The official blurb from the publisher focuses more on the mysticism of the story and Cree culture. But I found the story to be enjoyable, linear, and compelling. Both brothers were compassionate, intriguing, and unique. The story is loosely based on Tomson Highway’s own experiences in residential school with his brother, Rene Highway.

Born into a magical Cree world in snowy northern Manitoba, Champion and Ooneemeetoo Okimasis are all too soon torn from their family and thrust into the hostile world of a Catholic residential school. Their language is forbidden, their names are changed to Jeremiah and Gabriel, and both boys are abused by priests.

As young men, estranged from their own people and alienated from the culture imposed upon them, the Okimasis brothers fight to survive. Wherever they go, the Fur Queen–a wily, shape-shifting trickster–watches over them with a protective eye. For Jeremiah and Gabriel are destined to be artists. Through music and dance they soar.

From the publisher, Random House of Canada

The prose is quiet and beautiful, the story is emotional and powerful. But as a very literal person, I had trouble following the Cree cosmology. We did discuss some of it in class—particularly the Trickster—which I found very interesting and helpful in understanding the backstory. However, some readers may find this a difficult thing to get past, trying to explain the “why” in the interactions with the Fur Queen or Maggie Sees.

As Jeremiah and Gabriel grow up, the narrative careens … between moments of magic and myth (surrounding the trickster figure) and moments of hard-to-bear realism (rooted in racism, first in the residential school system and after they travel south). Some of the elements will be familiar to readers of native fiction (the tension between tradition and assimilation, the tragic cycle of abuse and alcoholism, misunderstandings between generations and between city- and reserve-dwellers). Secrets are at the heart of many stories.

[From the book review at Buried In Print]

Tomson Highway is one of the first Aboriginal playwrights to gain prominence in the Canadian theatre community. Highway is now a well-known Cree author and Kiss of the Fur Queen was his first novel.

• Nominee for the Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award 1998
• Nominee for the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award 1998
• Review in Quill & Quire
• Review by The Canadian Book Review blog

Called The Copernicum Trilogy, the first book (The Sky’s Dark Labyrinth) portrays the struggles of Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei. The second (The Sensorium of God) focuses on the story of Isaac Newton and his contemporaries such as Edmond Halley, and the third (The Day Without Yesterday) addresses Albert Einstein, Edwin Hubble, and George Lemaitre.

At the dawn of the seventeenth century everyone believed that the sun revolved around the earth. Yet some men knew that the heavens did not move as they should, a heresy punishable by being burned alive. As Europe convulsed in conflict between Catholic and Protestant, these men prepared to die for that truth.

German Lutheran Johannes Kepler is convinced that he has been given a vision by God when he becomes the first man to distill into mathematical laws how stars and planets move through the heavens.  Galileo Galilei, an Italian Catholic, will try to claim Kepler’s success for his own Church, but he finds himself enmeshed in a web of intrigue originating from within the Vatican itself.  Both men struggle with themselves, with the evidence and with the forces of reaction changed not simply themselves but our world. They become trapped by human ignorance and irrational terror to the peril of their lives and those of their families in one of the darkest, yet also one of the most enlightening, periods of European history.

From the UK publisher, Polygon, an imprint of Birlinn & from Stuart Clark’s website

Despite the scientific and mathematical subject matter, the novel has accessibility and doesn’t get too technical regarding the scientific observations during that age. Unlike other historical periods, there are journals and accounts of what Kepler and Galileo observed and studied, which I think makes the story all the more interesting. Instead of relying on letters and court rumours like many of the fictional Tudor-era novels, many 16th century scientists published their thoughts and conjectures regarding the Universe.

I really enjoyed how religion, astrology and alchemy all influenced their scientific beliefs. It was interesting to see how far we’ve come in these studies and how it is still difficult for Man to explain the Universe. In their time, Galileo and his contemporaries were believed to be heretics, but they were not athiests or trying to overturn religion; they were seeking to explain God’s Universe in mathematical terms. In fact, the title of the book comes from Galileo trying to explain that to understand the universe without the language of mathematics is impossible, and to try will have you “wander[ing] about lost in the dark labyrinth of the sky.”

The story is told as a non-linear narrative, jumping months and sometimes years, from Kepler to Galileo. Some of the anecdotes and ‘trivia’ that Clark chose to include—while interesting as historical background—isn’t necessary to the narrative. Also, for the first half of the book we stay completely with Kepler, so it is a bit jarring (but refreshing) when we jump to Galileo. It took me nearly a month to read because I was reading other books (for university) and sometimes I found the narrative a bit dry.

Also, I have to admit that sometimes I really wanted to slap Kepler. As a man, I’m sure he was brilliant and you can tell through the narrative that he is misunderstood. But the chapters written from his point of view make me loathe him as a character—mostly his entitled attitude. I don’t know if he was that whiny, or if that’s just scientific/historic interpretation of his tone. Although I have to give him credit for sticking up for his beliefs, observations, and mathematical findings. Not only does he maintain his religious beliefs, but he also publicly goes against the popular notions of how the Universe operated.

Stuart Clark writes articles and news for New Scientist, The Times [London], BBC Focus and BBC Sky at Night and is a former editor of Astronomy Now magazine. Until 2001, Clark was the Director of Public Astronomy Education at the University of Hertfordshire and is still a visiting Fellow. In 2001, He decided to increase his part-time writing to a full-time occupation. Having crossed from mainstream science into science journalism, Clark now spends his working life translating astronomy, space research and physics into comprehensible language for the general public. He has written more than a dozen books, documentary scripts for television and DVD, radio scripts, podcasts and lectures extensively. [Adapted from Clarke's website bio]

• Stuart Clark’s website
• DrStuClark on Twitter
• Canadian publisher: McArthur & Co.
• Finished October 17, 2011. 

Full disclosure: I was approached by publicist Ruth Seeley on behalf of the author and publisher and was generously provided with a review copy of The Sky’s Dark Labyrinth by Stuart Clark.

The Advent Book Blog is now in its third year and this is my second year participating (if I recall correctly). This year I’ve recommended The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay, but there are now hundreds of titles and authors recommended by readers with a Digital Handsell. Go check it out and read / share / buy an awesome book!

I had the opportunity to meet Ami McKay at a recent reading called Incite: An Exploration of Books and Ideas, organized by the Vancouver International Writers Festival and the Vancouver Public Library. The event was fantastic (as always) and Ami was super sweet. I had an ARC of The Virgin Cure which she signed and she even knew who I was from Twitter! How awesome is that?

Incite (November 9): Hal Wake fields questions for Ami McKay and Frances Greenslade

The Everland has been home of the forest-dwelling Kyn and the other Eld-Folk since time immemorial, a deep green world of ancient mystery and sacred shadow. The wyr-powers of the Kyn and their kith have preserved this lush region from the ravenous greed of Humanity for over a thousand years, since the catastrophic Melding that merged their world with the mortal world of Men.

But the wyr powers are now under siege, for the assimilationist Kyn Shields seek to purge their people of the wyr, seeing only savagery in its mysteries and in its guardians, the Wielders. As the power of the Shields grows—and as the hungry eyes of Men turn once more to the Everland and its rich bounty—the leaders of the seven nations of the Folk gather together to seek a way of surviving the growing storm.

Born into a town dominated by the Shield creeds, Tarsa, a headstrong Kyn warrior, awakens to the long-suppressed wyr-ways after an act of courage goes horribly awry. Exiled from Red Cedar Town, and struggling to understand her new calling as a Wielder, Tarsa is swept into a dangerous world of political and spiritual struggle, where the old wyr-ways clash with the fragmenting intrigues of the “civilized” Shields and their allies.

As the Everland is torn apart by treachery and the ever-encroaching threat of Humanity, the Redthorn Wielder and her companions fight both flesh and spirit to heal their wounded world. Never since the Melding have the Folk faced such danger. Will their roots hold fast, or will they be lost upon the storm?

From Daniel Heath Justice’s website

First off, I appreciate the message and the discussion behind Kynship. Daniel Heath Justice is a Cherokee author and wrote Kynship as a loose allegory for the Trail of Tears, the expulsion of Native American people from the southeastern USA in the 1800s. Also, using native tradition of subverting gender and the belief in a third gender, Justice makes an interesting statement about what is considered “normal” for the Everland Folk compared to Men. We also discussed the binary of “savage” versus “civilized” society.

However, I have to be honest, if I didn’t have to read it for class, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up, much less finished it. As a designer, I had aesthetic issues with it from a publishing standpoint. The typeface is serif but a little too fancy, the leading is too small, and there are next to no margins (whitespace) around the text area—which all detracts from the ease of reading.

But as for the content, I just found the story long-winded, directionless, and (most of all) there was too much telling instead of showing. I read that Justice wrote it as a single story but it was split into three volumes for easier consumption. Unfortunately I don’t think they reworked the telling of the story to reflect this setup because Kynship ends with no real conclusion and with the main character (Tarsa) recently departed on a quest. In my opinion, it would be more useful for them to end just as Tarsa is about to leave, thus creating a more compelling cliffhanger between installments in the series.

Overall, I can appreciate the intent of Kynship, but it was not overly exciting for me. The issues that Daniel Heath Justice raises are excellent for discussion, but it just wasn’t compelling from a reader standpoint. There were some interesting characters developed and I would be curious to hear more about Quill and Tobi, but wasn’t particularly fussed about anyone else.

Cree Thunderboy has a knack for picking winners. But can he pick the next sure thing?

Cree Thunderboy wants nothing less than to be the next great blues man. But, playing to tiny audiences in shabby rooms like Shelly’s Crab Shack, his career is stalled. Then at the race track he meets Win Hardy, a seemingly charming rogue who spots Cree’s knack for picking winning horses. He offers to record his first CD and send him on tour, as long as Cree can keep coming up with the hot tips at the track.

Things are looking good for Cree until he discovers Win’s connections to the mob and his violent response to anything that doesn’t go his way. And when things inevitably go bad, Cree discovers that in life and in gambling there is never really the next sure thing.

From the publisher, Orca Books

Richard Wagamese is an Ojibway author and well-known storyteller, which shows in The Next Sure Thing. The story is fast paced, well-written and engaging. You’ve got the appropriate amount of foreshadow, plot twists, and a strong narrator. It certainly meets the Rapid Reads objective of being accessible both on a literary level and a narrative level.

I would definitely recommend this for reluctant readers and due to the age of Cree, it would even be a suitable book for teens. However, if you’re looking for something that reflects Richard Wagamese’s skills as a writer, you may be better off selecting something else from his wide repertoire.

Finished novel on October 23, 2011

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken.

Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival and Uncle, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister Sansa hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . . .

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others–a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .

From the publisher, Bantam, a division of Random House of Canada

In short, here are some of my thoughts — SPOILER ALERT!

It was interesting to pick up the book shortly before the end of A Clash of Kings, allowing us to see more of the battle in the Seven Kingdoms. Like the previous titles—A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings—A Storm of Swords follows threads from multiple characters, simply by titling the chapters after each narrator. While this was jarring at first (in A Game of Thrones), George R.R. Martin juggles the characters, chapters, and timeline incredibly well. I actually have grown to love it and often get excited—or saddened—when a particular character’s chapter begins or ends.

I liked spending more time Beyond The Wall, specifically with Jon. I think that the ancient magic awoken in the Wilds is going to come crashing to the forefront quite soon. The Seven Kingdoms have been so embroiled in their ultimately petty war of succession that it would be apt for magic from Beyond the Wall to depreciate that battle. I also love how Jon really came into his own as a man and although his appointment to Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch was predictable, it was good to see.

I was totally shocked when they killed off Robb and Lady Stark. I even flipped ahead thinking they were pulling another switch like with Bran and Rickon. While I’m not particularly saddened about Catelyn Stark, I did really like Robb as a character. It was really interesting in the previous books to see him grow into a man after the murder of his father, Eddard Stark.

I am curious about Arya and Sansa. I would have thought that Martin would have killed Sansa off already, but I guess as long as Cersei lives, Sansa will too. I am so excited that Arya is going to Braavos and can’t wait to see what happens down that line.

Jaime’s storyline with Brienne of Tarth was very interesting. It cast Jaime in such a different light and I think it really affected his character’s ego—taking him down a peg or two as well as being able to see the world from a different point of view, rather than from a privileged position as a Lannister and the Queen’s brother.

