Book Reviews: read on the way

The Red Word by Sarah Henstra (2018, ECW Press)

By David Johnson

Sarah Henstra tackles some pretty controversial topics in this eminently readable novel set against the backdrop of an Ivy League college in the mid-90s, from the men of the me too movement, to hardline feminism. No one comes away unscathed. It’s almost inconceivable that a man could have written this book and I’m amazed that Henstra had the guts to offer such a moving and critical examination of both toxic male culture in fraternities, and the less flattering aspects of the woman’s rights movement. She takes apart most aspects of the gender wars, and so-called cancel culture, deftly showing that any ideology taken to extremes can be deadly. She further performs this balancing act by incorporating Greek mythology, examining our current state in light of the classical role of the hero, who is both a good and bad guy. The prose is beautiful and clean and despite the often heavy subject matter, the book is almost impossible to put down. I’m sometimes asked for recommendations for book clubs and this book is guaranteed to be a conversation starter for men and women alike. Winner of the 2018 Governor Generals Award for English Language Literature, I recommend it as much as the Governor General.

A Better Man by Louise Penny 2019, Minotaur Books

Inspector Gamache returns for a fifteenth entry in this beloved series. If you’ve not read the previous books, you can still pick this one up and enjoy a warm introduction to Gamache, a Chief Inspector of the Sûreté du Québec, his protégé Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and the charming, fictional village of Three Pines where much of the action of the series takes place. For those not familiar, Penny often has Gamache navigating the thorny world of Québec politics and public opinion and, in this entry, Gamache is second in command at the Sûreté, reporting to another former protégé in a role meant to humiliate him. Into this mix comes a murder of a woman near Three Pines, who was in an abusive relationship, so of course everyone knows her husband is the culprit. But Gamache and Jean-Guy must prove it, even as spring flooding threatens to wash away Three Pines. Will Gamache prevail? Well, of course, but not before a nail-biting, gasp-inducing roller coaster of an ending. One of the wonders of the series is that while Gamache is one of the world’s greatest police officers, he is not a cynic, nor is he self-destructive; rather, quite subversively for a crime thriller, Gamache has a deep love of life, family and community that carries him through his often turbulent world. I won’t guarantee you’ll fall in love with him on the basis of this book alone, as millions of others have, but it’s a great introduction to a life-affirming character.

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 2019, Ballantine Books

Very loosely based on Fleetwood Mac’s legendary recording of Rumors, an established but struggling band, The Six, is forced to work with up and coming singer Daisy Jones to write and record a new album, Aurora, in the mid-70s. The brilliance of the book is that it’s told as an aural history of the band and the recording of Aurora. So we hear different versions of events from Daisy, The Six leader Billy Dunne, his wife, other members of the band, managers and various other hangers on. Much of it leads up to revealing the truth behind The Six’s infamous last concert in 1978; in the world of the novel, there is endless speculation as to why they broke up that night. At its heart is a love story, but really it’s about the creative process, the personal tensions that can lead to good art, and the drug-fueled spirit of the 70s. Reid’s development of the characters and her rich dialogue elevate this book into something really special. Hands down one my favorite reading experiences of the last year.