Welcome to Litsy!

Canada Reads. Book 2. I can‘t decide if this is brilliant or absolutely awful. It was like reading five stories in one, all jumbled together. I often felt like I was lost in Etta‘s dementia filled mind. Was it a dream? A jumble of thoughts and memories? What was real? Or could it just as simple as a little magical realism? Maybe that was the point. But it was all kinds of confusing. I kinda can‘t wait for the debates.

Throwback to yesterday, when I ate more brown food while I read my penultimate book from the Canada Reads shortlist. I should finish it today. While I like it a lot, I‘m not sure if it‘ll cross the line into love territory. It all depends on how the ending comes together. Still, it should lead to some interesting discussions during the debates.

ETA: I found the ending deeply unsatisfying. Sadness.

My second book read for #CanadaReads, and I wanted to love this one so much more than I did. The narrative that fractured into an almost dream-like state SHOULD have been totally my jam, but I just felt disconnected and confused. I think there are about five different books here, and they don't quite come together in any cohesive way. I'm left wondering why? Why tell this story in this way? Why leave certain alleys unexplored?

This book is one example of why I love reading so much. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommend

"A lack of words is not a lack of insight.”

"Pain rewrites your future, how you think you‘re going to live your life. It gives you a whole new way of looking at comfort and happiness.”

Second #roll100 read, and I enjoyed this near-future dystopia, although it‘s was frighteningly plausible. Not sure about the bovine chorus, but I liked the intertwining stories and some interesting themes raised.

Cozy, and sad

May was another month of less than exciting books, so I pulled my 2nd favorite of December. Octogenarian Etta decides to walk from Saskatchewan to the Atlantic Ocean, leaving her husband Otto behind. He's been overseas for war and understands that she needs this experience. Their neighbor Russell is concerned, both by Etta's decision to leave and by Otto's indifference. Along the way, Etta picks up an unexpected companion in James.

New episode just posted! This week we're discussing the successful debut from Rachel Joyce, “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.“ A charming, sad, and poignant novel that surprised and pleased us greatly. We had a great time discussing this novel...spoilers ahead!

Great graphic novel about a young boy named Ebo, looking for his older brother Kwame, as he makes the treacherous journey from Ghana to Italy.