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By The Next Pause
In By The Next Pause, Canadian author G. Barton-Sinkia brings us to a time when Toronto was on the cusp of turning into the diverse mosaic it is today.
At seventeen, Pam Allen escapes Jamaica, leaving her infant daughter Simone behind. Years later, after the death of her aunt, Pam is forced to take in the daughter she never wanted. They live in a run-down apartment complex in North York next to Mike O’Shea – a racist, loudmouth high school dropout who has recently separated from his wife and finds himself raising his eight-year-old son, Nolan, alone. The two parents try to coexist in a world where they are drowning as single parents until they reluctantly join forces to raise their young children together. When a life-altering mistake forces their children on diverging, tumultuous paths, the make-shift family struggles to find their way back to each other before their whole world crumbles for good.
At seventeen, Pam Allen escapes Jamaica, leaving her infant daughter Simone behind. Years later, after the death of her aunt, Pam is forced to take in the daughter she never wanted. They live in a run-down apartment complex in North York next to Mike O’Shea – a racist, loudmouth high school dropout who has recently separated from his wife and finds himself raising his eight-year-old son, Nolan, alone. The two parents try to coexist in a world where they are drowning as single parents until they reluctantly join forces to raise their young children together. When a life-altering mistake forces their children on diverging, tumultuous paths, the make-shift family struggles to find their way back to each other before their whole world crumbles for good.
884 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2018
2 people are currently reading
1061 people want to read
About the author
G. Barton-Sinkia
1 book41 followersG. Barton-Sinkia was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at Carleton University’s School of Journalism before moving to Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to her return to Canada, she was a Vice President at a major California bank before finally venturing out to become an author. Her debut novel, By The Next Pause, will be part of three books she is writing for her ‘Toronto Series’ – a collection of stories that not only takes place in the city but explores what it means to be from Toronto. Stories that are universal but have a particular Torontonian feel to it.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 23, 2018
5 Stars!!
I had the pleasure to be a Beta reader for this debut author.
By the Next Pause (a musical reference), is such a lush, tumultuous and emotional read. I laughed, I cried and above all, I found it hard to put this book down...and at 886 pages, it’s a long book! But don’t let that intimidate you because it’s a very fast and worthwhile read.
I got lost in the lushness of the storytelling, in the gripping saga of childhood best friends Simone and Nolan, and their contentious parents Pamela and Mike.
Solid writing, an interesting storyline and great character development make this a five star read for me.
Highly recommended.
I had the pleasure to be a Beta reader for this debut author.
By the Next Pause (a musical reference), is such a lush, tumultuous and emotional read. I laughed, I cried and above all, I found it hard to put this book down...and at 886 pages, it’s a long book! But don’t let that intimidate you because it’s a very fast and worthwhile read.
I got lost in the lushness of the storytelling, in the gripping saga of childhood best friends Simone and Nolan, and their contentious parents Pamela and Mike.
Solid writing, an interesting storyline and great character development make this a five star read for me.
Highly recommended.
March 19, 2018
Wow....I just finish By The Next Pause. This novel had me on such an amazingly page turner emotional rollercoaster, that it was hard for me to put it down. I was so invested in these characters. Rooting for them and then wondering, what in the world were they thinking?! We all experience ups and downs, success and failures, but this novel actually made me "pause". I had to think about some of my decisions and what it could possibly mean for my future and my children's future. How we envision love. How our family's dynamic can shape us, but can we actually break that mold? I am still digesting this amazing story. I wish that I actually read it slower. OH.... and I loved it!
July 17, 2018
There Are No Words.....
I first learnt about this book through a review. The writer was describing about the profound effect the book had on him. I purchased the book the same night.
My husband read the back cover and said " this isn't the sort of book you would normally read ". But I couldn't explain to him exactly why I had to read By The Next Pause.
I started reading the book at 7pm and read throughout the night. I had no hope of putting this book down. This novel was unbelievable. It was so beautifully written.
