Book Review: Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

By Christine McFaul

Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Changes is a new middle grade graphic novel by Vancouver-based author and artist Johnnie Christmas (publication date May 17th, 2022; currently available for pre-order).

The story opens with young protagonist Bree leaving Brooklyn for Florida, where her dad has accepted a job. Bree is nervous about the move, making friends, and starting over at a new middle school. She tries to approach the coming changes with a positive attitude but it’s hard not to let doubts creep in,  especially when she finds out her top choice of elective—Math Puzzles—is full. In fact, the only elective left for Bree to take is Swim 101. Which is a big problem, since academically oriented Bree doesn’t know how to swim.

Soon Bree is skipping class to avoid anyone finding out her secret. But after a worrisome tumble into the pool at her apartment complex introduces Bree to a new swim coach, she finally begins to find her way to the water. She quickly learns to out-swim her doubts and many of her peers, a feat that sees her qualifying for her school’s floundering swim team. As the newest member of the Manatees, Bree makes friends with her teammates and even places at her first meet; life is good! Until the Manatees learn that simply placing is not good enough. They will need to start winning meets or risk losing their pool, which is slated to be sold to a frozen smoothie chain. Bree’s newfound swim skills and friendships will be tested as she works with the Manatees to beat their hyper-competitive private school rivals, win the state championship, and ultimately save their pool—the last one in their community that is still free and available for public use.

Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Changes introduces readers to a vibrant and engaging set of middle grade characters. The sport story is both relatable and layered as Christmas seamlessly weaves the history of racism in America’s public pool system into the plot. Christmas strikes a perfect balance between the information that is delivered through writing and that which is conveyed visually. His previous experience in comics shines as he expertly wields his pencil to further develop his characters. The colour choices (featuring a lot of turquoise and yellow) create a sunny Florida swim vibe that shifts subtly with the moods and action of the story. Every detail, down to the lettering, draws out the middle grade experience (some of my favourite moments include “Bree’s Favourite Things” which have the look of notebook doodles, and the visual representation of Bree’s doubts throughout).

Graphic novels are becoming increasingly popular across all age categories of kid lit, and after finishing this book, I can absolutely see why. Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Changes is a warm and layered read enhanced by its beautiful and nuanced illustrations. An excellent middle grade choice for either academic or personal reading.

Note: I encourage anyone whose interest in Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Change was piqued after reading my thoughts to check out opinions provided by graphic novel aficionados (as this is my first review in this genre!) as well as by reviewers who can add a personal perspective to Bree’s experiences within the American public pool system as a Black middle school student.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Plumstuff by Rolli

By Caprice Hogg

Plumstuff is a book of poetry and sketches that kept me coming back for more. From the very first few lines where Rolli writes “If I ever write a book so bland it’s championed by every living critic seize my pen,” his wit and humour made me pause and contemplate my book review before I even started it! The poems in this book cover a wide range of topics, and the book was well laid out. Rolli writes about the critics, about philosophy, opinions, politics and so much more. I would put the book away and then pick it up again another day, open it to a random page and simply read and re-read. It allowed me time and space to ponder.

My favourite poems were the ones with fewer words. In my opinion, the fewer the words, the better the poem was. It gave me the opportunity for my mind to wander, absorb, and feel the emotion in the moment. The less words there were on the page the more I was able to take it in.

This is a book for those who truly love words. The words chosen are descriptive and lyrical and to the point. This shows the talent of the author, because it is no easy feat to bring about emotion with only a few syllables. In good writing and in good art, it is far easier to express oneself in lengthy diatribes; to use words and lines sparingly is an achievement.

The power in the simplicity of in his sketches was similar to his poetry. The fewer lines there were, the stronger the sketch was. The lines allowed the viewer’s mind to fill in the blanks and become a part of what was happening on the page. His compositions were strong, and I enjoyed the change in values from the black lines to the gray lines.

The sketches and poetry complemented each other. After reading and re-reading this book, I cannot imagine one without the other; the sketches are just as important as the poetry and vice versa.

To quote one of Rolli’s poems, “Though no one’s swung by anyone’s opinion the redundant tongue worms on.” As such, in my opinion, this book is for anyone who enjoys poetry or who would like to spend time getting to know poetry. While not every poem spoke to me, these poems will take the reader by the hand and lead them on a journey.

I would like to thank the author Rolli for the complimentary copy of his book “Plumstuff” in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh

By Christa Sampson

In this debut rom-com novel by Sonya Singh, readers are taken on a journey of self-discovery, letting go, and leaning into personal truth.

Main character Manny Dogra is a successful businesswoman who runs an internet-based break-up company. If people can meet their significant others online, why not break up with them in a similar way? Of course, the premise is to facilitate the process amicably. Manny herself is in a committed relationship, but despite her life seeming perfect on all levels, she feels that a big part of her true self is missing: her South Asian heritage. Her Indian immigrant parents raised Manny with the staples of an all-American lifestyle and without any of the culture or family traditions they grew up with. Enter a new client with an off-the-menu request that provides Manny with the opportunity to fill in the gaps in her personal heritage. While attending her first Indian family wedding, Manny is introduced to an eclectic cast of characters that will provide many humorous anecdotes for the reader.  

All readers will be able to relate to Manny’s journey and inherent need to find her true self. The intricacies of both family and romantic relationships are examined, including the problems that arise when you try to fit yourself into a mold that isn’t for the right reasons or isn’t right for you. Many of the supporting characters in this novel steal the show and help break Manny out of her protective shell. There were a few instances where the main character could have shown more agency and acted “in the moment,” rather than ruminating on what happened in the past. The ending of the story felt a little rushed and would have been better served with an active scene as opposed to a summary of the final events, but it will definitely leave the reader smiling. Overall, Sari Not Sari is a feel-good read, exploring very relatable themes within a unique premise.  

