Book Review: The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester

By Christine McFaul

At the start of this year, the Cloud Lake team asked each reviewer what books we were most excited to read in 2021. The Fabulous Zed Watson was in my top three, so I entered the reading experience with high expectations … and this book delivered! The authors set the “Zed charm-o-meter to 11” and produced pure joy in book form. 

The Fabulous Zed Watson is a middle-grade triumph co-authored by child-parent team Basil and Kevin Sylvester. Amongst the many things that make this work so special, the novel features fantastic sketch-y illustrations by Kevin and an #OwnVoices perspective provided by Basil.

Zed Watson is an irresistibly charming non-binary tween who loves their chosen name, brightly patterned sweaters, their big, exuberant family, and monsters! They are part of a small online community dedicated to solving the mystery surrounding an epic Gothic novel called The Monster’s Castle. The first four chapters of the book are a cult classic amongst monster connoisseurs like Zed, but the rest of the manuscript was buried by its enigmatic author before it could be published. When an unexpected IRL meeting with fellow site member Gabe leads to a breakthrough discovery, the two set off on a rollicking literary scavenger hunt.

At its heart, this is a friendship story. And what better foundation to explore the complexity of human dynamics than stuck in an old clunker with A/C on the fritz and buried treasure on the line? Zed and Gabe soon find out that despite their shared passion for Gothic novels, they are actually very different from one another. Zed is a self-proclaimed “flamboyant and well-regarded drama kwing,” while Gabe is more of a “human Eeyore.” They end up bickering over car snacks, taste in tunes, and most importantly, the meaning behind the cryptic clues they are following. The story provides a humorous, poignant, and very realistic portrayal of what it takes to collaborate as Zed and Gabe navigate their differences, leverage their strengths, and eventually become great friends.

This exploration of human connection continues as the two forge bonds with a myriad of unforgettable people met along their route. These new characters are expertly woven into the fabric of the story and embedded in the reader’s heart. The narrative itself becomes a beautiful celebration of found community, whether it derives from online fan-groups, real-life encounters, library visits (my personal favourite), secret diners, or even, not to leave the reader out, within the pages of a great book.

Perhaps most special is the Sylvesters’ portrayal of the non-binary tween experience. No one is more confident in who they are than Zed! Never teased or tormented, Zed is simply free to be!

My coming out wasn’t what he found funny. In fact, Frank often said it was only the third most interesting thing I’d done that night.

Sure, there are moments that get Zed down, like when people misgender them or when they are required to share sensitive legal information (containing their assigned gender and deadname) with grumpy border guards. But Zed has a myriad of relatable tween ways to cope and move on. Never losing an ounce of their “Zedly charm,” their spirit remains indomitable and their puns on-point.

In an interview with Debbie Redpath Ohi (find it on her website inkygirl.com), Basil Sylvester spoke about the incredible power of books to “open your mind and heart.” Gorgeous! And by that definition, this book is powerful indeed. Buoyant, laugh-out-loud funny, and impossible not to love, I urge you to pick-up The Fabulous Zed Watson for your tweens (or yourself!) and prepare to disappear into the happiest of spring/summer reading!

As always, I encourage interested readers to check out #OwnVoices reviews (Goodreads and Bookstagram are great places to start!) to expand on the thoughts I have shared here. 

Thank you to HarperCollins for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

by Kaylie Seed

Content warning: abuse, sexual abuse, loss of a child, graphic scenes

Sadeqa Johnson’s Yellow Wife is a challenging yet beautifully written piece of historical fiction. Inspired by true events of the 1850s, Yellow Wife follows Pheby Delores Brown, who was born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, and who ends up in an unlikely situation granting her a sliver of freedom. Pheby was born to her Black mother and a white man, and in turn is given the title “yellow,” which ends up giving her a slight advantage in this brutal way of life. Pheby had the opportunity to read, write, and learn piano during a time when it was illegal for any Black person to be educated, making Pheby the witty, smart young woman she is throughout Yellow Wife. Pheby is an extremely likeable character that the reader will be rooting for even after the story is finished.

Johnson is not afraid to show the reader the brutality that Black slaves endured and while it can be incredibly difficult to read, it is very important to be aware of this history and to remind readers that white privilege is by no means new. Johnson includes topics such as power, racism, misogyny, the mother-daughter relationship, and the power of love. Yellow Wife is incredibly powerful and is intended not only to entertain but also to make the reader think.

Johnson has done her research for Yellow Wife, and I highly encourage the reader to take the time to read the Author’s Note at the of the novel. Here Johnson describes where the inspiration for her characters and plot came from. In addition to the research that Johnson has put into Yellow Wife, her story is solid with no redundancy or plot holes. The prose in Yellow Wife flows smoothly and Johnson even paid attention to the various accents that would have been heard in the 1850s, which are shown through dialogue. Yellow Wife is an exquisite novel that will make the reader fall in love and break their heart at the same time.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Speak, Silence by Kim Echlin

By Kim McCullough

Content Warning: Sexual violence, suicide, war

Speak, Silence by Kim Echlin follows Gota Dobson, a Toronto-based single mother and travel writer for an airline magazine. Gota has watched the Yugoslav wars on TV for years when an opportunity arises to attend a film festival in Sarajevo. Gota knows she has to go, at the very least, to see Kosmos, a man she’d met in Paris eleven years earlier. After that brief but life-changing affair, he left her. Now, he runs a theatre company in Sarajevo, and Gota is willing to risk the visit, even though the fighting is still going on outside the city. 

Once in Sarajevo, Kosmos introduces Gota to Edina, a lawyer who has shouldered the burden of compiling stories of the women who were sent to rape camps and brutalized during the war. A court has been set up at the Hague to try war criminals and bring justice to the women who suffered at their hands. Edina, who was also held captive, will join the survivors in testifying against the main perpetrator. Though the women, who include Edina’s daughter and mother, can never recover all they’ve lost, they hope a trial will be a step toward healing.

As the trial approaches, Gota’s friendship with Edina deepens. Gota is determined to support Edina and the women by attending court each day. Kosmos and the other male characters—Gota’s editor, a taxi driver, a guard at the courthouse—slip into supporting roles. They show kindness and decency—normalcy that provides a stark contrast to the men who raped and murdered their way through the war. 

