A splendid story set in the west of Ireland, about a family: wife/mother and four siblings. In the first part of the book, we meet the individual family members but the best part is in the latter half when the entire somewhat dysfunctional family is together. Complex relationships are described wonderfully.
Category: Location / Setting
A Year Of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman
This is a delightful and somewhat magical book, set in 1947 in Cornwall, England. The writing is beautiful, just wonderful story telling. Winman previously wrote the delightful When God Was A Rabbit which is brilliant.
(Amy’s note: When God was a Rabbit has one of the funniest descriptions of a Christmas pageant that I’ve ever read)
A Beauty by Connie Gault
Exquisite writing about small-town and rural Saskatchewan in 1932 (dirty thirties and depression) and 1960. At the heart of the story is Elena, an enigmatic and mysterious woman. Much is left unsaid in this moving and poignant story.
And The Birds Rained Down by Jocelyn Saucier
A beautiful and moving story about ageing on your own terms. The novel is set in Northern Ontario where 3 elderly men can hide in the remoteness. But two women join the hideaway and life for all changes. The ending is wistful and transcendent. This was the second funner-up in Canada Reads 2015 (with Martha Wainwright as the proponent), a very well-deserved recognition of exceptional writing.
Americanah by Chimanantha Ngozi Adichie
Adichie has written a brilliant book about a girl growing up in Nigeria, her 15 years in America and then her return to Nigeria. The writing is thoughtful and insightful, especially her observations about race in America (the central character writes a blog about life in America).
A God In Ruins by Kate Atkinson
This story is told in tantalizing pieces/sequences, alternating between 1925 to 2012. The slow reveal of details is exquisite. The central character, Teddy, is complex, both a WWII hero and yet somewhat cowardly in other aspects of his life. His relationship with his daughter Viola is particularly fascinating; she resents his reasonableness. And there is a big surprise at the end but in retrospect, this should have not been surprising because this novel is a companion to Atkinson’s superb last book, Life After Life.
The Children’s Act by Ian McEwan
McEwan writes wonderfully; even sentences with multiple phrases separated by commas read smoothly. In this novel about a 59 year-old Family Court Judge, McEwan revisits a theme in Atonement, namely that actions have consequences. In this book, however, the main character is not very likeable, mainly because she is selfish, therefore it seems very unlikely that there can be any “atonement” so the ending becomes somewhat unsatisfactory. Not one of McEwan’s bestbooks but still worth a read.
Sweetland by Michael Crummey
Crummey writes beautifully descriptive books about Newfoundland, both people and places. Sweetland is both a person (an old codger) and a place (an island). The latter half of the book is a brilliant description of solitude. This book is very different from his previous novel Galore which was a mix of history and fantasy.
Amy notes: Later on the 2016 Canada Reads long list
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin
This is a beautifully written quiet story about a 45-year-old recently widowed woman living in Ireland (County Wexford) who is conflicted by her need for privacy and the needs of her 4 children, and the attentions of her neighbours and friends. The time is the late 1960s, with approaching social and political changes. Nora is complex, often prickly and usually blunt – a fascinating character.
What David Read 