Quill and Quire

Reviews

Mother Superior

By Saleema Nawaz

The opening lines of the first story of Montreal author Saleema Nawaz’s debut collection are riveting and set the tone for the entire collection: “Joan won’t get an abortion … says [drinking] won’t hurt the ... Read More »

October 24, 2008 | Filed under: Fiction: Short

The Show That Smells

By Derek McCormack

Derek McCormack has some curiously compulsive creative habits. The Toronto author’s previous novel, The Haunted Hillbilly, was a cowboy story with vampires, one that subversively re-imagined the demise of crooner Hank Williams at the hands ... Read More »

October 24, 2008 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

The Great Karoo

By Fred Stenson

Like the South African plains of the title, Alberta author Fred Stenson’s eighth novel is vast and sprawling. It’s historical fiction with the emphasis firmly on the historical.     For nearly 500 pages, The Great ... Read More »

October 21, 2008 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

Crucified

By Michael Slade

I guess it’s time to admit defeat: apparently “Have you tried Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum?” is not a good enough suggestion for bookstore customers looking for “something like The Da Vinci Code.” Thankfully, two new ... Read More »

September 29, 2008 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

The Last Gospel

By David Gibbins

I guess it’s time to admit defeat: apparently “Have you tried Umberto Eco’s Foucault’s Pendulum?” is not a good enough suggestion for bookstore customers looking for “something like The Da Vinci Code.” Thankfully, two new ... Read More »

September 29, 2008 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels