Jack Hodgins (1) (1938–)

This book tries to do a lot, but I think it does not quite make it. I love all the plant references, those the first quarter of the book is where these references are most prevalent. The voyage to Australia seems a little bit gimmicky, but maybe the author needed a place that could support the flood scene in a believably way. The Australia section made the book seem more "epic" than it is.

There were times the narrative jumped or swerved so quickly I had to re-read to figure out what was going on; that was annoying, especially when other times the details were explicit and descriptive. I also did not understand the random descriptions of the characters back in Ottawa -- what purpose was that serving?

Characters I liked: The father, the son, the neighbours, the Australian boy, Rowan, maybe Holly. Very much disliked (and did not understand) Charlotte or the old lady in Ottawa (Judy? not sure what her relationship was to Sonny).

Interesting juxtapositions of the Canadian referendum with Australia, and the movie set with life.

Not nearly as good as Broken Ground, but interesting to set a totally different novel in the same geographical setting 50+ years later.… (mere)

I've used this book in my university-level Creative Writing classes for 16 years, and over the years I've not received a desk copy of any other text that can take its place. I supplement it with John Gardner's On Becoming a Novelist, but it remains the concrete foundation in all of my second-year courses. Why? Because Jack shares his experience and opinions on all of the most important issues facing any writer, but he never insists on his theory or method. Instead, by presenting a rich array of quotations expressing the diversity of methods available to the beginning writer--and even for the seasoned writer who needs to stand back and freshen their perspective--Jack helps you to explore and find your own voice and learn to see with your own eyes. This book is not a manual for genre fiction. It frequently points out what the recipe for genre fiction might be, but it always prioritizes literary fiction. Like Gardner, Jack tries to help you create fiction you can be proud of; fiction that is deep, complex, and if lightning strikes, perhaps even original.… (mere)