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the complimentary advance digital copy of Sari Not Sari in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: In the Writers' Words (Volume II) by Laurence Hutchman

By Sara Hailstone

Freshly published in 2022 by Guernica Editions, In the Writer’s Words: Conversations with Ten Canadian Poets, Volume II editor and creator Laurence Hutchman has presented a quietly relevant text that could potentially contribute to and shift the tone of the current conversations revolving around CanLit at this time. Writers in this second volume include Brian Bartlett, Roo Borson, George Elliott Clarke, M. Travis Lane, John B. Lee, Daniel Lockhart, Bruce Meyer, Al Moritz, Sue Sinclair, and Colleen Thibaudeau. Hutchman asks each writer to speak to their lives, issues within Canadian society that potentially inform their writing, historical events, influences, style, and lastly, the inspiration that fuels their poetry writing. As a writer, I was inspired by this volume, in delving into other writers’ styles, and I found that I took away many discussions on writing, convention, and issues within CanLit that I would teach and borrow from as a resource in an English classroom. 

First, I loved the use of transforming haiku into a verb, “haikuing,” with Brian Bartlett in his interview on his essay about the style of poetry. I hadn’t encountered this verbiage before and would refer to these segments of the interview when teaching poetry. Bartlett states that “Haiku need a delicate balance between solidity and ellipsis, substance and suggestion, speech and silence. A haiku needs to give enough, but not too much; overwritten haiku stumble, but underwritten haiku are static.” I found, too, I was inspired throughout the interviews by how the writing process was shown differently according to each author’s personality. John B. Lee remarked that, “Writing is a discovery and a rediscovery of things that I already knew, but forgot, or that I never knew or that I didn’t really know that I knew. Poetry is more profound than conversation.” The compilation further contributes to current and necessary conversations in the field of CanLit. 

D.A. Lockhart writes about the history of his nation and the deaths of Indigenous children in residential schools, adding a sense of urgency and humanity to the text. The recent discovery of the graves of Indigenous children at former Canadian residential schools and the need for reconciliation are two significant topics mentioned by the writer. With the need for our Canadian society to work to connect more fully with nature, Lockhart writes that “the hope with these lyric essays was to capture something truthful about the world we’ve come to inhabit and are gifted by creation. The poet is naturally the speaker across so many cultures. So, it was natural to assume the role, one must find their way into situations that one wants to discuss.”

Indeed, this tone works through the manifesting powers of prayer and language, but also functions to kick “at the edges of decolonization. There is a great deal to learn from the space between languages.” Lockhart ends on a powerful note that should push the industry of CanLit into a space of more fully including Indigenous literature—if that space is where Indigenous Lit wants to be— that, “if anything could be said of actual Indigenous folks it is that we are survivors. Surviving is something to be both happy and hopeful about.” Survival is a powerful term. The reality was that Indigenous authors were excluded from this national work which further reinforced caricature and stereotype in literature. This compilation gives space to a reclamation and reconciliation in CanLit for Indigenous readers and writers. 

Book Review: Brave, Beautiful and Baring it All by Rhyanna Watson

By Jamie Maletta

Content warning: suicide 

I’m a sucker for self-help, better living, and motivation-style books. I’m also heavily influenced by “bookstagram” in all its glory. While browsing through Instagram stories I happened to come across someone reading Brave, Beautiful, and Baring it All by author, yogi, and health and well-being consultant (to name only a few areas of her expertise), Rhyanna Watson. I wasn’t familiar with Watson’s work, but her book had me intrigued, and I quickly added it to my TBR list. 

The premise of this book is to learn how to live your most authentic life, whatever that means to you. Learning to see perfection through the imperfections, freeing your inner child, opening your heart, and loving life. It’s self-help meets how-to! Watson is heavily involved in yoga, and a lot of her book referenced yoga as a method, which I didn’t quite relate to. I also felt some chapters were a little repetitive in that they shared the same advice worded a little differently on a few occasions. 

At the same time, I did enjoy the book and the positivity it exudes. I felt that the book provided the space to really take a look at my inner struggles and what to do with them. I also found myself realizing some unconscious and less positive habits I have and how I could do better by facing them. I really enjoyed working through these topics in a positive way, and I felt good having read this book. I’ve since started following Rhyanna Watson on Instagram (@openheartscanunite) and I’m interested in learning more about who she is and what she does. I believe surrounding yourself with positive people, even when their interests may differ from your own, can benefit your well-being tremendously. 

If you’re looking for a quick read that will have you thinking about your thoughts, habits, needs, and aspirations to live a better life, then this is a great book and place to start! Stay happy, friends! 

Book Review: Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warning: attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, taxidermized animals, attempted sexual assault (referenced), murder (referenced)

If you thought the hijinks were crazy in Dial A for Aunties, just wait and see what Meddie and her family have in store in book two! It looks like the consequences of Meddie’s blind date and all the disasters that followed are finally behind her. She has a healthier relationship with her family, she’s engaged to the man of her dreams, and it seems like they got away with murder. Now all Meddie has to do is get through her wedding. Unfortunately, when her family hires a wedding company with ulterior motives, Meddie ends up in yet another sticky situation. Now she has to juggle her family’s shenanigans as they try to impress Nathan’s conservative English parents, a wedding photographer who knows nothing about taking pictures, and, oh yeah, trying to prevent a murder! Things get even crazier in the second installment of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s genre-bending hit; the hijinks go higher, the aunties get wilder, and poor Meddie has to deal with all of it in the biggest wedding gown you’ve ever seen. 

This book is still nonstop jokes and humour, and while I didn’t laugh out loud quite as much as book one, I couldn’t tear my eyes off the page because I was so entranced by the train wreck that is Meddie’s wedding. This book sets up so many scenes in a way that you can picture them in your mind, and the picture is just absolutely absurd. It’s wonderful. The physical comedy, while difficult to execute in writing, is done very well, and there were times I could picture dramatic cuts and cinematic zooms in my mind as I read about the latest crazy thing these ladies had gotten themselves into. Both Meddie’s family and the new cast of characters that get introduced in this book are hilarious, and their actions and reactions within this crazy plot are a delight to read. 

While I do feel like some of the shenanigans in this one got a little too over the top (don’t get me wrong, the entire premise is over the top in the best way, however in this book, sometimes the antics went just a bit past what my suspension of disbelief could handle), I feel like the heart of the story, the relationship between Meddie and her family helps ground the book. There are lots of heartfelt moments as Meddie learns to embrace her family for who they are, and those were lovely to read. 

Meddie herself is also incredibly relatable in this book. Her struggles with balancing her love for her family and her desire to be considered “normal,” paired with her very realistic responses to her relatives’ often murderous suggestions for solving her wedding problems, and the ways she deals with her wedding vendors as she desperately tries to foil their evil schemes, are all really realistic. It feels ridiculous to say a character’s reaction to such crazy scenarios could be realistic, but that’s what I love about both the first book and this one. While the circumstances are bizarre, being in Meddie’s head gives the reader the chance to acknowledge the crazy, often with really fun or really realistic internal monologues to go along with it. 

One thing I wish we had seen a little more of was Nathan’s relationship with the whole situation. The book prioritizes Meddie’s experiences with her family and the plot explains a way to keep Nathan on the sidelines, but I would have loved for him to be a bit more of a character on his own wedding day. That being said, I loved the bits of him we do see, the romantic element was definitely elevated a bit in this book which I liked. 

Overall, I think it’s really tough for a sequel to compete with something as unique as Dial A for Aunties, but this book keeps the same spirit and is a really fun ride. If you like book one, you’ll definitely enjoy this one too! 

Thank you Penguin Random House for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: The Devil's Whispers by Lucas Hault

By Lauren Bell

The Devil’s Whispers is a 2022 horror novel written by Lucas Hault. Hault opened the novel with a poignant quote by Mary Shelley: “I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves,” which immediately captured me and set the scene for the Shelley-like novel. The reader will also notice that Hault does well to emulate the Old English and mannerisms in which his novel is set.

 Set in England in 1903, the novel is written in journals and correspondence of Gerard Woodward, a revered lawyer, his fiancée, Raelynn, and their other close acquaintances. The plot is set in motion as Woodward travels to visit the dying Lord Mathers in his castle to settle his affairs. His stay becomes anything but what he anticipated as he is locked into his room and unable to contact the outside world. Sneaking out of his window at night is what allows him to explore the gothic castle and observe its inhabitants. In the novel, the castle is described dramatically, obviously, to encapsulate the mysterious and spooky atmosphere Hault is trying to portray. However, I was not personally intrigued by it. I found the castle to be filled with too many classic horror tropes: an isolated castle, creepy butler, black cats, and Mathers’ beautiful daughter to consider it remarkable. 

Woodward’s silence to Raelynn and his other peers is what creates a ripple effect of worry for the other characters in the novel, who are also experiencing their own unsettling events. For instance, Raelynn is visited by her cousin, Nathan, who suddenly falls ill, and during his sickness, he is visited by a mysterious woman that turns him against Raelynn. Within these subplots, the trend of horror tropes continues with the new moon influencing character behaviour and the “possessed” (for lack of a better word) character’s aversion to garlic. 

I will, however, give Hault credit for his integration of Asturian mythology and the introduction of the Xana as his antagonist. This was my first time learning of this creature, and it made the story less generic. With the Xana now involved, I noticed a transition within the atmosphere of the novel. It became less Frankenstein and Dracula-esque and shifted to being more like The Exorcist with the involvement of the church and the possessed characters crawling up walls. 

As I finished the novel, I was disappointed with the lack of characterization; most were one-dimensional, and I found them hard to sympathize with. As well, I felt the novel didn’t really have an ending when compared with its slow build-up. Ultimately, The Devil’s Whispers was not my favourite novel, but  it’s a quick read (~200 pages) for those interested in horror and willing to try it. 

Thank you, TCK Publishing, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: West Coast Wild ABC by Deborah Hodge Illustrated by Karen Reczuch

By Carly Smith

West Coast Wild ABC is a children’s book authored by Deborah Hodge and illustrated by Karen Reczuch. Like typical alphabet books, West Coast Wild ABC takes readers on an alphabetical journey, introducing each letter in its upper and lower case forms and using words beginning with each page’s designated letter. Unlike most other alphabet books, Hodge focuses on parts of nature found on Canada’s west coast. This nature-themed read—available as either a board book or digital copy—is suitable for children with a variety interests, as it encompasses the vast elements of land and sea that British Columbia has to offer. 

There are quite a few aspects of this book that appeal to me. Firstly, it is formatted clearly, with the specific letter of focus always written on the bottom, outer side of the page in white. The corresponding sentence or phrase for each letter is written in a black font that looks like the way children first learn to print their letters which is a great feature if children strive to read this book themselves, rather than an experienced reader reading to them. 

Another aspect of this book that captivated my interest was the vocabulary. Hodge does not shy away from large or uncommon words but does not overwhelm readers with too many. Furthermore, Hodge does not rely solely on nouns in this alphabet book. Instead, she includes other parts of speech, like verbs and adjectives, often lacking in other books of the same genre. This is a particularly important feature for language acquisition and vocabulary development that is often overlooked in books for early readers. 

The final but equally important feature was the illustrations. Reczuch’s artwork is vibrant but doesn’t take away from the text and is detailed without being overwhelming. Reczuch beautifully captures the wide array of textures found in nature. The illustrations match the words and encourage further discussion. They prompt reflection and are a catalyst for open-ended questions, which sparks critical thinking and comprehension skills. 

West Coast Wild ABC is a lovely children’s book that caught the attention of not only my 19-month-old but also myself and my spouse. Our son was exposed to the alphabet, new words, and captivating illustrations while the adults reading to him learned more about the country they live in. Its board book form is an excellent size, not small enough that it will be easily lost, but not too large that it feels cumbersome or too large for the diaper bag. West Coast Wild ABC has encouraged me to investigate other works by Hodge and Reczuch, knowing they will most certainly be a hit in our family.

