What do you think?
Rate this book
Mercy
Alissa York’s first novel Mercy rivals the fiction debuts of Anne Michaels and Ann-Marie MacDonald. She brings to life a tale of thwarted love, lost fathers and misplaced sexuality, with language of incredible clarity and intensity.
Mercy pairs a single year in the past with a single night in the present, as they both unfold in the town of Mercy, Manitoba, and in the neighbouring black spruce bog.
In 1948, a raw and passionate young priest named August Day arrives in Mercy to take up where the old priest, now deceased, left off. The first service he performs in his new church is to marry the town butcher to Mathilda, the orphaned niece of the church housekeeper, and a young woman unconscious of her sexual power. Their eyes meet during the wedding, and from that point on Mathilda and the priest can only see each other -- and their obsession leaves its mark on the town long after their love affair is over.
Half a century later, another sort of preacher comes to Mercy. A womanizing widower with a damaged daughter he doesn’t understand, the Reverend Carl Mann believes that the answer to his life lies somewhere in the black spruce bog -- perhaps in the hands of the woman who has lived all fifty-three of her years at its heart.
Carl turns out to be right, but not in the way he expected. In the town of Mercy, the past haunts us still -- even when everyone has tried their best to forget it.
Mercy pairs a single year in the past with a single night in the present, as they both unfold in the town of Mercy, Manitoba, and in the neighbouring black spruce bog.
In 1948, a raw and passionate young priest named August Day arrives in Mercy to take up where the old priest, now deceased, left off. The first service he performs in his new church is to marry the town butcher to Mathilda, the orphaned niece of the church housekeeper, and a young woman unconscious of her sexual power. Their eyes meet during the wedding, and from that point on Mathilda and the priest can only see each other -- and their obsession leaves its mark on the town long after their love affair is over.
Half a century later, another sort of preacher comes to Mercy. A womanizing widower with a damaged daughter he doesn’t understand, the Reverend Carl Mann believes that the answer to his life lies somewhere in the black spruce bog -- perhaps in the hands of the woman who has lived all fifty-three of her years at its heart.
Carl turns out to be right, but not in the way he expected. In the town of Mercy, the past haunts us still -- even when everyone has tried their best to forget it.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
2 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Alissa York
14 books71 followersBorn in 1970, Alissa York has lived all over Canada and now makes her home in Toronto with her husband, writer/filmmaker Clive Holden.
York's award-winning short fiction has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies, and in the collection, Any Given Power, published by Arbeiter Ring Publishing in 1999. Her first novel, Mercy, published by Random House Canada in 2003, was a Canadian bestseller. Dutch, French and US editions have appeared since.
York's novel Effigy was published by Random House Canada in April, 2007, and was short-listed for the Giller Prize. International rights to the book have sold in Holland, Italy, France and the US.
York's award-winning short fiction has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies, and in the collection, Any Given Power, published by Arbeiter Ring Publishing in 1999. Her first novel, Mercy, published by Random House Canada in 2003, was a Canadian bestseller. Dutch, French and US editions have appeared since.
York's novel Effigy was published by Random House Canada in April, 2007, and was short-listed for the Giller Prize. International rights to the book have sold in Holland, Italy, France and the US.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 19, 2011
In 1948 a young and dedicated priest comes to Mercy, Manitoba to serve the community. As his first duty, he marries Thomas, the town butcher, and Mathilda, the niece of the rectory housekeeper. Although she is now married, Mathilda cannot deny the feelings she has for the new priest and Father Day struggles with his own love for Mathilda. Fifty years later, a corrupt minister comes to town with a plan to develop the wilderness for his own gain. He travels to the bog to confront the person that could stop his plans and ends up alone and injured until he is rescued by a mysterious woman who makes her home there and teaches him something about himself.