Echlin keeps the narrative focused firmly on the women, drawing parallels between Edina and Gota and their respective mothers and daughters. Edina and her family can’t ever go home again, while Gota’s lives in peace and safety in Canada. Gota’s daughter is concerned with her future, while Edina’s just wants to forget her past. 

During breaks in the trial, Gota returns home to Toronto. These brief respites from the difficult testimony in the Netherlands are rich with detail and freighted with a dreamlike sense of unreality. Echlin carefully draws out a sense of disconnection in Gota; she misses her daughter, but her attention is always on Edina and the women. 

Speak, Silence is well-researched and beautifully crafted. The narrative slips through time, sometimes moving quickly through events and sometimes in slow and deliberate detail. Echlin’s prose is both succinct and eloquent, and her dialogue shines, sometimes more in what isn’t said than what is on the page. 

Speak, Silence is a crushing call to bear witness to the brutal crimes committed against women in the Yugoslav wars. And yet, beauty is found in the incredible strength and friendship that defines Gota and Edina’s bond, as well as the bravery and allyship of the women who stood before the court to tell their terrible truths. 

*Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review

In Conversation with Alana Pidwerbeski author of Noises of the Night

With Christine McFaul

Photo by Samin Abarqoi Photography

Noises of the Night is a lovely bedtime read: sweet and soothing with such striking illustrations. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to chat with you about the process of creating such a delightfully Canadian picture book.

This book is such a calming read. Are there any books or lullabies from your childhood that were a favourite at bedtime? 

I loved Dr. Seuss as a child, something about the rhymes and rhythms always caught my attention! Books like Sleepy Bears by Mem Fox, and Sarah Squirrel and the Lost Acorns (Julie Sykes and Catherine Walters) always caught my attention. I was in love with the artwork on every page, and I would admire them while my mother read to us before bed. As for lullabies specifically, I was born in December and my mother always sang Silent Night to me, and that song still has a special place in my heart to this day.

You have chosen to include sounds that are so perfectly evocative of a Canadian night. Which Canadian night noise do you personally find most soothing? And conversely, which one drives you crazy! 

I love the sounds of rain, crickets, and frogs. These are the sounds I heard most often growing up in a rural area of the Okanagan, and they are just so peaceful to me. For a long time traffic noises and city noises were very bothersome to me, it actually prompted me to write Noises of the Night. I was in Toronto one week for my sister’s graduation, and I barely slept a wink due to the constant sirens and traffic outside my window! It got me thinking about the plethora of sounds across Canada at night, and thus my lullaby was born! Now that I live in my own place in town, I have grown much more accustomed to the soft noises of cars driving by...sirens do still bother me though!

You are both the author and illustrator of this story. What comes first in your process: the pictures or the words? 

For me the story always seems to flow first. I actually wrote the lullaby two years before I even started my illustrations. I had lost touch with my art for the longest time, but I am so glad that I was able to reconnect with it on the pages of my story. I look forward to writing and illustrating more stories in the future.

This book is a celebration of the landscape and wildlife all around us. What inspires your creative process?

Like most, my creative process is a little all over the map. It took me over six months to illustrate my book, finding time in the evenings after work, or on my days off. I knew I wanted every sunset to be a little different from the next, and I would take photos of beautiful ones outside my window when they would arise, I think my phone is overflowing with them to be honest! I also knew I wanted to include landmark landscapes from all over Canada, I did my best to not leave anyone out! Diversity in books is also of extreme importance to me, and so the children in my book are painted to reflect that.

What is your favourite Canadian animal? 

Oh that is a very difficult question! I am an animal lover at heart, so I feel guilty to choose just one! Growing up my dad taught my sister and I all about our local animals and how to identify them. Having that knowledge still reminds me of those moments in my childhood. My grandparents also have a cattle farm, and so I was also exposed to farm life from the time I could toddle around in gumboots. Feeding cows, holding chickens, catching frogs, raising tadpoles, all animals hold a special place in my heart.

Do you have any new projects in the works?

I do! I am working on my illustrations for my next children’s book, currently titled All I Can Grow Are Tomatoes. It is a story about a little girl who wants to be just like everyone else, but her natural born talents keep getting in the way. Over the course of the story she learns to love herself for her differences, and realizes that everyone is different, and that is what makes the world such a wonderful place. 

I am also slowly working on a novel, but it could be years before I finish it at this rate!

Creating both the text and images for this book must have its challenges. What is one piece of advice that you would give to an aspiring picture book author/illustrator?

I think the hardest thing in any creative process is the fear that it won’t be perfect. That was a big curve ball for me, especially when illustrating (I wanted my book to be amazing and perfect!) but perfection is subjective. Trust your gut, take breaks, go for walks to change your perspective, and don’t forget to have fun!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are working on their first few novels and are trying to navigate the publishing world?

There are so many options in today’s publishing world. Research all your options. Traditional publishing can be daunting, and you may never get a response to your query letter. I know I received very few, and all were disappointing. Assisted publishing, and self publishing are always an option, and always a good starting point if it works well for the vision of your work. For me, it allowed me to paint my own illustrations, something that seems to not be very common in the traditional publishing world. Also, use Google, and research how to write strong queries, get your work proofread by someone else, run ideas past people in your life, but don’t let their opinions daunt you, let them inspire you to be the best you can be.

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

My must read book? That is a hard one! The Art of Possibility by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander was a book that really influenced my life and way of thinking two years ago, and I always recommend it to everyone. Untamed by Glennon Doyle was also a very poignant and soul touching read. In addition to this, anything by Margaret Atwood. 

When it comes to books that inspire my children’s books, I would have to say it is a mixed collection. I nannied for a number of years, and I always found it interesting to watch which books were chosen most often over the others.  Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site  and Steam Train Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker were always popular, as well as classics like Goodnight Moon, and Green Eggs and Ham. I have always loved rhyme and rhythm in stories, and I loved witnessing that today’s children seem to just as much. 

Book Review: Noises of the Night by Alana Pidwerbeski

By Christine McFaul

Noises of the Night by author and illustrator Alana Pidwerbeski is a sweet lullaby set against striking images of the Canadian landscape.