Thank you to Groundwood Books for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Candy House by Jennifer Egan

By Erica Wiggins

The Candy House is the sixth fiction novel by American author Jennifer Egan. Her book A Visit from the Goon Squad won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Award. This is my first book from Egan, and I like to start a new author without gathering too much information about them. In this case, I wish I had done a little more research. After finishing the story, I checked out more about this book and learned that The Candy House is the continuation of A Visit from the Good Squad. I learned that many characters cross over, and I wonder if reading this first book would have given more context to this story. 

The Candy House picks up with Bix Bouton, who owns a successful tech company called Mandala and is well known to everyone. Bix is on the hunt for the latest technology when he finds a group experimenting with “externalizing” memories. Soon Bix creates “Own Your Unconscious.” This technology allows you to access and share your memories. The idea of this book had me intrigued and got me thinking about the implications of technology like this and having my memories just out there for anyone to access. 

“By uploading all or part of your externalized memory to an online “collective,” you gained proportionate access to anonymous thought and memories of everyone in the word, living or dead, who had done the same.”

This genre is outside the wheelhouse of what I would normally read. The story is told in a variety of formats—writing, emails, tweets, and even formulas. It is a challenging story to review. Each chapter deals with different characters, different ideas, and jumps between generations and through time. The quick shifts between characters/timelines felt confusing at times. It was as if each chapter encompassed its own story. I took notes and began to make connections between the characters, but with so many, it was hard to know who to pay attention or who was critical to the story.

About halfway through, and with the help of my notes, the story did become a little clearer. I am typically a quick reader, but this story required a slower, more methodical approach to understand everything  going on. I do think that reading the first book would have given more context to the characters and made this story easier to follow. 

I really loved the idea of exploring what would happen if this technology was released into the world. I could see the pros and cons and watched as the characters struggled with whether to upload and access their memories. I enjoyed the contrast of the characters working against this program as well. 

This story is well written but is very complex. While this story wasn’t for me, I think it is perfect for those that love intricate, complex, and through-provoking novels. I am a firm believer that there is a book for every reader, but not every book is for every reader. I would encourage readers to check out other reviews as there is a lot of love for this series.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

In Conversation with Jasmine Sealy author of The Island of Forgetting

With Christina McLaurine

Photo credit: Benjamin Gardere

The Island of Forgetting spans over many decades. When it comes to character development, did this broad time period make it harder or easier to move your characters through events and show the impact and change that time had upon them? Is there a time or place in the book that you wished you had expanded upon?

I always knew I wanted the book to span several decades because I wanted to show the way the decisions made during each character’s youth rippled outwards, affecting the subsequent generation. In many ways, though the characters are related to each other, they are strangers, each never fully revealing themselves to the others. In a sense the reader actually knows these characters better than they know each other, and themselves. This was intentional on my part, because I was interested in exploring time, memory and secrets and how they impact a family dynamic. But it was hard to leave each character behind at the end of their sections. I could probably write a novel for each one and still have more to say. 

Mental health and various forms of mental unwellness are present in The Island of Forgetting. What inspired you to include them in this novel and how did it shape the way you chose to tell this story? 

Mental health is something that isn’t frequently discussed in Bajan families. Within my own family, there is alcoholism, depression, anxiety, but we tend to speak of these things euphemistically, which is common for the culture. My grandmother had a brother who used to “wander”, much the same way that Iapetus does in the novel, but he was always referred to as “the mad one”, his mental illness dismissed or made light of. Only in adulthood, through conversations with my parents, have I learned of violence they experienced in childhood that impacted their own parenting, and by extension my life. I became fascinated by the idea that so much of my life, the things I understood about myself, were shaped by events that happened before I was born. These unspoken intergenerational traumas, many of which are tied to untreated mental illness and addiction, inspired the novel.  

The characters within The Island of Forgetting feature many different struggles/challenges and you’ve fed them so seamlessly into one another, in a way layering them? This must have been very challenging. How did you keep yourself organized?

I wrote the novel in two major stages. The first draft I wrote chronologically, beginning with Atlas and ending with Nautilus. Once I had those sections more or less drafted I began the work of weaving them together, building connections and creating that layering. It was a long and tedious process involving a lot of rewriting. I probably have a whole second novel in deleted scenes!

Your story re-envisions aspects of Greek mythology. Was there a story or aspect of Greek Mythology that drew you to want to write The Island of Forgetting for a modern day audience?

I stumbled across Calypso’s story while diving down a late-night, insomnia-fuelled Wikipedia rabbit hole. I was actually checking to see if there was an etymological connection between “calypso”—as in the Caribbean folkloric music—and the Greek myth (there isn’t). But once I started reading The Odyssey I was struck by this image of Calypso as a Caribbean woman, falling hard for this foreign man who was just passing through. The depiction of Calypso, as this wanton woman, a seductress, mirrors the way Caribbean women are fetishized and sexualized in the media. Funnily enough, in the 1997 TV adaptation of The Odyssey, all of the characters are white, except for Calypso who is played by a black woman. I wanted to turn this cliché on its head. To dig into this idea of “the temptress” and tell it from Calypso’s point of view.

Did you know where you wanted the narrative to go and how you wanted it to end when you first began writing or did it reveal itself to you as you wrote? 

A bit of both. I actually changed the ending of the novel very late in the editing process. I knew how I wanted the reader to feel at the end of the novel, I had an idea of the message I was trying to get across, but it took me a few tries to figure out the “how” of it. But I didn’t do much planning or plotting ahead of time. It was a trial and error process (hence all of those deleted scenes!)

Can you describe your writing process? Do you outline each chapter? Are you a 5 am writer? Do you have any writing habits?

My writing process is incredibly chaotic. I do not outline but if I have a sense of what needs to happen next in a given scene I will write a few bullet point notes for myself at the top of the page so that I can keep track. I write mostly in bed, propped up on too many pillows and wreaking havoc on my spinal health. I do like to write in the mornings, but I require a good chunk of procrastination time before I can actually get into a flow. I work in bursts, sometimes churning out thousands of words day after day and then going several days where I write nothing at all and lie around feeling sorry for myself. When I look back on it I’m surprised that I somehow managed to finish this novel at all, the entire time I was always on the verge of quitting, convinced it would never be done. I wish I had a better system! But I think I’m doomed to always be a “muddle through” kind of writer. 

