CanadianContent discussion

a place to discuss...

anyone read this yet? I am looking forward to discussing this one as I am still pondering...

Just finished this. My overall favorite.

I can't explain why, but it just grabbed me and made me ache. I read the last 150 pages all in one sitting, just kept going.

My heart hurts now but in a good way.

Started rereading this today and am loving it as much as I did the first time around.

It’s such a charming, unexpected and original book. I loved it.

Time for spoilers???

I felt like the whole trip was in Etta's mind as she struggled with dementia. did any one else think this?

also - interesting article about this author: https://www.cbc.ca/arts/to-write-her-...

I cannot imagine breaking the ice to go for a swim!!!

❀ Susan wrote: "I felt like the whole trip was in Etta's mind as she struggled with dementia. did any one else think this"

Oh, that's interesting, and would definitely make sense. I didn't think it while reading, but can see that being the truth for sure.

I'm very - gullible? I guess - as a reader. I tend to accept whatever is presented to me, unless there are huge flashing signposts that the narrator is unreliable in some way / I need to be questioning the story. Even when James showed up, I was like "okay, talking coyote". Maybe it helps that I read a lot of fantasy. As I read on I did ask myself if he was only a figment of her imagination, but I didn't ask if the whole trip was.

❀ Susan wrote: "I felt like the whole trip was in Etta's mind as she struggled with dementia. did any one else think this?

I totally agree with you Susan. I even went so far as to wonder if Otto was killed in the war and everything after that was in Etta's mind. A great book for discussion!

I'm sorry I missed this. I didn't like it enough to reread it, and here's why https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I desperately wanted to like it, but just couldn't. To be fair, I hadn't thought of the walk being in her mind, but then my mother was suffering from dementia when I read this and there is no way she could have sustained a thought long enough to get through this whole trip.

I could see she was an unreliable narrator and I loathe those. I prefer my fictional protagonists to be mostly reliable. Unreliable narrators are why I dislike memoirs after reading my dad's which was traditionally published. He didn't care if four people remembered something differently than he did (and all the same way as each other.)

sometimes you just have to read books at the right time!

Karin - I am sorry to hear about your mom...

Ellen - that could totally be the intent as well!

Joanna - agree... it did make for a confusing read!