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Watermark
Returning to her childhood home on Mikinaak Island after a twenty year absence, Mina McInnis unravels the incidents that caused her family's disintegration. She is determined to uncover the truth about the tragedy from her past, and the presence that dwells in the cold, dark waters of Lake Huron.
300 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2018
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Farquhar
2 books16 followersJennifer Farquhar grew up on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. She earned a humanities degree from McGill before moving to Japan to teach English. Upon returning to Canada, she tried her hand(s) at midwifery for a few years, before accepting that she valued sleep more than she had anticipated.
Jennifer's debut novel Watermark won the 2018 Miramichi Reader Very Best! Book Award, and the 2019 Northern Lit Award. Her short stories have won awards in the Manitoulin Expositor, and the Toronto Star.
She now lives in Kitchener, Ontario, where she is a part-time elementary school teacher, part-time writer, and mother to three young children. She still gets very little sleep.
Jennifer's debut novel Watermark won the 2018 Miramichi Reader Very Best! Book Award, and the 2019 Northern Lit Award. Her short stories have won awards in the Manitoulin Expositor, and the Toronto Star.
She now lives in Kitchener, Ontario, where she is a part-time elementary school teacher, part-time writer, and mother to three young children. She still gets very little sleep.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 24, 2018
Watermark is a startling debut novel and I devoured it within 24hrs. This is not to say that there were not certain things I didn't like about it; the angst-ridden teenager Zane I could have done without, but he is somewhat germane to the story, so I learned to tolerate his profanity-laden outbursts directed toward his long-suffering mother. What I appreciated about Watermark was the way Ms. Farquhar juxtaposed the remote island setting, the wealthy Doyles, small-town gossip and Indigenous stories in a powerful, encircling way to make a true novel of cause and effect, of actions and their consequences.
Full review here: http://bit.ly/watermarkreview
Full review here: http://bit.ly/watermarkreview
July 6, 2018
Amazing summer read! Highly recommend. Character driven thrills. Loved it from start to finish! You'll wish it was longer!
September 4, 2018
Normally I don't write reviews, but felt I needed to on this one. I was worried at first when I started reading this book - a lot of Canadian reference, thought the story seemed dark - but I'm so glad I stuck with it. By the end of the story I didn't want it to end, and felt so connected with the characters (I kept hoping there was more to come and was disappointed when it was done). Highly recommend this as a must read and cant wait to read more from this author in the future.
November 8, 2020
Tossed after giving it 180 pages. I think there is an interesting story nestled somewhere in between the pages but I don't care enough to plod on.
June 24, 2018
Wow! I started this book yesterday morning, and I finished it this afternoon. I literally could not put it down. This book had me from the first few pages--I'm not sure how to classify it---a bit mystery, a bit thriller, a little creepy at times, living, breathing characters, and just so good. I can't believe that this is the author's first novel, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store. Reader be warned: do not read this book while vacationing near a lake!
July 13, 2018
This was the perfect book to take along on my Lake Huron vacation. The perfect amount of spooky intrigue, family friction, and loveable characters. Read it this summer when you can sit outside and pretend you're on beautiful Mikinaak!
April 25, 2020
I really enjoyed the book until the end. But it's always hard when a good book ends.
June 22, 2020
Watermark is a startling debut novel and I devoured it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book right from the start. The characters were very interesting and relatable for anyone that has experienced life in a small town. The vivid stories, the rumours, the gossip and the truths of people who occupy this island. All reminders to me of my youth at the cottage. It was exciting to discover how the characters lives intertwined, making sense of things that had me with open ended questions at the beginning but answered as I neared the end. Enough substance at the beginning so when you get to reading the final piece of the puzzle you realize how it all fits together. The story is very visual and I at times became so absorbed in reading this book it often felt like I was watching a movie. Watermark also reminded me of the writings of Joseph Boyden book The Orenda.
This is not to say that there were not certain things I didn't like about it, for example, the angst-ridden teenager Zane I could have done without, but he to was germane to the story, so I learned to tolerate his profanity-laden outbursts directed toward his mother. What I appreciated about Watermark was the way Farquhar juxtaposed the remote island setting, the wealthy Doyles, small-town gossip and Indigenous stories in a powerful, encircling way to make a true novel of cause and effect, of actions and their consequences.
Jennifer Farquhar is definitely on my radar to read anything which she writes.
This is not to say that there were not certain things I didn't like about it, for example, the angst-ridden teenager Zane I could have done without, but he to was germane to the story, so I learned to tolerate his profanity-laden outbursts directed toward his mother. What I appreciated about Watermark was the way Farquhar juxtaposed the remote island setting, the wealthy Doyles, small-town gossip and Indigenous stories in a powerful, encircling way to make a true novel of cause and effect, of actions and their consequences.
Jennifer Farquhar is definitely on my radar to read anything which she writes.
October 4, 2018
This is the first novel by Jennifer Farquhar. It's a good read, set in a truly Canadian environment. I had the chance to meet the author and discuss her book with her at a recent book club meeting. That was a real treat.
July 14, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book right from the start. The characters are all very interesting and relatable for anyone that has experienced life in a small town. The vivid stories, the rumours, the gossip and the truths of people who occupy this island. It was exciting to discover how the characters lives intertwined, making sense of things that had me with open ended questions at the beginning but answered as I neared the end. The story is very visual and I at times became so absorbed in reading this book it often felt like I was watching a movie…..that’s a good thing.