What is your “must-read” book recommendation and what book has had the most impact and influence on your writing?

I don’t have a “must-read” recommendation, but I would encourage readers to explore other works by Caribbean writers. It is such a diverse and endlessly fascinating region and there are phenomenal contemporary works being released all of the time. I recommend How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones and What Storm What Thunder by Myriam Chancy. 

As for books that have influenced me, there are several but the one that comes to mind first is Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. I love stories where the mad woman in the attic is allowed to come downstairs and bare her soul.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are trying to navigate the publishing world?

Learn how to sell your own writing. Learn the skill of a good pitch. Knowing how to summarize your own work and make it sound compelling is something they ought to teach in MFAs, its importance cannot be overstated.

Do you have another novel in the works? When can readers expect to get their hands on it? 

I do! I’m working on another novel set in Barbados, a work of historical fiction that takes place in the late 1960s during the independence era, when Barbados broke away from British colonial rule. It includes murdered prime ministers and mysterious starlets and lots of women behaving badly.  

Book Review: The Island of Forgetting by Jasmine Sealy

By Christina McLaurine

The Island of Forgetting is a debut novel by Jasmine Sealy about family, memory, and truth. Iapetus is haunted by images of his mother and brother murdering their father. Feeling indebted to his uncle Cronus for taking him, Atlas struggles to choose between leaving the island and staying to help run the family business. Calypso, determined to live a colourful robust life far removed from that of her parents and her Uncle Z’s hotel, falls heedlessly in love with a visiting businessman. Struggling with his identity and lack of parental relationships, Nautilus is on a dangerous path of self-destruction. Four generations. One family trying to grapple with their past in the hope of a better future. 

The Island of Forgetting is broken into three parts, and each reads almost like a novella. The stories of Atlas, Calypso, and Nautilus are told in chronological order but lead one into another, generation by generation, to tell a beautiful family saga.

Sealy weaves themes of mental unwellness throughout The Island of Forgetting in a way that centers the person and not the illness. Multiple characters struggle with varying degrees of mental unwellness, which is both depicted through internal dialogue and interactions with other characters. Some readers may recognize behaviour patterns but they are never named or referred to by western pathologies. In this way, there is no separating the character from an illness or diagnosis. Be it incoherent ramblings, drastic changes in mood, or self-destructive tendencies, they are part of the character, and the focus is not on treating an illness or managing symptoms but on helping the person heal and grow.

The Island of Forgetting is a medium-paced novel perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories. 

Thank you, Harper Collins, for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Hunting by Stars by Cherie Dimaline

By Larissa Page

Hunting by Stars is Cherie Dimaline’s long-awaited and long-requested follow up to her hit The Marrow Thieves. Despite being published four years after The Marrow Thieves, Hunting by Stars picks up right where the previous book left off. During the joyful reunion of two of his chosen family members after years apart on the run from the “schools” (which drain Indigenous people of their marrow in order to dream again), French himself is snatched by school Recruiters. He is taken to a school, where he runs into an important person from his past. In an effort to find him again, his girl Rose sets off with a sidekick to trek to one of the schools to help him escape. They face challenges in the woods they never expected to find and have to form new alliances to survive. Meanwhile, the rest of his family works other leads to get him back, leading all of them to new places with new enemies.

The Marrow Thieves swept through awards, reading groups, and schools when it was first released in 2017, and has continued to throughout the past few years. It is no surprise to me at all that Dimaline was often asked for a “what happened next” and felt the need to write a sequel. If you are a fan of The Marrow Thieves, as I am, I think you’ll be very satisfied with Hunting by Stars as the next installment. It gave me more adventure, more glimpses into French’s past, and more insight into his character—a strong young man with fierce loyalty and incredible grit. It gave me more family and more hope and more absolute resilience. It is not light on the suffering, and it is heavy on the heart to think of the ways we treat other humans. The parallels you can draw between this dystopian landscape and our real everyday world right now are stark but also needed.

Dimaline is not one to shy away from the truth in her novels; she is very poignant in her points about the world, society, and more. For this reason, among others, she gives us novels that make us think harder and more critically than we otherwise might, while still giving us characters to root for and stories to get invested in. Her novels, especially The Marrow Thieves and Hunting by Stars, make great discussion books for classes, book clubs, and buddy reads. She gives us a story of a dystopian future landscape that is somehow also a story for right now.

I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on Hunting by Stars last year and read further into French’s story. I also believe I would have enjoyed the book just as much had I picked it up as a standalone. It is one that is worth your time and, even more so, worth your attention. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Refuse edited by Hannah McGregor, Julie Rak, and Erin Wunker

By Sara Hailstone

Content warning: sexual assault

Refuse: CanLit in Ruins, co-edited by Hannah McGregor, Julie Rak, and Erin Wunker, is a compilation of nonfiction and fiction texts writing through the pain and uncomfortable state of CanLit as deemed by contributor Alicia Elliott as a ”raging dumpster fire.” Assertively and unapologetically writing through layers of what it means to ”refuse” the current state of CanLit, this text will be, I assume, included on syllabi and course outlines across Canadian university English departments. With contributions by Zoe Todd, Keith Maillard, Jane Eaton Hamilton, kim goldberg, Tanis MacDonald, Gwen Benaway, Lucia Lorenzi, Alicia Elliott, Sonnet l’Abbé, Marie Carrière, Kai Cheng Thom, Dorothy Ellen Palmer, Natalee Caple & Nikki Reimer, Lorraine York, Chelsea Vowel, Laura Moss, Phoebe Wang, A.H. Reaume, Jennifer Andrews, Kristen Darch & Fazeela Jiwa, Erika Thorkelson, and Joshua Whitehead, Refuse gives space for diverse stances on contemporary CanLit controversies that have arisen since 2016. The text offers anticipation of what will be built and what will grow from the “ruins of” this country’s state of literature.

