PositiveLiterary Review of CanadaThe book may not be elaborately plotted, but the story is an armature for accomplished comedic character sketches. Like Heather O’Neill and Eden Robinson—two contemporaries with similar gifts for creating believable young voices—Toews deftly conjures her preteen protagonist ... The novel ends with a recognizably Toewsian blend of tragedy and comedy that, as Swiv’s grandmother would affirm, is the ultimate expression of resilience ... Although her books deal with topics like sexual violence and trauma, her writing is suffused with joy and humour. It’s a reminder that in the continued fight against oppression, love and laughter can be weapons too.
