As some of you may know, I have been working on a little project the last couple of years; reading novels that have a connection to the Halifax Explosion. On December 6th of this year, 2017, it will be the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion. One of the things I find compelling about reading … Continue reading Dazzle Patterns by Alison Watt
Tag: canadian literature
Giller Shortlist: I Am a Truck by Michelle Winters
Trucks play a big part in this story of a rural Acadian couple who have been together for almost 20 years. The only thing Réjean seems to love more than his wife, Agathe, is his black Chevy Silverado. The Silverado was reported sitting next to the highway with the driver-side door open just eight hours … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: I Am a Truck by Michelle Winters
Giller Shortlist: Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
What I love so much about readng the Giller books is that there are always surprises. I'm often reading books I hadn't heard of before, books from authors I've never read before, and books I know very little about. Add the fact that the books have been carefully chosen by a handful of smart and … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill
Giller Shortlist: Minds of Winter by Ed O’Loughlin
The title for Minds of Winter comes from The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens, which I thought was fitting. Most of the characters in this book are drawn to the polar regions of the world. No sooner have they gotten back from an expedition and they're off again, despite the very real dangers. Many press … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: Minds of Winter by Ed O’Loughlin
5 Reasons Why I Shouldn’t Like The Blue Castle #ReadingValancy
Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote The Blue Castle in 1924, at the same time as she was attempting to write Emily's Quest. Unlike the last Emily book, LMM enjoyed writing The Blue Castle. In The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery Volume III: 1921-1929, she writes "I have enjoyed writing it very much. It seemed a refuge … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why I Shouldn’t Like The Blue Castle #ReadingValancy
Giller Longlist: Next Year, For Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson
For a book about open relationships, this story is not as steamy as you might think (or at all, really). Instead, Peterson focuses on the psychology of it all. What does this kind of relationship look like, how do the characters feel about it, what are their long-term hopes, and how did they fall into … Continue reading Giller Longlist: Next Year, For Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson
Giller Shortlist: Transit by Rachel Cusk
When I read Rachel Cusk's Giller shortlisted novel Outline two years ago, I had a luke-warm response to it. In fact, I returned it to the library after reading only half the book. So when Transit made it onto the list this year, I felt a little... apprehensive. Well there is something to be said … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: Transit by Rachel Cusk
Giller Shortlist: Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
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
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
Consumed by Ink 