Refuse, as in, to say “no.” No to the #UBCAccountable letter that essentially created a class war further accentuating the divisions within CanLit as an industry, as an area of academic study, as a history of writing of a settler country that has been exclusive in nature, and as a continued discourse forward into a future of plurality and the end of literary celebrity. No to sexual harassment. No to the Appropriation Prize and no to the debates about Joseph Boyden’s identity claims. These current controversies fix the core of the conversations within the text. 

Refuse also, as in waste, “what wastes our time, and our lives as writers and teachers, is the kind of endorsement of the status quo that we want to see taken out of CanLit.” 

Refuse, lastly, to reconnect and fix “what has been torn apart, evoking the idea that, after something is destroyed, something better can take its place.” There is a desire to dismantle and rebuild from ruin; I wonder if that is fully possible. 

The play on words with Refuse as a title works well creatively and from a space of literary analysis, however, and this feeling extends beyond the perimeters of the text itself, I don’t know if I see CanLit as a raging dumpster fire. I see the fire raging in the crowds of Canada’s publishing industry, but I separate industry from art. The analogy is not creeping into me fully. 

The compilation includes a break within the analysis by Laura Moss: “I pause here to disentangle "CanLit" as a noun synecdoche of all that is broken in the writing industry and the academy from "CanLit" as a short-form term that refers to the history of writing in Canada.” Moss has been teaching CanLit for over twenty years and is an editor of the journal Canadian Literature. Her tone is one I encountered throughout my studies at the University of Guelph in English (2005-2009) and at Trent University in the Public Texts Graduate program (2018-2020), one of a social historical lens of Canadian literature. In studying ”minoritized literatures” I felt my studies were critical in calling me to action to question the bedrock and pillars of discourses in Canada that have been historically and socially racist and exclusive, while appreciating a contemporary and resilient literary thread of experiment, exploration, and reclamation. Like Laura Moss, I refuse to give up on CanLit. I’m grateful my university studies in CanLit do not feel homogenous. 

The compilation strives to leave the reader hopeful for what will grow from the ruins, or ash, of that raging dumpster fire. The necessary conversations have been laid down with an inclusion of voices from social media. I would be inspired for the extension of these conversations in Refuse to move us deeper into the literary and creative. A play of words on the analogy of CanLit as “surviving” could also serve to move us deeper as we have been doing more in this country than getting by and holding on. I am hopeful for more conversation, more analogy, more motif, and more creating. 

Book Review: The Audacity by Katherine Ryan

By Jamie Maletta

Canadian comedian and actress Katherine Ryan dives into book writing with her debut memoir The Audacity. Katherine is best known for her risqué stand-up comedy, as well as her (truly hilarious) show The Duchess, which I shamelessly binge-watched in one evening. Don’t come at me; put the kids to bed and jump into this Netflix original. LOVE. And Katherine, if you happen to come across this review I have one question for you: WHERE IS SEASON TWO? 

Now let’s get to the book! I won’t lie, I had never heard of Katherine Ryan prior to receiving this book from her publisher. (Shame, as I too am from Ontario, and have spent some time in her hometown of Sarnia). I quickly realized I’ve been living under a rock as everyone knows who this woman is. I opened the book with an open mind and no specific idea of what to expect and was not disappointed. She’s hilarious. 

This memoir acts as a how-to guide, based on her life experiences, with each chapter appropriately named “How to Skip Town for Good,” “How to Get Plastic Surgery,” “How to Survive Controversy,” and so on. She recounts her childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood navigating life, and leaving nothing to the imagination. We learn early on that Katherine is unique, stands out, and has a confidence that most of us don’t find until our thirties. She dreams big and gives her all to everything she sets her mind to. From acting in local theatre as a child, to being crowned “Miss Hooters Toronto,” to auditioning in music videos, and finally to taking the stage with her comedy shows. She recounts it all, leaving no cringe-worthy story out and keeping it 100% real. 

A topic she covered that I truly enjoyed was her experience as a woman in comedy, a profession and industry heavily dominated by men. She recounts the struggles, the hoops women are expected to jump through in comparison to their male counterparts, and what it takes to “make it.” I feel that this is a topic so many women can relate to, regardless of their profession, and I loved her approach to and thoughts on the subject. It’s a topic that needs to be talked about more, and I’m glad it was included. 

If you’re conservative in nature, this book may not be your thing. Nothing is off limits, which is something I personally loved about it. It’s funny and raunchy, with no boundaries surrounding the topics discussed. If you can read it for what it is, I think it’s a book that you’ll truly enjoy as a memoir-meets-comedy-meets-how-to! Grab your copy today! 

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! 

Book Review: Step by Deborah Ellis

By Carly Smith

Content warning: death, violence

Step is a collection of short stories by Deborah Ellis. In each story, a child’s eleventh birthday is described. Perhaps catching her audience by surprise, Ellis’s stories do not involve grand celebrations, extraordinary gifts, or heaps of cake. Instead, they depict various scenarios of the everyday lives of children across the world. Although each story presents a unique plot, the protagonists share many similar emotions and thoughts—fear and feelings of anxiousness, wishes of greater independence, humility, and wonder. An eye-opening book for readers of all ages, Ellis’s poignant, empathy-invoking stories are reminiscent of her previous works like Sit and the Breadwinner series. 

Step has ten short stories in total. Ellis’s third story focuses on Dom, a preteen who has received a crystal from his brother for his birthday. The crystal brings him Gregoire, a young man whose life is very different than Dom’s; Gregoire is the victim of child labour, forced into the dangerous and abusive industry of crystal mining in Madagascar. Dom learns about a dark side to these stones that is largely overlooked by the Western world, which hopes to maintain an uncomplicated relationship to their beauty. The fourth story, “Rubber,” chronicles Oma’s journey by boat to Europe to seek refuge from instability in her home country. She is with her parents and brother as she experiences a tumultuous and nerve-wracking voyage across the sea, encountering smugglers, robbers, and unsympathetic passersby along the way. The fifth story looks at Lazlo, a Hungarian boy turning 11, venturing to town with his father, hoping for a fun birthday experience. He is quickly shocked and disappointed when he learns his father is a Nazi and has taken him to his friends in the hopes of convincing Lazlo to become one himself. Standing in the exact spot where those once killed by Nazis stood moments before their death, Lazlo reflects on his father’s choices, his own imminent choices, and humanity. What decision will Lazlo make? 