I cannot hope to explain how good this book is. I couldn't even begin to try.
I can understand why the author of the review stated that this book had such a profound effect on him. It has done the same with me. I certainly will carry the story of Nolan and Simone with me for a long time to come.
Thankyou to Ms Barton-Sinkia for sharing this amazing, beautifully written, heart wrenching story with us.
I first learnt about this book through a review. The writer was describing about the profound effect the book had on him. I purchased the book the same night.
My husband read the back cover and said " this isn't the sort of book you would normally read ". But I couldn't explain to him exactly why I had to read By The Next Pause.
I started reading the book at 7pm and read throughout the night. I had no hope of putting this book down. This novel was unbelievable. It was so beautifully written.
I cannot hope to explain how good this book is. I couldn't even begin to try.
I can understand why the author of the review stated that this book had such a profound effect on him. It has done the same with me. I certainly will carry the story of Nolan and Simone with me for a long time to come.
Thankyou to Ms Barton-Sinkia for sharing this amazing, beautifully written, heart wrenching story with us.
April 3, 2018
As I write the review for this highly recommended novel, I am reminded how I am pleasantly surprised by the author’s debut novel.
I also must confess that I spend varying times being mad, surprised, angry, shocked and happy with the author. No, with the characters. No, with the fact that she SUCKED me into a world of fully fleshed characters for whom i genuinely cared.
This is a long novel, and when i started, I didn’t think there was enough story to last 800 plus pages - boy, was I wrong. There were many ‘Oh my gosh!’ and ‘What did he/she JUST DO??’ moments in the book, which informs how deeply she worked to create three dimensional characters whose welfare mattered to me. Many times I found that I couldn’t wait to get back to the book, JUST to see what would ‘happen next.’ I may have even shed a tear. Or two or three...
This is a novel of growth, and it follows the characters through many years and many changes. It’s not always linear in its storytelling, and she did a wonderful job with the time jumps, so they felt like a natural part of her story (vs other authors who make awkward time jumps in their story, once that force you to retreat back a few pages to make sure you didn’t miss something). A good sign of a good book is one in which you struggle to tell people about - not because you cannot provide a synopsis, but because you don’t want to ‘ruin’ the book for someone, and want them to read it instead!
She has set a high bar for herself, and I am looking forward to her vaulting over that bar with her next novel.
Bravo!
I also must confess that I spend varying times being mad, surprised, angry, shocked and happy with the author. No, with the characters. No, with the fact that she SUCKED me into a world of fully fleshed characters for whom i genuinely cared.
This is a long novel, and when i started, I didn’t think there was enough story to last 800 plus pages - boy, was I wrong. There were many ‘Oh my gosh!’ and ‘What did he/she JUST DO??’ moments in the book, which informs how deeply she worked to create three dimensional characters whose welfare mattered to me. Many times I found that I couldn’t wait to get back to the book, JUST to see what would ‘happen next.’ I may have even shed a tear. Or two or three...
This is a novel of growth, and it follows the characters through many years and many changes. It’s not always linear in its storytelling, and she did a wonderful job with the time jumps, so they felt like a natural part of her story (vs other authors who make awkward time jumps in their story, once that force you to retreat back a few pages to make sure you didn’t miss something). A good sign of a good book is one in which you struggle to tell people about - not because you cannot provide a synopsis, but because you don’t want to ‘ruin’ the book for someone, and want them to read it instead!
She has set a high bar for herself, and I am looking forward to her vaulting over that bar with her next novel.
Bravo!
March 17, 2018
I really loved this book! The Author captivates you immediately with her complex characters.
Before you know it, you are swept away on a rollercoaster of emotions of love and life.
I can't wait for her next book!
Before you know it, you are swept away on a rollercoaster of emotions of love and life.
I can't wait for her next book!
