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Interference
From fall to spring, the inhabitants of Edgewood Drive in the small town of Parkville prove that the simplest lives can be intricate and complicated. The interwoven, layered narrative of Michelle Berry's "Interference" moves between Senior Ladies Leisure League hockey, the unsure and awkward life of pre-teens and teens, suspected pedophilia, disfigurement, and cancer. In Interference, there is always someone watching, biding their time -- and as this suspense builds the vivaciousness of a congenial neighbourhood, full of life and happiness as well as fear and sorrow, becomes at once more humorous, frightening, and real.
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Published October 31, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 24, 2014
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
This is a bit of a difficult book for me to review, in a way I was interested in the story but I also felt that there was too much going on for me to really follow the story. In my opinion this story had too many characters that made the story difficult to follow at times, and yet I enjoyed the way Michelle Berry connects everyone together even though they all have their own stories.
This book really shows readers something about small neighbourhoods, I really liked that each of the characters lived in the same neighbourhood and knew each other in one way or another. What this story gives readers is a look into each of the houses, showing us that how things are on the outside are not always what happens behind closed doors. There are so many different emotions running through this book, each of the characters have things to be happy about, and also scared for.
My biggest issue with the book was that because there were so many characters to follow, I felt like many of the stories were left open-ended. I wanted more from some of the stories, to see where they would go, not everything was wrapped up (and I understand it represents real life, but I just wanted a bit of closure with these people). I thought it was interesting how Michelle Berry writes about different characters of all ages, but for the length of this book, there was too much happening. It would have been better if she focused on a few less people, that would have helped the story move along more.
What kept me going through this book was how in a way the neighbourhood of Edgewood Drive reminded me a little bit of where I grew up. I lived in a smaller town, and everyone on the street knew each other and kept an eye on what was going on. Thinking back sometimes I found it weird, but also safe, knowing there are people out there watching your house to see who is around. I'm very back and forth on how I feel about this book, thinking back it was difficult to keep track of who was who, but it was an interesting story about people and the difference between a public face and a private one.
This is a bit of a difficult book for me to review, in a way I was interested in the story but I also felt that there was too much going on for me to really follow the story. In my opinion this story had too many characters that made the story difficult to follow at times, and yet I enjoyed the way Michelle Berry connects everyone together even though they all have their own stories.
This book really shows readers something about small neighbourhoods, I really liked that each of the characters lived in the same neighbourhood and knew each other in one way or another. What this story gives readers is a look into each of the houses, showing us that how things are on the outside are not always what happens behind closed doors. There are so many different emotions running through this book, each of the characters have things to be happy about, and also scared for.
My biggest issue with the book was that because there were so many characters to follow, I felt like many of the stories were left open-ended. I wanted more from some of the stories, to see where they would go, not everything was wrapped up (and I understand it represents real life, but I just wanted a bit of closure with these people). I thought it was interesting how Michelle Berry writes about different characters of all ages, but for the length of this book, there was too much happening. It would have been better if she focused on a few less people, that would have helped the story move along more.
What kept me going through this book was how in a way the neighbourhood of Edgewood Drive reminded me a little bit of where I grew up. I lived in a smaller town, and everyone on the street knew each other and kept an eye on what was going on. Thinking back sometimes I found it weird, but also safe, knowing there are people out there watching your house to see who is around. I'm very back and forth on how I feel about this book, thinking back it was difficult to keep track of who was who, but it was an interesting story about people and the difference between a public face and a private one.
July 2, 2014
Oh boy. What to say. This book had about 12,876 too many characters. And really no point. I believe that the author was trying to point out the desperation that hides behind the perfect facade of the suburban neighborhood. But since I didn't care about ANY of the many characters, I didn't care about their desperation. And I already know that suburbia is a facade, but it's better than living in a box, right?
The whole setup seemed to lead towards a secret pedophile in the neighborhood that was moving towards a kidnapping. When it finally happened, it was so completely bizarre, and unbelievable that it didn't even seem like anyone was bothered - the only indication that anyone was bothered was by the description of the yellow ribbons around the neighborhood trees when the girl (who was basically a runaway) walked home.
The runaway young mother with the (not so) scary ex, yawn. Nothing happened. The man with a shovel mark splitting his face that stares at the young girl.
Even the cover was more interesting than the book...
Nothing happened. The cancer survivor with an unhappy marriage. The most exciting thing that happened to her was that her teenaged son wants her to play on a Senior Ladies Hockey League (Hockey? Nothing happened).
