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Mount Pleasant
In middle age, debt has become the most significant relationship in Harry Salter's life. He was born to wealthy parents in leafy and privileged Rosedale, at a time when the city was still defined by its WASP elite. But nothing in life has turned out the way Harry was led to expect. He's unsure of his place in society, his marriage is crumbling, his son is bordering on estranged, and on top of it all his father is dying.
As he sits at his father's bedside, Harry inevitably daydreams about his inheritance. A couple of his father's millions would rescue him from his ballooning debt—maybe even save his marriage. But when the will is read, all that's left for Harry is $4200. Dale Salter's money is gone. Out of desperation and disbelief, Harry starts to dig into what happened to the money. As he follows a trail strewn with family secrets and unsavory suspicions, he discovers not only that old money has lost its grip and new money taken on an ugly hue, but that his whole existence been cast into shadow by the weight of his expectations.
As he sits at his father's bedside, Harry inevitably daydreams about his inheritance. A couple of his father's millions would rescue him from his ballooning debt—maybe even save his marriage. But when the will is read, all that's left for Harry is $4200. Dale Salter's money is gone. Out of desperation and disbelief, Harry starts to dig into what happened to the money. As he follows a trail strewn with family secrets and unsavory suspicions, he discovers not only that old money has lost its grip and new money taken on an ugly hue, but that his whole existence been cast into shadow by the weight of his expectations.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 26, 2013
7 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Don Gillmor
32 books36 followersAuthor and journalist Don Gillmor was born in Fort Frances, Ontario in 1959 and presently lives in Toronto, Ontario. Don possesses a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Calgary. He has worked for publisher John Wiley & Sons, and has written for a number of magazines including Rolling Stone, GQ, Premiere, and Saturday Night.; where he was made a contributing editor in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 6, 2014
Very boring. I think the main problem with this book is that the stakes just weren't high enough to make for a compelling plot. Son of extremely wealthy parents chooses career path that doesn't pay as well (journalism/academia as opposed to investment banking), lives the way he was brought up rather than in his means, gets into debt, relies on an inheritance that isn't there, then easily gets out of debt by selling his expensive house and reverting to living within his means (which is still quite comfortable). There was never any real jeopardy so it mattered little if Harry found out what happened to the money or not. Plot isn't everything, and the novel's writing was good (but not beautiful) and the characters well-drawn. I think people who enjoyed The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen might enjoy this book. There's even a blurb on the back of Mount Pleasant comparing the two.
August 6, 2014
I loved reading about my neighborhoods - Toronto is my hometown - and Gilmour can be a strong writer when not hammering home the "humming" metaphor around his debt. However I had trouble sympathizing, identifying or caring about pretty much every character in the book....Gilmore is sometimes prescient, but there are too many asides that seem pointless, and the plotting seemed uneven.
April 29, 2013
A zippy read (therefore a good Booker contender according to Stella's jury from a couple of years ago). Funny too, with some good zinger lines. The story was pepped up with a world-weary cynicism. I hugely enjoyed the funny and withering character details and observations of relationships -- they reminded me of Margaret Atwood, and that combined with the subject matter of overwhelming family debt, made me wonder if Atwood's book Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth played any role in the genesis of the idea for the book. I think older readers will appreciate it more -- the anxieties are of the later middle-aged. The younger ones aren't thinking of this stuff yet
There's added resonance for those readers familiar with Toronto.
There's added resonance for those readers familiar with Toronto.
February 3, 2013
I won a copy of "Mount Pleasant" by Don Gillmor through the Goodreads Giveway Contest.I loved it. It was a well written novel.
When I first received the book, it was the title that stood out for me.Being a resident of Toronto,the area of Mount Pleasant and Rosedale,an elite "wasp" area, conjured up some pleasant memories.The setting for the novel takes place in Toronto, and the author is a resident of Toronto.
Harry Salter was born to wealthy parents in the elite area of Rosedale.Harry's mother, Felicia and father Dale had divorced when Harry was sixteen.Dale worked in Wealth Management, and had no time for his son Harry or sister Erin.Both children married, Erin into wealth, so she could continue the lifestyle, and Harry married Gladys, with little sense of direction of what lay ahead.Harry was heavily in debt, and had hidden his state of debt from his wife.They continued to live the extravagant lifestyle.His marriage was failing, his son was remote and his father was dying, suffering from brain cancer and dementia.But hanging over Harry's head was that his credit card was maxed out and line of credit was quickly reaching its limit.It became a juggling act.
