A Novel Approach (To Me)

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery

This engaging novel takes us into the life of Christine, a woman whose memories are erased every night when she goes to sleep. She is told that her inability to keep memories for more than 24 hours is due to a car accident that happened 21 years ago. She wakes up every day feeling as if she is inside someone else’s body and in bed with a stranger. It’s a chilling scenario, made more so by the fact that she’s an ordinary housewife.

What struck me most about this novel is that it provides intriguing perspective on personal identity. How do we know who we are if we exist only in today, with no reference to who we’ve been in the past or who we might become in the future. How much does having something to look forward to tommorrow or next year, impact our happiness. How do you find purpose? The novel presents these ideas for consideration but never dwells on them or allows them to slow the narrative.

The novel is driven forward by the mystery that shrouds Christine’s life. As the story evolves, we begin to question everything she thinks that she knows. Is Ben the loving husband she thinks that he is or does he have motivation to deceive her? Is he hiding something from her, or is he truly a devoted husband who feeds her a ‘softer’ version of her past in order to make her days more comfortable? How do you trust someone who is a stranger to you every morning when you wake up?

This is a very approachable book with a clean style. The author doesn’t try to impress you by over-writing it. Instead, he gets out of the way and lets the story shine. There is nothing predictable about the story line–you’ll be kept guessing until the very end.

The best compliment that I can give is that the narrative was so compelling that I could not put it down until I finished it. That’s a rare experience for me.

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Annabel by Kathleen Winter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Literary Fiction

Annabel is a touching coming of age story about an intersex child born in Labrador. The book is an exploration of gender identity and its effect on how we are perceived in society (and how we perceive ourselves). It’s also a simply wonderful story. Kathleen’s prose is lyrical and a delight to read. She does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of place and left me with a desire to see Labrador. If I had one criticism, it would only be that I found the middle of the book suffered slightly with digressions that slowed the pace of her writing. The novel would have been stronger if some of this had been cut. That being said, it is a great novel and certainly worthy of the Giller nomination that it received.

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Author: Drew Hayden Taylor

Genre: Literary Fiction

I must say that this book was one of the most surprising and fun reads I’ve experienced in some time.  There seems to be a theme lately of authors looking at mythical characters or gods and then writing about how they would function in today’s world.  Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips and The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan are two such novels that come readily to mind.

In this case, Motorcycles and Sweetgrass presents a wonderful and humorous look at an important figure in Ojibway mythology, Nanabush (the trickster). The story approaches Nanabush as a living breathing and very magical person trying to find his way in the modern world.  The author skillfully uses Nanabush’s arrival in Otter Lake both to explore some re-occurring themes in Native communities, as well as to remind us that the lessons Nanabush teaches are still relevant today. Taylors characters–including Lillian (the matriarch of the family), her daughter Maggie (the Chief), Maggie’s son Virgil (who is struggling to find his place in the world), Maggie’s eccentric brother Wayne, and a host of raccoons with a mysterious vandetta against Nanabush–combine to create a wonderful story that will capture your imagination.

The story is written in a very casual style and mimics the experience of being “told” a good story in the oral tradition. You know you are in for a treat when it begins with

“Hey, wanna hear a good story? Supposedly it’s a true one. It’s a long story but it goes something like this…”

The prologue is a flashback to Lillian’s youth.  We find her swimming in the lake with an unnamed man.  The nature of their relationship is a question that weaves through the entire story.  Taylor lets us know that there is something highly unusual about this man through a converstion that he and Lillian have early in the story:

“It’s your new boyfriend, isn’t it. What do women see in him?” the man asked.

“He’s not my new boyfriend.  He’s just some guy. Don’t be angry. With me or him.”

“Everybody used to talk about me. Now they talk about him. I don’t understand. What’s he got that I don’t.  He’s so depressing. What’s his name again?”

“…Jesus.”

This novel touches such heavy subject matter as the damage done by the residential schools, the difficulties of land claims, threats to native culture, the issues that small communities face, and the conflict of traditional native beliefs with the influence of “white” Christianity.  There is a brilliant dream sequence late in the book that follows a conversation between Jesus and Nanabush.  It offers the hope. The two men come to the agreement in the end that the human heart has the ability to hold both belief systems successfully, reaping the benefits of the good offered by each.

