Tag: fiction
-
And the Birds Rained Down by Jocelyne Saucier
I’ve been putting off writing this blog. Mostly because a) I once again failed to read all of the Canada Reads books in time for Canada Reads and b) I did not like this book. Both of which are a pretty big deal for me since I hate not finishing things and usually like most…
-
Station Eleven by Emily St. John
So, I’ve taken a bit of a break from both my #ReadHarder challenge and Canada Reads 2015 if you hadn’t noticed. I got the flu a little while ago and while I’ve been playing catch up in my life I decided to treat myself by falling headlong into the haunting Station Eleven by Emily St.…
-
Canada Reads: The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
Thomas King writes history the way I wish it was taught in all schools: passionately, subjectively, and damn truthfully. I decided to get ready for Canada Reads 2015 by reading all the books in advance for once and also fulfill a Read Harder requirement–a book by someone from an indigenous culture–in one fell swoop. It…
-
Canada Reads 2015, baby! Let’s go!
I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it! Canada Reads is officially back with a new host, new panelists, and new challenging books! Ah, diversity. I am going to be busy until March 19th. This year I’ve decided to immerse myself into the experience entirely and actually read all of the books before the show.…
-
Read Harder #2: A Fairy Tale Retold
Onwards and upwards to the second Read Harder challenge: the retelling of a classic story! For this challenge I chose Helen Oyeyemi’s Boy, Snow, Bird. I’m a sucker for anything myth or legend. The Monomyth is probably my favourite literary tool/device/tidbit of all time. As a kid, I devoured a lot of Donna Jo Napoli’s…
-
Read Harder #1: Romance
Merry Christmas everyone! I’ve finally decided which category to kick off #ReadHarder 2015 with Romance. Holidays are a fun, laid back time to spend with family and friends so I thought something light and uplifting would be a good fit for the season. I had originally been aiming to complete the ‘Prior to 1850’ category to…
-
All That Matters by Wayson Choy
This week I read All That Matters by Wayson Choy. A lyrical piece of fiction, by way of the Asian tradition–rich in natural imagery, superstition, and family matters. Choy’s novel is a look inside the complex social dynamics of Chinese culture in light of the changing face of tradition as the Chen family adopts to…
-
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
This is a really good book. That might sound like an underwhelming review, but it really simply is a great piece of literature through and through. Barnes’ novel is spellbinding. I know that because it has impacted my everyday life. I can’t sleep because I want to read it, I missed my stop on the…
-
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
The Elegance of the Hedgehog is one of the books which have been on my radar for years. As a big fan of characters with quirky personalities it’s naturally cropped up as a related item during many of my book searches. Yet, it took a friend forcefully lending it to me before I finally set…
-
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The book is called The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. And because I am a fan of simplicity (although not always brevity) I knew I had to buy it. Allan Karlsson, a centenarian with an affinity for adventure and penchant for vodka, is a kooky character. His expertise in explosives also…
-
The Miracles of Ordinary Men by Amanda Leduc
Amanda Leduc’s debut novel, The Miracles of Ordinary Men, is a modern faith story. It asks all the hard questions about belief, destiny, redemption, pain, and God. There are two main protagonists who get an equal share of ten chapters each, an interesting set up. The first is an atheist English teacher named Sam, who…