Oh yeah, every kid in this book was kind of repulsive. Even more so that the adults. That's kind of hard to do, right?
The author appears to have talent, but I think she had so many characters, she couldn't focus on any of them, and never seemed to find the story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The whole setup seemed to lead towards a secret pedophile in the neighborhood that was moving towards a kidnapping. When it finally happened, it was so completely bizarre, and unbelievable that it didn't even seem like anyone was bothered - the only indication that anyone was bothered was by the description of the yellow ribbons around the neighborhood trees when the girl (who was basically a runaway) walked home.
The runaway young mother with the (not so) scary ex, yawn. Nothing happened. The man with a shovel mark splitting his face that stares at the young girl.
Even the cover was more interesting than the book...
Nothing happened. The cancer survivor with an unhappy marriage. The most exciting thing that happened to her was that her teenaged son wants her to play on a Senior Ladies Hockey League (Hockey? Nothing happened).
Oh yeah, every kid in this book was kind of repulsive. Even more so that the adults. That's kind of hard to do, right?
The author appears to have talent, but I think she had so many characters, she couldn't focus on any of them, and never seemed to find the story.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2016
Good, quick read with interesting characters, but not that believable, for a book that was (I think) supposed to be so realistic.
September 20, 2014
Super nice.
http://thenewcanlit.blogspot.ca/2014/...
Cancer is an interference of the best made plans, and it is only one of the interferences that play like flies to wanton gods with a collection of neighbours in Michelle Berry's powerfully quiet new novel, Interference (ECW, 2014), set in a town very much like Peterborough, Ontario, where the author lives.
Truthiness is a common element among the cast of characters Berry introduces us to in this ensemble novel. There is no single protagonist, and no straight through line. As a novel, it resembles another newly released creative work, Richard Linklater's movie Boyhood, which is framed around the life of one character (boy, ages, from 6 to 18), but is really a portrait of a collective, the family. Interference takes place over a winter, and it is rife with anxiety, often related to the safety of children. Violence often appears to lurk around every corner, but the slasher (figuratively speaking) never appears.
Any parent will recognize these feelings as par for the course. Berry's brilliance here is to make us care about so many people all at the same time. She speaks truth about the prevalence of fear, and also battens down the anxiety with a flavour of hope that doesn't resort to sentimentality or naivete.
I could give more plot summary, but why give anything away. Here's how the publisher frames it:
From fall to spring, the inhabitants of Edgewood Drive in the small town of Parkville prove that the simplest lives can be intricate and complicated. The interwoven, layered narrative of Michelle Berry’s Interference moves between Senior Ladies Leisure League hockey, the unsure and awkward life of pre-teens and teens, suspected pedophilia, disfigurement, and cancer. In Interference, there is always someone watching, biding their time — and as this suspense builds the vivaciousness of a congenial neighbourhood, full of life and happiness as well as fear and sorrow, becomes at once more humorous, frightening, and real.
Does the empty swing and the splash of red on the cover make your stomach churn? Good. Berry explores that churning with a sensibility fine tuned with calm reality (which is different from truth). She displays a sensitivity that is as large as it is remarkable.
Each of the chapters begins with a "found text." An email. A note home from school. A message to the team of female hockey players who stumble to a winning season over the course of the book, no matter how few pucks they put in the net. The tone of these notes is frequently jovial, and contrapuntal to the gist of much of the other action. The humour enlivens the book, and serves as a reminder, too, that even in the midst of catastrophe (or the fear of catastrophe) the beat of the absurd stampedes on.
http://thenewcanlit.blogspot.ca/2014/...
Cancer is an interference of the best made plans, and it is only one of the interferences that play like flies to wanton gods with a collection of neighbours in Michelle Berry's powerfully quiet new novel, Interference (ECW, 2014), set in a town very much like Peterborough, Ontario, where the author lives.
Truthiness is a common element among the cast of characters Berry introduces us to in this ensemble novel. There is no single protagonist, and no straight through line. As a novel, it resembles another newly released creative work, Richard Linklater's movie Boyhood, which is framed around the life of one character (boy, ages, from 6 to 18), but is really a portrait of a collective, the family. Interference takes place over a winter, and it is rife with anxiety, often related to the safety of children. Violence often appears to lurk around every corner, but the slasher (figuratively speaking) never appears.
Any parent will recognize these feelings as par for the course. Berry's brilliance here is to make us care about so many people all at the same time. She speaks truth about the prevalence of fear, and also battens down the anxiety with a flavour of hope that doesn't resort to sentimentality or naivete.
