Quill and Quire

BOOK REVIEWS

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

The Vindico

By Wesley King

The Vindico is a decidedly and deliberately different take on superhero mythology, and on the “origin story” in particular. In Wesley King’s debut, the newspapers are full of stories about the League of Heroes and ... Read More »

June 27, 2012

Never Enough

By Denise Jaden

When Loann is dumped by her friends at the start of her penultimate year of high school, life has never seemed less fair, especially since everything is perfect as always for Loann’s sister, Claire, who ... Read More »

June 27, 2012

Small Medium at Large

By Joanne Levy

Lilah Bloom is just your average seventh-grader: she likes shopping, groans about math tests, plays the drums, and can’t wait to finally turn 13. Her biggest problem in life is worrying about how lonely her ... Read More »

June 27, 2012

Hemlock

By Kathleen Peacock

Kathleen Peacock’s debut novel is set in a dystopian world in which those afflicted with a virus known as Lupine Syndrome – in other words, werewolves – are being rounded up and sent to rehabilitation ... Read More »

June 27, 2012 | Filed under: Book news