Fox

by Margaret Sweatman

Fox moves on quick and elegant feet through the terror and exhilaration of Winnipeg's 1919 General Strike, the most turbulent period of the city's history. In a novel of remarkably vivd, kinetic power, the collision of the wealthy and working classes after the First World War becomes a backdrop for the heady conflict between desire and human idealism.Fox is a brilliant contemporary filter for the social gospel of the day. Clamouring newspaper headlines and the passionate rhetoric of the new Left echo throughout the Establishment - the languid, dreamlike crescentwood world of Eleanor and MacDougal, Mary and Drinkwater. The cushion of luxury is scant protection when words like 'sedition' and 'Marxism' explode in their midst, confronting them with the bigotry, greed and ambition of the post-war years.

Genres: Fiction, Canada

233 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1991

About the author

Margaret Sweatman is a novelist, playwright, and lyricist. She teaches literature and creative writing and performs with the Broken Songs Band. Her three previous novels garnered Sweatman the McNally Robinson Prize for the Manitoba Book of the Year, the John Hirsch Award for the most promising Manitoba writer, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction, the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, and the Carol Shields Winnipeg Award. She has also won a Genie for the song "When Wintertime" which she co-wrote with her husband Glenn Buhr for the film, Seven Times Lucky. She was born in Winnipeg where now makes her home.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is incredibly strange and confusing. An alternative perspective of the Winnipeg General Strike, Fox focuses on the experiences of women at this time period. Told in a mix of prose, poetry, news clippings and other forms, and covering many different characters and perspectives, it is clear from the beginning that this book is intended to be unique. That being said, as a Winnipegger who has a medium to solid understanding of the events that took place during the Winnipeg General Strike, I was completely confused throughout the entire story. I was able to get something out of this book, but it is, regrettably, not one I would recommend for anyone wanting to actually learn about the events of the strike. Navigating this story is a challenge in and of itself. The change of narration and perspectives is frequent and without any support such as helpful titles or often, even a first sentence that might clue you in to whose perspective you're currently reading. I appreciated the interludes of advertisements or news clippings from the time to give me a bit more context and many were witty and interesting, but unfortunately it was not nearly enough for me to track setting or narration and left me confused about events at times.

I love the premise and think that works of fiction bringing forward the stories and unique perspectives of different groups during this time period are so important. The execution in this one was just not what I had hoped for. Perhaps there is a reader for this unusual book, maybe someone who wants to dive into themes and not stories, or a fractured fairytale aficionado who is interested in exploring a wide range of perspectives of the strike. Part of me thinks you should either be a strike expert or have no prior knowledge and that would be the perfect sub groups to read this. Needless to say, I'm quite disappointed, but oh well, I tried!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tricky at first to get the hang of the multiple narratives, but step back and you get an exciting look at the 1919 strike with....wait for it...women's perspectives included!!!! You can see the dichotomy between the upper and working class women (how they survive with no work), the vets, the business men and how much your geography influences your reality.

[Jadslo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I found this an intriguing read. I love historical fiction and this is based on history in my own province which I liked. I enjoyed reading this book, written more like “prose”? Not sure I’m using the right literary word.

[Tom Axworthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 was one of the seminal events in the history of the Prairie city, and Fox has some good points mostly in evoking the very different perceptions of citizens from South and North Winnipeg. The perspectives of women are central and that is a plus as histories of the strike usually refer to the male participants only.But the style of the novel jumps from character to character in very short chapters ,so much so ,that it is difficult to recall the plot or who is who.This is a first novel and it shows.But the insights Sweatman displays in the differing responses to the strike by two upperclassmen women- Eleanor and Mary- foretell the creativity that distinguishes Sweatman in her subsequent career as the author of numerous award-winning novels, plays and even a Genie award for Best Original Song.Fox was published in 1991 but Sweatman continues to write to a high level with The Gunsmith's Daughter( historical fiction about the Vietnam War's impact) published in 2022.