I could give more plot summary, but why give anything away. Here's how the publisher frames it:
From fall to spring, the inhabitants of Edgewood Drive in the small town of Parkville prove that the simplest lives can be intricate and complicated. The interwoven, layered narrative of Michelle Berry’s Interference moves between Senior Ladies Leisure League hockey, the unsure and awkward life of pre-teens and teens, suspected pedophilia, disfigurement, and cancer. In Interference, there is always someone watching, biding their time — and as this suspense builds the vivaciousness of a congenial neighbourhood, full of life and happiness as well as fear and sorrow, becomes at once more humorous, frightening, and real.
Does the empty swing and the splash of red on the cover make your stomach churn? Good. Berry explores that churning with a sensibility fine tuned with calm reality (which is different from truth). She displays a sensitivity that is as large as it is remarkable.
Each of the chapters begins with a "found text." An email. A note home from school. A message to the team of female hockey players who stumble to a winning season over the course of the book, no matter how few pucks they put in the net. The tone of these notes is frequently jovial, and contrapuntal to the gist of much of the other action. The humour enlivens the book, and serves as a reminder, too, that even in the midst of catastrophe (or the fear of catastrophe) the beat of the absurd stampedes on.
August 4, 2014
This is the kind of book that me me sad when the book ended, I wanted to know more about the characters, more about their messed up little, lonely lives. The writing gripped me and fascinated me the whole way through.
But I suppose that is the way the world works, we catch a glimpse into someone’s life, and then we lose them. We forgot to make the call, we let things slip by and then you catch yourself wondering just how they might be doing, but far too much time has gone by to do anything about it.
Interference is like taking a glimpse into the underbelly of one particular neighbourhood in Ontario, which could very well be any neighbourhood in the suburbs, in Canada. Characters and stories intermingle and we get a telescopic view into mindsets of these people. Berry does a good job of moving between characters but not losing the story.
Interference has got something for everyone; the quiet teenager angry at life and his moms’ cancer, the runaway from a bad marriage with her young daughter in tow, the scar faced man who has never felt understood and the ladies trying to learn to skate for the ladies hockey league. All silently moving through life and seasons. All intermingling and inter-crossing in amazing yet lonely ways. Lonely in that they never really connect the way you want them to. You want to push the character and tell them to tell the others how they are feeling, how things really are going. Because then perhaps they would not be so damn lonely.
One of the unusual features is handwritten letters, typed emails and notes from the principle peppered through the novel. I liked that, it makes everything seem so real.
I love the pointed, conversational way that it is written and how the characters are so real and understandable. I immediately connected to Tom and Claire and Becky, the self-doubt, mind-racing thoughts constantly rolling through their head. The way that you can see into the characters’ heads in this very unique way is my favourite thing about Berry’s writing. You feel like you actually get to take a look into an odd suburb, a neighbourhood that you always drive by has the windows and doors wide open.
But I suppose that is the way the world works, we catch a glimpse into someone’s life, and then we lose them. We forgot to make the call, we let things slip by and then you catch yourself wondering just how they might be doing, but far too much time has gone by to do anything about it.
Interference is like taking a glimpse into the underbelly of one particular neighbourhood in Ontario, which could very well be any neighbourhood in the suburbs, in Canada. Characters and stories intermingle and we get a telescopic view into mindsets of these people. Berry does a good job of moving between characters but not losing the story.
Interference has got something for everyone; the quiet teenager angry at life and his moms’ cancer, the runaway from a bad marriage with her young daughter in tow, the scar faced man who has never felt understood and the ladies trying to learn to skate for the ladies hockey league. All silently moving through life and seasons. All intermingling and inter-crossing in amazing yet lonely ways. Lonely in that they never really connect the way you want them to. You want to push the character and tell them to tell the others how they are feeling, how things really are going. Because then perhaps they would not be so damn lonely.
One of the unusual features is handwritten letters, typed emails and notes from the principle peppered through the novel. I liked that, it makes everything seem so real.
I love the pointed, conversational way that it is written and how the characters are so real and understandable. I immediately connected to Tom and Claire and Becky, the self-doubt, mind-racing thoughts constantly rolling through their head. The way that you can see into the characters’ heads in this very unique way is my favourite thing about Berry’s writing. You feel like you actually get to take a look into an odd suburb, a neighbourhood that you always drive by has the windows and doors wide open.
