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Giller Prize

Who Will Win the Giller Prize?

Who Will Win the Giller Prize?

Book Review

Having just purchased my ticket to the annual Giller Light Bash, my thoughts are turning to who will win the prestigious honour this year. I’ve only read two books from the six-book shortlist; I’m really excited about both these choices. They are both really strong books that highlight current issues dealt with by women: body image and rape.

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl is a series of stories about the same woman over her lifetime as she struggles with her weight, but more importantly her self-confidence and ambition that becomes inexorably tied up in how much she weighs.

The Best Kind of People comes from a favourite Toronto author of mine, Zoe Whittall, who creates the story of a family dealing with the aftermath of a beloved father, husband and teacher who’s been charged with rape of three students. The novel presents a rounded view of the issue of rape, and how we as a society distort the issue, treat (or mis-treat) the victims and the accused in such cases. How much do we ever know another person vs project our own desires and motivations on that person?

I’m actually rooting really hard for either of these books to win, if only because they were hugely entertaining, thought-provoking books on my reading list for 2016.

[Read my review of The Best Kind of People | Read my review of 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl]

 

Reflecting on reading finalists for book prizes

Reflecting on reading finalists for book prizes

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Every year at Toronto’s Word on the Street festival in Toronto, Jack Rabinovitch, the founder of the Giller Prize, introduces the Giller Prize longlist of books to readers, and encourages everyone to read–and buy–the entire longlist. After all, the books only cost the equivalent of a good dinner for two at a restaurant. Similarly, I get excited about all the fall books and often use longlists and shortlists to narrow down my reading choices from the hundreds of fall releases from Canadian publishers. But then when the shortlist whittles down to four or five books, and then the winner is announced in November, some of the initial finalists often drop off my radar if I haven’t already picked them up or heard rave reviews from friends and family.

This year I picked up two books that were announced on the Giller Prize longlist (one before the announcement and one afterwards). Neither book made the Giller shortlist (announced yesterday) and now I’m thinking how glad I picked up these books before they dropped off my radar. Different voices, different worlds, both equally shining a light on my soul and the soul of humankind.

My review of Watch How We Walk by Jennifer Lovegrove, a daring novel about growing up in a Jehovah’s Witness family where secrets the roost.

And look out soon for my review of Waiting for the Man by Arjun Basu a lyrical book about rejecting status quo and digging deeper.

Are you reading books from this fall’s slate of awards lists? What are you loving (or hating)?

Book Review: Fifteen Dogs

Book Review: Fifteen Dogs

Book Review

I finally finished reading Fifteen Dogs. I say finally because it’s been on my list since last fall when it won Canada’s most prestigious fiction prize, the Giller Prize. I also say finally because I’ve been reading it in fits and starts over the past month. Not because it hasn’t held my attention but simply because I’ve been busy with reading for work and for my book club.

However drawn out my reading of this book, I can truly say this book is a literary masterpiece and well deserving of its many award nods. It’s successful in the way it has a driven, exciting and not wholly predictable plot, yet also is laden with layers of meaning and substance that left me as a reader thinking and wondering. I love a book that you can analyse.

I didn’t think I could love a book about dogs. Dogs are the main characters, however they stand as allegorical figures that allows the reader to think about the human condition: what it means to be human, to love, to create art and poetry. What makes us human? Our language, our culture, our instincts, our relationships? These are just some of the questions arising from the narrative in Fifteen Dogs.

Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis is published by Coach House Books in 2015.

 

Are you excited for the fall season of CanLit?

Are you excited for the fall season of CanLit?

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You know that feeling of going back to school? I usually dread it, because it means the end of summer’s carefreeness and warm weather, but at the same time I get a feeling of anticipation. Getting new school clothes (and choosing the perfect outfit for your first day) and all those shiny new school supplies (pencils, cool erasers, geometry sets) and new books!

Well, a wonderful thing about publishing is enjoying that feeling again, with all the lovely new books being published in fall, or “awards season.” I love checking out the Fall Preview in Q&Q Magazine, and other sources, to find out what I will want to buy/loan for my fall reading pleasure!

Guy Vanderhaeghe has a new novel this year, and to prepare I am planning to read an earlier novel (The Last Crossing is on my to-read list). He will be at Word on the Street Festival (Toronto) this year. Last year’s Giller Prize-winner Johanna Skibsrud has a story collection (This Will be Difficult to Explain). Already published is Zsuizsi Gartner’s story collection Better Living Through Plastic Explosives. A couple of people have said they love the collection, so I’m hoping to borrow a copy! I’m debating about reading Natural Order by Brian Francis. I want to hear a recommendation first because I’m a little skeptical if I will like it. David Gilmour has a new novel The Perfect Order of Things. His writing style is quasi-autobiographical, and I like its honesty and lack of guile.

OK, those are just a few books I want to read this fall. I’ll probably get a lot more ideas as I browse bookstores and see award shortlists. Are there any books you are anticipating this fall season?