Upfront Etta And Otto And Russell And James

by Emma Hooper

Eighty-two-year-old Etta has never seen the ocean. So early one morning she takes a rifle, some chocolate, and her best boots, and begins walking the 3,232 kilometers from Saskatchewan to Halifax. 

Her husband Otto wakes to a note left on the kitchen table. I will try to remember to come back, Etta writes. Otto has seen the ocean, having crossed the Atlantic years ago to fight in a far-away war, so he understands. But with Etta gone, the memories come crowding in. The only way to keep them at bay is to keep his hands busy. 

Russell, raised as a brother to Otto, has loved Etta from afar for sixty years. He insists on finding Etta, wherever she’s gone. Leaving his farm will be the first act of defiance in his whole life.

As Etta walks toward the ocean - accompanied by a coyote named James - memory, illusion, and reality blur. Like the gentle undulation of waves,  Etta and Otto and Russell and James moves from a past filled with hunger, war, passion, and hope to a present of quiet industry and peaceful communion; from trying to remember to trying to forget.

A beautiful novel that reminds us that it’s never too late to see the things you’ve longed to see, or to say the things you’ve longed to say.

18 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2014

About the author

Books about Places and People. Songs about Dinosaurs and Insects. Research about Pop Music and Robots. Emma lives, writes, plays and teaches in Bath, England, but goes home to Canada to cross-country ski as often as she can.

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although i enjoyed the writing in this book. I was disappointed in the fact that some of it sounded real and some of it sounded like fantasy. Some authors can mix the two in a novel (The Mermaids Chair is a good example); some cannot. I do not think this author blended fantasy and reality in a way that made sense. I did like James though even if he was only in Etta's head...or maybe only the author's imagination...he was a pretty cool character for a coyote.

[Amanda Cott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really charming. All the characters were endearing. It's a unique read. There's a touch of fairy tale/magical realism to it (there's a talking coyote and lots of play with time), but not too much (for me).

[Erin Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted more from it, but loved the sparse and quiet way in which it was written.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quirky book..liked the storyline but too many loose ends for me

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book.