Book Reviews

Review Highlights

Writing a novel about rape as a weapon of war is an ethical and literary minefield for authors. You could diminish the gravity of the crime through fictional treatment. You could do disservice to victims by inaccuracies, or exaggeration. You could be reductive and simplify the good vs. evil angle. You could fail to convey the multi-dimensional humanity of victims and perpetrators. Echlin’s novel navigates these risks with clarity and assurance by giving the women of Foča agency and dignity.

Tim Martin, Review of Speak, Silence by Kim Echlin.

It provides an intimate but damning snapshot of a peacekeeping mission in disarray. 

Roberta Walker, review of Moral Hazards by Tim Martin.

There is much to admire in this intricately plotted, meticulously researched book…

Barbara Sibbald, review of Washington Black by Esi Edugyan.

Perhaps the essay even more than the poem is first and foremost a letter to the self; the challenge then, is to make the self interesting.

Naomi Guttman, review of Too Much and Not the Mood 
by Durga Chew-Bose.

What is my responsibility toward the others of this world: their suffering, their inner torments and psychological distresses? How do I perceive the other?

Irene Marques, review of The Midwife of Torment and Other Stories by Paolo da costa.

If it’s possible to romp through a nunnery, then Jane Christmas leads the parade

Isabel Huggan, review of And Then There Were Nuns by Jane Christmas.
Projection
Projection, reviewed by
Demetra Angelis Foustanellas
(8 November 2017)
The Glass Hotel, reviewed by
Mark Sampson (May 6, 2020)

Remembrance Day Reading

East Jerusalem
Poppies (photo: D. Martens)

The List of Books Reviewed

  1. D.W. Wilson, Once You Break a Knuckle. Bloomsbury: London 2012. Reviewed by Debra Martens (30 May 2012).
  2. Susan M. Toy, Island in the Clouds. IslandCat Editions 2012, 183 pages. Reviewed by Jane Christmas (6 March 2013).
  3. Sandra Djwa, Journey With No Maps: A Life of P.K. Page.
    McGill Queen’s University Press, 2012, 418 pages.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (4 June 2013).
  4. Adam Gopnik, Winter: Five Windows on the Season.
    Quercus: London, hardcover 2012.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (21 December 2013).
  5. Mavis Gallant, Going Ashore. McClelland & Stewart 2009.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (27 February 2014).
  6. Audrey Thomas, Local Customs. Dundurn: Toronto; distributed by Gazelle Book Services in UK, 2014, 202 pages.
    Reviewed by Charlotte Stein (15 July 2014).
  7. J.William Galbraith, John Buchan: Model Governor General.
    Dundurn 2013. Reviewed by D. S. Proudfoot (27 August 2014).
  8. Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers. House of Anansi 2011.
    Reviewed by Jane Christmas (10 September 2014).
  9. Margaret MacMillan, The War that Ended Peace: How Europe Abandoned Peace for the First World War.  London: Profile Books 2013.
    Reviewed by D. S. Proudfoot (11 November 2014).
  10. Eliza Robertson, Wallflowers. Bloomsbury: London 2014.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (19 November 2014).
  11. Pascale Quiviger, The Perfect Circle. translated by Sheila Fischman (Cormorant Books 2006).
    Reviewed by Jane Christmas (27 November 2014).
  12. Jane Christmas, And Then There Were Nuns.
    Greystone Books, Canada & Lion Books, England 2013.
    Reviewed by Isabel Huggan (3 December 2014).
  13. Anna Snaith, Modernist Voyages: Colonial Women Writers in London, 1890-1945. Cambridge University Press 2014, 278 pp hardcover. Reviewed by Debra Martens (28 January 2015).
  14. Charles Foran, Planet Lolita. HarperCollins 2014.
    Reviewed by Eleanor Proudfoot (19 February 2015).
  15. Demetra Angelis Foustanellas, Secrets in a Jewellery Box.
    Kichissippi Publishing (self-published) 2014.
    Reviewed by Sonia Saikaley (17 June 2015).
  16. Rawi Hage, Carnival. House of Anansi Press: 2012, 289 pages.
    Reviewed by Irene Marques (15 September 2015).
  17. Ann-Marie MacDonald, Adult Onset. Sceptre: London 2014.
    Reviewed by Michelle Smith (1 October 2015).
  18. Kate Pullinger, Landing Gear. Doubleday Canada 2014.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (4 November 2015).
  19. Alan Cumyn, The Sojourn. McClelland & Stewart Emblem Editions 2004. Reviewed by Debra Martens (11 November 2015).
  20. Joseph Boyden, The Orenda. Oneworld Publications 2013.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (20 January 2016).
  21. Mandy Treagus, Empire Girls: the colonial heroine comes of age. University of Adelaide Press 2014.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (8 March 2016).
  22. Yann Martel, The High Mountains of Portugal. Knopf Canada 2016. Reviewed by Hubert O’Hearn (29 March 2016).
  23. Rachel Cusk, Outline. Harper Perennial 2015].
    Reviewed by Kim Reynolds (11 May 2016).
  24. Ann Charney, Life Class. Cormorant Books 2013, 230 pages).
    Reviewed by Sonia Saikaley (1 June 2016).
  25. Dionne Brand, Ossuaries. McClelland & Stewart: 2010, 124 pages. Reviewed by Irene Marques (28 June 2016).
  26. Tess Fragoulis, The Goodtime Girl. Cormorant Books 2012.
    Reviewed by Demetra Angelis Foustanellas (28 September 2016).
  27. Guy Delisle, Chroniques de Jérusalem. Éditions Delcourt 2011. Reviewed by Debra Martens (6 October 2016).
  28. Sharon Johnston, Matrons and Madams. Dundurn 2015. Reviewed by Debra Martens (11 November 2016).
  29. Bronwyn Drainie, My Jerusalem: Secular Adventures in the Holy City. Doubleday 1994, paperback 287 pages.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (5 September 2017).
  30. Sarah Bernstein, Now Comes the Lightning. Pedlar Press 2015.
    Reviewed by Naomi Guttman (13 September 2017).
  31. paulo da costa, The Midwife of Torment & Other Stories.
    Guernica Editions: 2017, 202 pages.
    Reviewed by Irene Marques (2 October 2017).
  32. Mordecai Richler, This Year in Jerusalem: Essays and Reports.
    McClelland and Stewart 1968.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (9 October 2017).
  33. Priscila Uppal, Projection: Encounters with my Runaway Mother.
    Dundurn Press 2013.
    Reviewed by Demetra Angelis Foustanellas (8 November 2017).
  34. Nick Mount, Arrival: The Story of CanLit. Anansi 2017.
    Reviewed by Mark Sampson (14 November 2017).
  35. Granta Canada 150. Reviewed by Debra Martens (17 January 2018).
  36. Chabon and Waldman, eds. Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation. HarperCollins 2017.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (25 January 2018).
  37. Durga Chew-Bose, Too Much and Not the Mood.
    Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, NYC 2017.
    Reviewed by Naomi Guttman (6 February 2018).
  38. Frances Itani, That’s My Baby. HarperCollins Canada 2017.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (14 February 2018).
  39. Alison Pick, Strangers with the Same Dream.
    Knopf Canada/Penguin RandomHouse 2017.
    Reviewed by Gabriella Goliger (16 May 2018).
  40. Merilyn Simonds, Refuge. ECW Press 2018.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (12 September 2018).
  41. Gabriella Goliger, Eva Salomon’s War. Bink Books 2018.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (20 September 2018).
  42. Margaret Atwood, Burgess Scale: Canadian Writing Landscape of the 1960s. University of Alberta Press 2017 and Tomson Highway, A Tale of Outrageous Extravagance: Imagining Multilingualism. University of Alberta Press 2015. Reviewed by Debra Martens (31 October 2018).
  43. Esi Edugyan, Washington Black. Patrick Crean Editions, HarperCollins Publishers 2018.
    Reviewed by Barbara Sibbald (15 November 2018).
  44. Patrick deWitt, French Exit. Bloomsbury Publishing 2018.
    Reviewed by Jane Christmas (28 November 2018).
  45. Ayelet Tsabari, The Art of Leaving. HarperCollins 2019.
    Reviewed by Aaron Kreuter (22 January 2019).
  46. Catherine Cooper, White Elephant. Freehand Books: Calgary 2016. Reviewed by Debra Martens (4 April 2019).
  47. Isabel Huggan, The Elizabeth Stories, You Never Know and Belonging. Reviewed by Debra Martens (28 May 2019) in Making Home.
  48. Allan Jones, Beyond Vision. McGill-Queens University Press 2018. Reviewed by Sonia Tilson (13 November 2019).
  49. Emily St. John Mandel, The Glass Hotel. HarperCollins 2020.
    Reviewed by Mark Sampson (May 6, 2020).
  50. Tim Martin, Moral Hazards. Friesen Press 2020 (self-published). Reviewed by Roberta Walker (June 18, 2020).
  51. Jane Christmas, Open House: A Life in Thirty-Two Moves.
    Patrick Crean Editions, HarperCollins 2020.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (September 5, 2020).
  52. Kate Pullinger, Forest Green. Penguin Random House Canada 2020.
    Reviewed by Louise Ells (October 8, 2020).
  53. Wade Davis, Magdalena — River of Dreams. Knopf, Penguin Random House Canada 2020.
    Reviewed by Nicholas Coghlan (October 14, 2020).
  54. Sherrill Grace, Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley. Wilfrid Laurier University Press 2020.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (November 11, 2020) in The Wars.
  55. Jessica Lee, Two Trees Make a Forest. Virago Press 2019; rpt. Hamish Hamilton Penguin Canada paperback 2020.
    Reviewed by Tim Martin (March 5, 2020).
  56. Mary Lawson, Solace. Alfred A. Knopf/Penguin Random House Canada, 2021.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (May 13, 2021).
  57. Kim Echlin, Speak Silence. Hamish Hamilton/Penguin Random House Canada, 2021.
    Reviewed by Tim Martin (June 9, 2021).
  58. André Alexis, Ring. Coach House Books, 2021. Reviewed by Debra Martens (October 14, 2021).
  59. Robert Hilles, A Gradual Ruin. Doubleday, 2004. Reviewed by Debra Martens (November 9, 2021).
  60. Rivka Galchen, Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch. Harper Perennial, 2021.
    Reviewed by Debra Martens (November 26, 2021).
  61. Sarah Leipciger, Coming Up For Air. House of Anansi Press, 2020.
    Reviewed by Louise Ells (February 24, 2022).
  62. Eliza Reid, Secrets of the Sprakkar. Simon and Schuster, 2022. Reviewed by Isabel Huggan (March 20, 2022).
  63. Merilyn Simonds, Woman, Watching. ECW, 2022. Reviewed by Jane Christmas (September 21, 2022.
  64. Barbara Lambert, Wanda. Fish Gotta Swim, 2021. Reviewed by Debra Martens (November 11, 2022).
Penguin Random House Canada