Harry dreams about his inheritance...the end to all his problems, with the approaching death of his father.But when Dale dies, and the will is read Harry receives only $4,200.His father had been broke...but where had all the money gone?Harry thought the estate should have been worth around $3 million.
But Harry doesn't give up. He decides to delve into his father's financial situation. He hires a forensic accountant to follow the money trail.
In this novel,Don Gillmor shows us the never ending attraction to money, its wonder and pitfalls, and even the rich can fall.This novel was well written and an enjoyable read.
When I first received the book, it was the title that stood out for me.Being a resident of Toronto,the area of Mount Pleasant and Rosedale,an elite "wasp" area, conjured up some pleasant memories.The setting for the novel takes place in Toronto, and the author is a resident of Toronto.
Harry Salter was born to wealthy parents in the elite area of Rosedale.Harry's mother, Felicia and father Dale had divorced when Harry was sixteen.Dale worked in Wealth Management, and had no time for his son Harry or sister Erin.Both children married, Erin into wealth, so she could continue the lifestyle, and Harry married Gladys, with little sense of direction of what lay ahead.Harry was heavily in debt, and had hidden his state of debt from his wife.They continued to live the extravagant lifestyle.His marriage was failing, his son was remote and his father was dying, suffering from brain cancer and dementia.But hanging over Harry's head was that his credit card was maxed out and line of credit was quickly reaching its limit.It became a juggling act.
Harry dreams about his inheritance...the end to all his problems, with the approaching death of his father.But when Dale dies, and the will is read Harry receives only $4,200.His father had been broke...but where had all the money gone?Harry thought the estate should have been worth around $3 million.
But Harry doesn't give up. He decides to delve into his father's financial situation. He hires a forensic accountant to follow the money trail.
In this novel,Don Gillmor shows us the never ending attraction to money, its wonder and pitfalls, and even the rich can fall.This novel was well written and an enjoyable read.
September 10, 2013
This book is too long - nothing happens in the middle 150 pages, and the author's points become repetitive. It would have been better as a novella.
It also has an unevenness of tone. The first chapter promises a certain sense of humour and zip, but by the third chapter the book becomes dark and angry. For every phrase or paragraph that was amusing and thought-provoking there were many more that were quite frankly vulgar and bitter in tone.
And how many times did I read that Harry or Gladys took a sip of wine? How often did I read about the "sound of his debt" - which finally became an irritant in the story, rather than the clever metaphor it could have stayed?
Where was the editing? I read about Harry's yearning that usually reached "... a keening pitch" on page 244, how his debt sounded like "... the keening at a Serbian funeral." on page 245, and how "... his desperation was at a keening pitch." on page 284. The reader deserves better than this.
On the plus side, the first chapter, and scattered moments like the last two-thirds of chapter 23 where Harry builds a fence and seemed to flesh out and become wonderfully human and even soulful.
I wanted to like this book but... I can't recommend it.
It also has an unevenness of tone. The first chapter promises a certain sense of humour and zip, but by the third chapter the book becomes dark and angry. For every phrase or paragraph that was amusing and thought-provoking there were many more that were quite frankly vulgar and bitter in tone.
And how many times did I read that Harry or Gladys took a sip of wine? How often did I read about the "sound of his debt" - which finally became an irritant in the story, rather than the clever metaphor it could have stayed?
Where was the editing? I read about Harry's yearning that usually reached "... a keening pitch" on page 244, how his debt sounded like "... the keening at a Serbian funeral." on page 245, and how "... his desperation was at a keening pitch." on page 284. The reader deserves better than this.
On the plus side, the first chapter, and scattered moments like the last two-thirds of chapter 23 where Harry builds a fence and seemed to flesh out and become wonderfully human and even soulful.
I wanted to like this book but... I can't recommend it.