This picture book begins with a child settling into bed for the night. In the quiet moments before sleep arrives, she listens to the sounds of night outside her window and contemplates how these noises might differ across the vast country.  

Outside the wind blows

Through the leaves in the trees

My eyes are drooping

My mind drifting with ease

The words roll along simple and soothing, creating a song-like rhythm with a repetitive reminder that “the noises of night, differ near, differ far,” and “sing you lullabies wherever you are.” Rather than tell a story, the narrative is anecdotal, making brief stops from East Coast to West Coast and all the many places in between to spotlight noises typical of the region. Readers hear waves crashing, the call of loons, and wolves howling. They also hear the cooing of pigeons, the flight of planes, and the rumble of cars. Inclusive of both wilderness and urban settings, there is something for every child to recognize, no matter where they might call home. The words sweep across the country with a calming, sleepy ease, gentling nocturnal sounds and activity as they go.

But the real highlight of this picture book are the illustrations. There are twenty-one pictures in total with a bold and modernist feel that calls to mind the artwork of the Group of Seven. And similar to the work of these iconic artists, Pidwerbeski’s illustrations feel synonymous with the Canadian landscape and animals they depict. From a lone lighthouse standing strong on rocky shores to northern lights dancing over an Inuksuk with other breadcrumbs to discover along the way (a hockey stick on the bedroom floor, a silhouette of the CN Tower in the background, a flock of Canada geese overhead), these gorgeous illustrations are sure to please Canadian readers young and old. The palette is a mixture of beautiful and unexpected twilight colours. Deep plums and blues are set against warm yellow lights and the pinks and oranges of a fading summer sunset. The tones gradually darken with each image until, at the end of the book, the sun has set, and the reader is transported into a starry, summer night. 

A calming lullaby complimented with beautiful pictures, Noises of the Night is a relaxing bedtime story that will appeal to Canadian readers and beyond. I believe it would best suit readers on the younger end of the picture book age range (with 2-4 being the ideal audience).

*Thank you to author Alana Pidwerbeski for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warning: blood/gore, depression, drug use, off-page suicide, racism, violence 

(*Note, an extensive content warning is provided with an author’s note at the beginning of the book, please read before starting the book.)  

A Dark and Hollow Star by debut Canadian author Ashley Shuttleworth follows Nausicaa, an exiled ex-Fury bent on causing chaos on Earth to punish her immortal family; Arlo, an iron-born Fae princess rejected by her family for her weak magic and half-human heritage; Aurelian, a royal Fae guard desperate to keep his problematic charge alive and safe from his queen mother’s manipulations; and Vehan, aforementioned problematic charge, whose life of princely privilege hides growing threats to his life. This unlikely group is drawn together by fate (and luck) when iron-born Fae begin to turn up dead, and nobody but them seems to care. A dark conspiracy is at hand, one the immortal gods seem to have a vested interest in, and these four seem to be right at its centre. 

The first thing you need to know about this book is that it’s partially set in Toronto and is full of references to Canadian gems like the ROM, Ripley’s Aquarium, Indigo, and Timbits! While some of these landmarks are a bit over-explained for non-Canadian readers, it was super exciting for me as a reader to see references to places I know and love. This book is an urban fantasy, with the world of the Fae woven into our human environment, and Toronto landmarks were a fun way to make the setting feel contemporary. It made the fantastical elements feel even more exciting because they were immersed in a world I recognized. 

While the Canadian references are super fun, and the book’s dialogue is very quippy and sarcastic, this is not a light read. I have provided a content warning at the beginning of this review for some of the more prevalent subjects this book discusses, and Ashley Shuttleworth provides a far more thorough explanation of some of the more serious topics the book touches on. Each of the characters struggles with their mental health and traumas they repress and need to work through. I feel Shuttleworth handles these topics respectfully, and I applaud them for prioritizing the health of their readers. 

Where this book really shines is the vividness of each of the characters. Every member of the main four, as well as several of the side characters, are distinct and memorable. Their interactions feel genuine, and it’s easy to get invested in their individual stories and to want them to succeed. 

Where this book falls a little short was in the mythologies and climax. While much of the Fae government system is easy to follow, and for the most part, the worldbuilding was clear and easily understood, as the book goes on and more elements get introduced, it can become hard to follow, and the merging of several different types of mythology can, at times, trip up the reader. However, this did not take away from my reading experience. The climax, contrarily, did. I won’t go into too much detail, but there was a lack of tension for me, and the characters made some decisions that were very illogical in a frustrating way, which made me feel dissatisfied with the resolution to this particular story. 

That being said, this book gave me a brutal book hangover: for three days, I searched the internet for fan art and bonus content for these characters, and, since I read the book before it was officially released, I came up short, which was infuriating! Shuttleworth did such a good job of building an immersive world in a city I recognize, and in crafting characters whose lives and romances I am deeply invested in. While this particular conclusion was a little lacklustre, I am incredibly excited to read the next book in this series, as I feel like this was just a tease of the epic story Shuttleworth has planned for us.

If you are a fan of darker YA, urban fantasy, queer romances, dark faeries, and badass and loveable characters, definitely consider picking up this book. If you’re from Canada, doubly so! 

Book Review: Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

by Dahl Botterill

History and monsters share the opening prologue of Cherie Dimaline's novel Empire of Wild. The history is one of displacement and community, while the monsters are both fantastic and all too real. 

Arcand is a small community made up of Métis families. Their ancestors were forcibly moved from Drummond Island to Georgian Bay in the early 1800s, only to be displaced again when their shorelines drew the eyes of developers. Cottages and vacation homes eventually pushed most of the Métis from the water up a dirt road into what would become Arcand. The roads and land thereabouts are home not only to the Metis and the local wildlife but also to the Rogarou, the werewolf and warning that remains long after so much else had been taken, hunting those that would betray or steal or hurt.

After this brief lesson, the book introduces Joan Beausoliel. Joan is grief-stricken and desperate in her eleventh month of searching for her missing husband. Victor was the love of her life, the person who fit her like nobody else could, but he disappeared after a disagreement over selling her family land to a developer. When no sign of him was found, the town and community gave up on looking for him, but Joan hasn't. Her life has become consumed by her search for Victor and by her attempts to fill the very empty space when she isn't searching. Joan is a mess when she stumbles into a revival tent in the local Walmart parking lot and finds herself face to face with a barely recognizable Victor that doesn't know her at all.

