Wenjack by Joseph Boyden My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a courageous, beautifully-written tragedy written by one of the most important literary voices of the 21st century. Alternating between the voices of the real-life character of Chanie Wenjack, the young boy who escaped from the horrors of a residential school, and the manitous of his natural world, Boyden creates an epic paean for not only Chanie, but all those who suffered, and still…
The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is Margaret Atwood in free flight, gleefully sticking her fingers into the eyes of right-wing corporate America. Irreverent, wickedly humourous, Atwood explores the social depravity of a society which places more importance upon profit than upon citizens. All sounds very political and cerebral, and frankly a bit boring for those who are looking for escapist literature. Yet with a very readable,…
The Three Sisters Bar and Hotel by Katherine Govier My rating: 2 of 5 stars I delved into Katherine Govier’s The Three Sisters Bar and Hotel because of a recommendation algorithm through one of the ebook reader apps I use. It seemed a likely recommendation, a Canadian historical whodunit, by an accomplished author publishing with a large house. It would seem, however, in this evolving era of communication, the accepted recommendation isn’t necessarily a good…
During the recent promotional tour Laksamedia undertook for the critically acclaimed anthology, Strangers Among Us, authors shared the genesis of their stories. The exercise and the experience was one which apparently touched so many of the people who attended, both writers and readers alike, and very much addressed the mandate of the anthology: to boost awareness of mental health issues. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend any of the events in Ontario, given my mobility issues and…