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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Canadian novelist Coady makes her American debut with this touching and funny story of a teenage boy who becomes the victim of the rumor mill in his small rural Nova Scotia community in the early 1980s. Guy Boucher lives with his overworked mother, his reclusive goth sister and his loud, opinionated, boorishly conservative and usually drunk Uncle Isadore. The likable Guy is socially awkward but perceptive and intelligent, with a sharp wit that usually deserts him when he opens his mouth. Guy becomes enamoured of pretty, popular Corinne Fortune, a pampered girl from nearby Big Harbour who rejects him. Caught in a web of lies she's already spun about an imaginary boyfriend, and motivated by a teenager's taste for melodrama, Corinne tells a friend that Guy has treated her brutally. In the way of small communities, her untruths pass from mouth to mouth, gaining momentum until the whole town is worked up in a collective rage over the unwitting Guy, who can't understand why he's getting so many dirty looks. The novel is told from the alternating viewpoints of Guy, Corinne and other supporting characters, including Corinne's serious, sensible best friend, Pam; Corinne's precocious and neurotic older brother, Howard; and Guy's former English teacher, Alison, an American draft dodger and drinking buddy of Isadore's who habitually hangs out (or passes out) at Guy's house and becomes his unlikely mentor. Coady's voice is assured, and she has a sensitive ear for dysfunctional family dynamics and teenage posturing. Though the characters are not equally well developed one wishes that Corinne in particular was more nuanced this is an affecting coming-of-age story and a darkly comic picture of an insular, down-at-the-heels and alcohol-soddened community.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
With this work (the author's second novel and first U.S. release), Canadian-born Coady marks herself as a literary talent to watch. While writing from the alternating perspectives of several key players, she centers on Guy Boucher, a teenager in Big Harbor, Cape Breton, who is trying to find his way amid a chaotic family and small-town justice. The story begins with Guy's Uncle Isadore, a career alcoholic oblivious to the wreckage he causes around him, whom a local judge places in the custody of his impoverished sister, Marianne, and her two teenagers. In exchange, Marianne is granted the use of Isadore's truck, which enables her to take a job and also lets Guy drive to town to see Corinne Fortune, a beautiful but troubled girl who complicates his life in an unexpected way. Coady stunningly captures the torment of adolescence as well as Uncle Isadore's inscrutable charm; no matter how strongly readers may want to detest Uncle Isadore, they will be unable to resist him. Highly recommended for most literary fiction collections.
Tamara Butler, Olean P.L., NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
See all Editorial Reviews
Canadian novelist Coady makes her American debut with this touching and funny story of a teenage boy who becomes the victim of the rumor mill in his small rural Nova Scotia community in the early 1980s. Guy Boucher lives with his overworked mother, his reclusive goth sister and his loud, opinionated, boorishly conservative and usually drunk Uncle Isadore. The likable Guy is socially awkward but perceptive and intelligent, with a sharp wit that usually deserts him when he opens his mouth. Guy becomes enamoured of pretty, popular Corinne Fortune, a pampered girl from nearby Big Harbour who rejects him. Caught in a web of lies she's already spun about an imaginary boyfriend, and motivated by a teenager's taste for melodrama, Corinne tells a friend that Guy has treated her brutally. In the way of small communities, her untruths pass from mouth to mouth, gaining momentum until the whole town is worked up in a collective rage over the unwitting Guy, who can't understand why he's getting so many dirty looks. The novel is told from the alternating viewpoints of Guy, Corinne and other supporting characters, including Corinne's serious, sensible best friend, Pam; Corinne's precocious and neurotic older brother, Howard; and Guy's former English teacher, Alison, an American draft dodger and drinking buddy of Isadore's who habitually hangs out (or passes out) at Guy's house and becomes his unlikely mentor. Coady's voice is assured, and she has a sensitive ear for dysfunctional family dynamics and teenage posturing. Though the characters are not equally well developed one wishes that Corinne in particular was more nuanced this is an affecting coming-of-age story and a darkly comic picture of an insular, down-at-the-heels and alcohol-soddened community.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
With this work (the author's second novel and first U.S. release), Canadian-born Coady marks herself as a literary talent to watch. While writing from the alternating perspectives of several key players, she centers on Guy Boucher, a teenager in Big Harbor, Cape Breton, who is trying to find his way amid a chaotic family and small-town justice. The story begins with Guy's Uncle Isadore, a career alcoholic oblivious to the wreckage he causes around him, whom a local judge places in the custody of his impoverished sister, Marianne, and her two teenagers. In exchange, Marianne is granted the use of Isadore's truck, which enables her to take a job and also lets Guy drive to town to see Corinne Fortune, a beautiful but troubled girl who complicates his life in an unexpected way. Coady stunningly captures the torment of adolescence as well as Uncle Isadore's inscrutable charm; no matter how strongly readers may want to detest Uncle Isadore, they will be unable to resist him. Highly recommended for most literary fiction collections.
Tamara Butler, Olean P.L., NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
See all Editorial Reviews
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Inside This Book Citations: This book cites 1 book | 2 books that cite this book Explore: Citations | Concordance | Text Stats Key Phrases - SIPs: lemon gin, boxing club Key Phrases - CAPs: Alison Mason, Big Harbour, Jesus Christ, Corinne Fortune, Port Hull (more) Browse Sample Pages: Front Cover | Copyright | |