Polar Vortex | 
pickWow. This book is tense and sad and really floored me. I was breathless with high heart rate at times. Everyone is unreliable and self serving and it‘s difficult to know what real. But there is very visceral emotion throughout. And foreboding dread
so-so4 ⭐️
I threw the book when I finished it. I thought that I was picking up a book that explores the dynamics of how humans navigate romantic relationships- how much to reveal, what is a secret or a lie. I am so emotionally disturbed by the last part that I don't even know if I love it or hate it, but the writing itself was... great? I feel like I need to talk to someone who has read this book to discuss our shared trauma.
I was curious what it would be like to reread this novel for bookclub. Nine months ago I found it psychologically suspenseful; what would the experience be like knowing the entire plot? Answer: outstanding, even BETTER than the first time. I paid even more attention than usual to the thoughtful crafting and perfect prose, as evidenced by my flagged passages. The other 3 members read it for the first time & found it page-turner compelling.
Another great event from Toronto International Festival of Authors: Shani Mootoo & Noor Naga interviewed by Jade Colbert. I asked what they are reading these days and Shani said she‘d just finished Michelle Good‘s Five Little Indians and it shook her to her core. ❤️
When I talked to Jenny on her Reading Envy podcast back in July, I correctly identified two Canadian books that made the Giller shortlist today. (Still disappointed about The Subtweet not even making the longlist.)
ReadingEnvy's post on Litsy https://litsy.com/p/dmhVRWt0VlNI
@shawnmooney interviewed me after the Giller longlist came out. You can watch our conversation on his booktube channel here: https://youtu.be/N3QiNt3Uq-M
so-soSo while the ending was the strongest and best part of the book for me I dont feel strongly enough to rate this more than a so-so read for me.
I had many conflicting emotions running through my head while reading, and felt the focus of the story to be too scattered.
I enjoyed Mootoo's Moving Forward Sideways Like a Crab much more.
I dont see this as a strong contender for the #Giller Shortlist. 😔 #ShadowGiller @Lindy
pickThis book! @Lindy talked about it on episode 196 of the podcast and I ended up reading it right away. It's about Priya and Alex, a lesbian couple who have moved to a rural "island" in South Ontario. When Alex invites an old friend for a visit, her relationship with Priya starts unraveling. Slowly the reasons are revealed. ⤵️
Reading Envy Podcast Episode 196: Miscommunication with Lindy
Lindy is back, just in time to share about her appointment to the Shadow Giller Jury. We talk about the Canadian book prize and its shadow, recent crafting projects, and recent reads. Jenny is focused on Persian lands in fantasy and a debut novel while Lindy has been reading Canadians from other places.
To listen and subscribe:
https://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy196
@Lindy
pick“No matter how long you know someone, or how intimately, you can‘t really fully know them.” The underlying unease—all that‘s unspoken between two women who‘ve been married 6 years & also between two longtime friends—made for a suspenseful read. I love Shani Mootoo‘s nuanced exploration of a complex character, a South Asian lesbian artist from Trinidad who emigrated to Canada after attending university in Toronto. Bonus: immigration insights. #LGBT
It dawned on me that his experiences in Uganda itself was not only a story about his family or about the history of Uganda, but it was a part of Canada‘s history too, as are the conditions in the Middle East that have led to the arrival of the Syrians today.
(Internet photo of Pier 21)
“I began to wonder if the calm in which Alex and I lived was possibly a veneer, beneath which lurked a disquieting incompatibility.”
This story about a lesbian marriage is propelled by psychological unease & uncertainty, as hinted in the quote above.
An enormous amount of energy is required for a heart to toughen, and in the end it‘s draining.
(Painting by Laurie MacFayden)
A polar vortex in May. Seems like I was destined to start reading Shani Mootoo‘s Polar Vortex.
pickA strange, dark, fascinating, and thought provoking novel. Priya lives with her partner Alex in a small town. Out of the blue she gets a message from an old uni friend Prakash with whom she had a very complicated and fraught friendship. Priya's invitation for him to visit brings up longstanding insecurities and issues in her relationship. Themes include mainstream (white) discourse about queer sexuality/identity and the difficulties of intimacy.
This is a very thought provoking story so far, diving deep into the protagonist's psyche and relationship. It reminds me of Jane Eaton Hamilton's novel Weekend. Very queer, and also an interrogation of mainstream white queer culture and discourse from a woman of colour's perspective. #QueerBooks #LGBTQBooks #LGBTQ
