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The Voyageur
“A world of superstition, ghosts and spirits, with men driven mad through the forests as the memories of their evil deeds pursue them like demons. . . . The Voyageur is compelling, heart-rending and sparing in comfort.” – Suzie Feay, The Tablet
“Recalls Hilary Mantel’s The Giant, O’Brien in its robust prose and unflinching presentation of the costs of being a strange human in different times.” – Randy Boyagoda, The Times Literary Supplement
“[T]racing the fine lines between love and use, between an exchange of services and an abuse of power. . . . This is a beautifully paced, moving and thought-provokingly deep read.” – Estelle Birdy, The Irish Independent
“Exceptionally vivid and intense.” – Nick Renison, The Sunday Times
Alex is a motherless stockboy in 1830s Montreal, waiting desperately for his father to return from France. Serge, a drunken fur trader, promises food and safety in return for friendship, but an expedition into the forest quickly goes awry.
At the mercy of men whose motives are unclear, Alex must learn to find his own way in a world where taking advantage of others has become second nature. But will he have to abandon his humanity to survive?
The Voyageur is a brilliantly realised novel set on the margins of British North America, where kindness is costly and where the real wilderness may not be in the landscape surrounding Alex but in the deceptive hearts of men.
“The Voyageur is a marvellous work of art, brutal, tender and deeply moving. It has many of the qualities of Cormac McCarthy at his ferocious best, without the excesses of the late American master. The narrative is set in history, but the novel triumphantly surpasses the constrictions of a genre label.”
– John Banville, Booker and Franz Kafka Prize–winning author of The Lock-Up, The Singularities, and The Sea
“The Voyageur is an intimate adventure across a vast canvas. Based on a fascinating historical starting point, Carlucci’s empathetic novel has much to say about the delight and the shame that spring from something we all have in common: the human body.”
– Aliya Whiteley, Arthur C. Clarke Award–nominated author of The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, and Skyward Inn
“A fascinating read. . . . The characters are pithily described and fully alive, the places likewise. I was in the virgin forests and the plunging rivers; I was on the filthy beach of Mackinac; in the gross tavern and muddied, choleric streets of York.”
– Tim Pears, Hawthornden Prize–winning author of Run to the Western Shore, The Wanderers, and The Redeemed
“Recalls Hilary Mantel’s The Giant, O’Brien in its robust prose and unflinching presentation of the costs of being a strange human in different times.” – Randy Boyagoda, The Times Literary Supplement
“[T]racing the fine lines between love and use, between an exchange of services and an abuse of power. . . . This is a beautifully paced, moving and thought-provokingly deep read.” – Estelle Birdy, The Irish Independent
“Exceptionally vivid and intense.” – Nick Renison, The Sunday Times
Alex is a motherless stockboy in 1830s Montreal, waiting desperately for his father to return from France. Serge, a drunken fur trader, promises food and safety in return for friendship, but an expedition into the forest quickly goes awry.
At the mercy of men whose motives are unclear, Alex must learn to find his own way in a world where taking advantage of others has become second nature. But will he have to abandon his humanity to survive?
The Voyageur is a brilliantly realised novel set on the margins of British North America, where kindness is costly and where the real wilderness may not be in the landscape surrounding Alex but in the deceptive hearts of men.
“The Voyageur is a marvellous work of art, brutal, tender and deeply moving. It has many of the qualities of Cormac McCarthy at his ferocious best, without the excesses of the late American master. The narrative is set in history, but the novel triumphantly surpasses the constrictions of a genre label.”
– John Banville, Booker and Franz Kafka Prize–winning author of The Lock-Up, The Singularities, and The Sea
“The Voyageur is an intimate adventure across a vast canvas. Based on a fascinating historical starting point, Carlucci’s empathetic novel has much to say about the delight and the shame that spring from something we all have in common: the human body.”
– Aliya Whiteley, Arthur C. Clarke Award–nominated author of The Beauty, The Loosening Skin, and Skyward Inn
“A fascinating read. . . . The characters are pithily described and fully alive, the places likewise. I was in the virgin forests and the plunging rivers; I was on the filthy beach of Mackinac; in the gross tavern and muddied, choleric streets of York.”
