March is the month for both #IrelandReadingMonth21 hosted by Cathy@746Books and #WalesReadathon21 hosted by Paula@BookJotter. This was a good chance to get a couple of books read that have been on my list for a while. West by Carys Davies Cy Bellman--a widowed mule breeder--seems to be a quiet, gentle man who has great affection … Continue reading Carys Davies and Colm Tóibín
Ananias was one of the best books I read last year. Why I am only writing about it now is a whole other story, not nearly as interesting as the story of Ananias. This novel was inspired by the author's obsession with family genealogy. Ananias Case was a real person, the great-great-great grandfather of James … Continue reading Ananias by James Case
The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham I had hoped the trunk would outlive me. That once I was gone, someone could dust it off, open the latches, and discover the treasures old Gran had hidden away. Without me to tell the story, no one would be able to figure it out. It would remain … Continue reading From the Library: Home Children, A Pandemic, A Cult, and Jane Austen
Little Fortress by Laisha Rosnau Little Fortress is based on the true story of the Caetanis, a family of Italian nobility that came to the west coast of Canada as a result of the rise of fascism. After the death of the Duke in 1934, his wife Ofelia went into seclusion and took their daughter … Continue reading Women’s Voices in Historical Fiction: Little Fortress by Laisha Rosnau and A Roll of the Bones by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
Based on true events, Five Wives is a fictional account of the five women whose missionary husbands were killed in the rain forest of Ecuador in 1956. You think you have surrendered everything, but there is always something more. My expectations going into the novel were not quite met - the description on the fly-leaf … Continue reading Five Wives by Joan Thomas
In Found Drowned Laurie Glenn Norris, already an established author of local historical non-fiction, tries her hand at fiction that is based on true historical events. Which, without a doubt, is a sure way to snag my interest. In the beginning of Found Drowned a young woman is spotted by two boys, washed up on … Continue reading Found Drowned by Laurie Glenn Norris
Since this book first came out, I have been captivated by the octopus on the cover. What is an octopus doing on the cover of a book about an escaped slave? Well, let me tell you... It starts in Barbados in 1830, when the plantation master's brother comes to visit. "Titch" asks for the "use" … Continue reading Shadow Giller: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
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
Previously, I have read Genevieve Graham's Tides of Honour, which is a love story set during WWI and the Halifax Explosion. Come From Away takes place during WWII, a generation later. Danny and Audrey Baker's children are grown - their three boys away fighting in the war and their daughter, Grace, at home with them. … Continue reading Come From Away by Genevieve Graham
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