END SPOILERS

Most fantasy works have an element of allegory to our world, but I think that Martin’s true gift is the level of humanity he instills in the books, despite the cynicism and death. Although it seems like the “bad” characters are consistently winning, they aren’t truly bad—such as we see with Jaime—and the “good” guys always seem to have hope.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I’m embarrassed to admit that I read this nearly a year ago during last winter (2010). I had just gotten the Sony eReader and tried downloading some free books from Gutenberg.org… well you all know how that ended.

But technological/syncing issues aside, I didn’t really enjoy the experience of reading on an eReader. Therefore, my low opinion of A Christmas Carol is probably coloured by the fact that I did not enjoy the experience of reading eBooks.

I found the book to be tedious, slow and while reading I was annoyed that I couldn’t lie on my side (auto-rotate). The ebook did have illustrations, but it just wasn’t the same as pencil sketches on paper, and I found it frustrating to figure how far into the book I actually was. Honestly, “104 of 379 pages” means very little to my non-mathematical brain, especially when the novel is only supposed to be 200 printed pages.

I believe I will have to pick up a physical, print copy of A Christmas Carol and try again… perhaps this winter season.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis is a graphic memoir by Iranian author Marjane Satrapi, translated from French. The comic series follow the story of  Satrapi’s childhood, teenage years and coming-of-age within (and without) her family during the Islamic Revolution. She struggles with figuring out her place within the political upheaval and making sense of the world around her.

My friend Eka was running a book club this summer and they had recently read either the first English volume or the second at university, so they decided to read the entire story and discuss it over coffee in June of this year.

While a bit long-winded, I did enjoy the graphic novel and feel that it is an important story to tell, and I am glad Satrapi published this graphic memoir. Satrapi has also published another graphic novel about the issue of sex, sexuality and gender within the Iranian community, and I think this would also be an interesting read.

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Further embarrassingly, I can’t even remember when I read the first two volumes of the trilogy. Suffice to say it was aaaages ago, and haven’t read the third, fourth or the fifth part yet. However, I loveloveloved the film and perhaps one day I will return and finish reading the series.

From what I remember of the book series, I really enjoyed Douglas Adams’ wit, but my interest started to wain as the series got more and more obscure. I may chalk this up to my preference of fantasy over science fiction. I am also a huge fan of Marvin the Paranoid Android and feel there was never enough Marvin.

“I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house mystic and the man who broke her heart.” So begins The Virgin Cure, a novel set in the tenements of lower Manhattan in the year 1871.

As a young child, Moth’s father smiled, tipped his hat and walked away from her forever. The summer she turned twelve, her mother sold her as a servant to a wealthy woman, with no intention of ever seeing her again. These betrayals lead Moth to the wild, murky world of the Bowery, filled with house-thieves, pickpockets, beggars, sideshow freaks and prostitutes, where eventually she meets Miss Everett, the owner of a brothel simply known as “The Infant School.” Miss Everett caters to gentlemen who pay dearly for companions who are “willing and clean,” and the most desirable of them all are young virgins like Moth.

Through the friendship of Dr. Sadie, a female physician, Moth learns to question and observe the world around her, where her new friends are falling prey to the myth of the “virgin cure”–that deflowering a “fresh maid” can heal the incurable and tainted. She knows the law will not protect her, that polite society ignores her, and still she dreams of answering to no one but herself. There’s a high price for such independence, though, and no one knows that better than a girl from Chrystie Street.

From the publisher, Knopf Canada

The Virgin Cure is Moth’s story but narrated by Dr. Sadie after-the-fact and Dr. Sadie occasionally includes notes in the margin regarding current customs or beliefs. Dr. Sadie is based Ami McKay’s own great-great-grandmother (Dr. Sarah Fonda Mackintosh) who was one of the first graduates of The Women’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children. McKay was researching her family history—trying to find out more about Dr. Mackintosh—when she encountered the stories of children living on the streets of New York’s Lower East Side, and the “lady doctors” who were committed to treating them.

McKay’s depiction of strong-willed female protagonists draws me to her writing. Even when the character seems to have little control over her fate, she never betrays her true self. This attribute was evident in The Birth House—contender for Canada Reads 2011–and part of the reason I really enjoyed it. McKay brings that strength of character to both Moth and Dr. Sadie in different ways.

The pace of the novel is meandering, but not directionless, and I felt drawn to Moth and her story. There is something about the seedy depths of New York, the deviant nature of an 1800s brothel, and the allure of a story based on truths such as the “virgin cure”. I will definitely be passing this novel along to my friends and family to read—similar to what I did with The Birth House.

The Virgin Cure will be on sale on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. Thanks to the publisher, Knopf Canada (an imprint of Random House of Canada) for sending me an advanced reader’s copy.

The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel

A sleepy native reserve. A troubled teen girl. A vampire returns home.

Nothing ever happens on the Otter Lake reservation. But when 16-year-old Tiffany discovers her father is renting out her room, she’s deeply upset. Sure, their guest is polite and keeps to himself, but he’s also a little creepy.

Little do Tiffany, her father, or even her astute Granny Ruth suspect the truth. The mysterious Pierre L’Errant is actually a vampire, returning to his tribal home after centuries spent in Europe. But Tiffany has other things on her mind: her new boyfriend is acting weird, disputes with her father are escalating, and her estranged mother is starting a new life with somebody else.

Fed up and heartsick, Tiffany threatens drastic measures and flees into the bush. There, in the midnight woods, a chilling encounter with L’Errant changes everything … for both of them.

From the publisher, Annick Press

After examining this novel very closely in my English Lit class, I’m a little apathetic about blogging a review. It’s difficult to change from the ‘critical literary analysis’ mindframe to a personal book review for my blog.

When I was reading the book, prior to lecture and tutorial, I kept scoffing at the text because it’s almost over-simplified for the audience. On the surface, the novel seems trivial and not a true “gothic” novel. At times I felt it was merely piggybacking on the supernatural romance genre that has taken off after Twilight.

However, the simplification of the situations and the language makes it a prime example for class study. I would definitely recommend a grade 6 or 7 class (age 11-12) to study this in conjunction with First Nations relations in Canada. Taylor deals with aspects of both teen and first nations culture regarding alcohol, smoking, race, suicide, relationships and drugs.

I wouldn’t recommend this to most adults, but I think Taylor introduces the topics in a way that fosters discussion and questioning of cultural norms. He also provides an interesting commentary on embracing your heritage and culture, and not forgetting where you came from.

Drew Hayden Taylor was approached by Annick Press to develop a novel for teens. He “has been directing documentaries, most notably Redskins, Tricksters and Puppy Stew, produced by the National Film Board of Canada” which inspired The Night Wanderer.

Narrated through the eyes of Eli—the heavyset, younger brother—the Sisters brothers are hired guns. They’re notorious killers and feared throughout the States—especially Charlie’s gun-slinging.

Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. Eli and Charlie Sisters can be counted on for that. Though Eli has never shared his brother’s penchant for whiskey and killing, he’s never known anything else. On the road to Warm’s gold-mining claim outside San Francisco — and from the back of his long-suffering one-eyed horse — Eli struggles to make sense of his life without abandoning the job he’s sworn to do.

DeWitt spins a violent, lustful, hung-over and humorous odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier. Doffing his hat to the classic Western, he then transforms it into a comic tour-de-force with an unforgettable narrative voice that captures all the absurdity, melancholy, and grit of the West — and of these two brothers, bound to each other by blood and scars and love.

From the publisher, House of Anansi Press

Eli and Charlie are anti-heroes and their relationship reminded me a lot of Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck. Eli is reflective, thoughtful and spends a great portion of the novel considering the social, emotional, economic and ethical repercussions of the way the brothers’ life has gone. Charlie is brash, violent, lustful, and a whiskey-drinking fiend.

As the story unravels, we begin to learn the brothers’ backstory and how they became the notorious criminals they are today. The dark, dry humour of deWitt’s style really appealed to me and I was smiling to myself and giggling out loud. At one point I remember calling my friend to share a hilarious line about someone having a “head that invited violence”. This bleak humour reminds me of Christopher Moore’s style which I also enjoy.

I enjoyed The Sisters Brothers, but I don’t think I loved it as much as other people seem to. It’s a very cleanly written book and the plotline is straightforward. I didn’t have to think too hard to follow along; Eli’s first-person POV laid things out clearly. I enjoyed the story and could read on autopilot—which is not a bad thing at all. With school starting back up, it was a welcome break to read something that didn’t make my head explode.

• Shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction
• Longlisted for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize
• Shortlisted for the 2011 Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize