Commune

by Des Kennedy

This is the spellbinding story of six young dreamers who set out from Vancouver in the seventies to haphazardly establish a back-to-the-land commune on a small island in the Salish Sea. Against all odds, the dream endures for half a century through fierce internecine squabbling, occasional community uproar, births and deaths, disasters in animal husbandry, the War in the Woods, RCMP raids and the blandishments of oily developers. But throughout it all what abides is the land itself, its gifts and spirits and seasonal graces. A story within a story, the tale is told by the commune’s sole remaining occupant to an enigmatic stranger. Herself a recent urban exile exploring the ways of rural living, she succeeds in coaxing him through his rememberings away from grief into renewed life. Des Kennedy brings his signature humour and intimate knowledge of gardens and woodlands to this engaging novel. Throughout Commune , Kennedy poses the big questions—how do we best live our lives? Build community? Create a new paradigm for raising kids, growing food and honouring the genius of our place?

Genres: Book Club

352 pages, Paperback

Published April 9, 2024

Reviews

[litost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about life on a BC island communal farm in the 1970s. There were exciting parts, of course, but much of the novel deals with mundane things: hog farming, impregnating goats, suffering through a long West Coast winter; it often felt educational. My main criticism is Rosalie; I can understand why Kennedy chose to have two timelines and a second character in the second timeline, I just don’t know why he choose Rosalie: she’s obnoxious and her comments about Shorter’s writing are always off-point. Kennedy changed Denman Island to Conception Island, probably for good reasons, but it leaves me curious about how much of it reflects his own experiences.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many things that I loved about this book. As an aging flower child coming of age in the 70’s, there was much to relate to in his description of commune life and getting back to the land. Each of the commune members were intriguing, delightful, had their own story to tell, and added to the complexities of living communally off of the land. There was joy and sorrow, a sense of accomplishment as their ‘family’ settled into this new way of life, trials and triumphs along the way. I loved this part of the story.
What didn’t sit quite as well, was the character of Rosalie. The elder version of Shorter was spot on, but Rosalie’s presence was jarring and I found myself myself annoyed by her intrusion into his world, wishing that she would, in the end, have some redeeming qualities that would justify her inclusion in the book. We never really find out who she is, other than as the catalyst that jumpstarts Shorter’s journey into writing his memoirs.
Still, if you love reading about communal living in the 70’s, especially on the west coast of BC, you will enjoy this treat of a journey back in time to a simpler life surrounded by nature and true companionship.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the author's style and liked most of the characters. It was interesting to understand some of the reasons why the adults were drawn to the idea that 6 adults could live together, trying to be self reliant as much as possible. They had, orchards, goats, cows, etc.. This could have been a true story, as there were a lot of young people trying to find their way to get back to the land. It is written almost as a memoir; interesting but not a lot of plot. However, I liked reading about the day to day life. The ups and downs of different personalities trying to get along. If you have an interest in communal life , you would enjoy this book!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel presents a path that I did not take in the early 1970's. My book club had a very interesting discussion on this book. Most of us in the club were not involved in hippy life during this time. We enjoyed the book very much. One of our club members was involved in the hippy movement. She felt that the book, while enjoyable to read, tended to whitewash life on a commune. We all felt that the book was worthy of reading and discussing.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for book club. Six young adults (we would class them as hippies) decide to buy an old farm on a fictional gulf island off the coast of Vancouver Island BC (Canada). While the island is fictional, it is widely assumed by locals to be Denman Island where the author still lives and tends to his garden.
The book spans 50 years, so takes us through the late 60's, into the 70's, and reminds us of the political upheaval of the time.

[Jenny Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story! Though fiction, Des Kennedy writes with big hearted humour and humanity about a place and people he clearly loves, and of the trials and tribulations of living communally and in community. As Jane Austen says “one does not love a place less because one has suffered in it.”

[Glen Packman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. I was expecting the more traditional hippie lifestyle type of read but this was different. Very well written and insightful. Really hit home personally because we were there on the coast at that time and I am now writing fiction around life on the coast and environmental issues there. Great story, characters and setting!

[Kerri Boland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found parts of this long and over written but enjoyed the glimpse into Des’ history and the communal history of this island. Grateful to have read it and to share space with the characters, fictionalized as they may be, who live in it.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting story of a man who with his wife starts a commune on an island off Vancouver Island in the early 1970s. It has a back and forth between the past and present as he meets a woman who convinces him to write the story but tries to impose her own sensibilities on the past.

[Matthew King-Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated from the very beginning. The characters have a lot of depth and you really care about them. Definitely worth reading.

[Devan Wiebe]

Gave it 100 pages but having a hard time getting into it.

Cute story - just not for me.