– Tim Pears, Hawthornden Prize–winning author of Run to the Western Shore, The Wanderers, and The Redeemed
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2024
6 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Paul Carlucci
5 books14 followersPaul Carlucci is the author of one novel, The Voyageur, and three story collections, The High-Rise in Fort Fierce, A Plea for Constant Motion, and The Secret Life of Fission. He won the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and has been shortlisted for an Ottawa Book Award and two ReLit Awards. Individually, a little more than twenty of his stories have been published in print and online journals and magazines, including The New Quarterly, The Malahat Review, Grain, and Apocalypse Confidential.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 25, 2024
A fascinating historical fiction novel that uses the real lives of Alexis St-Martin and William Beaumont to give the life of the fictional Alex some bones.
Alex begins the story as a voyageur along with his friend and lover, Serge. Their plan was to trade with the native Indians and make a life for themselves away from the constraining life of the city. However Serge contracts tuberculosis and dies leaving the weak and weak-willed Alex in a precarious position.
The story that follows mixes fact - Alex being shot and used for experiments on his digestive system by Beaumont - along with fiction as he navigates his way to freedom via gambling and exhibiting his extraordinary physique.
I have to say it is quite hard to like Alex who is an opportunist, not averse to using anyone around him. Although in the harsh times and climate it was clearly a dog eat dog world.
Paul Carlucci gives us a clear look at the lives of these hardened men and women at the turn of eighteenth century Canada. Life was hard, often violent and usually short. Despite being a user himself Alex sees nothing wrong in using others and one wonders how near the truth this assessment is of the real Alex. It must have certainly taken strength of character to survive what he did.
Not an easy read but very well worth it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Swift Press for the advance review copy.
Alex begins the story as a voyageur along with his friend and lover, Serge. Their plan was to trade with the native Indians and make a life for themselves away from the constraining life of the city. However Serge contracts tuberculosis and dies leaving the weak and weak-willed Alex in a precarious position.
The story that follows mixes fact - Alex being shot and used for experiments on his digestive system by Beaumont - along with fiction as he navigates his way to freedom via gambling and exhibiting his extraordinary physique.
I have to say it is quite hard to like Alex who is an opportunist, not averse to using anyone around him. Although in the harsh times and climate it was clearly a dog eat dog world.
Paul Carlucci gives us a clear look at the lives of these hardened men and women at the turn of eighteenth century Canada. Life was hard, often violent and usually short. Despite being a user himself Alex sees nothing wrong in using others and one wonders how near the truth this assessment is of the real Alex. It must have certainly taken strength of character to survive what he did.
Not an easy read but very well worth it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Swift Press for the advance review copy.
January 26, 2024
This one of those books that captures the brutality of an era perfectly. Our Main chap is called Alex and there is a lot of drunken violence in his life, so much so that the reader becomes overwhelmed at times, when there is a logical moment to pause for breath a new sinister character emerges from the shadows and disrupts Alex’s life, I enjoyed this constant motion. Alex is a simple man, pretty much going with the flow and too meek to stand up for himself, again and again he is led astray and taken advantage off. At the beginning I felt sorry for him but having been stuck in his head listening to him moaning about his lot I was ready to give him a slap…in fact this book reminded me of that scene in the movie Airplane! where all the characters queue up to slap that one woman.
The book is based in the 1830s Montreal, a time and place I’ve never read about so jumped at the chance of checking it out. Carlucci does an amazing job describing the locations and events that take place, I think his best part was the arrival on Macinac Island, the locals and the camps on the beach were described so well I could easily picture it. Whilst the book does contain a lot of bodily fluids and violence there are moments of beauty, Alex is an artist and the descriptions of his work sound like something I would like, and in those brief moments of calm Alex uses these artistic skills to describe the people he meets and that there was some impressive writing.