So begins the story of Joan's desperate efforts to save a man that doesn't know her from a threat that nobody can see, and it grows into a more interesting tale than I expected at first glance. I picked up Empire of Wild because I enjoyed The Marrow Thieves, but the brief synopsis left me expecting something a little more pedestrian, something that played it a little safer. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover otherwise.

Cherie Dimaline weaves history, culture, and werewolves into a thrilling novel of love, loss, and neocolonialism. The past and present are bound together by both the family members surrounding Joan and the dangers surrounding Arcand. All these interrelationships are described using words and sentences appropriate to the story. The writing sometimes flows extensively; other times, it's sparse, but it always fits the tale being told. Dimaline doesn't waste space with the unnecessary, and Empire of Wild is all the more beautiful a book for her discernment.

Book Review: Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith

By Christine McFaul

Assault /violence, dysphoria, transphobia, homophobia, deadnaming, bullying, cheating, use of slurs, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, public outing.

Stay Gold is a coming-of-age teen love story by debut and #ownvoices transgender author Tobly McSmith. Everything from the premise to the gorgeous cover art (which combines a graphic feel and citrusy palette to swoon-worthy result) felt modern, fresh, and fun, making it a highly anticipated read for me!

Sick of the attention he got at his old school after coming out as transgender, Pony is going stealth at his new Texas high school. Georgia is beginning to think there is more to life than the trope-y trappings of being a cheerleader and wants to lay low until graduation, a plan that includes a self-imposed dating moratorium. But when Pony and Georgia lock eyes on the first day of the semester, sparks fly, and best-laid plans quickly go by the wayside in the face of undeniable chemistry. 

“Stay Cool. Stay Strong. Stay You.”

What a cover! What a tagline! What a pitch! … Unfortunately, the writing got off to a rocky start. 

The reader enters the narrative on a movie set, with Pony describing his first day at Hillcrest as if it is being filmed. Rather than a catchy hook, this device feels confusing as it bounces the reader back and forth between a first-person narrator and a first-person narrator referring to himself in the third person. It creates a distancing effect, prolonging that special moment when the reader connects with the main character. From there, it continues to flounder with several information dumps that feel stiff, educational, and completely at odds with Pony’s otherwise endearing teenage voice. Luckily the dialogue, by turns snappy, sizzling, humorous, and vulnerable, proves to be a saving grace. The flow of conversation is natural and engaging, providing the perfect vehicle to carry readers through a bumpy opening and propel them into the narrative.

Once the writing finds its groove, it is easy to enjoy the story. Beginning with that first simmering look between Pony and Georgia, McSmith offers up some fun, if slightly predictable, rom-com moments (New Guy competes with Football Star to get the Girl, splashy first kiss, and an actual Love Actually riff). The romantic storyline is entertaining, but for me, the love really shines in the subplots. Here the reader finds thoughtful contemplations of what it means to love yourself, family, and found family. I was powerless to resist the unshakeable sibling bond between Pony and Rocky. Simply and perfectly summed up in this text message: 

ROCKY: When your heart breaks, my heart breaks. 

And don’t even get me started on the perfection that was the freeing, inclusive, and very teenage conversations around the intersection of love and sex.

“What’s sex to you?” I ask.

“A mutual exchange of bodily fluids?”

“Yes. Gross, but yes. And—connection. Mentally, spiritually, but mostly physically.”

As Pony comes of age over the course of the story, he faces rights of passage that are light, relatable, and poignant. But, as mentioned in my content warning, there are also some that weigh more heavily. Even the central message of the book to “stay gold” has a darker side as being true to yourself is equated with the act of being publicly out, even when that comes at the expense of one’s physical and mental safety. The immense pressure Pony faces to be open, as well as some of the darker motifs, have sparked discussion in the greater reviewing community, and I highly encourage you to take a look at some of the excellent #OwnVoices reviews available for this book (plenty to be found on Goodreads and Bookstagram as a starting point).  

While Stay Gold is certainly not perfect, McSmith has created a main character who is impossible not to love and a story that is, ultimately, hopeful. I would recommend this book to anyone who reads the YA genre, enjoys a twisting-turning journey to a happy ending, and is informed of the potential for triggering material. 

*Thank you, HarperCollins Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: The Plague Cycle by Charles Kenny

by Kaylie Seed

Content warning: graphically depicts symptoms of infectious diseases 

Nonfiction, especially when backed with science, can be difficult to review, so it is not the content that this review will focus on but rather how it was delivered. As long as there have been humans roaming earth there has been disease. The two seem to go hand in hand and have been at war with each other since the beginning of our existence. Charles Kenny began writing The Plague Cycle years before the novel coronavirus plagued humanity, but its release in January of 2021 was nothing but timely. The time and effort that Kenny put into researching The Plague Cycle is evident all throughout the novel and it’s clear that Kenny was passionate about this topic.

Kenny has written a very accessible piece of nonfiction about the history of plagues. The Plague Cycle not only gets to the point, but manages to weave humour into its writing, which acts as comic relief that balances the scientific and historic jargon dominating most of the novel. Readers who enjoy history and science will find great joy reading The Plague Cycle, and at the same time readers who may be new to the nonfiction scene will find this an easy one to begin with. It’s crucial to learn from our collective history and The Plague Cycle shows the reader that we have been, to an extent. There will always be a newer, deadlier infectious disease that will threaten to end humanity, and it’s up to us to ensure that we are ready to take it on.

*Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: The Truth About Magic by Atticus

by Jodene Wylie

In September of 2019, long before the world shut down from a pandemic, a sunset-covered book of poetry was released into the world, inspiring thoughts of love, magic, and adventure. Atticus, the usually masked poet and Instagram sensation, released The Truth About Magic as his third book of poetry following 2017’s Love Her Wild and 2018’s The Dark Between Stars. 

As much as this is a book of poetry, it is also a book of photography and art. It is a visual experience, alongside a play of words and lyricism. The poems are interspersed and interwoven with images of the beach, nature in all its forms, fireworks, starlight, travel destinations like Paris, and most important to the book—human connection and experience. While the cover suggests a glorious sunset, the images inside are all in greyscale, as though one is reading the book through the night.

