Rufous and Calliope: A Novel

by Sarah Louise Butler

In this stunning tale of love and loss, a middle-aged cartographer, suffering from memory loss and claustrophobia, hikes through the interior of British Columbia in search of a treehouse where he spent one memorable summer on the run with his four siblings.

In Rufous and Calliope, Sarah Louise Butler takes readers deep into the rugged British Columbia Interior, where the mysteries of nature collide with the fragile threads of memory. Rufous Flanagan, a modern-day cartographer, embarks on a solo trek through an ancient mountain pass in search of the treehouse hideaway where he spent one memorable childhood summer on the run with his three older half-siblings and his twin sister, Calliope. With every step, the vast, untamed wilderness presents both a physical and emotional challenge, as Rufous must confront not only treacherous terrain, but the unravelling of his own mind. His memories—sometimes vivid, sometimes slipping away—become a map guiding him through towering forests, dry creek beds and smoke-filled skies. Yet, in this wilderness, not everything is as it seems. Echoes of the past lead Rufous on a journey that blurs the line between dream and reality. As the elements close in, this novel offers an unforgettable tale of survival, memory and the bond between siblings.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Adventure, Nature, Family

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2025

About the author

Sarah Louise Butler is a former treeplanting cook with a degree in geography and environmental studies.
Her debut novel, The Wild Heavens, introduces an element of magic realism as it plays with the connections between the various human and non-human inhabitants of an imagined version of BC's Inland Temperate Rainforest.
Rufous and Calliope, her second novel, follows a middle-aged cartographer with a novel and early-onset form of dementia as he journeys over a rugged mountain pass toward the treehouse where he spent one memorable childhood summer on the run with his siblings.
She lives with her teenaged son in the staggeringly beautiful mountain town of Nelson, BC.

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨️

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book. Wow. Following the main character through his thought processes and fractured mind in the midst of his dementia was eye opening. This book is very well written. Would highly recommend.

[Artie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read!!!

[John Gaudes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled through this, as the constant descriptions of nature will work for some but didn't for me. Searching all the types of birds and trees took me out of the reading experience, and I felt there wasn't enough connective thread between my main question as a reader — what happened to separate Rufous from his siblings — and Rufous' hike to the treehouse as an adult.

Still, when the novel puts the pieces together, it's really good, and the descriptions of memory loss felt authentic — leading to an emotional end. I was also caught by surprise with the late twist.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. I loved the fluid shift between memory and the immediacy of unfolding experience and hallucination. I was completely captivated by the protagonist and the depth of relationships that persevered even as his memory grew larger and larger gaps. The story said something about the way we are bound to people and how that transcends our memories and happens on a level deeper than that. I also loved the presence of the natural world. The birds, the trees, the rivers, the lakes--they all play a pivotal role in Rufous's identity and life. They become emmisaries and guides, they speak to him. This is a book about memory and relationships but also a book about the natural world and our place in it. One of the most powerful moments in the book comes near the end and is a commentary on our human failings in relation to the natural world:

"Maybe this is what we have: an acquired neurological condition in which we have lost our ability to recognize who we are related to. We look into the eyes of the owl, the bear, the bat, and we deny. We deny. And again, a third time. I do not know you. And the world burns."

This was especially enjoyable because the British Columbia landscape is so familiar to me now, after twenty years of living here. I was caught up in all the natural elements that I have seen with my own eyes. It made the entire story more vibrant.

Overall, highly recommend this one!

[Mike Broderick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me early and its “slow burn” suspense kept me interested right to the end. It is a wholly Canadian book. The idea of the treehouse in the Canadian wilderness is something that the general reader can latch onto.

The big idea of deteriorating brain health is a relevant theme. Being cognizant of his own deteriorating health and how it was portrayed in this story was particularly impressive.

Another writing success was shown in the fact that these kids were alone, which is clearly not good.However the memories of being together are positive. Rufous clearly remembered his time at the treehouse with his family in a positive light.
This juxtaposition is just one of the many literary devices used in the book to create a solid piece of writing.
Personification, metaphors, similes, also present throughout. Many connections between his life and nature.

Finally, I like how Rufous is effectively portrayed as a sensitive boy. Books often follow stereotypical boy and girl roles. This was challenged with this character.
Anyway, a good one in my mind. Hopefully others enjoy it.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Rufous and Calliope” follows one man’s journey to recover time past and memories lost as well as attempt to repair his fractured sense of self.

Rufous Flanagan, a cartographer, sets out on a solo trek through a mountain pass in the rugged British Columbia Interior searching for the tree house that he and his siblings lived in one summer while orphaned. His siblings, now spread out across the world, will meet him there when he arrives – if he arrives.

The story alternates between Rufous’ arduous trek, recollections of that long ago summer when he was five, his subsequent childhood raised by two elderly women and his adult years as a neurological disorder fragments his mind. It follows his journey inward and his journey outward and his attempt to marry the two together.

An engaging read that explores the fragility of the natural world and the fragility of the human psyche.

[Alison Gadsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much of this book that cannot be spoken about because the author withholds in a symphony that builds so beautifully toward an unveiling of truth and memory, of the truth that lands as softly as if we'd known it all along.

We follow Rufous through the landscape of his mind and the literal landscape of a childhood that has been lost, swallowed up by both trauma and the mind he's currently losing. It is a story about family, sibling love and it is a story about the land.

And it opens with a big question: why did Rufous and his siblings run away to a treehouse in the BC interior and what became of all of them...including Rufous. How are they here now?

I hope this book is a sign of more to come from Sarah Louise Butler, because I am emotionally richer for this book.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adored this book. It is the story of Rufous, a cartographer, who is slowly losing his memory. The narrative switches between present day, and Rufous' childhood. At one point, Rufous lived with his siblings in a treehouse in the woods. (This reminded me of The Boxcar Children). His life changes and he ends up living with other people.

This book is a homage to the Kootenays and to nature. The writing is gorgeous and the story is moving.

I've only been to the Kootenays once, but this book made me homesick for that area.

[Marmot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had lots of things I liked about it, particularly how she covered issues of climate change, wildfires, forestry, our local caribou herd going extinct etc. in a fictional story that also had a really good story about family bonds and mental health to follow along that kept me wanting to keep reading. I think I’ll recommend it to my book club of map loving government forester staff, haha. I liked that I could relate to that part as well.

[Brianne Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

an aware unreliable narrator and set in the interior of BC 🫶🏻 reading things written by local authors set close to home is always nice.

Fav quote: “I hear a familiar bird call, the one I think of as a black-capped chickadee original because that’s who I first heard singing it. But this rendition is more nasal, plaintive - like Neil Young covering someone else’s song”

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characters, the geography, the flora and fauna and how the events in the story were told. It has a satisfying ending after reading of Rufous's struggles in his life. The author surprised me with the reveal about Rufous's twin sister, Calliope. This is a book I would recommend to others.

[Morgan Vandergaag · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great read and I went through it really quick! I found the story line very interesting but sad at the same time. It really makes you think of all the kids who get failed by the system and what their lives might be like for real.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way the author captured the slippery nature of lucidity in cognitive decline was astounding. As someone who has lived and worked with people descending into dementia illnesses it rang so true for me

[Jenni Barnhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great twist at the end. Way to go Sarah, great job!

[Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoughtful and heartfelt read from a talented BC author. While it wasn’t exactly what I normally reach for, I appreciated the unique perspective and the strong sense of place throughout the novel.

[CAW · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book that follows a man with dementia as he returns to the tree house he shared with his siblings.

[Tamara Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book.

[Ray Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A meditative and atmospheric journey set in British Columbia, Canada, amidst the memories of the main character Rufous (named after the Rufous Hummingbird).

[Madison Weir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible writing. Tender and sad and clear-eyed.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH A GREAT BOOK!!! Loved the story so so much.

[James Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that turns out to be better than expected. It's the writing and the way the author unfolds the story, which mimics Rufous' loss of memory, that makes this a magical read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is atmospheric, beautiful, and heartbreaking. Someone suggested it to me and I am glad they did. That being said I did spend a lot of time guessing what was going to happen, which impacted how I read the rest of the book. The book seems to want you to focus more in the moment, which I struggled to do.