June 1, 2018
Recently, Toronto was affected by a pivotal event: on the first warm May day in 2018, a man struggling with personal demons took a rented white van and drove down a segment of a major street, seriously injuring and even killing some innocent bystanders. Shortly thereafter, the man was secured and taken in by the local Police. 24 hours after this event, the residents of the area took to the affected street in a display of support and comfort. Business resumed. The local Police was praised for their non-violent and effective apprehension of the man. Toronto showed its strength and resiliency through the diverse populace who makes up this stretch of the city. We were all #TorontoStrong.
This tragic event for me, had so many parallels to what G. Barton-Sinkia wanted to and so successfully captured in the vision of her hometown of North York, Toronto. "By the Next Pause" is a beautifully articulated and remarkably accurate display of the full spectrum of humanity, and all that is good, bad, ugly, and redeeming in the human spirit. It is a poignant coming-of-age story, not only for its human characters, but also for the city that is painted within these pages.
G. Barton-Sinkia creates a world for us that makes us forget that we are reading; we are "watching" or "listening" to what unfolds with each of her characters. The way the book is cleverly set-up into its segments hints at this idea as well - moments where we are watching/listening to the story as it unfolds, and then an opportunity to "rewind" and find out more about a person, or an event, before "fast-forwarding" to the present, or even a future moment. There is never a moment in which there is nothing interesting going on; G. Barton-Sinkia expertly ensures this is the case.
As I watched Simone and Nolan grow up in two very different households, so many memories came back to me. I felt all their personal pangs and struggles with being a minority (not white) and middle/lower class: name calling, assumptions about my race(s), profiling, exclusion, inclusion, religion, politics. I also remembered the simple joys of infatuation with a boy band, hanging with your girl-friends, just chillin' while listening to some beats on your ghetto blaster; all of these scenes are perfectly rendered in full color through the pages of "By The Next Pause".
But the other senses also come alive whilst reading this novel. Food plays an important role in the book - just as it plays an important part in the immigrant culture experience. This experience is deliciously captured through key characters in the novel. Mrs. Price's Jamaican delicacies are described in such detail you can smell the fried plantain and taste the salt fish and ackee. Hers is just one example of how G. Barton-Sinkia has created a novel that hits all the senses.
At the root of it all, "By The Next Pause" can be construed as a story about personal growth and evolution, and the impact of every choice we make; whether it has been informed by the ideals of the generation that preceded ours, or by our own hopes and desires. We see this as we watch some characters learn and evolve beyond their early adolescent struggles; whilst others pay the ultimate consequence of moving too far down a negative road. And nothing in real life is simply black or white; G. Barton-Sinkia makes this so painfully true. Both the beautiful and ugly are captured in poignant scenes - like a party meant to celebrate a momentous occasion, that spirals to a primal and horrible conclusion.
If you're looking for a solid read that is neither too heavy nor too flighty, that isn't too serious about how it uses symbolism and allegory to bring forth deeper meaning, has some great love stories (and all that comes along with those), and whether or not you grew up in Toronto, this book is for you.
Sure, it helps if you were a 70's/80's middle-class child from an immigrant back-ground. But this book is so much more than that. "By The Next Pause" is a great example of a contemporary Canadian author beginning to find her voice on the global literary stage. It's also fantastic representation of today's Canadian literature: diverse, inclusive, colourful, humorous, tear-inducing, and above all, life-affirming. This, is #CanadaStrong.
This tragic event for me, had so many parallels to what G. Barton-Sinkia wanted to and so successfully captured in the vision of her hometown of North York, Toronto. "By the Next Pause" is a beautifully articulated and remarkably accurate display of the full spectrum of humanity, and all that is good, bad, ugly, and redeeming in the human spirit. It is a poignant coming-of-age story, not only for its human characters, but also for the city that is painted within these pages.
G. Barton-Sinkia creates a world for us that makes us forget that we are reading; we are "watching" or "listening" to what unfolds with each of her characters. The way the book is cleverly set-up into its segments hints at this idea as well - moments where we are watching/listening to the story as it unfolds, and then an opportunity to "rewind" and find out more about a person, or an event, before "fast-forwarding" to the present, or even a future moment. There is never a moment in which there is nothing interesting going on; G. Barton-Sinkia expertly ensures this is the case.
As I watched Simone and Nolan grow up in two very different households, so many memories came back to me. I felt all their personal pangs and struggles with being a minority (not white) and middle/lower class: name calling, assumptions about my race(s), profiling, exclusion, inclusion, religion, politics. I also remembered the simple joys of infatuation with a boy band, hanging with your girl-friends, just chillin' while listening to some beats on your ghetto blaster; all of these scenes are perfectly rendered in full color through the pages of "By The Next Pause".
But the other senses also come alive whilst reading this novel. Food plays an important role in the book - just as it plays an important part in the immigrant culture experience. This experience is deliciously captured through key characters in the novel. Mrs. Price's Jamaican delicacies are described in such detail you can smell the fried plantain and taste the salt fish and ackee. Hers is just one example of how G. Barton-Sinkia has created a novel that hits all the senses.
At the root of it all, "By The Next Pause" can be construed as a story about personal growth and evolution, and the impact of every choice we make; whether it has been informed by the ideals of the generation that preceded ours, or by our own hopes and desires. We see this as we watch some characters learn and evolve beyond their early adolescent struggles; whilst others pay the ultimate consequence of moving too far down a negative road. And nothing in real life is simply black or white; G. Barton-Sinkia makes this so painfully true. Both the beautiful and ugly are captured in poignant scenes - like a party meant to celebrate a momentous occasion, that spirals to a primal and horrible conclusion.
If you're looking for a solid read that is neither too heavy nor too flighty, that isn't too serious about how it uses symbolism and allegory to bring forth deeper meaning, has some great love stories (and all that comes along with those), and whether or not you grew up in Toronto, this book is for you.
Sure, it helps if you were a 70's/80's middle-class child from an immigrant back-ground. But this book is so much more than that. "By The Next Pause" is a great example of a contemporary Canadian author beginning to find her voice on the global literary stage. It's also fantastic representation of today's Canadian literature: diverse, inclusive, colourful, humorous, tear-inducing, and above all, life-affirming. This, is #CanadaStrong.
May 14, 2018
All the stars in the world for this fantastic novel by G. Barton-Sinkia, it's impressive that this debut novel has 874 pages filled with raw emotion all the way.
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Debut novel “By the Next Pause” from author G. Barton-Sinkia has 874 pages, this might seem like a lot for a book for some, but I promise It is worth it. It is impressive that this is the first book that Barton-Sinika writes, more considering that the story she decides to share with us is a long one, full of emotions and details.
Whether you are an immigrant or not, you are born and raised in Toronto, or like me, you just got here two years ago, this book will give you all the feels. It had been a while since a book moved me that much.
By the Next Pause tells us the story of Pam, a young Jamaican woman who moves to Toronto hoping to start a new life leaving her young daughter Simone behind, when her only relative dies, she is forced to raise the daughter she never wanted. For circumstances of life, she finds herself as the neighbour of another single parent, Mike who is raising his young son Nolan by himself.
This story develops in a moment where Toronto was starting to receive significant waves of immigrants, and many weren’t that comfortable with this situation. The book deals with the stress of moving to a new country, adapting to new weather, having an accent, going to a new school, being the object of racism, etc. All of these helps you understand how Pam and Mike had to grow out of their differences and join forces to raise their kids in a pleasant environment.
The book has seven parts in which the time passes, and the characters grow in front of our eyes, when we read their stories, and get to know where they are in life, as well as the decisions and mistakes they make, it allows you to feel and understand them.
I wish this book had never ended and I’m so happy I got the chance to read it, I will forever treasure it as one of my favourites.
Ps. I strongly recommend having a box of Kleenex next to you when reading this book, so you are not like me and find yourself crying in the subway next to strangers.
---------
Debut novel “By the Next Pause” from author G. Barton-Sinkia has 874 pages, this might seem like a lot for a book for some, but I promise It is worth it. It is impressive that this is the first book that Barton-Sinika writes, more considering that the story she decides to share with us is a long one, full of emotions and details.