Mercy was an unusual book. The writing was haunting and the story was heartbreaking. The utter devotion of Father Day to his beliefs and the way his feelings for Mathilda destroy him, both physically and spiritually, provide the center of the story in the first half of the book. The author also gives us a window into the mind of Thomas, Mathilda's husband, who seems oafish at first, but develops into a character that is just as trapped and full of longing as Father Day and Mathilda. The lives of these three people are emotionally tortured and close in around them until the entire situation culminates in a very dramatic way.
The second half of the book left me feeling a little lost. Fifty years have gone by and now the town of Mercy has changed. We meet a corrupt preacher with an autistic daughter whose life is essentially one affair after another. His desire to to develop the bogs put him in contact with Bog Mary who he must rely on for help. His character is connected to the people in the beginning of the book, but I just didn't feel the same way about this half of the book. We really got to know Mathilda, Thomas and Father Day through the minutia of their days, but his didn't continue in the second half of the book and it's too bad, because I felt like the characters were just as interesting.
The arrangement of short chapters and the ideas of religion, morality and devotion were weaved into the story in a unique way. The second half weakened it and I regret that the momentum didn't continue throughout the entire book. I gave it 3 stars.
Mercy was an unusual book. The writing was haunting and the story was heartbreaking. The utter devotion of Father Day to his beliefs and the way his feelings for Mathilda destroy him, both physically and spiritually, provide the center of the story in the first half of the book. The author also gives us a window into the mind of Thomas, Mathilda's husband, who seems oafish at first, but develops into a character that is just as trapped and full of longing as Father Day and Mathilda. The lives of these three people are emotionally tortured and close in around them until the entire situation culminates in a very dramatic way.
The second half of the book left me feeling a little lost. Fifty years have gone by and now the town of Mercy has changed. We meet a corrupt preacher with an autistic daughter whose life is essentially one affair after another. His desire to to develop the bogs put him in contact with Bog Mary who he must rely on for help. His character is connected to the people in the beginning of the book, but I just didn't feel the same way about this half of the book. We really got to know Mathilda, Thomas and Father Day through the minutia of their days, but his didn't continue in the second half of the book and it's too bad, because I felt like the characters were just as interesting.
The arrangement of short chapters and the ideas of religion, morality and devotion were weaved into the story in a unique way. The second half weakened it and I regret that the momentum didn't continue throughout the entire book. I gave it 3 stars.
July 1, 2017
It may sound like a criticism to describe Alissa York’s “Mercy” as a literary jigsaw puzzle. In the hands of a lesser writer, that would be the case. But York navigates multiple perspectives skillfully in a work that covers two generations.
In the first half of this “Then” and “Now” novel, we follow the intertwined lives of butcher Thomas Rose (who pursues his profession with such passion he becomes an artist at it), his reluctant wife Mathilda, town drunk and black sheep Castor, and Father Day who battles a temptation that rocks him to his spiritual core. Part one ends with the tragic intersection of these three lives.
In the second half, we see through the eyes of womanizing widower Reverend Carl Mann, his autistic child Clare, town mayor Lavinia, and bog lady Mary. Once again, the lives of these four characters are progressively intertwined as fates established in the previous generation continue to play out a half century later.
All of this drama takes place within or in the vicinity of the ironically named town of Mercy and the mysterious bog that borders it. The bog itself, a forest floating on a sunken lake, becomes a central metaphor for the lives of all the characters none of whom are able to find a solid footing as hard as they try.
Sounds complicated? It most definitely is – and York’s stylized, literary brush strokes add another layer of complexity. Mercy is not an easy read, but definitely worth the effort if you like to be challenged by a novel.
In the first half of this “Then” and “Now” novel, we follow the intertwined lives of butcher Thomas Rose (who pursues his profession with such passion he becomes an artist at it), his reluctant wife Mathilda, town drunk and black sheep Castor, and Father Day who battles a temptation that rocks him to his spiritual core. Part one ends with the tragic intersection of these three lives.
In the second half, we see through the eyes of womanizing widower Reverend Carl Mann, his autistic child Clare, town mayor Lavinia, and bog lady Mary. Once again, the lives of these four characters are progressively intertwined as fates established in the previous generation continue to play out a half century later.