If you were to think, based on the content mentioned above, that this book is a difficult read, you would be wholly mistaken.  Taylor approaches this material in a light and humorous, even affectionate, manner.  His portrayal of the struggles and concerns of a modern Ojibway community is a slice of life, not a lecture.  His writing is fast paced and engaging.  There is an honesty to the way he writes that readers will appreciate.

The highest compliment I can give is that I could hardly put the book down.  It was that good.

Taylor is a multi-talented writer and humorist. He has a flair for irony that Nanabush himself would appreciate. Taylor has been recognized by Knopf Canada as one of the New Faces of Fiction for 2010.  You can read his bio and writing credits on his author page.

Oh yes, there is one more character in the book, albeit a silent character, that I’ve yet to mention. It is the 1953 Indian Chief motorcycle that Nanabush rides.  I thought I’d include a picture.  Even if you’ve never ridden one, you’ll want this particular motorcycle when you’ve finished reading the novel…

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Vampire Stories Of The New Undead

Edited By: Nancy Kilpatrick

Genre: Horror

The short story anthology “Evolve” was released by Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing on March 1st and is a collection of works (23 stories and 1 poem) by Canadian authors.

I was anxious to read it. Anyone who knows me will be surprised by that comment because I normally avoid anything that is labelled “horror”.  I have an exceptionally vivid imagination and I prefer sleep that is uninterrupted by nightmares.  Hence, I approached this collection with both interest and trepidation.

I was pleasantly surprised.  The works are clever, and often surprising.  Nancy Kilpatrick writes an introduction that must be read to entirely understand and enjoy this anthology. She provides some background on the evolution of the Vampire myth up to this point and invites us to consider the many ways that Vampires continue to evolve in our collective imagination.  The anthology contains a wide range of writing styles and no two authors approached the material in quite the same way.

Let The Night In by Sandra Kasturi is a lovely poem that echos with isolation and loneliness. The culmination of submitting to the  Vampire seduction in order to find eternal connection also permanently relegates the narrator to the ultimate isolation–from the human race. The imagery of the moon is skillfully used and the poem has a confident and easy rhythm that I enjoyed.

Learning Curve by Kelly Armstrong could more easily be classified in the Fantasy genre than horror.  I truly enjoyed this story of a self assured modern vampire being pursued by a stalker who wants to be a Vampire Slayer.  The story is fresh, engaging and humorous.

Chrysalis by Ronald Hore is an interesting spin on what could happen when a girl with a Vampire father and a human mother hits puberty.  She doesn’t just evolve from a girl to a woman, she evolves as a new kind of human with exceptional abilities.  It’s a very creative “coming of age” story.

Mother of Miscreants by Jennifer Greylyn is one of my favorite stories. What would happen if you found out that your entire mythology, everything you ever believed about yourself or your ancestors was proven wrong. Even humans build family mythologies based on stories passed down through generations–which become distorted or exaggerated over time. In this story the “Mother” of all Vampires sets out to find her children and tell them the surprising truth of their existence. I enjoyed the build of suspense and the creative way the resolution was handled.

Resonance by Mary E. Choo is a story about a society of Vampires ruled by “The Board” or the ruling class. The main character is subjected to an arbitrary ruling and must find her way out even if it means being involved in a revolt. I was easily drawn to the main character and the descriptions were fresh and often poignant. However, the pace and the structure of the story were, at times, troublesome and distracting.

The New Forty by Rebecca Bradley is a sharp commentary on our society’s attraction to youth and beauty.  The main character’s story unfolds for us while she watches “young” and beautiful Vampires being interviewed by Oprah. These same Vampires shunned her for being an ugly hag when she was changed long ago at the age of 64. This is a sort “coming of age” tale in which she eventually accepts who she is and fully embraces the benefits of being an older and wiser Vampire. The historical details that highlight the differences between how she was perceived at 64 versus how modern women are perceived at the same age, adds interest to this story.

