The Comeback

 By Lily Chu

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Susan from the Manitou Branch

    Canadian writer Lily Chu captures the spirit of driven Toronto Lawyer Ariadne Hui (rhymes with Sway).  Ari is a third generation Asian Canadian determined to make partner at the law firm where she's currently an associate. "The only person who wants me to make partner more than my dad is me."    

    When Ari is passed over yet again for partner, she is faced with evaluating her life goals.  Are they her goals, or, as the "good" daughter, is she trying to fulfill her father's thwarted ambition?

    Ari lives in an apartment with her good friend and roommate, Hana, who travels for work.  When Ari returns home from a long difficult day, she just wants to kick off her shoes and relax.  She arrives home to find a strange man asleep on her couch.  She creeps to the kitchen and scrambles for a knife.  Her phone bleeps a text message from Hana: "My cuz Jihoon coming over to stay for a bit. Left my key for him. Sorry, forgot to mention it."

    Wry wit and flowing dialogue make for an un-put-downable read.  Best Canadian author in my opinion.  A real treat.

    More from Lily Chu please!

To place this book on hold, click here.

The Future

 The Manitou Book Club discusses The Future

By Catherine Leroux

2024 Canada Reads Winner

Adult Fiction

    No short paragraph would describe this novel.  We are transported to a time and place, dystopian in nature and hardly imaginable outside of a graphic-type feature.

    The adult population are living in an impoverished and broken community.  The children, mostly preteen, are surviving in a nearby secluded, heavily forested area where they developed a surreal society, surreal skills for survival, and guard their space and lifestyle ingeniously.  There is mostly ignorance, poverty and mistrust, particularly of adults and so-called law enforcement.

    I put this book down many times thinking I wouldn't go on.  I pushed myself to finish the story, wondering if I had wasted my time.

    It is a 'can you imagine' story, fantasy-like in some respects, seeming almost animated.  It offers a truly frightening insight into what a future world might look like given the present political and climate issues of today, and the long-term effect of global warming.

    It might have been useful to get some background on the setting of the book (Detroit) before reading it.

    What did others who have read this book think?  It would be interesting to hear their take on it.

To place this book on hold, click here.