All of this drama takes place within or in the vicinity of the ironically named town of Mercy and the mysterious bog that borders it. The bog itself, a forest floating on a sunken lake, becomes a central metaphor for the lives of all the characters none of whom are able to find a solid footing as hard as they try.
Sounds complicated? It most definitely is – and York’s stylized, literary brush strokes add another layer of complexity. Mercy is not an easy read, but definitely worth the effort if you like to be challenged by a novel.
June 29, 2017
I was working at Chapters in 2003 and was invited to a book fare, presented by Random House. While there, I was given armloads of books to read/review. Alissa York was also there, talking about her debut novel. She sent me an autographed copy shortly thereafter and I am embarrassed to say that it's taken me this long to get to it.
The story was quite different than what I expected. I read it in two sittings and was quite interested in the fate of the characters, but it took a few turns I didn't see coming. Overall it was quite good but the ending left me hanging. Because of the way it is written, I don't see myself reading it again so I will definitely be forwarding it on.
The story was quite different than what I expected. I read it in two sittings and was quite interested in the fate of the characters, but it took a few turns I didn't see coming. Overall it was quite good but the ending left me hanging. Because of the way it is written, I don't see myself reading it again so I will definitely be forwarding it on.
May 27, 2018
Gripping characters. Innocence, deviance, family bonds and jaw dropping secrets. Nature, religion, butchering and medicinal healing. Plots interwoven in such a way to reveal the peculiarities and complexities of being human. Fabulous book.
June 17, 2021
Fascinating, though hard going for vegetarians.
September 14, 2023
Dark. Very dark. At one point I couldn’t take it anymore and put it down for a while but the writing drew me back. Am I glad I read it? From a literary standpoint, yes. But….
June 22, 2013
There's a gothic sensibility at the core of Alissa York's first novel, Mercy. The town of Mercy, Manitoba, is a hotbed of eccentricity and irrational longing where people nurse secret loves, illicit desires and hidden obsessions and where the town drunk lives on the bog in a house made of empty bottles. August Day is a young priest who arrives in Mercy to replace the recently deceased Father Rock. August's mother was a prostitute, and he bears the scars of an emotionally challenging upbringing. His first task upon arriving in Mercy is to preside at the wedding of Thomas Rose and Mathilda Nickels, the town butcher and the young niece of the church housekeeper. But the moment August and Mathilda lock gazes their tragedy is set in motion, and for the remainder of the first part of the novel, which is set in the late 1940s, Mathilda tries to seduce August while he resists her advances with every ounce of strength and every scrap of faith he can muster. It is, however, not enough. When we return to Mercy for act two it is now 2003, and we encounter some of the folks whose lives and fates were shaped by the tragic events of those early years. Alissa York writes beautiful prose, but one reaches the end of this novel feeling that perhaps a firmer editorial hand would have been of benefit to the book and its author. There are too many obscure passages and vague connections, and the odd behaviour of some of the characters seems to have no purpose other than to be odd. There is also a tacked-on quality to the second part of the book, which is less than dramatically satisfying. Some readers, as they approach the end of this section, will be scratching their head wondering what it's all about. Mercy is, in the final analysis, a first novel, and its weaknesses are of the sort that an experienced writer will solve next time out. But Alissa York's talent is undeniable, and because she knows how to use compelling characters and dramatic tension to pull the reader into her story, her next book will be worth seeking out.
January 31, 2013
Mercy tells the interwoven stories of two generations in the small town of Mercy, Manitoba. In 1948, passion springs up between a young priest and the wife of the butcher. The author tells their tale of longing in very sensual language, sprinkled with quotes from Solomon's "Song of Songs" and Saint Augustine's "Confessions".
About twenty years later, a womanizing preacher comes into town with plans to build a summer camp by filling in a spruce bog, the home of a young woman who grew up in the wild. The world is also seen through the eyes of the preacher's daughter, an artistic autistic child. Other townspeople are also important in both story lines. The author has created characters seeking spirituality, sensuality, family, and a bonding with the natural world.
I would recommend this book for readers who would enjoy a good story told in beautiful lyrical prose. There are scenes of the butcher slaughtering animals that might make vegetarians a little queasy.
About twenty years later, a womanizing preacher comes into town with plans to build a summer camp by filling in a spruce bog, the home of a young woman who grew up in the wild. The world is also seen through the eyes of the preacher's daughter, an artistic autistic child. Other townspeople are also important in both story lines. The author has created characters seeking spirituality, sensuality, family, and a bonding with the natural world.
I would recommend this book for readers who would enjoy a good story told in beautiful lyrical prose. There are scenes of the butcher slaughtering animals that might make vegetarians a little queasy.
March 9, 2013
BookList: This debut novel--combining the spirit of Peter Carey's Oscar and Lucinda laced with the corrosive foreboding of Heidi Julavits' Mineral Palace--marks the arrival of a talented new Canadian writer. In Mercy, Manitoba, an outpost town in the 1940s, the new priest, Father August Day, and the butcher's wife, Mathilda, begin an ill-fated love affair. Father August and Mathilda are dangerously drawn to one another from the moment they lock eyes on her wedding day. The isolation of the community presses down upon them as both the tension of attraction and the fear of discovery mount. In its second half, the novel flashes forward to present-day Mercy, where the past reverberates in unexpected ways. The writing has a trancelike intensity that sets the psychological mood of the characters and the backwater locale. Writing in a confidential voice that sweeps the reader into her character's lives and the dark corners of their minds and actions, York has crafted a beguiling tale of a small town teeming with secrets. -- MishaStone (BookList, 09-15-2004, p211)
July 23, 2008
This book is a page turner. I found the style of writing and organization of the novel kept my interest the whole way through.
I was most captivated by the first part of the novel dealing with Father Day and Mathilda. I was surprised at how my disdain for Mathilda's husband Thomas quickly turned to sympathy and understanding. I found that my initial dislike of the man faded as I began to understand that behind the rough exterior, he was a devoted and caring husband who lost himself for some scraps from his cold and distant wife. This is the part of the book that shows the richest characterization and the greatest development.
My interest was held through the second part of the book, following Bog Mary and a new cast of characters. However, I had a hard time fully connecting this part to the first part of the book. I found the end came rather abruptly and I am still pondering the connections and themes of the book.
I was most captivated by the first part of the novel dealing with Father Day and Mathilda. I was surprised at how my disdain for Mathilda's husband Thomas quickly turned to sympathy and understanding. I found that my initial dislike of the man faded as I began to understand that behind the rough exterior, he was a devoted and caring husband who lost himself for some scraps from his cold and distant wife. This is the part of the book that shows the richest characterization and the greatest development.
My interest was held through the second part of the book, following Bog Mary and a new cast of characters. However, I had a hard time fully connecting this part to the first part of the book. I found the end came rather abruptly and I am still pondering the connections and themes of the book.
April 16, 2013
The written is dense and evocative but the characters are distinctly unlikable except for Thomas the butcher. I found it hard to care for Mathilda or August and the leap to the second part of story was so jarring that I stopped reading. I will go back and finish it but it's not an 'enjoyable' story and these aren't people I want to spend a lot of time with... best do it in stages
*** Later***
The second part of the story is also beautifully written especially the descriptions of Mary, her house and the bog.I enjoyed this part more as I liked Mary and Clare (the autistic daughter) but the disconnect between the two halves of the story were too great, it's better thought of as two novellas.
There's a curiously old fashioned aspect to the writing such that when one of the characters warms some butter in a microwave it's really jolted me out of the story.
*** Later***
The second part of the story is also beautifully written especially the descriptions of Mary, her house and the bog.I enjoyed this part more as I liked Mary and Clare (the autistic daughter) but the disconnect between the two halves of the story were too great, it's better thought of as two novellas.
There's a curiously old fashioned aspect to the writing such that when one of the characters warms some butter in a microwave it's really jolted me out of the story.
January 11, 2012
This was a very literary type story that unfortunately seemed to ramble about with no distinct plot. The book was divided into two sections, which seemed to be very different stories with few overlapping connections.
The ending left me confused, There was no real conclusion and a lot of questions were left unanswered.
I was surprised at the amount of sexual references and overtones in the book. It was a little jarring and unexpected. For such a discreet time period with puritanical characters, sex played a large role in the book.
Overall, the story was not what I was expecting, and I was felt feeling unsatisfied.
The ending left me confused, There was no real conclusion and a lot of questions were left unanswered.
I was surprised at the amount of sexual references and overtones in the book. It was a little jarring and unexpected. For such a discreet time period with puritanical characters, sex played a large role in the book.
Overall, the story was not what I was expecting, and I was felt feeling unsatisfied.
July 13, 2011
this is the first novel of Alissa York and the first one i've read. i discovered it and her at the fall Ottawa International Writers Festival. she read part of this book and i was intrigued, particularly by her interest and descriptions of the bog. York has a way with words and characters. The descriptions of the slaughter of animals were chilling and well done. and Castor's house of glass & Mary's bog remedies. gosh, just beautiful. i dearly want to read Fauna because it is set in the wilds of Toronto's Don Valley, an area that has always fascinated me.
January 31, 2014
After loving "Fauna," I'm working my way through Alissa York's backlist. Mercy was thematically good - the merging of religion and sexuality rings my reading bells - and the language was the same beautiful prose that I loved so much in her most recent novel. It's almost brutally sad.
But. The symbolism was tricky and so heavy-handed sometimes I had a hard time figuring out what she was trying to say, and knew there was a simpler way for her to say it. Some of the characters were a little thin. This is a book for a York fan, for sure, but it's obviously early.
But. The symbolism was tricky and so heavy-handed sometimes I had a hard time figuring out what she was trying to say, and knew there was a simpler way for her to say it. Some of the characters were a little thin. This is a book for a York fan, for sure, but it's obviously early.
June 20, 2013
I was so impressed with this story and this author. In fact, I was jealous of her literary style. Mercy is a can't put down book, with unique characters trying to get the love they need in the strange little town of Mercy, Manitoba. Though dark at times, it's quite the moral read. Men of the cloth (priests and ministers) struggle with their demons along with other town folk, who've made this place a home. I'm surprised it hasn't won some award, though its author has for other works.
August 26, 2016
I was all set to give this novel two stars because although there was virtually no plot, the imagery is noteworthy. However, having reached the end, I'm going with one star. Whatever story was being told doesn't even have an ending! I'm not sure how the first part of the book is supposed to fit in with the second part. There's almost no point to the book at all. I'm really unsure about the purpose of lavinia's character.
There are great reviews for this book, I must have missed something.
There are great reviews for this book, I must have missed something.
August 4, 2013
This was her first novel. It's well written, kind of haunting. She sets and maintains a tone or atmosphere in the book. (Reminds me of some of JC Oates' writing.) It's two stories loosely connected over 40 years in a small town (called Mercy). The first story is a nice parable about good and evil. The second story is unfinished, but I was still very impressed by the book.
Want to read
April 11, 2008An earlier book by the writer of EFFIGY
October 1, 2011
Lovely descriptions, the plot...not so much
February 13, 2013
Dark, Uncomfortable, & Haunting
April 10, 2016
The characters were interesting but the plot never fully explored them. The book ended and I was left wondering what it is the end. The story was not finished.
November 7, 2016
i think i found parts of this storying quite difficult despite the gorgeousness of characterization
October 6, 2016
Spoiler alert: there are no tidy endings in this book. Genius. It is a compelling read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2016
2.5 stars. Very unusual read. Wished the author would have just continued on with the story line of the first half of the book because trying to weave the next 50 years into the ending didn't work.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews