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Dead Weight
Katie and Amanda.
One, a lonely girl. The other, a long-awaited baby sister.
A dream come true, or a nightmare?
One must starve so the other can eat.
One must work so the other can play.
Throughout their entire lives, one must give so the other can take.
But what happens when the scales are tipped?
Set in small-town Ontario, Dead Weight's memoir-style writing and sharp dialogue bring lovable characters to life in a raw and relatable story about the bonds of sisterhood.
One, a lonely girl. The other, a long-awaited baby sister.
A dream come true, or a nightmare?
One must starve so the other can eat.
One must work so the other can play.
Throughout their entire lives, one must give so the other can take.
But what happens when the scales are tipped?
Set in small-town Ontario, Dead Weight's memoir-style writing and sharp dialogue bring lovable characters to life in a raw and relatable story about the bonds of sisterhood.
419 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2015
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 29, 2016
I've had mixed luck with the self-published novels I have come across so far. Some, while having potential to be great, probably could have done with several additional edits (to say the least). Occasionally I'm lucky enough to come across a gem as I did with this one.
It's obvious Karen knows her characters well - the amount of minor details that are woven in amongst the story serves to give us readers the chance to get to know them too. And have our hearts broken, to cheer for them. And maybe occasionally cringe at some words they said, or decisions they made.
Katie is a strong character, who became that way out of a necessity to survive the traumatic childhood she endured. Sometimes I was in awe of her strength. Sometimes I was frustrated with the decisions she made. Or heartbroken when she worked so hard for something and it still didn't work out in her favour.
I'm glad I took a chance with this one!
It's obvious Karen knows her characters well - the amount of minor details that are woven in amongst the story serves to give us readers the chance to get to know them too. And have our hearts broken, to cheer for them. And maybe occasionally cringe at some words they said, or decisions they made.
Katie is a strong character, who became that way out of a necessity to survive the traumatic childhood she endured. Sometimes I was in awe of her strength. Sometimes I was frustrated with the decisions she made. Or heartbroken when she worked so hard for something and it still didn't work out in her favour.
I'm glad I took a chance with this one!
December 30, 2020
This book knocked me off my feet. Being a Sarnia native, I obviously couldn't pass up the opportunity to support an author whose book takes place in my hometown, but after reading a couple chapters, I knew this book was a game changer.
Kilbride writes with such honesty and emotion, and delves into such a raw reality, I almost couldn't believe I wasn't reading a biography. I was an emotional mess in the two days it took me to devour this book; I was heartbroken, relieved, scared, shocked, and elated, sometimes all in a matter of pages.
Katie is a character I was genuinely invested in. I rooted for her through the whole book like a friend, and genuinely wanted her (more than most protagonists) to find her happy ending.
All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who appreciates genuine storytelling. Easily one of my favourite books I've read in a long time!
Kilbride writes with such honesty and emotion, and delves into such a raw reality, I almost couldn't believe I wasn't reading a biography. I was an emotional mess in the two days it took me to devour this book; I was heartbroken, relieved, scared, shocked, and elated, sometimes all in a matter of pages.
Katie is a character I was genuinely invested in. I rooted for her through the whole book like a friend, and genuinely wanted her (more than most protagonists) to find her happy ending.
All in all, I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who appreciates genuine storytelling. Easily one of my favourite books I've read in a long time!
April 14, 2016
Excellent first novel by up and coming author Karen Kilbride. I was reading a popular Stephen King novel when "Dead Weight' landed in my hands. I opened it to read the first few pages and never put it down. I was thrilled with the characters, the plot and the few references to areas near where I grew up. Rarely does a first novel by an author catch my interest and have me flying through the pages like Dead Weight did! I can't wait to see what Karen Kilbride comes up with next! Big fan here!
March 20, 2016
I enjoyed this story very much, especially knowing that it was written and published by a local author. It isn't often that I binge-read an entire book in a day, but this one had me hooked from the beginning. I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 4, 2019
Clear your schedule if you pick up this book - you will not want to put it down once you start.
The protagonist is a compelling girl (then young woman) who you'll find yourself rooting for, offering mental advice to, crying over, and cheering on through the whole novel. Bracingly realistic portrayals of emotional abuse and parental neglect bring home the (often hidden) reality of too many children around us.
Written by a Southwestern Ontario author, this is an ideal novel if you're looking to devour realistic local details, ride a cathartic wave of emotion, and support an up-and-coming Canadian writer.
The protagonist is a compelling girl (then young woman) who you'll find yourself rooting for, offering mental advice to, crying over, and cheering on through the whole novel. Bracingly realistic portrayals of emotional abuse and parental neglect bring home the (often hidden) reality of too many children around us.
Written by a Southwestern Ontario author, this is an ideal novel if you're looking to devour realistic local details, ride a cathartic wave of emotion, and support an up-and-coming Canadian writer.
July 20, 2025
I loved this book from start to finish.
March 15, 2022
I was excited to start this first novel by my childhood next door neighbour, but somewhat afraid to be let down. After only reading a short bit one evening, I can say disappointment certainly does not appear to be on the horizon. The book reads like an express train, couldn't wait to turn each page. The characters seem highly real and I'm more than a little afraid of where this novel is going. I don't expect to get back to this for quite a while, since I'm in the middle of Shogun, of all novels. But certainly, so far, this book is extremely good.
Now finished, and enjoyed this book quite a bit. Bit of a slowdown in the middle but did quite enjoy the end. Also must say I found myself distracted quite a bit during the read, wondering how much fiction and how much truth was here, due to my knowledge of the author and her young days. Recommended for sure!
Now finished, and enjoyed this book quite a bit. Bit of a slowdown in the middle but did quite enjoy the end. Also must say I found myself distracted quite a bit during the read, wondering how much fiction and how much truth was here, due to my knowledge of the author and her young days. Recommended for sure!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews