PositiveThe Toronto StarForgiveness is not easy, nor is the story that Grady tells. It is dark and painful, each injustice suffered by the slaves more grievous than the last. But at a time when racism and violence is still tearing at America—and Canada—it is a timely story that sheds light on how far we have and have not come. It is also a deeply personal story for Grady, who was inspired by his own family history in its telling. In the hands of Grady, who wrote eight books of non-fiction before turning his hand to fiction, the story is a deeply layered story well told.
Emma Hooper
PositiveThe Toronto StarThe sophomore novel...is a lovely homage to Newfoundland culture, a story about storytellers told with a beguiling simplicity. Lovely and lyrical, it weaves together multi-generational tales, but the main narrative unfolds largely through the eyes of 11-year-old Finn. An ode to the folklore of The Rock, Hooper’s work brims with mermaids and music and memory, as any good Newfoundland story must, and there is no shortage of eccentric characters ... Rooted as it is in the mystical tales of this mythical land, Our Homesick Songs feels like a come-from-away version of the island, celebrating its charm but not necessarily steeped in the salty brine of island culture. Where Our Homesick Songs is most authentic is in a storyline all too common to any culture or place—the struggle of Martha and Aidan to keep their fairy tale love alive through the ups and downs of real life.
Terese Marie Mailhot
RaveThe Toronto Star\"Part love letter, part poem, it is a genre-defying marvel of a memoir ... Part poetic love letter, part confession, it is wholly enchanting. Mailhot wrings grand truths out of even the predictable events that define most lives ... A fearless and artistic work, Heart Berries is ultimately a tale of not just surviving, but thriving even in the dark.\
Elan Mastai
RaveThe Toronto StarMastai’s intricate plot takes the wrung-out time travel ruse to new territory. A genre-hopping, laugh-out-loud sci-fi love story, All Our Wrong Todays at its heart is a deceptively profound exploration of what makes a good life and why our species seems hell-bent on self-annihilation. Clever and entertaining, it explores the small differences that divide what we are from what we could be and what we want to be.
Emma Donoghue
RaveThe Toronto Star...a compelling return to historical fiction for Donoghue ... In her deceptively straight-forward prose, Donoghue masterfully unravels a tense gothic page-turner in which nobody, including the unreliable nurse narrator, are entirely what they seem. A powerful exploration of religion and the sway it holds, The Wonder is equal parts psychological drama and unorthodox love story. A thoroughly enjoyable read from one of the country’s premier storytellers.