Red Blues by Michael Skeet is an interesting story about a Vampire who realizes that the side effects of his current state are an incredible advantage as a musician. His long memory and unlimited time to hone his craft make him a brilliant jazz musician. To challenge himself, he seduces his prey only with his music rather than forcing his will on them. In the end, Vampire traditionalists will probably find this story to be one of their favorites–the ending is what you would expect.

The Drinker by Victoria Fisher is a story that skews the idea of Vampire completely. The story plays to concept of the Vampire as a parasite–draining humans, in this case, of their success and happiness rather than of their blood.  As the main character deteriorates, he eventually finds a way to pass this curse to another in a most gruesome manner. He is horrified at what he’s done and performs an act of true selflessness that offers hope of redemption in the end. It presents a definite twist on the theme but it works.

Sleepless in Calgary by Kevin Cockle was the most disturbing of the stories in my opinion. It progressed like a descent into madness and illustrates how perceptions can become skewed when you isolate yourself and allow work to consume you to the point of exhaustion. The main character’s final act of violence in his attempt to become a Vampire was truly disturbing and had a distinct ‘Hitchcock’ feel to it. The fact that the author evoked such a strong reaction in me is a testament to the power of his writing.

Come To Me by Heather Clitheroe is another of my favorites from this collection. It’s the tale of a “prairie girl” who moves to Japan and, even after becoming disillusioned with her life, refuses to leave for fear she will be seen as a failure. As she struggles emotionally, a mythical kitsune (fox demon) begins to enter her thoughts without her realizing it.  She is drawn to the Aikogahara forest at the base of Mount Fuji–renown as a place people come to commit suicide. Once there, the fox demon reveals herself in Vampire form, demands and receives unconditional surrender. I was moved by the profoundly sad last lines, as the main character’s soul reaches towards home.

An Ember Amongst the Fallen by Colleen Anderson was another troubling, yet clever story. In this version of reality, humans are relegated to the status of cattle and are harvested as such. It is ever so slightly reminiscent of Planet of the Apes in the role reversal it applies to humans as animals. If you are squeamish, you will find this story very disturbing. It was sometimes difficult to read but played interestingly to how we view our food.

Mamma’s Boy by Sandra Wickam is the shortest of the stories in this anthology. It is about a woman who is horrified to find out that she’s been tricked into conceiving a Vampire child. She is told that her life with her husband has been a lie. In a delightfully ironic and very surprising ending, the Vampire learns that his son truly is a mamma’s boy.

The Morning After by Claude Bolduc (translated by Sheryl Curtis) is a warped and very morbid tale about the consequences of signing your organ donor card before unexpectedly being transformed into a Vampire. It’s got all the gore to make a Vampire traditionalist happy, but the quality of the writing is what makes it work.

All You Can Eat, All The Time by Claude Lalumière is another story that distorts the Vampire concept.  The Vampire of this story believes himself to be the only one. Not only does he drink blood like a traditional vampire, but he’s also a shape shifter who can consume you to become you. Although I thought the story was very creative, I found the “valley girl” dialogue too distracting to be able to fully engage with the characters.

Alia’s Angel by Rhea Rose is a hauntingly beautiful tale of a woman who suffers as a Vampire in a world where the condition is transmitted like a disease.  She is found and saved by a little girl who views her, ironically, as an angel. The “angel’s” struggle to do no harm, especially to Alia, makes this a very touching story.

When I’m Armouring My Belly by Gemma Files is a disturbing story about a man who is the product of a Vampire father and an abusive human mother. He runs away as soon as he can, in order to find other Vampires. His hope is that they will agree to help change him. Instead they take violence and abuse to the extreme, only to give him away when they tire of him. In the end he finds a way to have what he wants.  This story is dark and violent with an edge of extreme abuse. It’s not for the faint of heart.

A Murder of Vampires by Bev Vincent is written in the tradition of good crime fiction. It’s set in a world where Vampires have been “outed” and live as a minority, relegated to slums and mostly ignored by the police. There are some interesting parrallels to our current society.  The narrator is a good solid cop, honestly committed to solving crimes–even if the victim is a Vampire. He teams up with a witness, who also happens to be a Vampire, to find the killer. The story is very well written, full of suspense and has a very satisfying ending.