The Truth About Magic is broken into seven sections: Magic in Youth, Magic in Love, Magic in Adventure, Magic in Her, Magic in Darkness, Magic in Words, and Magic in Stars. These section titles infer the tone and topic of the poems found within, though the poems themselves seem to have a bit of a life of their own. Structurally, there is no consistent rhyme or metre between the poems – they each stand alone. At times the poems are arranged into the popular free verse style while others are a single line, or two or three. The font type changes as does the use of italics, bold, and capitalization, which each lend themselves to supporting the overall sentiment behind the text. The diversity amongst poem structure ensures that the reader does not fall into a lull reading the same metered stanza over and over again on repeat for 247 pages. It should also be noted that the poems do not have titles, therefore if you ever wanted to describe or share the poem you must in fact read or begin reading the poem, which forces the new reader to interact and engage with the words themselves. 

As for the poems, the overarching theme tends to be love, while the tone and topic may change. I will also say that love is a broad term—not just between partners, but also for the self, as well as love towards hopes and dreams. The poems also explore people, their personalities, the actions they take, and the impact those actions have upon the poet. My favourite poems though are about Paris and what the poet describes as a “slow murmur of a Paris thought.” Perhaps because I am reading this during the latest lockdown I seem to connect most with thoughts on walking the Seine at sundown. 

This is a lovely escapist read. It is visually appealing and the sentiments and ideas are strongly linked to the human condition. While the poems are not academically refined they are a genuine pleasure and frankly, we could all use a little more of that. 

Book Review: How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones

By Kaylie Seed

Content Warning: domestic violence, death of a child, death of an animal, rape, incest

Gut-wrenching and raw, Cherie Jones’ debut novel How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House (How the One-Armed Sister) unapologetically explores patriarchal violence and its effect on generations. In Barbados, Lala is estranged from her grandmother, her only family, and lives a life in poverty with Adan, her abusive husband. How the One-Armed Sister looks at Lala’s life, as well as her mother’s and grandmother’s, and shows the reader how intergenerational trauma and patriarchal violence are interconnected cycles that are difficult to break. 

While How the One-Armed Sister is a stunning piece of literary fiction with brilliant prose, there is an entire character that feels redundant to the overall story. Mira is married to a wealthy man and together with his children, they spend time vacationing in Barbados. There are slight connections to Lala and the main plot, however the amount of time spent with Mira gives the impression that she is another main character, one that might even mirror Lala, but this isn’t the case. Mira’s character arc is unsatisfying and leaves the reader to ponder whether there was a need for the heavy focus on her throughout How the One-Armed Sister. The entire book is filled with heartache; this is not a happily ever after story. 

A novel meant to break the reader's heart, Jones succeeds—there is barely any glimmer of hope in this dark and gloomy book. The reader gets pummeled with depressing and graphic scenes with no respite.  This might feel like too much at times, but it’s clear that the point was to make the reader uncomfortable and feel these dark emotions. With heavy themes such as sexual abuse of a child, rape, graphic domestic violence, the death of a child, and even the death of a pet, the negative extremely outweighed the positive to the point where it became unbalanced and might not be enjoyable.  

How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House sheds light on the domestic violence that women in poverty are susceptible to, and how that leads to intergenerational trauma. Jones is a talented writer with fantastic works in her future.

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Undertaking of Billy Buffone by David Guiliano

by Kaylie Seed

Content Warning: sexual abuse of children, graphic scenes, death of a child

Set in Northwestern Ontario, David Giuliano’s novel The Undertaking of Billy Buffone is a tale about how one person’s heinous actions can impact lives for many years to come through trauma and grief. Told from the ghostly perspective of Matthew, Billy’s childhood best friend who died as a youth, the reader will learn about the dark secrets that have engulfed the small town of Twenty-Six Mile House for decades.  Billy Buffone is an eccentric, middle-aged funeral home director in Northwestern Ontario. Billy has never been away from home for long, and he is deathly aware of the secrets that want to remain buried in this sleepy town.

I am from Northwestern Ontario myself, so it was really neat to see this location used and used well. Giuliano is also from the area and it is clear to the reader that he did his research and did Northwestern Ontario proud. Giuliano has created some unique characters that bring a much-needed lightness to this macabre novel, and they are a joy to read. The Undertaking of Billy Buffone also pays homage to Anishinaabe (who reside in Northwestern Ontario) culture and traditions respectfully and with warmth, another beacon of light in this sad story. 

The Undertaking of Billy Buffone touches on some heavy topics that the reader should be made aware of before diving in, mainly the sexual abuse of children, which can get graphic. Giuliano has managed to write about these difficult topics gracefully while maintaining the bluntness of them. The Undertaking of Billy Buffone also touches on trauma, grief, friendship, and love. While there can be difficult-to-read scenes, Giuliano has written a touching story about the brotherly love between friends and how that love is unconditional. The Undertaking of Billy Buffone is a beautifully written piece of literary fiction that will bring the reader heartache and warmth.

*Thank you, Latitude 46 Publishing for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

New Ways for Poets to Get Paid

by Evan J

Photo by Evan J

It’s no secret that it’s near impossible to make any significant money as a poet. There are arguably only five poets in Canada that actually bring home the bacon from poetry book sales. Personally, as a professional poet, when I audit my most financially lucrative years, I’m still not making anything more than $5,000 a year, and that includes grants. Yet it seems that other artists (musicians, photographers, filmmakers, culinary artists), even enthusiastic, emerging ones, can earn a living wage by their craft. 

While the internet falsely suggests that it’s possible to get by as a professional working poet, I have yet to find any inventive answers for how to do so. Poetry book sales, public readings, literary journals, and contest winnings are all fun, but they don’t pay the bills. So I assessed the market and came up with three unexplored opportunities for poets to potentially make some significant money. If you are keen to work exclusively as a poet, to earn your life’s primary dollars by using your artistic craft, I believe you might be able to do so by exploring these three options.