October 30, 2014
Berry captures the quiet desperation of her suburbian characters in this claustrophobic, deftly plotted novel. Interference seethes with sinister possibilities.
February 26, 2017
That was so good! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Review to come!
Reviewed Feb 26/17:
Interference was exactly what The Trouble with Goats and Sheep should have been. Multiple POVs, mystery which you wanted to figure out, suspense which actually held your interest, and well written characters. In Michelle Berry's author bio, I found out that she teaches creative writing at both University of Toronto and Trent University and you can tell. I mean this in a good way because Berry knows how to write; I never had a problem with pacing in the story and it kept my interest throughout the novel.
Interference follows the lives of several families, and each chapter begins with a sort of "excerpt" in email or letter format. It is a great way to break up the stories and character's lives and gives you more insight to what they were going through, without telling how they feel throughout their chapters with long sob-stories. It allows the reader to get a sense of what every person deals with in their lives and how they could be going through some personal ordeals which outsiders won't know about. I found the friendships and relationships in the story relatable, and I think they all had different stories which tied into one another in a unique way.
At 271 pages, it's a short-to-mid length book and while I'm sure there could have been more back story given to some of the characters, or explanations to what happens next, I didn't find myself yearning for more. This could be considered good and bad. The story didn't blow me away, but I really enjoyed it and was happy and content once I finished reading it. The book was well rounded out at the end and I wasn't cursing Berry for not tying off any loose ends.
I did really enjoy this story and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a little bit of mystery, a little bit of relationships, and a little bit of family love.
Reviewed Feb 26/17:
Interference was exactly what The Trouble with Goats and Sheep should have been. Multiple POVs, mystery which you wanted to figure out, suspense which actually held your interest, and well written characters. In Michelle Berry's author bio, I found out that she teaches creative writing at both University of Toronto and Trent University and you can tell. I mean this in a good way because Berry knows how to write; I never had a problem with pacing in the story and it kept my interest throughout the novel.
Interference follows the lives of several families, and each chapter begins with a sort of "excerpt" in email or letter format. It is a great way to break up the stories and character's lives and gives you more insight to what they were going through, without telling how they feel throughout their chapters with long sob-stories. It allows the reader to get a sense of what every person deals with in their lives and how they could be going through some personal ordeals which outsiders won't know about. I found the friendships and relationships in the story relatable, and I think they all had different stories which tied into one another in a unique way.
At 271 pages, it's a short-to-mid length book and while I'm sure there could have been more back story given to some of the characters, or explanations to what happens next, I didn't find myself yearning for more. This could be considered good and bad. The story didn't blow me away, but I really enjoyed it and was happy and content once I finished reading it. The book was well rounded out at the end and I wasn't cursing Berry for not tying off any loose ends.
I did really enjoy this story and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a little bit of mystery, a little bit of relationships, and a little bit of family love.
August 11, 2022
No real depth here, and some superfluous bits of nothing, such as some letters of various characters. The cast of ten characters makes it hard to feel continuity with this novel, jerking from one to another. I kept reading with the hope that a culminating event would bring ultimate clarity; but this really doesn't happen. The climax is muted by being told by a character who only shows up for this event. And it involves a minor character from the town, a girl we meet in chapter one and a couple of times later.
Not all characters get equal treatment. Some have only one section devoted to their point of view. I found some characters more compelling than others. Claire, who is fighting cancer, seems to have the most depth, but again, we see her only a few times. Her problems are more real and she has more insight as a result. Dayton, the newcomer, is probably next and then Maria, who we finally get close to late in the book. There's just too many points of view to give "space" to each so that the story can unify thematically.
Not all characters get equal treatment. Some have only one section devoted to their point of view. I found some characters more compelling than others. Claire, who is fighting cancer, seems to have the most depth, but again, we see her only a few times. Her problems are more real and she has more insight as a result. Dayton, the newcomer, is probably next and then Maria, who we finally get close to late in the book. There's just too many points of view to give "space" to each so that the story can unify thematically.
July 30, 2017
Berry has given readers a means of defining their reality with this book. The inhabitants of Edgewood Street in Parkville could be easily them or their neighbours in their own quiet lives. And the threats, fears and anxieties that the residents of the street have – cancer, peer pressure, financial obligations, ‘stranger danger’ – could easily fit into the thoughts of any resident of any other quiet street that exists.
http://tinyurl.com/y7uopuoj
http://tinyurl.com/y7uopuoj
July 17, 2014
Like in a lot of Adult Fiction, nothing actually happens, in a compelling way.
The novel follows several intersecting lives: Maria, Tom, and their daughter Becky; neighbor Trish and her family; a single mother across the street; a scarred man. There are some of the usual hallmarks of Literary Family Dramas--the rocky marriage, the thoughts of infidelity, the pre-teens and teens whose parents utterly misunderstand them.
I wasn't bored by this book, but I did get to the end while still waiting for something to happen, to force some sort of change in who these characters are instead of in their circumstances.
I don't read a ton of adult fiction, and even when I do a lot of it is genre stuff. Always good to stretch outside the comfort zone, and the writing is very good here, but I think I'm looking for a little more plot next time.
[Edit] You know what? I liked the relationship between Jude and his mom, the one that was comfortable at the beginning and close at the end, as they both started to understand what they needed from each other, and from themselves. I'd have happily read a book about them, and excised all the other characters.
(ARC via Netgalley.)
The novel follows several intersecting lives: Maria, Tom, and their daughter Becky; neighbor Trish and her family; a single mother across the street; a scarred man. There are some of the usual hallmarks of Literary Family Dramas--the rocky marriage, the thoughts of infidelity, the pre-teens and teens whose parents utterly misunderstand them.
I wasn't bored by this book, but I did get to the end while still waiting for something to happen, to force some sort of change in who these characters are instead of in their circumstances.
I don't read a ton of adult fiction, and even when I do a lot of it is genre stuff. Always good to stretch outside the comfort zone, and the writing is very good here, but I think I'm looking for a little more plot next time.
[Edit] You know what? I liked the relationship between Jude and his mom, the one that was comfortable at the beginning and close at the end, as they both started to understand what they needed from each other, and from themselves. I'd have happily read a book about them, and excised all the other characters.
(ARC via Netgalley.)
July 7, 2014
I just finished Michelle Berry's Interference and absolutely loved it! The characters were all intertwined and each chapter is told from different perspectives. The book has a character for everyone. Berry's writing style is unique and I couldn't put it down! To start each chapter there is either a letter, email or note home from the school specifically for that character and I found that interesting. Interference is set in the fictional neighbourhood of Parkville and split up by seasons. I found the community dynamic relatable. Its almost like each chapter is a short story of its own but they all connect together and the characters are intricately woven together. I would recommend to this novel to anyone looking for a good summer read! 5 stars for sure!
August 9, 2014
I really enjoyed Michelle Berry’s novel Interference. At first glance, it might seem like a simple novel but speaks volumes about the human experience. It examines how people can come into our lives, for the better or worse, and how we respond, physically or mentally, to them can reveal a lot about who we are.
Complete Review: http://feistylittlewoman.wordpress.co...
Complete Review: http://feistylittlewoman.wordpress.co...
September 26, 2015
I enjoyed this book! It takes place in a town and is about many characters, their fears, frustrations and how they interact with each other. Not a huge story plot but enough development with the mishmash of people and how they all interact and come together at the end. There was even a bit of creepiness and dark humor mixed in. It was a very honest portrayal of people, easy to relate to. The reason I didn't give it a 5 star was because the ending was a little anti-climatic. Great read overall.
April 26, 2016
I really liked this book. It was a great weaving of stories within stories. The author does a really great job of writing each character's strengths and weaknesses. "Interference" gives the reader a delightful look into a small neighbourhood and how everyone has their personal struggles no matter what their age. I also liked her use of letters, newsletters and emails to bring the characters alive. I look forward to reading more of Berry's writing.
Read
June 9, 2014Look for my review in The Winnipeg Review in early July.
Read
July 11, 2014Stuck with this one for 20% and then quit. Three different stories going on, none of them particularly interesting, and no hint of a connection among the three.
Want to read
July 22, 2014SOOOOOO excited to give this one a read!
October 22, 2014
i received this book for free as part of a first reads promotion
November 4, 2014
A collection of linked short stories that paint a portrait of a small town gripped with anxiety. Compelling and entertaining.
January 23, 2016
l had bigger expectations for this book and was disappointed. Way too many characters and no real exciting moment. Took a bit to get into.
October 22, 2015
Berry captures the quiet desperation of her suburban characters in this claustrophobic, deftly plotted novel. Interference seethes with sinister possibilities.
June 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this.
Great, vivid characters I could relate to.
Putting her on my radar.
Great, vivid characters I could relate to.
Putting her on my radar.
January 1, 2025
3.5 stars, rounding down
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews