BOOK: Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis

Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis, 312 pages

4th Canadian Book Challenge; Canada Reads 2011

I have found the perfect book for my brother-in-law to read. He used to work for a Liberal MP, so this book, about a reluctant politician of the Liberal persuasion as narrated by his back-room Liberal manager, should entertain him to no end. Plus, the book is very funny, with lots of word-play as befitting the winner of the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour (2008).

I liked this book and found it funny. I also, at times, found it slow and predictable. I can see why people would love this book - satire of Canadian politics, great word-play, the underdog/idealist takes on the establishment, I can also see why people may not like the book - wide-eyed innocent makes all the right decisions, plays on words and continual jokes, chess games over and over, caricatures of stock characters. Part of my problem was it took me all week to read the book (starting the new semester is tiring) so I had lots of time to be thinking about the book. But then, I still blame the book itself if it took me a long time to read because something in the book made me slow down while reading, or made me a tad reluctant to pick it up again. I'm not a fan of books that slow me down - I don't want to savor and think over things. Keep me moving book! Then again, this is not the book's fault - my brain and the book just aren't completely connected.

I'm completely on the fence with this one - there is an aspect of the book I really enjoyed, and I also found it predictable and repetitive.

also reviewed: buried in print,  lavender lines,

Final ranking for Canada Reads for me:
1. tie: Unless and Essex County - each so very different, and each so very good
2. Best Laid Plans - has the humor and satire, it really is a good book
3. The Birth House - I remember liking this one a few years ago, but didn't leave a big enough impression
4. The Bone Cage - still a good book, but not one I've vote for.

BOOK: The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou

The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou, 235 pages

Canada Reads 2011

If you've ever wondered about those athletes who appear at the Olympics representing your country (especially if it's Canada), and what it took to get there, this book provides a gritty look at two athletes who are on their last chance. Digger and Sadie, the wrestler and the swimmer, are both getting a chance at their first and  last Olympics. Each at the end of their careers, they have done nothing else in their lives. They alternate chapters with their practice, as they deal with some life interruptions.

The first half of the book isn't so much of a story, as developing their characters and their challenges. At the half way point, thank goodness, the characters meet and the story feels like it begins. Abdou uses her setting of Calgary well, as I recognized places and streets. Calgary is a center of Olympic development in Canada after hosting the Winter Olympics in 1988. What will each of them do after the Olympics? Sadie and Digger have to face this question, and the single-minded determination needed to get as far as they have.

I enjoyed this book, but as far as Canada Reads go, I can't imagine it will go far. I've enjoyed the other books more. But as a credit to a great selection of books this year, The Bone Cage is still a good read.

BOOK: Unless by Carol Shields

Unless by Carol Shields, 322 pages

Orange January (shortlist 2003); Canada Reads 2011; 4th Canadian CBC

Linda Holmes, of NPR, wrote a great article in the summer, in the middle of a Franzen fracas, about why chick lit is a bad title. If you recall, Johnathan Franzen's summer release, Freedom, was the darling of all the literati. (Admission: haven't read it, have no plans to read it, even though my Google Reader is full up of fans of his books.) Maureen Johnson also wrote a much linked article about the dearth of attention to woman writers, among other things. I so wish Carol Shields had been around to add her two cents worth, since I believe she had much to say about male/female writers and their books. In fact, she wrote about it in her last published book, Unless. In 2002.

Reta Winters is a forty something writer, with every reason to be happy. Except, her nineteen year old daughter has suddenly dropped out of life, and is on a quest for goodness by begging on a street corner. Reta is given lots of comparisons about why this isn't so bad, but for her, it's everything. Shields starts the book off slowly, and I certainly felt the higher level of reading than I often read, but I felt stretched, in a very good way. With an author as the main character, there is lots of navel-gazing, and Reta even references herself as navel-gazing within the book, mocking herself for being an author and writing about writing. Part of the way Reta deals with her sadness and concern over her daughter, who she believes felt marginalized in a male dominated world, is to write letters pointing out the lack of female writers referenced in articles she's read.

Unless is a big story of identification told in one woman's experience. Hey, isn't that what male writer's do? But when women do it, it's called chick lit or a story for women. When men do, they are describing the life experience and get awards. The best, or rather most infuriating part of the book, is when Reta's editor decides her sequel book should be a big 'literature' book. She'll just have to switch the focus from the female character's search for goodness  to the male character's search for greatness. Yes, Carol Shields goes there. Rock on sister.

Perfect book to start off Orange January a little early. Bonus points for me since Unless is nominated for Canada Reads 2011. I can't wait to hear this book debated in February.

BOOK: Essex County Vol 1 &Vol 2 by Jeff Lemire

Canada Reads 2011 novels and defenders have been announced. I've previously read one (The Birth House by Ami MacKay, summer 2008), and had already picked up Essex County by Jeff Lemire from the library before it was announced. I have Unless by Carol Shields from the library now and am 7th in line for Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis. The last nominee, The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou is not at the library yet, but I expect them to get all the books in soon, as the Canada Reads are quite popular.

Essex County Vol 1; Tales from the Farm by Jeff Lemire,

Graphic Novel Challenge; 4th CBC Challenge; Canada Reads 2011 Nominee

Lester is living on the farm with his uncle. He wants to be a superhero. He's dealing with life. Very cute and touching. I actually read this volume after I read volume 2, but I liked knowing who Jimmy LeBeuf was, and all his back story that is explained in Volume 2 as Jimmy befriends young Lester. Lemire included a comic book written by Lester, but was in fact credited at the beginning with a nine year old Lemire. It looked like an actual  child's drawing, so I wondered.

Essex County Vol 2; Ghost Stories by Jeff Lemire, 125 pages

Graphic Novel Challenge; 4th CBC Challenge; Canada Reads 2011 Nominee

Such a great Canadian book! The country kids moving to the big city, the isolation of living in a city among so many people and yet being alone; plus the hockey. Does nearly every Canadian community have someone who played their one game in the NHL? Or someone who could have made the NHL, except. The second volume is much more involved than the first book, with the strained relationships between the brothers who played hockey. It covers a much longer time period and more involved plot.

I never know how to describe the drawings. I am always impressed with how the authors of graphic novels are able to show so much of the characters and the story with their drawings, along with the written word. Lemire is no exception.

I am looking forward to Volume 3, The County Nurse.