The book does feel a bit of an epic even though it is only just over 300 pages, I think because Alex goes through so much in such a short time it feels like I have read way more. Loads of characters to despise, lots of great scenery, spiritual elements and a boat load of rum, this was always gonna be a fun book.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2024...
The book is based in the 1830s Montreal, a time and place I’ve never read about so jumped at the chance of checking it out. Carlucci does an amazing job describing the locations and events that take place, I think his best part was the arrival on Macinac Island, the locals and the camps on the beach were described so well I could easily picture it. Whilst the book does contain a lot of bodily fluids and violence there are moments of beauty, Alex is an artist and the descriptions of his work sound like something I would like, and in those brief moments of calm Alex uses these artistic skills to describe the people he meets and that there was some impressive writing.
The book does feel a bit of an epic even though it is only just over 300 pages, I think because Alex goes through so much in such a short time it feels like I have read way more. Loads of characters to despise, lots of great scenery, spiritual elements and a boat load of rum, this was always gonna be a fun book.
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2024...
March 24, 2024
The novel tells us a story of Alex young boy, and his adventures in the Great Lakes area of Canada in the days of the Hudson Bay Company, and fur trappers Alex is naive and take advantage of at all points in the story . I felt sorry for the narrator, but didn’t really warm to him throughout the novel
There were quite a lot of French words scattered throughout the novel which were not translated. I found this little bit irritating as my French was not up to translating them
It’s just as well you don’t have smell vision when you read a novel as there is an awful lot of that of talk about the smell of shit and piss!
There seems to be a lot of historical accuracy in this novel and since my knowledge was probably limited to Old cowboy films and possibly film the revenant I found that did learn a lot.and It was very interesting
The author has a clear writing style, and her descriptions, particularly of the place itself were very vivid.
This is a big thick book which took quite some commitment to read ,it
Ultimately, this wasn’t really a book for me however, I can see that it will find lots of people that will enjoy it very much as It is a well written well crafted novel .
I read the early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 4th of April 2024 by swift press general fiction adult
This review will appear on that Ali UK Goodreads Anne And, my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com after publication, it will also appear on , Amazon, UK
There were quite a lot of French words scattered throughout the novel which were not translated. I found this little bit irritating as my French was not up to translating them
It’s just as well you don’t have smell vision when you read a novel as there is an awful lot of that of talk about the smell of shit and piss!
There seems to be a lot of historical accuracy in this novel and since my knowledge was probably limited to Old cowboy films and possibly film the revenant I found that did learn a lot.and It was very interesting
The author has a clear writing style, and her descriptions, particularly of the place itself were very vivid.
This is a big thick book which took quite some commitment to read ,it
Ultimately, this wasn’t really a book for me however, I can see that it will find lots of people that will enjoy it very much as It is a well written well crafted novel .
I read the early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 4th of April 2024 by swift press general fiction adult
This review will appear on that Ali UK Goodreads Anne And, my book blog bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com after publication, it will also appear on , Amazon, UK
March 26, 2024
The Voyageur is set around the Great Lakes of North America in the 1830s when much of the land was relative wilderness between pockets of towns. These were often unsettled times with political power fights over land.
Young Alex is motherless, left to work in a small shop as a stock boy while his father returns to France in pursuit of his fortune. Innocent and alone, Alex is befriended by a fur trapper, but after an unfortunate incident at the shop the pair set off in search of a new life. However, Alex soon finds that the wilderness and the men who survive in it are all very dangerous.
This was an interesting period of history which I knew little about; it gave me a good account of the era and the mix of peoples who lived around the lakes. The story is primarily a coming of age tale, but it’s quite dark, so wouldn’t suit young readers. I also wouldn’t suggest it for anyone who feels a bit squeamish about medical experiments. In other areas, although I was quite invested in the tale, I found the ending rather rushed and it left me a little disappointed. I continued to read the notes at the back of the book, where I learnt that the story is loosely based around two real people; this helped to put it all into a better perspective.
Young Alex is motherless, left to work in a small shop as a stock boy while his father returns to France in pursuit of his fortune. Innocent and alone, Alex is befriended by a fur trapper, but after an unfortunate incident at the shop the pair set off in search of a new life. However, Alex soon finds that the wilderness and the men who survive in it are all very dangerous.
This was an interesting period of history which I knew little about; it gave me a good account of the era and the mix of peoples who lived around the lakes. The story is primarily a coming of age tale, but it’s quite dark, so wouldn’t suit young readers. I also wouldn’t suggest it for anyone who feels a bit squeamish about medical experiments. In other areas, although I was quite invested in the tale, I found the ending rather rushed and it left me a little disappointed. I continued to read the notes at the back of the book, where I learnt that the story is loosely based around two real people; this helped to put it all into a better perspective.
May 23, 2024
Carrying supplies to Fort William to trade for furs, members of the voyageur (French-Canadian fur traders) brigade are dropping like flies from consumption. Alex wants to make enough money trading furs to buy a plot of land along the St. Lawrence for a peach orchard.
Alex makes his way in a multi-cultured, uncivilised land full of bad men out for their own advantage.
When they reach Mackinac Island they get in serious trouble. Alex’s experience is truly harrowing. He comes under the care of Dr. Beaumont—it seems Alex is a medical miracle. He learns some lessons in spirituality from some Nishnaabe (Ojibwe) Indiens. The miracle connects the inside of Alex’s body with the outside world in a graphic way, but the phenomenon has a spiritual side. He is nourished by the ghost of his ‘tit frère (little brother).
This novel deals insightfully with serious suffering in a harsh world. Alex’s thoughts as he confronts life-threatening situations are profound. We feel his pain, confusion, grief, loneliness. The admixture of French words and phrases is untranslated, which might be confusing to a non-Francophone [but hey, there’s Google Translate], and yet it adds an exotic feel for the time and place. It both accentuates Alex’s threatened innocence and lends an immediacy, in this wild frontier, where one never really knew what people were around the corner and what unfamiliar language they might speak. Alex is young and too frail to manage the woodsman’s life, and we follow along with his naïveté, stunned by the hardships and the betrayals of false friends.
I was amazed to learn that Dr. Beaumont’s experiments and this ‘medical miracle’ were historical.
Each point of view character has a unique voice, artfully done.
This is an astonishing tale of the wild frontier, sometimes shocking, sometimes deeply emotional.
This review first appeared in Historical Novels Review.
Alex makes his way in a multi-cultured, uncivilised land full of bad men out for their own advantage.
When they reach Mackinac Island they get in serious trouble. Alex’s experience is truly harrowing. He comes under the care of Dr. Beaumont—it seems Alex is a medical miracle. He learns some lessons in spirituality from some Nishnaabe (Ojibwe) Indiens. The miracle connects the inside of Alex’s body with the outside world in a graphic way, but the phenomenon has a spiritual side. He is nourished by the ghost of his ‘tit frère (little brother).
This novel deals insightfully with serious suffering in a harsh world. Alex’s thoughts as he confronts life-threatening situations are profound. We feel his pain, confusion, grief, loneliness. The admixture of French words and phrases is untranslated, which might be confusing to a non-Francophone [but hey, there’s Google Translate], and yet it adds an exotic feel for the time and place. It both accentuates Alex’s threatened innocence and lends an immediacy, in this wild frontier, where one never really knew what people were around the corner and what unfamiliar language they might speak. Alex is young and too frail to manage the woodsman’s life, and we follow along with his naïveté, stunned by the hardships and the betrayals of false friends.
I was amazed to learn that Dr. Beaumont’s experiments and this ‘medical miracle’ were historical.
Each point of view character has a unique voice, artfully done.
This is an astonishing tale of the wild frontier, sometimes shocking, sometimes deeply emotional.
This review first appeared in Historical Novels Review.
July 27, 2024
📖 Book Review
The Vogageur by Paul Carlucci
Swift Press, 4th April 2024
Alex is a motherless stockboy in 1830s Montreal, waiting desperately for his father to return from France. Serge, a drunken fur trader, promises food and safety in return for friendship, but an expedition into the forest quickly goes awry.
