's excellent review. I couldn't see how I could add anything more. But I have taken some time to forget about what she wrote so that I can concentrate on my own notes. Fans of Emma Donoghue will surely … Continue reading Shadow Giller: The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Willem de Kooning’s Paintbrush by Kerry Lee Powell
Willem de Kooning's Paintbrush was longlisted for the Giller Prize, is a finalist for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, and a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Awards. So, of course I had to read it. As I have mentioned before, I prefer novels to short stories. However, short stories have their place in … Continue reading Willem de Kooning’s Paintbrush by Kerry Lee Powell
Shadow Giller: Yiddish For Pirates by Gary Barwin
Gary Barwin's imagination knocked my socks off. History and adventure come together in this remarkable tale full of word play and wit, all told by a 500-year-old Yiddish-speaking parrot. So, you ask, how did this shell-less cheder-bocher - schoolboy - drawn from the waters of Ashkenaz find himself on the Spanish Main, the blade of … Continue reading Shadow Giller: Yiddish For Pirates by Gary Barwin
Shadow Giller: The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall
[Rape Culture's] most devilish trick is to make the average non-criminal person identify with the person accused, instead of the person reporting the crime... … Continue reading Shadow Giller: The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall
Literary Wives: American Housewife by Helen Ellis
Literary Wives is an on-line book club 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 … Continue reading Literary Wives: American Housewife by Helen Ellis
Giller Longlist: The Two of Us by Kathy Page
This is one of the few books on the Giller Prize longlist that I hadn't heard of. It's also one of the only two short story collections on the list. The other being Willem De Kooning's Paintbrush by Kerry Lee Powell. Admittedly, short story collections aren't my usual fare, but this is a strong collection … Continue reading Giller Longlist: The Two of Us by Kathy Page
The Hidden Keys by André Alexis
In the last two books I've read by André Alexis, there have been sheep and there have been dogs. The Hidden Keys has very few animals, but is still filled with interesting characters; a thief, an addict, a drug-dealer, a thug, an artist who stuffs deceased pets for a living, and a few billionaires. What … Continue reading The Hidden Keys by André Alexis
2016 Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlist
There are 6 books on the Giller Prize shortlist this year. The Shadow Jury will be reading and reviewing these books over the course of the next 5 weeks. We will be choosing a shadow winner a few days before the official Giller Prize announcement on November 7th. Mona Awad for her novel 13 Ways … Continue reading 2016 Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlist
Unless by Carol Shields
I haven't read one of Carol Shields' novels in such a long time that it was an obvious choice for the letter 'S' in my A-Z CanLit Project. But, which one? There are so many good ones to pick from. In the end, I went with Unless because of the premise: Reta Winters, 44-year-old successful author … Continue reading Unless by Carol Shields
Consumed by Ink 