Songs for the Cold of Heart is a big book. It took me over a week to read it. But I loved every minute of it. What a ride. Louis "the Horse" Lamontagne from Riviére-du-Loup Quebec, and his daughter Madeleine, are at the heart of this story. However, there are so many other wonderful characters … Continue reading Shadow Giller: Songs for the Cold of Heart by Eric DuPont, translated by Peter McCambridge
Tag: canadian literature
A Circle on the Surface by Carol Bruneau
As with Genevieve Graham's novel, Come From Away, A Circle on the Surface is inspired by the rumours of German U-Boat sailors coming ashore along Canada's east coast during the Second World War. The heart of the novel, of course, is not about German soldiers, but of a marriage and how it is impacted by … Continue reading A Circle on the Surface by Carol Bruneau
Two From the Giller Longlist: “Split Tooth” and “Vi”
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq What a physically beautiful book this is, with its white jacket and red edging. I hate to take it back to the library. There are snippets of beauty between the covers, too - but like the long bright summer days and the cold dark winters of the north, the moments … Continue reading Two From the Giller Longlist: “Split Tooth” and “Vi”
Land Mammals and Sea Creatures by Jen Neale
As with The Luminous Sea, the cover of this lured me right in. Covers with sea creatures on them always catch my eye, so when I saw this book on the "new book" shelf at the library, I grabbed it. The first thing I noticed when flipping through the book is that all the chapters are … Continue reading Land Mammals and Sea Creatures by Jen Neale
2018 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 19th. Patrick deWitt for his novel French Exit, published by House of Anansi Press My Thoughts: I'm looking forward to … Continue reading 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize Shortlist
Margaret Atwood Reading Month: November 2018 #MARM
Of course it started with a conversation. We were chatting about Margaret Atwood’s books - the ones we haven’t read yet and the ones we want to reread - and it quickly became clear that we could spend a year at this. Why not start with a month? So, here is Margaret Atwood Reading Month: … Continue reading Margaret Atwood Reading Month: November 2018 #MARM
The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau
Anyone who loves the sea, or feels drawn to stories of the sea, will likely feel drawn to The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau, like I was. I was even nervous going into this book - I so wanted it to be good. Happily, it is more than good - it is splendid in every … Continue reading The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau
Dear Evelyn by Kathy Page
Dear Evelyn is the story of a long marriage (over 70 years), and how that marriage and the individuals involved change over the years; sometimes in a good way, often not, but always in a way that is moving and complex. Harry and Evelyn meet and fall in love right before the Second World War, … Continue reading Dear Evelyn by Kathy Page
Alistair MacLeod Short Story: As Birds Bring Forth the Sun (1985)
I felt like it was time for another short story from Alistair MacLeod's Island collection, and thought it would be nice to find one appropriate for summer. So I chose As Birds Bring Forth the Sun - sounds summery, right? (I can hear those of you who know this story laughing at me already.) How … Continue reading Alistair MacLeod Short Story: As Birds Bring Forth the Sun (1985)
Madame Victoria by Catherine Leroux, translated by Lazer Lederhendler
This is the second book by Catherine Leroux I've read. The first was The Party Wall, which the Shadow Giller jury (of which I am one) chose as their 2016 winner. In both cases I have found that Leroux's books are not just well-written stories (although they are that, too)... they are also cleverly imagined … Continue reading Madame Victoria by Catherine Leroux, translated by Lazer Lederhendler
Consumed by Ink 