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
If you are a Jane Austen fan, and even if you aren't (but especially if you are), you don't want to miss this one. Sure, a book about Jane Austen and time travel sounds dicey, but The Jane Austen Project is smart, fun, and unputdownable. What would you give up so she could live? Not … Continue reading The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen A. Flynn
Those of you who have been following me for a while, know that I have a thing for Thomas Raddall's books. I love that they tell a good story, while also teaching me something about the history of my home province, Nova Scotia. At the Tide's Turn is the first book of his short stories … Continue reading At the Tide’s Turn by Thomas H. Raddall (1959)
Last year I read Genevieve Graham's Tides of Honour, a love story set in Halifax during the time of WWI and the Halifax Explosion. Her new book, Promises to Keep is a love story set in 1755 l'Acadie (in the Grand Pré area of Nova Scotia), during the time of the deportation of the Acadians … Continue reading Promises to Keep by Genevieve Graham