1. Connect with large organizations.

For-profit, non-profit, committees—really any organization in any industry that has enough money for advertising and conferences. Large organizations are often looking for new and unique media content. Sometimes they’re looking to supplement the opening hour or keynote speech at a conference. Sometimes they have a community engagement wing you didn’t know about. For any of these reasons, it’s not unheard of for a large organization to consider commissioning a poet to create and record applicable poetry. Of the poets that do find these gigs, the slam poets significantly outnumber the page poets, so having a knack for performance can go a long way, further than awards or publishing credentials. Regarding how to connect with these organizations, it’s both a numbers game and a quality game. You’ll have to connect with hundreds of organizations, sell yourself well, and have recorded examples at the ready. Having a family or friend connection to the organization can help you through the front door.

2. Document weddings.

Wedding organizers are often willing to hire musicians and photographers without ever questioning the thousand-dollar price tag. Consequently, there might be an opportunity to convince the happy couple that their special day also deserves to be documented poetically. Picture this: a home’s hallway decorated with a set of picture frames, each frame filled with an elegant poem, every poem glorifying and defining that special wedding day. Like beginner photographers, you’d need examples and a healthy social media presence. You’d have to complete a few discounted wedding gigs to help acquire example material and testimonials. 

3. Offer programming for seniors.

When poets think about community programming opportunities, the list usually starts at libraries and ends at grade schools. Yet this completely disregards the other end of the age range. Facilities that provide entertainment and care services to adults and seniors (seniors centres, adult learning centres, supportive housing, retirement communities, retirement homes and independent living facilities, assisted living facilities, nursing homes) are often looking for programming from external sources. At these locations, musicians, theatre companies, crafting professionals, and visual artists regularly offer weekly entertainment sessions. There is no reason a poet could not also provide a regular reading or creative writing session.

Book Review: Follow Me To Ground by Sue Rainsford

by Kaylie Seed

Content Warning: gore

Sue Rainsford’s magical realism debut is unlike anything that you will read this year. Follow Me to Ground is delightfully disturbing, unique, and, well—it is weird in the best way possible. Ada and her father are otherworldly beings living among “Cures” (humans), and they have the gift to cure sickness in humans. While Ada and her father appear to be human, likely to ease the humans they cure, they are far from it; they are beings that have come from the “Ground.” As the story progresses, Ada struggles with continuing with life as it has always been, and with falling in love with Samson, a human.

Rainsford has chosen to not use quotation marks in Follow Me to Ground to indicate when a character is speaking, and even though there aren’t quotation marks, the reader can still differentiate between character voices and hear the uniqueness in each of them. Rainsford has included topics in Follow Me to Ground such as forbidden love, the father-daughter relationship, and coming-of-age. The three of these themes blend as Ada struggles between acting on her calling and what she truly desires.

Rainsford’s prose is simply stunning and captivating; she even manages to take scenes with creepy elements and makes them sound beautiful. Follow Me to Ground is short, to the point, and can easily be read in one sitting. There are some parts of the plot that can make the reader uneasy, however, the reader will want to know what is going to happen next. Rainsford is talented and can conjure up a story that hasn’t been told yet. It will be interesting to see what she comes up with next and because of that, she is an author I’ll be keeping an eye on.

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

Book Review: Found Drowned by Laurie Glenn Norris

by Kaylie Seed

Content Warning: sexual assault, animal abuse, child abuse

Laurie Glenn Norris has crafted a chilling debut novel based on a true unsolved crime from 1877 in Atlantic Canada. Created entirely from Glenn Norris’s imagination along with snippets of articles and stories surrounding Mary Harney’s disappearance, Found Drowned is an excellent piece of Canadian historical fiction. Seventeen-year-old Mary Harney is a dreamer and has a vivid imagination, traits that shouldn’t be associated with a young lady almost old enough to be wed. Mary’s home life is far from perfect, with an alcoholic father and a grandmother who doesn’t think highly of her, so it’s no wonder that Mary finds solace in her own thoughts. One evening during a domestic altercation between her parents, Mary goes missing from her home in Rockley, Nova Scotia. Some time later an unknown woman washes ashore in Bell’s Point, Prince Edward Island, and these two small towns become entwined as they try to solve this mystery.

Glenn Norris goes between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island to paint a picture of what would have happened in 1877 when a suspected murder had been committed. It is clear to the reader that Glenn Norris has put a tremendous amount of time into researching the story of Mary Harney, the judicial and forensic procedures in the late 19th century, and also the areas in which Found Drowned takes place. Glenn Norris certainly has a way with words, and she manages to capture the reader’s attention very early on. The prose throughout Found Drowned is fantastic, and Glenn Norris has paid attention to detail when it comes to the era she has written about. While Found Drowned is a dark and melancholy novel, Glenn Norris wrote it in such a way that it allows the voice of a young woman, who had hers taken way too soon, be heard.

Thank you to Nimbus Publishing for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

by Megan Amato

 Content Warning: Sexual abuse, rape, substance use 

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Split Tooth by Inuk author Tanya Tagaq.  I was browsing a small bookstore in Whistler, British Columbia last winter when I spotted the cover faced out on the shelf: the forbidding white fox against the black background. A flip through at the combination of poetry, prose and illustrations made my interest keener. The blurb that promised a story woven around myth and a girl dealing with trauma and pregnancy in rural Nunavut during the 1970s had me pulling out my wallet.

The blurb lied. Or rather—it was so oversimplified that it did not prepare me for the beautiful and devastating journey I was about to embark on. Trauma does play a significant role, specifically sexual trauma—mixed vividly in the prose and more abstractly through the lines of poetry—but Tagaq does a frighteningly good job of normalizing sexual assault within the lines of the book through the bright-eyed lens of the protagonist. It’s done purposefully and with skill so that the reader can’t help but draw parallels to how normalized sexual abuse is in our own societies. 

One line in the blurb, however, especially buried the lede: “When she becomes pregnant, she must navigate all this.” It’s “this” I take issue with because nowhere in that little snippet did it tell me that said pregnancy would be the resultant progeny of the Northern Lights—you read that right—after It takes the girl by force. Possibly, I might have drawn this conclusion from “she knows…the raw, amoral power of the ice and sky,” but I think you could forgive me for not making the connection. The pregnancy only takes place two-thirds of the way through the book, so it’s not even a significant part of the story, and the birth of these celestial children plays a more significant role. 