Each of these ten stories aims to elicit reflection about the readers’ past and future actions in uncertain or defenceless situations. They prompt the book’s audience to consider their empathy towards those with whom they cannot share identical experiences. Thought-provoking and emotion-evoking, Step unveils global issues that many North American youth may not be privy to, and some that they may, in an engaging way. I enjoyed that Ellis wrote from various points of view, sometimes in first person narrative and sometimes in third. I liked being able to make connections between the characters, while also seeing their differences; this set the ground for a smooth transition between stories without causing boredom or predictability. Overall, I recommend this book to a variety of readers, including fans of Ellis’s previous works, middle school students, and adults. 

Thank you to Groundwood Books for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Kingdom of Copper by S. A. Chakraborty

By Samreen Khan

The Kingdom of Copper is the second book in the Daevabad trilogy, and it is mesmerizing. 

Assuming you have already read the first book, you know that it ended in a bloody battle between Prince Alizayd and the dashing warrior Djinn Dara. Jump forward five years to where the second book begins—in which we see an exiled Alizayd, a married Nahri, and an allegedly dead Dara. 

As Nahri is learning how to navigate court politics while being married to Alizayd’s elder brother Muntadhir, we see an exiled Alizayd reluctantly return to Daevabad due to the political machinations of his maternal family. Upon his return, Alizayd is unable to control his outrage at the treatment meted out to the shafit population of Daevabad (who are of mixed human and Djinn heritage). As a result of his outrage, he commits to partnering with Nahri to help fulfill her dreams of opening a magical hospital that would offer treatments to everyone, regardless of their blood status. Meanwhile, in another part of the kingdom, Dara has been returned to his original Daeva body without his consent by Manizeh (she is the long-assumed-dead magical healer) who has been biding her time to return to Daevabad and exact vengeance on King Ghassan. All this culminates in a genocidal attack on the city and palace during the Navasatem celebration, which is the celebration of a new century in the magical world. This wreaks havoc on the magical city of Daevabad and its residents, who ultimately pay the highest price they ever could: the loss of all magic. 

The Kingdom of Copper sets forwards three different character arcs: that of the trapped, restless yet brilliant Nahri; the forever kind, humanitarian Alizayd; and the honourable yet helpless Dara who has been resurrected from the lap of death to be used as a weapon without his consent. Nahri’s character becomes more pragmatic as the book progresses and she learns that her position entrusts her with far greater authority than she could ever bargain for. Alizayd’s character slowly realizes that while his faith keeps him grounded no matter what, the definition of good versus evil isn’t rigid—these two polarities are in fact very fluid. Dara, on the other hand, realizes that consent is of utmost importance when your agency is lost. He also comes to acknowledge that his loyalty to his tribe cannot take precedence over the humanitarian treatment of others. 

This book is much more intense than the previous installment due to its emphasis on different points of view and the parallels it draws in from contemporary world history. You can see the impact of colonial powers overtaking Nahri’s human world while her own world is being ruined by megalomaniacs with whom she plays deadly court politics. Through Alizayd, Chakraborty weaves in the much-needed perspective on the injustices of the magical world—the treatment being meted out to the shafit population is very reminiscent of our world’s refugee crisis. All the while, Dara’s character is a stark reminder of how single-minded devotion to certain leaders or ideologies can cause even the best of intentions to be meaningless. 

Chakraborty not only weaves contemporary political issues into her books’ characters, she also seamlessly imbues the concepts of consent and othering in a rich tapestry of storytelling and worldbuilding. What attracts me the most in this book is that Chakraborty enmeshes her characters completely into their faith, from which they draw strength and solace. This is not a common trait in many books, and it resonates with readers like myself, for whom faith is a source of comfort and resilience. This book is a must-read if you like non-Eurocentric plot lines with complex characters and earth-shattering magical beings. 

Book Review: Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett

Erica Wiggins

Content Warning: suicide, murder, miscarriage, abuse, potentially triggering mental health concerns

Beneath The Stairs is the debut novel from Jennifer Fawcett, who grew up in Eastern Ontario, Canada. She worked in theatre before moving to the USA and currently lives in New York where she teaches writing. 

In the small town of Sumner’s Mills sits the Octagon House, hidden where few can find it, and even fewer have the guts to go. In this house, a man murdered his family, and the town is working hard to move on from this tragedy. Teenagers Clare and Abby decide to brave entering the house, but when Abby emerges, she is different. Twenty years later, Abby’s mother contacts Clare and asks her to come home because Abby has attempted suicide. Clare must return to her hometown and uncover what lead up to Abby’s attempt. 

The prologue sets the tone and is atmospheric and creepy, immediately luring me into the story. This underlying vibe is felt throughout the story—the feeling that something is lurking and of wanting to look over your shoulder. Fawcett’s writing style shifts seamlessly from past to present so seamlessly that, at times, lines almost feel like they are blurring in the best possible way. Sumner’s Mills feels like a true-life small town. A group of young girls, older brothers, budding crushes, and local lore. Being from a small town, I easily related to these girls and the feeling of wanting to leave it all behind, getting out, and then receiving that call that brings you back to the place. 

About halfway through, the pace really picks up, and I couldn’t put it down. The timelines were clearer, and it felt like I was hurtling towards the end. I have not read a novel like this one. It completely put me on edge, and I had no idea where the story was going. 

I viscerally felt all the feelings with this book. I connected with Clare immediately. I was the younger sister—I wanted all the adventures, the crushes, and to go everywhere my brother went. 

This story highlighted that the things that we experience as a child, including trauma, can shape us and follow us into adulthood. There were some serious mental health concerns in the story, and the author dealt with these in a very real way—the ups and downs, success and failures involved when coping and living with mental health concerns. 

