Canada : roman

This really is a beautiful book, the writing is very patient, lots of description even as not much happens, you're right there with the protagonist and his thoughts. It's a long book but each chapter is very short, so there's some sense of progress moving from chapter to chapter quickly. The whole book is the recollection of an older person, but it's easy to forget that and imagine the story about a young person is told by a young person - but the conclusion, where the older Dell reflects on what it was all about, what having a life, a life you enjoy, a life surviving trauma - wow. Really moving. ( )

Elche - Mayo/2017 ( )

Good, but not his best. ( )

I found this book too unpleasant and unsettling to finish. The opening sentence is an attention grabber, to be sure but then it continues in that vein as far as I read. The impending sense of doom following a poorly planned bank robbery. ( )

(8.5)I picked this off my shelf after hearing the author speak. This a quiet story told in the narrative voice of 15 year old twin, Dell Parsons. Life has thrown he and his sister, Berner, a curve ball. Their once quiet, predictable existence has been turned in to disarray by the not only unlikely, but foolish actions of their parents Bev and Neeva Parsons. Bev is a retired captain from the airforce and their life up until now has been transient based around American Airforce bases.
The children are pleased that the plan is for them to remain living in Great Falls, Montana and Dell especially is looking forward to the new school year.
His father has tried his hand unsuccessfully at several jobs but has not met with success. When he and their school teacher Mum are arrested for robbing a bank the children are stunned. It is later, through reading newspaper accounts, that they learn the truth about their father's discharge from the airforce and the circumstances that lead to their criminal act.
Berner decides to take life in her own hands and run away, rather than be at the mercy of social services, whereas Dell awaits his mother's friend at his mother's request. Mildred, said friend, drives him north across the border to Canada and leaves him with her brother Arthur, but Arthur has his own secrets.
The author is masterful at creating images of idiosyncratic characters and painting a picture of the spare and derelict landscape of Saskatchewan. ( )