The accomplished Canadian astronaut has written a very good first novel about Soviet-USA cold war espionage in space in the early 1970s. As you would expect, the story is technically perfect, all about spy satellites and a rocket ship to the moon. Perhaps somewhat surprising, the plot is very good with lots of wicked villains. Very entertaining read.
The Maid – Nita Prose
Molly is a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel where her goal is making the cleaning of guest suites into an act of perfection. When she finds a dead body in a guest suite, her behaviour as a neurodivergent individual together with the manipulative actions of some nasty criminals raises suspicions such that she is accused of murder. Think Amelia Bedelia in a murder mystery. Entirely delightful, highly recommended.
A Marvellous Light – Freya Marske
Imagine you ae a civil servant in Edwardian London (1908) and are suddenly and unexpectedly assigned to a new position in the Office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints, where your role is to be a liaison to magicians. What a wonderful premise for a first novel about a muggle learning that magic exists. And there is a cracking good mystery about a lost document, curses and spells, and even an enchanted malevolent maze! Overall, very entertaining.
Run Towards the Danger – Sarah Polley
Ms. Polley is a wonderful actor, screenwriter, and director, so it is not surprising that she has written this impressive collection of essays. Her stories are intensely personal and achingly candid, describing some terrifying situations. She also addresses the fallibility of memory, and the mutability of memory/reality because the person you are now is not who you were then. This is a powerful and moving book, invoking both laughter and tears: a must read.
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections – Eva Jurczyk
A rare book collection at a University Library become a vehicle for prestige, resulting in cut-throat politics in academia. And when a rare book goes missing, the plot thickens to become an intriguing mystery. The politics of gender, academic rivalries, suspicions, and the uncomfortable relationship with donors are all described perfectly.
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry – Fredrik Backman
Elsa is a precocious almost 8-year-old who is perceived as different and thus bullied at school. Thankfully, she has a very close relationship with her 77-year-old grandmother who tells her mythical stories about the Land-of-Almost-Awake. When Elsa’s grandmother dies, Elsa receives a series of apology letters that she is directed to deliver, and so Elsa learns about her grandmother’s incredible back story. This is a brilliant book about life and death, with inspired comic moments and deeply sentimental sad situations, so both laughs and tears abound.
The Patron Saint of Liars – Ann Patchett
A re-read of Ms. Patchett’s first novel published 30 years ago was just so satisfying. When Rose learns she is pregnant, she flees a loveless marriage in California for St. Elizabeth’s Home for Unwed Mothers in Kentucky. The important context to this story is time, the 60s-70s. Rose is mysterious, someone who does exactly what she wants. A key element in this wonderful book are complex mother-daughter relationships. Highly recommended.
Scarborough – Catherine Hernandez
Scarborough is a low-income culturally diverse suburb of Toronto. This novel graphically describes a troubled community struggling against poverty, racism, and urban blight, mainly through the experiences of children. Often sad but also hopeful, this is a powerful story. Thanks Steph, for this recommendation. Scarborough is a Canada Reads 2022 contender.
The Book of Magic – Alice Hoffman
The first sentence of this fabulous books reads: “Some stories begin at the beginning and others begin at the end, but all the best stories begin in a library”. What’s not to love? This novel is Ms. Hoffman’s final book about magic, specifically witchery, aka the nameless art (previous books: Practical Magic, Rules of Magic, and Magic Lessons). Three generations of Owens women fight to break a 300-year-old curse, but the story is ultimately about love and sacrifice.
What David Read 