I love this author’s writing style. I love that not only is she from Canada but Ontario - which relates to me. I love the eeriness of this story and the way that I cannot stop thinking of it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mystery, thrillers, cursed places, and a little horror. A reminder to check the trigger warnings as they are prevalent throughout the book. I cannot wait to read anything else from this author!

Run, don’t walk to get this book, and make sure you read it upstairs with the lights on!!

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Just Kids by Patti Smith

By Fayth Simmons

Content Warning: Reference to Drug Use

Just Kids, the 2010 memoir of legendary American artist Patti Smith, follows the timeline of Smith’s ascent into fame, from her early years spent exploring the bohemian faces of New York City to the solidification of her place within it. Just as the book ruminates upon the life of Smith herself, it acts as a tribute to the late Robert Mapplethorpe. 

The pair first meet in New York, form a close relationship, and grow into their artistic practices parallel to each other. Throughout the years, they provide for each other, acting as muse for the other, lifeline, and devoted dreamer. Theirs was a love story set against a backdrop of a charged and changing city. 

As their artistic practices evolve and their inspiration is continually drawn from widening circles, the identity of their relationship changes too—though challenged, it never disappears and arguably only grows stronger with each change of artistic direction. Robert begins to focus heavily on his photography, while Patti is drawn into poetry and the world of performance. The narrative describes the trials and tribulations that irrepressibly follow the path of courage and the monumental articulation of one’s own voice. 

As the book explores this timeline of ascent, the reader is drawn into both the overt and empathetically subliminal world of Patti’s as she works to understand herself and her art before finally coming to the conclusion that they are, in fact, one and the same. She reminisces on her relationship with Mapplethorpe—the necessity and import of it, and how it worked to shape both of them as people, contributing to shared sets of values and a dedication to the pursuit of creation (thus finding value within the practice). 

Just Kids is evocative and timely—a reverential narrative that gives homage to the essential pre-conditions of artistic genius. The overarching tone is not necessarily nostalgic but clear and refreshingly decided, even though it recalls certain times of indecision. Smith writes in tell-tale prose, painting vivid, atmospheric scenes of Manhattan in the 60s and 70s—people and places representative of a time of innate artistic growth. Her ability to come across as both emotive and yet stoic is admirable and arguably necessary to the success of the narrative, which may well be considered a classic of memoirs. 

Book Review: Moonshot edited by Elizabeth LaPensée and Michael Sheyahshe

By Dahl Botterill

Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection was originally released by Alternate History Comics in 2015. They followed it up with a second volume a few years later, and all three volumes are now available through Inhabit Education Books. Each book collects short works by a variety of Indigenous creators from all over North America, and the third volume is another fantastic collection. Moonshot Volume 3 focuses on stories that illustrate the concept of “Indigenous Futurisms,” stories that tell of “the past, present, and future as being a nonlinear reality.” It’s a concept that provides the Indigenous creators being showcased a lot of room to breathe, and the result is a truly diverse collection of comics and illustrated stories.

There’s an abundance of different art styles at work here, from the classic superhero stylings of “Slave Killer” to the soft shades and lines of “Sky People,” and the bold blocks of bright colour in “Sisters.” The stories also vary a great deal in tone and scale. “Our Blood” and the aforementioned “Sky People” follow a few characters over a short while in settings that feel fairly contemporary. “Future World and Xenesi: the Traveler” blends science fiction with broad temporal strokes, while “They Come for Water” and “Waterward” blend tradition with horror and a sense of timelessness. 

Moonshot Volume 3 is comprised of over a dozen tales written and illustrated by a wide variety of Indigenous creators from all over the continent, and the result is a fascinating collection of stories from distinct voices. If there is a disappointing aspect to the book, it’s that including so many stories require each tale be fairly brief and will leave the reader wanting so much more. Along with a foreword that expands on the concept of Indigenous Futurisms and provides some additional information on the individual stories, the collection also includes a short sketchbook of concept drawings and biographies of the contributors, including references to a number of their longer works. Perhaps a little something to read while hoping for the fourth volume of this important and thought-provoking series. 

Book Review: Our Homesick Songs by Emma Hooper

By Larissa Page

It’s 1992 and the fish have become scarce in the waters around Big Running and Little Running, Newfoundland, where the people have fished and relied on the water for their livelihood for generations. With the fish gone, the people are leaving too. The communities were small to begin with, but as more and more families move out west to find work, abandoning their homes and their previous lives, the Conners become one of the only families remaining. Finn, age 10, and his sister Cora, 14, cling to their former lives as their family starts to pull apart after their parents decide to alternate a month at a time working out west. When Cora goes missing, Finn is desperate to bring the fish back to the waters around the Runnings in an effort to bring his family back together.

This story alternates timelines and points of view. Mostly centred on Finn and the present day of 1992–1993, when his family is falling apart, it also tells the story of 20 years earlier when his parents fell in love, and his family was first formed. From 1969 to 1993 we see families being pulled apart and coming together, sticking to home and leaving home for new opportunities, building new relationships and coming back to old ones.

This novel was heartbreaking but never made me feel hopeless; it was a story I really enjoyed reading. Finn was a well-written child character. I felt his pain and confusion about the changes that were happening that he couldn’t fully understand, and his drive and need to do what he could to help. I also felt the sisterly love Cora had for Finn and what she did to try to improve his life without many other people around. They both had so much outside of their control and they both tried in their own ways to control what they could.

I also really enjoyed the back story of Finn’s parents; it may have been my favourite part of the whole book. This story linked up a bit with their present day situation, which I thought was well done. This gave the story aspects of a love story, but ultimately it was the love story of a family; their love for each other, their family ties, their love for a community. 

I didn’t know how their story would end, and with any story of a family, I still don’t really, but I was more than happy to be drawn back into the story every time. The events of the novel were sad and worrisome without being too tough or too traumatic for me as a reader. As mentioned, it was both heartbreaking and hopeful, and it is a novel I will be putting on my keeper shelf and recommending to friends to read.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.