The Greatest Trick by Steve Vernon is the story of a world where Vampires are a normal part of society and can even run for political office. There is no doubt that the author intends for you to see the similarity between the amoral nature of Vampires and the immoral behaviors commonly associated with politicians. This story has almost a Hitler-esque feel to it as the Vampire politician rises to power through his ability to ‘influence’ people. By the time his campaign manager understands the danger, it is too late to stop him. The story is laced with some very dark, and highly enjoyable, humour.

Soulfinger by Rio Youers is an excellent story of a Journalist who, in trying to get an interview with a legendary Blues singer, gets far more than he expects. It could be argued that there is an element of “magic realism” to this story and I enjoyed it. There were elements of the theme, but it was one of the most removed from the concept of “Vampire” of all the stories in the anthology. It reads as a creepy tale about the consequences of making a deal with the devil.

Bend To Beautiful by Bradley Sommer is a story I really struggled with.The concept was interesting and the descriptions were evocative, but neither the main character or the Vampire seemed to have any redeeming qualities. As a result, I found it difficult to like either character and to suspend my disbelief in order to enjoy the story. In fairness, I rarely enjoy a story containing an anti-hero, so this is not a reflection on the quality of the author’s writing.

Evolving by Natash Beaulieu is another story I truly struggled with.  This is a story of a young man who aspires to be a Vampire and who later finds out that he may already be one after he inadvertantly drains all the blood from a girl he encounters. The concept is good, but I struggled with portrayal of the victim’s father. I could understand the father being suicidal, but not that he would be absent of the desire for revenge. As a reader, I found this made it difficult for me to stay with the story.

How Magnificent Is The Universal Donor Jerome Stueart is another of my favorite stories from this collection. It resonates as a result of the sheer number of epidemics (SARS, Bird Flu, Swine Flu) over the past few years. In this reality Vampires have found a way to be extremely useful in the medical profession helping to clean the blood of BBD (Bejing Blood Disease) victims to keep them alive. The problem is that the Vampire “doctors” are starting to succumb to the disease after doing so many transfusions.  They need a donor with perfectly clean blood to help them cope. In fact, they need all his blood. A donor is found but is not asked for consent. His partner finds him and tries to save him.  I love the use of suspense in this story and I truly enjoyed the ending. This was a great read.

The Sun Also Shines On The Wicked by Kevin Nunn is a story of two, seemingly Victorian, gentlemen who happen to be Vampires in a world modern enough to include skylights.  One has created a contraption reminiscent of something Captain Nemo might build were he in need of a such a device. The story is decidedly sad, but rich in detail and description.

Quid Pro Quo by Tanya Huff is another story with a “crime novel” feel to it. Vicki who happens to be a Vampire, lives with her partner Mike, who is a detective. He is kidnapped by a rich and powerful man in order to force Vicki to make him immortal. Her partner is collateral to ensure she does his bidding. In a surprise twist she outwits the villan, unleashes the inner creature, and saves the day. This is a very enjoyable and well written story.

Overall this is a collection that should not be ignored. Each story stands on it’s own as a solid piece of fiction, but together you begin to see the nature of the modern Vampire myth.

The anthology is interesting as much for the similarity of theme as it is for the diversity of interpretation of that same theme. It’s well worth your time.

For more information on this anthology and the authors, you can visit their official website.

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Author: Lindon MacIntyre

Genre: Literary Fiction

I’ll be perfectly honest.  Of all the books I’ve read lately, this is one that I truly hesitated to open. My concern was the heavy subject matter–the sexual scandals of Catholic Priests.  When I read fiction I’m not interested in a lecture. Nor am I interested in reading an author’s political agenda–especially when thinly disguised as a novel. Rather, I’m looking for an escape. I’m looking for descriptions that move me and language that surprises me. I want a great story. After having read this novel, I can now admit that I was wrong to hesitate. There is no political agenda here.  Only a story that will surprise and engage you.

The narrator of this novel is Father Duncan MacAskill and it is his relationship with the Bishop that is referenced in the title. Father MacAskill is valued by the Bishop for his ability to clean up potentially scandalous situations with way-ward priests. As a result, he is shunned and even feared by the other priests who refer to him as the “Exorcist” behind his back. Increasingly, Duncan finds it difficult to balance his duty to the Bishop and the church, with the work he must do to protect them–including cleaning up loose ends with the victims, whom the Bishop coldly refuses to acknowlege:

“Victim, for God’s sake. Don’t make me sick. … They’ll get over it. … We can’t let a bunch of misfits and complainers undermine the Sacraments.”

As a new and potentially very damaging scandal quickly approaches, the Bishop sends Father MacAskill away–primarily to hide him from the media because he knows too much about the priest in question.  MacAskill is assigned to a remote parish in Creignish, Cape Breton very near to where he grew up.  It is his arrival at the parish that brings the narrator to a spiritual crossroad. This is not the first time he’s been sent away by the Bishop as the result of a potential scandal. A secondary story about his first exile, told through exerpts from his journals and filled with his own guilt, is revealed bit by bit. It is the narrator’s internal struggle that truly begins to drives this story forward. As MacAskill spirals downward into depression and alcohol, the edges of his conviction begin to blur and the story of the real man behind the cloth emerges. In true Canadian fashion, strong themes of isolation, confession and contrition weave the fabric of this story.

Some will certainly find the structure challenging as it moves back and forth between past and present. I found the time shifts to be distracting at times. Even so, the novel is well-written and does an excellent job drawing us into the character’s lives and the rich scenery of Cape Breton. That alone, makes this novel a worthy read.

Note: The Bishop’s Man is the winner of the 2009 Giller Prize for fiction. For more information on this novel or on Linden MacIntyre, you can visit his page on the Random House Canada website.

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Author: Kevin Patterson

Genre: Literary Fiction

I picked up this novel because it appealed to both my passion for Canadian literature and my curiosity about life in the Arctic. Similar to one of the characters in the book, I have been guilty of romanticizing the life of the Inuit. If you have done the same, this book will slap you in the face with its honest and stark portrayal of life in the North.

On its surface, Consumption is an interesting tale depicting the life of an Inuit girl named Victoria. We meet her at the age of 10 in the late 1960’s only shortly before she is diagnosed with TB and whisked away to a Sanitarium in Manitoba for treatment. During the time she lives in the “south”, Victoria’s identity fundamentally changes from a child born on the tundra aware of nothing beyond the nomadic hunting life of her family, to a young woman very accustomed to modern conveniences. She returns to her family six years later, unable to speak their language and a stranger in her own community. She is surprised to find that her family has settled into government housing. We soon see that they are utterly and irrevocably changed by coming off the land. This is a haunting and tragic story that will leave you heartbroken.

True to the title, the concept of “consumption” echos in this book on many levels. Consumption is, in its most literal, an alternate term for Tuberculosis and the wasting effect it has on the human body. However, as we peel back the layers of the story we see modern life consuming an ancient culture and its traditions, a doctor consumed by addiction, daughters consumed by the future, and a son by the past. We also find the story of a mine that consumes the natural resources highlighting the ongoing tension between the government and the desire of the Inuit for autonomy. In the end, strong themes around parent-child relationships and isolation are the bones that support this story.

Although the characters are purely fictional, their stories resonate with an honesty that being based on true life events can afford. The author, Dr. Kevin Patterson, travels frequently to the Arctic to practice medicine and is all too familiar with an episode in the 1950’s and 60’s where up to 1/3 of Inuit children were evacuated south to be treated for TB. He uses uses stories told to him by his patients as a jumping off point and makes no effort to soften the edges.  The characters that we meet in this novel are unflinchingly and unapologetically human.

Along with the narrative of the story, this novel contains translated Inuit poetry, and the unpublished manuscript of one of the characters. This “manuscript” is, in essence, a series of essays designed to bridge the gap between the changes to the Inuit culture and lifestyle portrayed in the novel, and their relevance to society as a whole. Although this structure adds interest to the novel, at certain points “the manuscript” begins to feel like a somewhat clumsy attempt by the author to include certain thoughts that he couldn’t quite fit into the narrative.

There is no question that there is an element of social commentary to this novel. However, he manages to fold this gently into a haunting tale that is a rich and satisfying read.

Note: for more information on author Kevin Patterson you can visit his author page on the Random House Canada website.