I previously stated that I didn’t know what to expect from this book, and that theme continued on through every page that I read. The language Tagaq uses in terms of trauma is significant and intentional. Despite the almost carefree, child-like attitude of the protagonist, she doesn’t pull her punches or gently whisper euphemisms when it comes to trauma and sexual assault. It’s stated bluntly, simply, so that you have no choice but to confront the issue at hand even amid her flowing prose of poetry. 

Split Tooth is not an easy read despite how beautifully it’s written or the passages of poetry that shorten its 189 pages. It challenges and defies the reader at every turn. It weaves myth into the storyline in an intentionally coarse manner. This isn’t a fairytale, and that it is at least partially a memoir causes every tense muscle in your body to want to scream and cry and rage and take action. Please forgive me for a review nearly as vague as the blurb. I find that they actually did the right thing—this book needs to be read without too many assumptions imparted by those who read it before you. 

Book Review: Feelings by Manjit Thapp

by Kaylie Seed

Manjit Thapp’s gorgeous graphic novel Feelings is a story about how feelings change with the seasons and how that is only a natural human experience. Feelings takes the reader through six seasons: high summer, late summer, monsoon, autumn, winter, and spring. In each chapter, Thapp focuses on the feelings that she associates with that season, and at the same time, she has chosen colours and drawings that reflect those feelings. Thapp has written Feelings like a graphic novel, where the illustrations have more power than the words used, however she manages to blend the two exquisitely, leaving the reader to ponder their own feelings.

Thapp’s main theme is mental health and she has captured the highs and lows we all experience so fluidly. The graphics Thapp has drawn for Feelings are soft, dainty, and truly help express the feelings that Thapp is portraying. I personally really resonated with Feelings and found Thapp’s writing to be sincere and to the point; the entire book is a stunning piece of art. This quick read can be finished in one sitting but the reader will find themselves opening Feelings even after they’ve read it just to admire the artistry.

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

Book Review: Bacchanal by Veronica Henry

by Meghan Mazzaferro

Release date: June 1st, 2021

Content warning: racial tensions, racial violence, instances of violence and gore 

Veronica Henry’s novel Bacchanal follows Liza, a Black woman in the 1930s American South with a secret power to communicate with animals. When a mysterious carnival, Bacchanal, asks her to join their group, Liza sees a way out of her backwater town by making her own money, gaining independence, and hopefully finding the family who abandoned her. But there is a darkness lurking within the carnival, one that traces back to Nigeria and Liza’s ancestors, and if she has any hope of escaping, she needs to learn to control her powers and quickly. 

This book has a lot of potential. Liza is a strong, passionate woman who is easy to root for, and her powers are unique. I haven’t read many books where the main character can speak to animals, and the way in which Liza communicates with them is definitely really interesting. Many of the side characters are also compelling. Though darkness surrounds the carnival, all of its workers are interesting and developed, and Henry did an excellent job of showing how the carnival benefits the people who work there. While the reader knows about the darkness at Bacchanal’s heart, it is impossible to fully root against the villain, because those we come to care about while reading will also suffer if the carnival falls. 

The book is heavily influenced by African culture and traditions, with a major theme being Liza’s exploration of her ancestry; learning about herself and her African roots is the only way for her to embrace her powers and face the threat within Bacchanal. I have little knowledge of African cultures, but I never got lost in the story. That being said, there are many things that would definitely have held more significance if I had a deeper knowledge of African histories and cultures. I have seen other reviewers of this book say that Henry sometimes asks the reader to meet her halfway. I agree with that statement, and I think it makes the novel stronger. Henry explores both 1930s American culture and African cultures and traditions without spoon-feeding the audience exposition, trusting that the story can carry itself, and that the reader will put in the work to understand. I commend that, and I think it makes the book a very immersive read. 

Unfortunately, there are a few areas where I found the story falls a little flat. The narrative is actually quite slow. While the story is immersive, it became clear to me pretty quickly that there wasn’t as much conflict in the narrative as one might expect. There were many instances where it seemed like there would be challenges to Liza or the carnival that unfortunately fizzled into nothing, and it made the book feel a little lacking by the time I reached the conclusion. Likewise, while many of the side characters were fleshed out and interesting in their own rights, their interactions with each other tended to be underexplored. I was often told how characters felt about each other rather than being shown, which led to some of the character relationships feeling slightly forced and underdeveloped. 

That being said, the book was still an enjoyable read. While I found the central plot lacking a certain depth to really make it stand out, Henry does an excellent job of making you question what you think will happen next. For that, as well as for the book’s representation of the balance between modernity and heritage in the 1930s American South, I would say I overall enjoyed this book.

Thank you, Wunderkind Publicity, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

In Conversation with Michael Christie author of Greenwood

With Dahl Botterill

Photo by Cedar Bowers

Your previous books gave you ample opportunity to draw from personal experience but you've mentioned that Greenwood required a great deal more research. Were there any aspects of Greenwood's characters or plot that required a little less research? Any small opportunities to breathe your own tastes and experiences into the novel?

There are always these opportunities, in fact I doubt I could write about anything that I didn’t have at least some experience with. Often, I’ll do something in my normal, non-writing life, fully believing there will be no crossover between the two, until I eventually discover myself writing about it a few years later. This was the case for building our little house on Galiano Island, which I undertook mainly because I’m cheap and didn’t want to pay anyone to build it for us! But it was an experience that eventually informed the carpentry sections of Greenwood, and my general interest in wood and the lumber industry as well. But I feel a kinship with all the characters I’ve created, even those who have lived much different lives than I have. This is the wondrousness of fiction. To recognize our deepest selves in characters made of words.

Greenwood's story is multi-generational but it also presents very different attitudes and lives among those generations. Not only does each character have a very different personality but each also relates very differently to the trees that are so central to the novel. Was the breadth of these differences something that grew out of the story, or did the characters and their attitudes come first with the story being shaped by your cast?

