I'm stretched a little thinly these days, but even though this won't be anything like a formal review, I want to "think out loud" a little about a book that I recently enjoyed a whole lot, Fight Night by Miriam Toews.
The novel is about three generations of very unique women living under the same roof. The grandmother is elderly and not doing very well physically; the mother is pregnant and own her own since her husband walked out on the family; and the nine-year-old granddaughter is pretty much a little genius even though she's currently expelled from school.
For me, what made this book so special is the total bonding between the little girl and her grandmother. The fun comes from the fact that each of them believes she is the guardian and almost-sole caretaker of the other. There's a lot of watchfulness and education going in both directions, and much of it is laugh-out-loud funny - when it's not putting a tear in your eye.
Even the unborn child (called "Gord" by the family due to how big the mother is in her late term pregnancy) becomes a minor character that the little girl speaks to in her head and watches out for.
That's it. If this little bit of info appeals to you, you really need to get your hands on this one. It's the one book that keeps popping back into my head so far from this year's reading.
This does sound good...I love when a book makes you keep thinking about it long after you've finished it. And the bond between the grandmother and her granddaughter makes this one sound even better. :D
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like it as much as I did. This woman can write...her earlier book, "Women Talking," is also excellent.
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing this book out because I never would have seen it otherwise. It sounds like it would be a good read and thought provoking.
ReplyDeleteAnd another plus is that the author is Canadian and it is set in Canada. I am always on the lookout for Canadian books.
Same here, Tracy. Always looking for Canadian authors and books set in Canada; I find it strange that they are harder for me to find than books from the UK. Wonder why that is.
DeleteHi Sam, your review has me interested. Characters are very important to me in a novel and it sounds like these three women care about each other and are very well drawn. I am going to look into this book.
ReplyDeleteKathy, this one is definitely all about the characters. Really, very little action takes place (at least until the birth of "Gord," so the focus is on the characters and the relationships and bonds between them. And what memorable characters they turn out to be. Toews manages to make all three of them a little over-the-top while keeping them believable and real at the same time; that can't be easy.
DeleteIt sounds like a good one! I'll have to look and see if my library's got a copy.
ReplyDeleteI suspect they will, Jeane. I waited about 3 weeks for my turn to come on my own library's hold list.
DeleteGlad you liked this so much. I borrowed it from the library but, I never got a chance to read it so I think I'll request it again. I so like the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteIt's really unusual, Diane, and I suspect it's not for everyone. But those who take to it are really going to like it a lot...and vice versa. May be one of those books with not all that many opinions in the middle. It's cleverly structured.
DeleteYeah I'd like to read this one. The combo of the three characters sounds like a good one with struggles I imagine. I hope you come back "thinking out loud" about books again. I enjoy your thoughts.
ReplyDelete"Thinking Out Loud" may be at least a temporary option for me until (if) I get back into a completely regular routine. I really enjoy the conversation that results from posting, so I'm glad I tried this.
DeleteIt's nice to find a book that you enjoy. That little girl sounds like a treasure.
ReplyDeleteShe is definitely a treasure. I imagine she might be hard to live with, though. LOL
DeleteI was quite taken by this. My daughter and granddaughter don't live under the same roof as me, but just down our road. I see them often, and the granddaughter is almost 9. There is a bit of that caretaking and watching out for each other that goes on. Your words about the book sound very like my life. Thank you so much. I don't think I ever would have picked it up by the cover or title, but the inside sounds quite wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNan, the language gets a little rough during the panic moments, but if that doesn't bother you, I think you'll love this based on what you just said. I really hope you enjoy it.
DeleteJust want to add, Nan, that I would have probably never given this one a chance based on its title and cover either. I subscribe to the digital version of The Times of London and happened upon a review in their Culture section...the author and setting are Canadian.
DeleteI plan to ILL it from the library. Language doesn't bother me. haha. I'll let you know what I thought.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to that.
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