January 2, 2014
I really like books that are “local” and was pleasantly surprised to see that Mount Pleasant by Don Gillmor is set in Toronto. Harry is a middle-aged man whose life is falling apart. His marriage is hanging by a thread, and his large debt is a constant buzz in the back of his mind. His father’s death brings the promise of millions, but Harry’s actual inheritance is only $4200. He sets out on a mission to find out where all of his father’s money went.
Harry’s depressing outlook on life makes him really funny without trying to be. I really liked him. He thinks a lot of things that he could never say out loud.
Mount Pleasant was pretty funny, but it was not an in-your-face humour. Harry’s sense of humour was both dry and self-deprecating. It being written so matter-of-factly, and then moving on, is really what made it so effective. You could just see Harry stating it with a straight face, and meaning it. It didn’t make me laugh out loud, but it did lighten the subject matter.
Read the rest of this review and more of my reviews at: www.bookwookie.ca
Harry’s depressing outlook on life makes him really funny without trying to be. I really liked him. He thinks a lot of things that he could never say out loud.
Mount Pleasant was pretty funny, but it was not an in-your-face humour. Harry’s sense of humour was both dry and self-deprecating. It being written so matter-of-factly, and then moving on, is really what made it so effective. You could just see Harry stating it with a straight face, and meaning it. It didn’t make me laugh out loud, but it did lighten the subject matter.
Read the rest of this review and more of my reviews at: www.bookwookie.ca
May 4, 2013
I am really taken aback by all the favourable reviews of this book, on this site and elsewhere. I'd like to chalk it up to the fact that not many people have read and reviewed this new release so far. I was interested to pick it up after reading about its topical plot and its setting (Toronto), and reassured by the many laudatory comments about this author's non-fiction works (none of which I have read). What a disappointment. I didn't even mind the thin and predictable plot so much as I became increasingly irritated by the amateur writing and poorly developed characters. It's not very often that I actually feel embarrassed - both for the author and for myself - when reading, so this one deserves a special rating. One star it is - Mount Pleasant can take its rightful place alongside the other annoying and over-hyped read of this year, Alix Ohlin's Inside.
April 1, 2013
As a Vancouverite, hopefully I'll be forgiven for thinking that it would take place in the Vancouver neighbourhood of Mt. Pleasant rather than the Toronto neighbourhood of Mt. Pleasant. Ah well, that mistake allowed me to find a very enjoyable read.\
First, it must be noted that Gillmor is an excellent writer. The tone moves seamlessly from bleak to funny, from sombre to light-hearted, from suspense-filled to slow-building. The book is well crafted.
My bias is always towards books which explore or highlight nuances in relationships, and I was amazed at the accuracy of some of Gillmor's characterizations.
The reason that I haven't given 5 stars is because there are times where I felt the story strayed too far from the heart of the book. Instead of giving pages to the Occupy movement or to the real estate market, I would rather those pages contained more interaction between Harry and his wife. Yes, I do understand the distance between them was one of the main plot points but I wanted more!
Definitely a book worth reading. You just may recognize, painfully, yourself in one of the characters.
First, it must be noted that Gillmor is an excellent writer. The tone moves seamlessly from bleak to funny, from sombre to light-hearted, from suspense-filled to slow-building. The book is well crafted.
My bias is always towards books which explore or highlight nuances in relationships, and I was amazed at the accuracy of some of Gillmor's characterizations.
The reason that I haven't given 5 stars is because there are times where I felt the story strayed too far from the heart of the book. Instead of giving pages to the Occupy movement or to the real estate market, I would rather those pages contained more interaction between Harry and his wife. Yes, I do understand the distance between them was one of the main plot points but I wanted more!
Definitely a book worth reading. You just may recognize, painfully, yourself in one of the characters.
March 14, 2014
As a Torontonian, what appealed most about this novel was the familiarity of the reference points – i.e. sports teams, restaurants, landmarks. It has an intriguing concept – The idea that future generations run up unmanageable debt and are then forced to rely on the legacies of prior generations to pay it off. What happens though when the presumed legacy isn’t there? Gillmor does a great job of capturing this feeling of desperation. What doesn’t work for me in this novel is the constant shifting of moments or scenes that don’t appear to tie together cohesively. Sometimes I found myself wondering why he would use a particular motif or what the point was of travelling down memory lane in that moment. It also floats in and out between a fictional, literary writing style to a journalistic one – and this flip flopping only added to the inconsistency. The missing money storyline was awkwardly developed – it was a background item for a good chunk of the novel and then suddenly thrust to the forefront toward the end. Overall, I felt that Gillmor really captured Harry, but had some difficulty bringing the story together.
March 19, 2013
How can a book about debt, death, divorce and society on the brink of a moral cliff be hilarious? In the hands of a brilliant writer like Don Gillmor, it is not only possible, it is such an enjoyable ride. This book is a dark comedy and yet so smart, richly-observed and wise that it gives you lots to think about after you've stopped laughing. As a Torontonian (and a WASP) I got such a kick out of the author's skewering of middle and upper-middle class foibles. But no matter where you live in 2013, in this age of consumer debt and addiction to spending, you will find this book a delightful and thoughtful look at the way we live now, observed through a biting comedic plot. And the last line of the book is one of my favorite endings ever.
April 2, 2013
If you are a homeowner in Toronto who worries how on earth you'll ever fund your retirement, you will absolutely love this book. All others may wonder what the fuss is about.
Gillmor does a masterful job of fleshing out the hypocrisy that defines so many of us: we pledge solidarity with the poor and downtrodden, while inwardly seething that our middle-class entitlements are slipping away from us. The characters are so real that they inspire frustration and sympathy at the same time.
I would have enjoyed this even more if Gillmor had let Toronto be Toronto - I wasted too much time trying to deconstruct where everyone was living and eating.
Gillmor does a masterful job of fleshing out the hypocrisy that defines so many of us: we pledge solidarity with the poor and downtrodden, while inwardly seething that our middle-class entitlements are slipping away from us. The characters are so real that they inspire frustration and sympathy at the same time.
I would have enjoyed this even more if Gillmor had let Toronto be Toronto - I wasted too much time trying to deconstruct where everyone was living and eating.
February 6, 2017
It had its moments. I laughed a few times, but then began the long, slow slide into bitterness. Not saying it's not justified, just not very uplifting. Which I know is not the author's job, my personal upliftment, but maybe I was all stocked up on bitterness here in Canada, mid-January and whatever. Timing, is what I'm saying. Could've been four stars if I'd been sipping Mai Tais by some pool. Or not.
November 18, 2014
It was hard to care about anything that happened in this book since all of the characters were so unlikeable. The "mystery" was not mysterious and there was o sense of urgency, the plot plodded, and the ended wrapped up all neat and tidy - ugh.
no-longer-reading
January 15, 2013I won this book from a first reads giveaway. I'm really looking forward to reading and reviewing it as soon as possible!
May 18, 2017
Mount Pleasant by Don Gilmour May 11, 2017
An insightful look into the world of the not so successful offsprings of the once rich families in an affluent Toronto neighbourhood - Rosedale. Mount Pleasant is the leafy cemetery where they were buried, here a symbol of death and bygone wealth. Harry Salter returned to the cemetery time and again to reflect on his ancestors’ wealth and his lack thereof. An interesting satirical piece of particular resonance to people who live in Toronto and could nod their heads when reading about familiar practices among the rich and the elite, where the inbred group went to the same schools, worked in the same firms, belonged to the same clubs and had cottages on the same lake. Dan Gilmour presented it with wit and humour although some parts were dragging.
An insightful look into the world of the not so successful offsprings of the once rich families in an affluent Toronto neighbourhood - Rosedale. Mount Pleasant is the leafy cemetery where they were buried, here a symbol of death and bygone wealth. Harry Salter returned to the cemetery time and again to reflect on his ancestors’ wealth and his lack thereof. An interesting satirical piece of particular resonance to people who live in Toronto and could nod their heads when reading about familiar practices among the rich and the elite, where the inbred group went to the same schools, worked in the same firms, belonged to the same clubs and had cottages on the same lake. Dan Gilmour presented it with wit and humour although some parts were dragging.
June 2, 2025
The strength of this novel was the prose. Vivid, detailed descriptions of people, places and memories abound. Harry, our middle-aged academic, heavily in debt, is our protagonist. Toronto is his home. His wry, cynical perspective sets the tone for this novel bringing some smiles and even a chuckle or two but mainly sets a melancholic, defeatist tone throughout. The driver of the story is Harry’s quest to find out what happened to the inheritance he thought was coming to him upon his father’s death. The plot itself is not that engaging and the many references to hedge funds and investment strategies bogged it down even further. I completed the book as I did enjoy the author’s descriptive writing but was not vested, at any point, in the story itself.
June 21, 2018
The jacket of this book describes it as “a hilarious page-turner”, and it makes me wonder...did we read the same book? Perhaps I am not in the target audience for this book as it seems to be geared towards men age 50-75, or people who dabble in the stock market. For me, this book was depressing and boring with little to no character development and women viewed as sex objects. Give this a pass.
December 6, 2024
Sooooooo boring. I think this could only be enjoyable if you are or have been in the exact situation the main character is (middle-aged, failing marriage, adult child who doesn't like you, in debt). Otherwise this was incredibly uninteresting.
September 3, 2017
A good readable book.
May 13, 2020
Very Good language, and a good story about greed and stupidity in handling money!I liked the setting in Toronto.
October 18, 2023
I like this author's writing.
March 25, 2013
This review was originally published on Cozy Up With A Good Read
I always love finding books that take place in Toronto, I find they are few and far between, and this one had a specific focus, that of the more well-off area of Rosedale and it's surroundings. While I found this book interesting, I had a few problems keeping my attention on what was happening. I'm a huge fan of books that deal with family and working through issues they have, but I just had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book.
This book is centred around the idea of money (which I thought was actually really intriguing). Harry grew up in the privileged area of Rosedale (you know that part of Toronto with the huge houses.. .yeah I'd like to go there one day), he is used to having the money to spend on what he likes. Now he has grown up and has a family of his own, and his situation is completely different. Harry has gotten himself into loads of debt and is ultimately waiting for his father to pass to come into his inheritance so that he can pay it off and start a new life. When this happens, Harry finds that his father didn't have any money in the end either, and so begins a search for this lost inheritance.
The idea that readers are a fly on the wall of Harry's life was interesting, but those type of books are difficult for me to get into, every little thing is described in detail (which really gets a reader into the setting of a book, and was well done with this book). I will say that Gillmor's writing style kept me entertained and yet at the same time the story just fell a little flat, and a part of it was the descriptions because those are not my type of books.
The parts that kept me reading this book were the family interactions, and seeing how they would eventually deal with these money issues. I really felt for these characters at points because this is such a hard thing to go through, and so any more people are dealing with not being able to afford anything these days. The problem with them though was that they couldn't communicate with one another and instead continued to spend money that they didn't have.
Gillmor definitely took on a great topic in his book, making it relatable to many readers out there, and I can see many people enjoying what he has done with his story. There were some interesting twists as to what happened to the money, but in the end this book just couldn't keep my interest.
I always love finding books that take place in Toronto, I find they are few and far between, and this one had a specific focus, that of the more well-off area of Rosedale and it's surroundings. While I found this book interesting, I had a few problems keeping my attention on what was happening. I'm a huge fan of books that deal with family and working through issues they have, but I just had a hard time connecting with the characters in this book.
This book is centred around the idea of money (which I thought was actually really intriguing). Harry grew up in the privileged area of Rosedale (you know that part of Toronto with the huge houses.. .yeah I'd like to go there one day), he is used to having the money to spend on what he likes. Now he has grown up and has a family of his own, and his situation is completely different. Harry has gotten himself into loads of debt and is ultimately waiting for his father to pass to come into his inheritance so that he can pay it off and start a new life. When this happens, Harry finds that his father didn't have any money in the end either, and so begins a search for this lost inheritance.
The idea that readers are a fly on the wall of Harry's life was interesting, but those type of books are difficult for me to get into, every little thing is described in detail (which really gets a reader into the setting of a book, and was well done with this book). I will say that Gillmor's writing style kept me entertained and yet at the same time the story just fell a little flat, and a part of it was the descriptions because those are not my type of books.
The parts that kept me reading this book were the family interactions, and seeing how they would eventually deal with these money issues. I really felt for these characters at points because this is such a hard thing to go through, and so any more people are dealing with not being able to afford anything these days. The problem with them though was that they couldn't communicate with one another and instead continued to spend money that they didn't have.
Gillmor definitely took on a great topic in his book, making it relatable to many readers out there, and I can see many people enjoying what he has done with his story. There were some interesting twists as to what happened to the money, but in the end this book just couldn't keep my interest.
March 29, 2015
I really liked this novel which criticizes the absorption of society with wealth, property, & position but with humour, though the overall tone is dispiriting. Harry Salter is a WASP from a privileged background living in upper crust Rosedale in Toronto, who after losing his job in public broadcasting, becomes an untenured low paid professor, while his wife, having taken early retirement as a librarian has no income, and they are deeply in debt & mortgaged, as they keep on spending on what they can't afford. He hopes to get a substantial inheritance from his investor father, who is dying with dementia. When he does, he leaves a paltry sum, as his assets were wiped out by poor investment & fraud engineered by one of his partners, as will emerge from the investigations of a forensic accountant hired by Harry. His mother who divorced his father many years ago also has no assets except her expensive house, which it turns out she rents from Harry's partner, to whom she sold it several years before. Harry's son Ben is also a problem, unable to sort out his life & nearly marrying in his 20's a domineering woman whose entire verbal output is formulaic critical political-social commentary. His mother has a stroke & moves to an apartment near Mt.Pleasant cemetery, where Harry's forebears & father are buried, along with the cream of WASP society. Gradually, Harry comes to a more realistic view of his finances
October 21, 2013
This book is about debt. It's especially for those of us in middle age who tend to worry about these things from time to time.
The first person narrative by Harry Salter is funny throughout. Middle aged and married, teaching post-secondary education after a journalism career, Harry expects a large inheritance from his retired financial wizard father, but in the event ends up with only a few thousand.
Along with his father's third wife who is now a widow, Harry wonders where the millions have gone, and constantly feels the pressure of his mortgage debt as well as his huge line of credit and credit card debt.
The book flows like a sit com where Harry slowly gets closer to the truth while feeling squeezed on all sides by both money and other pressures. He also can't stop spending.
What I liked most about the book was its light tone and funny quips throughout. For example right at the start, Harry realizes as he buys very expensive meat from his butcher, than professors are now more poorly valued members of society, whereas former blue collar workers like butchers are now rich artisans.
If you're going through the middle aged blues and need a breezy laugh, this is a good book for you.
The first person narrative by Harry Salter is funny throughout. Middle aged and married, teaching post-secondary education after a journalism career, Harry expects a large inheritance from his retired financial wizard father, but in the event ends up with only a few thousand.
Along with his father's third wife who is now a widow, Harry wonders where the millions have gone, and constantly feels the pressure of his mortgage debt as well as his huge line of credit and credit card debt.
The book flows like a sit com where Harry slowly gets closer to the truth while feeling squeezed on all sides by both money and other pressures. He also can't stop spending.
What I liked most about the book was its light tone and funny quips throughout. For example right at the start, Harry realizes as he buys very expensive meat from his butcher, than professors are now more poorly valued members of society, whereas former blue collar workers like butchers are now rich artisans.
If you're going through the middle aged blues and need a breezy laugh, this is a good book for you.
July 23, 2014
I wavered between 3 and 4 stores on this book but ended up with the lower rating since I found the book could have been so much more. There are parts that are very funny, there are parts that seem extremely insightful and there are parts describing Toronto and it's history which made me think I didn't want to put the book down. However, I could put it down and by the end I just felt a little frustrated that the novel could have been so much more. One of the reviews on the inner pagres compares Harry Salter to Barney Panofsky but there is good reason Barney's Version is almost 25% longer - Richler used the pages to more deeply develop characters and storylines as well as wrap them up in a more satisfying manner. Gillmor seems rushed to explain what happened to his father's money leaving the major plot strangely unsatisfying while the sub-plot involving his son is completely forgettable. I had about 30 pages left and I wondered how Gillmor would wrap it up so quickly; it turns out he could but unfortunately I think the efficiency in which he does greatly diminishes the novel as a whole.
September 7, 2013
Don Gillmor hilariously excoriates WASPy Toronto in this pretty funny satire about current Canadian middle/upper class society and its complex and unhappy relationship with debt and money. Harry Salter's financier father dies and Harry doesn't get his expected inheritance -the one he has been counting on to save him from penury and allow him to maintain the kind of life he's always taken for granted. Harry sets out on a quest to find out the truth surrounding his father's loss of riches. The stage is set for Harry's self-discovery but somehow this just doesn't happen.
The book has many strengths including Gilllmor's beady eye for pithy and ironic detail and a smart quip, but in the end it just whimpers to a totally expected ending, probably because Harry never seems to rise to any occasion and demonstrate some spine. The rest of the cast are equally mediocre, although Harry's mother, Felicia, does have her moments as well as a rogue tongue. Four stars, if the plot had been stronger.
The book has many strengths including Gilllmor's beady eye for pithy and ironic detail and a smart quip, but in the end it just whimpers to a totally expected ending, probably because Harry never seems to rise to any occasion and demonstrate some spine. The rest of the cast are equally mediocre, although Harry's mother, Felicia, does have her moments as well as a rogue tongue. Four stars, if the plot had been stronger.
January 4, 2016
Mount Pleasant is a grand old cemetery, occupying prime real estate in the city of Toronto. It's a beautiful place and every time I walk through it, I am intrigued by the lives and stories that have ended there.
I enjoyed this book a lot. my one quibble: the ending wasn't very strong for me - it all seemed too tidy and convenient, which was a shame after all the energy, angst and intrigue Gillmor built up in the earlier chapters. I appreciated reading a novel about money -- having it, not having it, panicked over the lack of it...people (in the real world) are in a mess, i think, with their personal finances, and only one paycheque away from disaster. Gillmor also well captures the nuances of marriage and family. At times Mount Pleasant can seem like a straightforward read...but the characters and the story are actually quite layered.
I enjoyed this book a lot. my one quibble: the ending wasn't very strong for me - it all seemed too tidy and convenient, which was a shame after all the energy, angst and intrigue Gillmor built up in the earlier chapters. I appreciated reading a novel about money -- having it, not having it, panicked over the lack of it...people (in the real world) are in a mess, i think, with their personal finances, and only one paycheque away from disaster. Gillmor also well captures the nuances of marriage and family. At times Mount Pleasant can seem like a straightforward read...but the characters and the story are actually quite layered.
June 18, 2013
As with economies, relationships and people are neither static nor what they might always have seemed to be. This is what is examined through the main character of Don Gillmor's engaging Mount Pleasant. Harry Salter's extreme anxiety over the mounting pressure of both middle age and, in his case, its accompanying debt is the main story line of this very Toronto novel. Shock and disappointment at not having his financial expectations met after the death of his wealthy father leave Harry on a quest for answers. In his search, by digging deep and looking back, Harry hopefully begins to understand what is important to preserve in life and to ultimately make the most of the second half that will be his future.
June 18, 2015
There were a lot of aspects of this book that I enjoyed. I live in Toronto so enjoyed the familiarity of the setting. There are some funny scenes - the encounters with the homeless guy and the kitchen designer come to mind. I liked the social commentary with respect to people and their money and the commentary on the financial markets.
There isn't much of a plot which would be fine if the characters were layered and interesting. However, most of the characters are flat and one-dimensional. The main character is the only character that is well-drawn and I constantly wanted to punch him for being so navel-gazingly miserable.
I'm not sure I could recommend this book without reservation.
There isn't much of a plot which would be fine if the characters were layered and interesting. However, most of the characters are flat and one-dimensional. The main character is the only character that is well-drawn and I constantly wanted to punch him for being so navel-gazingly miserable.
I'm not sure I could recommend this book without reservation.
November 9, 2013
A fiercely contemporary, sardonic tale of society and the tenuous lives we construct on the foundations of economy. Gillmor's writing is smart, artistic and thought-provoking as he takes a magnifying glass to the threads of love, family, society and happiness from the perspective of modern materialism. This book won't hold up over time, but as a book for today it is a thought-provoking, sobering commentary on the shallowness of our existence, and the things we choose to hold of value. What little was meant as a tongue-in-cheek comedic device is lost in the very realness of the story's own plausibility.
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