December 30, 2019
I would like to give this book a 3.5 rating only because I felt the tone and voice was a bit uneven at times and a bit overly dramatic. But otherwise, I was thoroughly immersed in the characters and the setting. I found some aspects of the book quite relatable having grown up in a very small town on the Ottawa River. I loved the water theme of this book and look forward to seeing what this author writes next. Well done!!
July 27, 2018
This book got under my skin in all the right ways! I haven't been able to go to the lake this summer without thinking of Mikinaak Island and feeling like I've left something there. Watermark totally draws you in to the point that you feel like an islander yourself. It's a real honor, and a very rewarding read.
July 28, 2018
A month after reading this book I am still thinking of the cool dark lake waters. A page turner and a thoughtful story in one.
March 22, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading watermark. It was a very visual read and the setting and characters were so relatable. Well done Jennifer! Can’t wait to read the next book
November 7, 2019
Excellent debut novel by a Canadian author.
December 3, 2019
Kitchener author-yay!!
July 5, 2020
This is a very gripping book, one that keeps you reading.
I loved the setting of Manitoulin Island, it’s small community, and it’s closeness with the lake.
The author pulls the reader in, much like the currents of her lake, and intrigues you while creating the atmosphere of ghost stories by intertwining the local Ojibwa beliefs.
But it is ultimately not really a story about any of these things. They do add colour, interest, and suspense, and it would be a much more mundane tale without them. They are so effective at layering the tale that I was actually surprised at the end to discover that Watermark is primarily a story.of a dysfunctional family, almost a warning of what guilt can do to the human soul and how it can spread its self hatred to the next generation, even as it tries to overcome it with genuine love.
The characters are never dull, if sometimes a bit unbelievable in their goodness (David) or daring impulsiveness (Rhonda).
Yet. Jennifer Farquhar is a good enough writer to keep you totally involved as the reasons for behaviours are revealed slowly but completely.
It may not be totally believable with its rather pat ending, but it is totally satisfying.
I loved the setting of Manitoulin Island, it’s small community, and it’s closeness with the lake.
The author pulls the reader in, much like the currents of her lake, and intrigues you while creating the atmosphere of ghost stories by intertwining the local Ojibwa beliefs.
But it is ultimately not really a story about any of these things. They do add colour, interest, and suspense, and it would be a much more mundane tale without them. They are so effective at layering the tale that I was actually surprised at the end to discover that Watermark is primarily a story.of a dysfunctional family, almost a warning of what guilt can do to the human soul and how it can spread its self hatred to the next generation, even as it tries to overcome it with genuine love.
The characters are never dull, if sometimes a bit unbelievable in their goodness (David) or daring impulsiveness (Rhonda).
Yet. Jennifer Farquhar is a good enough writer to keep you totally involved as the reasons for behaviours are revealed slowly but completely.
It may not be totally believable with its rather pat ending, but it is totally satisfying.
July 23, 2019
Watermark was brought for me as a birthday gift. My love of books and supporting local all wrapped into one. It took me a long time to read because I was interrupted with book club books through the year and generally being tired alongside more adulting makes it harder for me to have the mental energy to read of an evening!
Loved the setting - I could see Mikinaak so vividly in my mind. I also love that this book included some indigenous histories and stories - it helped me to get a know a bit about my new homeland. There were some excellent twists and turns but I found that I didn't warm to the narrator, Marina and found her to be quite pathetic. I also thought Zane was a bit over dramatic and annoying but I guess teenagers can be that way.
Overall an interesting story where everything wrapped up nicely in the end but not quite my cup of tea.
Loved the setting - I could see Mikinaak so vividly in my mind. I also love that this book included some indigenous histories and stories - it helped me to get a know a bit about my new homeland. There were some excellent twists and turns but I found that I didn't warm to the narrator, Marina and found her to be quite pathetic. I also thought Zane was a bit over dramatic and annoying but I guess teenagers can be that way.
Overall an interesting story where everything wrapped up nicely in the end but not quite my cup of tea.
July 6, 2020
A friend recommended this book to me, and I’m so glad she did. Every time I picked it up, I was transported to the island and drawn into the world of Mina McInnis. She intrigued me very early on in the story. So many unexpected turns and twists of fate, I couldn’t stop thinking about her life. When I finished the book, I already missed her. The story intricately wove the past with the present, and the indigenous stories brought it all together. The writing was very strong; the story flowed at a great pace and always kept me hooked into the next chapter. The descriptions and the word choice were as clever as the plot and the climax. Congratulations to the author on this debut novel, absolutely outstanding!
November 2, 2024
This is a character-driven story of one woman’s journey toward facing her past when she returns to her childhood home. Watermark features highly relatable themes of family, regret, acceptance, grief, and resilience. The setting of a Northern community called Mikinaak Island between the 70s and the 90s along with the history of its inhabitants brings much depth to this novel. The characters in Watermark are complex, interesting, believable people, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
February 23, 2023
This is a well written and insightful story, with great depth. A story that has stayed with me for some time!
October 23, 2018
This is my favourite book of 2018. The story is well paced and engaging. Not only are the characters fully developed but, the setting of a tourist based community that comes alive in the summer for the locals is spot on!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews