Quill and Quire

BOOK REVIEWS

The Blondes

By Emily Schultz

Unleash rabid blonde killers in an apocalyptic New York City, then add a pregnant woman trying to make her way outside city limits to inform her married lover he’s the father. The result is an ... Read More »

August 7, 2012 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

Stony River

By Tricia Dower

American small-town life in the 1950s wasn’t actually like Leave It to Beaver. In her ambitious first novel, Tricia Dower reveals the darker side of an era we tend to idealize. In the novel’s titular ... Read More »

August 2, 2012 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

Grid

By Brenda Schmidt

In her fourth collection, Brenda Schmidt, a poet based in Creighton, Saskatchewan, pays homage to the juxtapositions inherent in her surroundings. The scenery itself is a presence in this work, which depicts the intersection between ... Read More »

July 16, 2012 | Filed under: Poetry

People Park

By Pasha Malla

As Pasha Malla’s debut novel commences, its eponymous civic landmark is replete with citizenry, gathered for a joyous public celebration. When the book reaches its conclusion nearly 500 pages later, the park fills with people ... Read More »

July 3, 2012 | Filed under: Fiction: Novels

Seraphina

By Rachel Hartman

What’s the deal with dragons? Mythical creatures abound, but dragons seem to be the Rorschach blots of contemporary fantasy, embodying – with their scales, hoarded treasure, and breath of fire – all our anxieties and ... Read More »

June 27, 2012

The Imposter

By Gary Blackwood

Gary Blackwood’s latest adventure novel is a fun and engaging read, though it is rather predictable and heavy-handed in its overarching themes of lying and empathy. With his mom unemployed and his dad missing in ... Read More »

June 27, 2012

Red River Rising

By B.J. Bayle

In her latest historical novel for young adults, B.J. Bayle tells the story of the Fraser family, who sail from Scotland to the newly formed Red River settlement (now Winnipeg). Centred on 15-year-old Angus, the ... Read More »

June 27, 2012