At the mercy of men whose motives are unclear, Alex must learn to find his own way in a world where taking advantage of others has become second nature. But will he have to abandon his humanity to survive?
This book is very well written, but I found the flow of the tale interrupted by the French phrases scattered throughout. I found this hampered my enjoyment somewhat, as I had to stop to translate.
Having said this, the story did draw me in and make me want to keep reading through Alex's many adventures.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Tabitha Pelly PR and Swift Press for the ARC, and apologies for the amount of time this has been languishing on my shelf. This is my honest review.
The Vogageur by Paul Carlucci
Swift Press, 4th April 2024
Alex is a motherless stockboy in 1830s Montreal, waiting desperately for his father to return from France. Serge, a drunken fur trader, promises food and safety in return for friendship, but an expedition into the forest quickly goes awry.
At the mercy of men whose motives are unclear, Alex must learn to find his own way in a world where taking advantage of others has become second nature. But will he have to abandon his humanity to survive?
This book is very well written, but I found the flow of the tale interrupted by the French phrases scattered throughout. I found this hampered my enjoyment somewhat, as I had to stop to translate.
Having said this, the story did draw me in and make me want to keep reading through Alex's many adventures.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Tabitha Pelly PR and Swift Press for the ARC, and apologies for the amount of time this has been languishing on my shelf. This is my honest review.
August 1, 2025
I'm not sure what I made of this book. Not the most promising start to a review, but probably the most accurate way I have describing a reasonably acceptable novel which left me neither moved nor annoyed. It's a meandering novel set in mid-19th century Canada (not a country I tend to think of when I think of history around this period). I felt the author was going for a Dickensian odyssey, akin to Pip in Great Expectations, or Oliver Twist, but centred around a character with no sense of destiny. It meandered hither and thither with no apparent purpose, then stopped. The author's note disclosed that the mid-section was very (very) loosely based on real events, all of which added to my overall sense of - why?
It read easily enough which added to my overall sense of frustration. I scored the book 3 stars when I finished but on reflection will change it to a 5/10 2 star novel.
It read easily enough which added to my overall sense of frustration. I scored the book 3 stars when I finished but on reflection will change it to a 5/10 2 star novel.
April 16, 2025
This is a heavily fictionalized historical novel based on the relationship between William Beaumont and Alexis st. Martin. However while Carlucci borrows from historical events he's made a world and a work all his own that focuses on the brutality of the 1800s and the eat or be eaten mentality that was the difference between survival and enslavement.
Just an incredible work. Loved it a lot.
Just an incredible work. Loved it a lot.
May 14, 2024
Not an easy or heartwarming read, a crude and well written book about surving and living in a world were only the fittest survive.
I liked the style of writing but it's a story that made me think.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the style of writing but it's a story that made me think.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
May 30, 2024
Meticulous writing about degradation.
A viscerally engrossing kind of psychological picaresque that follows the exploits of Alex, an almost likable rogue, through a violent and chaotic early Canada.
Can't wait for Voyageur 2: Resurrection of the Fistula.
A viscerally engrossing kind of psychological picaresque that follows the exploits of Alex, an almost likable rogue, through a violent and chaotic early Canada.
Can't wait for Voyageur 2: Resurrection of the Fistula.
July 22, 2024
A marvellous epic with beautiful phrasing, vivid diction, unforgettable characters and unspeakable gore, all told with a rare tenderness. Carlucci's voice is like no other. Dive in and let the young, vulnerable Alex carry your heart along -- you'll root for him till the very end.
September 11, 2024
Brutal and poignant. But the sense of events repeating starts to wear on after a while. I enjoyed the opening jumping between the present and the events that led up to the situation Alex and Serge were in.
January 30, 2024
Beautiful and haunting.
May 25, 2024
Very perfect! i really liked the writing and the book!
July 23, 2024
this book is well written and the cover is very pretty. I would read this book again and recommend it to everyone.
October 1, 2024
Had potential but meandered too much narratively.
April 30, 2025
visceral, grim historical fiction that is immersed in dirt and filth. Can't say I warmed to any character and really, so depressing but well written
February 2, 2025
Started and finished date - 23.01.25 to 26.01.25.
My rating - three Stars.
This book was okay read but I didnt love it and the cover of book was fine. The writing was okay but the paced of plot was bit slow for my like. The atmosphere was pretty good and the the ending of the book was okay. The characters was fine but I would have like them flash out bit more
My rating - three Stars.
This book was okay read but I didnt love it and the cover of book was fine. The writing was okay but the paced of plot was bit slow for my like. The atmosphere was pretty good and the the ending of the book was okay. The characters was fine but I would have like them flash out bit more
March 20, 2025
Where to begin with this review?
Hmmmmm
To state I have never read anything like this would probably be the best part.
From the synopsis this seemed like a really interesting story investigating how we open up to trusting other when its possible that others do not have our best interests in mind.
One word you will come to get to come to terms with in this story is: Fistula.
Honestly the way the writer depicted this made me want to vomit. so visceral and I could literally smell everything he was describing - truly disturbing!
I think for this along I classified the author as having good writing skills but I do feel it was such a depressing read. I was glad to get it over with.
Hmmmmm
To state I have never read anything like this would probably be the best part.
From the synopsis this seemed like a really interesting story investigating how we open up to trusting other when its possible that others do not have our best interests in mind.
One word you will come to get to come to terms with in this story is: Fistula.
Honestly the way the writer depicted this made me want to vomit. so visceral and I could literally smell everything he was describing - truly disturbing!
I think for this along I classified the author as having good writing skills but I do feel it was such a depressing read. I was glad to get it over with.
November 19, 2025
I picked up this book as a blind buy based off of the blurb on the back and its interesting setting in the harsh wilderness of 1800's Canada and Northern United States.
I read this book in a day. Although the blurb really only covered what occurred within the first chapter or so, I still continued reading as the writing was magnificent and the French dialogue helped string me along.
As the story unfolded with each turn of the page, I found it difficult to engage with the events transpiring, until I realised that life doesn't occur how we think and wish for it to and that life back then in that environment was incredibly unforgiving as it is obviously completely different to the life we are accustomed to today.
This novel, as many other reviews have mentioned before me is reminiscent of 'The revenant' and 'Oliver twist'. It was also by reading these reviews I came to find that a portion of this novel is based on true events that occurred in Mackinac.
'The Voyageur' has been written in such a way that is incredibly similar to classics I would read back in primary and high school - which is something I loved about it and fundamentally believe that in the years to come this novel will be considered a classic.
Paul should be extremely proud of his work, this novel is an incredibly well written epic tale that had many deep concepts and layers that I am still unpacking 2 days after finishing it.
I especially loved how not everything that transpired within these pages were illustrated clearly - such as;
- Serge's manipulation, sexual assault and almost paedophilic obsession with Alex,
- Alex's naivety even as an 'adult',
- Miigwan's manipulation of Alex with the peach stones that led to the gambling game and Alex boarding that boat out of Mackinac,
- Beaumont keeping Alex as an animal - bonded to him through an addiction to perform experiments on as he was also compelled to completed house duties with very little payment in the guise of science that was only benefitting Beaumont which Mr Reed could see through,
- Beaumont's wife's change in perspective towards Alex as she left the table without touching her teapot and cup, leaving him with the chores that they would complete together.
- And many many more...
This book was an incredible read that has left me thinking about it days later and I expect to continue thinking about it in the days and weeks to come.
I read this book in a day. Although the blurb really only covered what occurred within the first chapter or so, I still continued reading as the writing was magnificent and the French dialogue helped string me along.
As the story unfolded with each turn of the page, I found it difficult to engage with the events transpiring, until I realised that life doesn't occur how we think and wish for it to and that life back then in that environment was incredibly unforgiving as it is obviously completely different to the life we are accustomed to today.
This novel, as many other reviews have mentioned before me is reminiscent of 'The revenant' and 'Oliver twist'. It was also by reading these reviews I came to find that a portion of this novel is based on true events that occurred in Mackinac.
'The Voyageur' has been written in such a way that is incredibly similar to classics I would read back in primary and high school - which is something I loved about it and fundamentally believe that in the years to come this novel will be considered a classic.
Paul should be extremely proud of his work, this novel is an incredibly well written epic tale that had many deep concepts and layers that I am still unpacking 2 days after finishing it.
I especially loved how not everything that transpired within these pages were illustrated clearly - such as;
- Serge's manipulation, sexual assault and almost paedophilic obsession with Alex,
- Alex's naivety even as an 'adult',
- Miigwan's manipulation of Alex with the peach stones that led to the gambling game and Alex boarding that boat out of Mackinac,
- Beaumont keeping Alex as an animal - bonded to him through an addiction to perform experiments on as he was also compelled to completed house duties with very little payment in the guise of science that was only benefitting Beaumont which Mr Reed could see through,
- Beaumont's wife's change in perspective towards Alex as she left the table without touching her teapot and cup, leaving him with the chores that they would complete together.
- And many many more...
This book was an incredible read that has left me thinking about it days later and I expect to continue thinking about it in the days and weeks to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2024
I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction but this book captured my interest from the start. The story is set in the early 1800's in the Great Lakes region of Canada. It tells us the story of Alex, a young orphan, from his early days as a stockboy in a small shop. He meets a Serge, a fur trader who becomes his friend and lover. After an incident in the shop, they are forced to flee in search of a new life which unfortunately ends badly.
Alex was constantly in search of a way to return to Montreal to find his father, but seemed to always end up with the wrong person to help him. When he's injured in a botched robbery attempt, he's taken under the wing of Dr. Beaumont, who exploits him for his medical research. It's not an easy a read going through the descriptions of the medical experiments he endured and the cruel life imposed on him by the doctor and his surroundings, but the writing and descriptions are so well done that we feel the pain Alex endured while living with the doctor.
The author does an amazing job of setting the scenes throughout the story as well as animating the main characters. It's a dark and compelling story of a young man living a hard life, and an enlightening account of an interesting period of history I knew little about.
I would definitely recommend you give this book a read — well worth it!
Alex was constantly in search of a way to return to Montreal to find his father, but seemed to always end up with the wrong person to help him. When he's injured in a botched robbery attempt, he's taken under the wing of Dr. Beaumont, who exploits him for his medical research. It's not an easy a read going through the descriptions of the medical experiments he endured and the cruel life imposed on him by the doctor and his surroundings, but the writing and descriptions are so well done that we feel the pain Alex endured while living with the doctor.
The author does an amazing job of setting the scenes throughout the story as well as animating the main characters. It's a dark and compelling story of a young man living a hard life, and an enlightening account of an interesting period of history I knew little about.
I would definitely recommend you give this book a read — well worth it!
April 19, 2024
A must read historical fiction!
The blurb on this novel is what originally sold me on this read, i'm a huge fan of historical fiction and I could tell from the synopsis alone that I would be transported back in time and of course I was. Paul does an excellent job of not only setting the scene of the 1800s but also animating the main characters so well that they feel like they are from that time as well. I found Alex our mc interesting and getting to read this characters development through out was fascinating.
This is a fast paced book that does not pull any punches, and at time this read can feel overwhelming with the amount of violence that is present in the story line, but I promise you it is worth it. The pictures that this author creates when telling Alex story are so vivid and attention grabbing that you will devour this read and come out the other side a different person.
The blurb on this novel is what originally sold me on this read, i'm a huge fan of historical fiction and I could tell from the synopsis alone that I would be transported back in time and of course I was. Paul does an excellent job of not only setting the scene of the 1800s but also animating the main characters so well that they feel like they are from that time as well. I found Alex our mc interesting and getting to read this characters development through out was fascinating.
This is a fast paced book that does not pull any punches, and at time this read can feel overwhelming with the amount of violence that is present in the story line, but I promise you it is worth it. The pictures that this author creates when telling Alex story are so vivid and attention grabbing that you will devour this read and come out the other side a different person.
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