A front cover emblazoned with awards and nominations, this novel caught my attention in Chapters and made it on my notes list. Next step: library hold (I read way too much to actually buy the books). Wow - was it ever popular! As number 183 on the wait list, it took over three months to get... Continue Reading →
I loved reading this astonishing novel. A truly memorable fiction told through the voice of a black jazz player, it simultaneously captures the essence of a musical era and a time of unparalleled racial tension. It is 1939, Berlin, and as Hitler's strength grows, the "boots" are everywhere causing a group of brilliant black jazz... Continue Reading →
This was yet another Steinbeck classic - an epic, sweeping story of dust bowl generations whose lives interweave in a glorious tale that celebrates the steely strength of the human spirit. We meet the Hamiltons, led by Samuel, an unforgettable character whose determination and often accidental wisdom impacts all those he meets. His family struggle... Continue Reading →
Considered "extraordinary" and "a book of profound intellgence" by reviewers of note, I decided to read this modern suspense novel and step out of my recent historical fiction rut. Kind of regretting that decision now. Set in Copenhagen and then travelling to the protagonist's native Greenland, this novel really exploits setting to great effect and... Continue Reading →
A modern recommendation and a new film starring Hermione of Harry Potter fame - Emma Watson, this up to the minute social media dystopia was initially intriguing but ultimately rather disappointing. The story follows Mae, an excited employee at the Circle who finds success - but at what price? After an unquestionably engaging opening, the... Continue Reading →
A hesitant recommendation from a friend because of my regular diet of fiction, this Vancouver born non fiction writer was a pleasant surprise. The Tiger tells the true (well, obviously) story of the hunt for a giant Siberian tiger that is picking off the villagers vendetta style. Yuri Trush, the lead hunter, is determined to kill it... Continue Reading →
Wow - students apparently have a nickname for this novel: "one million" years of solitude! Recommended by a colleague, I took up this challenge and embraced "solitude" in order to find my reward - a promised great read. To say I was disappointed would be untrue; I suppose more honestly I would describe the whole experience... Continue Reading →
Not sure how I feel about this one. It felt overdone, zealous in its efforts to point out the theme and underline the symbolism. Am I one of his students who needs direction? Oh, did I mention, the author is a creative writing teacher at UBC. Overly simplistic in terms of historical truth (years turned into days... Continue Reading →
Bought in an extravagant book purchase in Victoria to support the fabulous independent book store, Munro's, I had high hopes for this much praised novel. Described as "gloriously Dickensian", I couldn't resist; however, despite enjoying the read overall, I felt somewhat misled by this complimentary literary allusion. Theo Decker, our protagonist, loses his mother in a tragic terrorist attack... Continue Reading →
What a beautiful book - a love story set amidst a terrorist attack; quite an unusual premise, but it works. With a real focus on character and no real plot to speak of (once the initial take over has occurred), the reader is allowed a precious simultaneous insight into the minds of both the victim... Continue Reading →
Loved this book! It is an intriguing, complex novel that relies on multiple narratives, jumping forwards and backwards in time while employing a fascinating story arc - well, several, in fact. Original and engaging, we follow the realities of a post flu epidemic world in which over 90% of the world's population were killed. Taken... Continue Reading →
Book on the Go 