You know I’m not really sure? I’m just awful at keeping a mental record of what idea develops in what order during a novel’s genesis. Because it’s often the case that the best ideas feel like they’ve always been so, and they rewrite those ideas that existed before them. My writing process is like a big, messy smorgasbord crossed with a riot, an event that the writing is an attempt to make some sense of and clean up. But with Greenwood, I guess there was no chance that I wouldn’t write about the vast differences among the personalities and ideologies of generations. Family members all aligned in their thinking make for a dull story! (And I doubt they actually exist. I mean, I’ve never met a family like that, have you?) But in the end, the many ways the various Greenwoods see trees compose almost a kind of history of environmental thinking in North America (in white, settler-colonial culture specifically, because indigenous people were obviously much more advanced in their ideas of ecology and stewardship.) From mere survival to wanton extraction to guilty appreciation to careful preservation to a kind of appreciative symbiosis. Hopefully we will be able make that last evolution.

Among such a wealth of characters are there any that you particularly identify with yourself either in the way they relate to trees and the world around them or just in some aspect of their personality?

As I mentioned, I identify with some aspect of all the characters in this book. I admire Everett’s resilience, Harris’s drive, Lomax’s doggedness, Temple’s pragmatism, Liam’s commitment to his work, Willow’s idealism, and Jake’s understanding of our interconnectedness with the natural world. Whether I actually have any of these qualities in any abundance is debatable! But I admire them all the same. In my mind, a writer doesn’t have any business creating a character with whom they do not identify, at least partially. The alternative makes for lifeless, inhumane fiction, which is something I would rather not write, or read. 

Your previous novel (If I Fall, If I Die) was set in your hometown of Thunder Bay and it resulted in a setting that felt not only very lived in but also very familiar - flaws and all - to the people that live there. Greenwood takes place in many locations but the various settings still feel very comfortable. Could you tell us a little about your process for developing the novel's settings?

The settings all originated organically from the story. But early on, I loved the idea of Everett taking a train trip with the baby, so it was fun to follow them all the way across Canada. And I suppose it was a good way to capture the vastness and beauty of the continent in the writing as well, especially since it contrasts so starkly with the world we are creating, one stripped of all this vast beauty. Oh, and I must point out that there were two mentions of Thunder Bay in Greenwood! One in the future section, when Jake is describing all the places that have become popular destinations now that much of the US is uninhabitable. And the second when Everett is riding past Port Arthur and Fort William, and recalls the events of his childhood. In fact, I’m going to try to sneak some Thunder Bay content into everything I write from now on! It’s one of those little writerly delights, to insert a place into literature a place that always felt so un-literary when you were growing up there. It’s a weird kind of rebellion. 

While doing the research for Greenwood did you make any little discoveries that particularly grabbed you? Was there anything you learned that really held on and led you in a direction personally that perhaps the book didn't actually make use of as much?

So many discoveries! In fact, these discoveries are always the danger of research, which can become like the Island of the Lotus-eaters, where you’ll become stuck for a very long time, if you aren’t careful. But reading about the history of Canadian logging was deeply interesting to me, as well as the current science around the mechanisms of tree communication, which is just utterly fascinating, and still feels like the most exciting area of scientific discovery right now. I guess this was a theme of the book, that everything is extremely complicated when it is examined closely. And this complexity of all things can be impossibly beautiful when we take the time to honour and examine it. As for discarded research, I will admit that I did a bunch of research on stamp collection, for some reason, as well as the harvesting of all kinds of wild mushrooms. Both of which may come in handy someday, however, whether in my writing life or my personal life. So I won’t declare those as failures quite yet.

What are you currently working on? Is there another book set for publication from you soon that our readers can get excited about?

I’ve been doing lots of publicity type things, as well as working with some great folks on the limited series TV adaptation of Greenwood, which has been fun. And I have a draft of a new novel that’s currently kicking around on my computer. It’s about a different fictional island in BC, and it seems to be going okay. No clue when I’ll finish though. I’ve only realized recently that writing Greenwood took a great deal out of me, and along with the obvious pandemic-related lethargy, I’ve been going through a bit of a recharge phase. The older I get, the more I realize how important rest is to this process.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors on the craft of writing and for those who are trying to navigate the publishing world?

Here’s a smattering of advice: write about what’s most important to you; write without knowing the answer to the questions you’re asking, and make sure you don’t answer them by accident; write with generosity for your characters, but without mercy for the unnecessary words that will inevitably bog down your sentences. And most of all: write the kind of book you want to read. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.

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

Housekeeping by Marilynn Robinson is my favorite book of all time. It captures ideas of home and nature and family and siblinghood and mental illness with such humanity and naked wisdom, I don’t think I’ll ever understand how she did it. To me it’s a perfect encapsulation of the great alchemy that is fiction. I read it every year, and I’m always left thinking: how could words—the same dull words that we see cascading past us on our screens every single day—possibly do this?

Book Review: What Boys Like by Amy Jones

by Dahl Botterill

"How much do I cost?" Devin asked.

"I don't know yet," Jenny answered. 

Amy Jones' debut collection of short stories What Boys Like and Other Stories is an engrossing read. The stories cover a lot of ground, populated by a wide variety of characters that share a world of possibility, disappointment, and everything in between. The stories vary in tone and approach, as Jones employs first-, third-, and even second-person perspectives while weaving her tales, but one thing they all share is her comfortable prose. Her writing draws the reader in until they aren't reading so much as experiencing the story blossoming around them.

What Boys Like collects 15 stories under one cover, and none of them feel like an outright miss. There's sufficient variety that any given reader will have their own personal preferences, but every story offers up something special.

“A Good Girl” introduces a young man in his early thirties entangled with an 18-year-old who views their relationship through very different lenses than his own. He's not completely oblivious to this—he moves on romantically to other, more stable situations—but his everyday actions are at odds with his reactions whenever she pops back into his life. He just can't shake his desire, nor can he rid himself of the idea that she could somehow change into the person he wants her to be, despite all evidence to the contrary.

“Army of One” draws the reader into a bit of a reversal, following two people who are long-time best friends—and occasionally more—who similarly find themselves on very different pages. He's getting married, and she's not quite able or willing to let go of this man who never really chooses her. Their relationship is messy, comfortable, and totally broken all at the same time. 

“Twelve Weeks” is about a young woman returning to her childhood home, seeking comfort and resolution from a place that may no longer be capable of providing such things. There's a palpable sense of loss, regret, and hopelessness that lingers in the air between Jenny and her father.

Amy Jones creates characters that feel and sound real, and the combination of clean prose and smart dialogue place her reader in the middle of every scene. The result is a very solid book of short stories that's an absolute pleasure to read.