Author: Wayson Choy

This book has been on the shelf for a long time. I always avoided reading it; I’m not sure why. It won a couple of awards and was a pick for Canada Reads, although it didn’t win.

This seemed less like a novel than connected short stories revolving around three Chinese-Canadian children and their relationship with other family members and their Vancouver neighbourhood. I found the story of Third Son the most interesting.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Keith Stuart

Although this is a novel it is based on the real experience of the author and his son. Stuart is a video game reviewer and reporter and he has a son who is on the autism spectrum.

The author noticed how much his son enjoyed watching the video games he was reviewing. When he got to Minecraft he could see how it was allowing for changes in his son’s behaviour.

My grandchildren all played (or maybe they still do play) Minecraft but at that time I had no clue about what they were doing. After reading the book I think I understand the concept of the game much better.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Diane Schoemperlen

When I pulled this book off the shelf Pat commented that it was recommended through one of his writing groups and he really liked it. I warned him when I was a few chapters in that it wasn’t going to get a high rating from me.

The idea was interesting. Mary, as in the Virgin Mary, arrives in the narrator’s living room and asks to stay with her in her home for a short time. The narrator goes into some detail about Mary – her history, the apparitions of her, her miracles – and, occasionally, Mary adds a little something to to story.

I think the author’s notes clears up a lot – it is an exploration of the fiction/non-fiction continuum. All the accounts of Mary are true but Mary did not actually appear in the author’s living room.

Goodreads Rating: * *

Author: Sarah Pinborough

We watched the first episode of this series on Netflix and thought it was a light romantic comedy. We didn’t carry on with it but when I saw the book had a good rating from someone on one of my lists I picked it up from the library. Boy were we wrong about the story.

Louise meets David one night at a bar and they both feel a spark of a relationship but it goes no further. When Louise arrives at work the next day her new boss is David. Later in the week Louise runs into Adele, who is David’s wife; Louise knows she is David’s wife because she saw David and Adele being welcomed into the practise by another partner. Adele doesn’t want David to know that she knows Louise so Louise doesn’t mention it. Sound complicated – just wait until David and Louise start an actual affair.

I had several theories throughout the story as to how it was going to end. I was surprised by the second to last chapter but was satisfied with the ending. The last chapter set everything on its head and I never could have imagined it.

Goodreads Rating: * * * * *