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, 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✨️

[Artie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read!!!

[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!

[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.

[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 guess 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.

[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.

[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.

[Jim 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.