Whether you are an immigrant or not, you are born and raised in Toronto, or like me, you just got here two years ago, this book will give you all the feels. It had been a while since a book moved me that much.
By the Next Pause tells us the story of Pam, a young Jamaican woman who moves to Toronto hoping to start a new life leaving her young daughter Simone behind, when her only relative dies, she is forced to raise the daughter she never wanted. For circumstances of life, she finds herself as the neighbour of another single parent, Mike who is raising his young son Nolan by himself.
This story develops in a moment where Toronto was starting to receive significant waves of immigrants, and many weren’t that comfortable with this situation. The book deals with the stress of moving to a new country, adapting to new weather, having an accent, going to a new school, being the object of racism, etc. All of these helps you understand how Pam and Mike had to grow out of their differences and join forces to raise their kids in a pleasant environment.
The book has seven parts in which the time passes, and the characters grow in front of our eyes, when we read their stories, and get to know where they are in life, as well as the decisions and mistakes they make, it allows you to feel and understand them.
I wish this book had never ended and I’m so happy I got the chance to read it, I will forever treasure it as one of my favourites.
Ps. I strongly recommend having a box of Kleenex next to you when reading this book, so you are not like me and find yourself crying in the subway next to strangers.
April 16, 2018
*****
What a thrill ride of a debut novel! To call this unexpected journey anything short of epic would be cutting it short. The thoughtful, detailed descriptions keep the reader gripped at every twist and turn of this adventure and equally glued to the simultaneous journeys of several key characters. As a lifelong Torontonian, and fellow Canadian, I was impressed with the familiar references which were tactfully used to exemplify our great city, and beautiful country, within the lives of some not so familiar guests. Truthfully though I now feel as though I myself grew up with Nolan and Simone along with the rest of their childhood gang! The page turning plot twists are plentiful enough to make this novel develop at an unpredictably upbeat pace.
I honestly started by wondering how one story could keep my attention for the 800+ pages of this novel but I found myself instantly whisked into the familiar world that is artistically woven within. Ironically as time went on my “pauses” between reading sessions got progressively smaller and smaller as I couldn’t wait to lose myself in these pages once again.
It has been a long time since I discovered an author that writes with the detailed realism that is displayed throughout BTNP. Her narrative is delightfully crafted to keep the reader’s vivid imagination racing as each scenario unravels. The use of musical references is also tastefully infused throughout the novel to allow the reader’s own memories to become woven with those of our newfound character “friends”, and allow ourselves to be caught up in the sights and sounds described within
The only negative I can say is that Ms. Barton-Sinkia has set the bar awfully high for her future works. I have a funny feeling she’s up for the challenge though and look forward to being enthralled all over again in her already anticipated sophomore tale!
What a thrill ride of a debut novel! To call this unexpected journey anything short of epic would be cutting it short. The thoughtful, detailed descriptions keep the reader gripped at every twist and turn of this adventure and equally glued to the simultaneous journeys of several key characters. As a lifelong Torontonian, and fellow Canadian, I was impressed with the familiar references which were tactfully used to exemplify our great city, and beautiful country, within the lives of some not so familiar guests. Truthfully though I now feel as though I myself grew up with Nolan and Simone along with the rest of their childhood gang! The page turning plot twists are plentiful enough to make this novel develop at an unpredictably upbeat pace.
I honestly started by wondering how one story could keep my attention for the 800+ pages of this novel but I found myself instantly whisked into the familiar world that is artistically woven within. Ironically as time went on my “pauses” between reading sessions got progressively smaller and smaller as I couldn’t wait to lose myself in these pages once again.
It has been a long time since I discovered an author that writes with the detailed realism that is displayed throughout BTNP. Her narrative is delightfully crafted to keep the reader’s vivid imagination racing as each scenario unravels. The use of musical references is also tastefully infused throughout the novel to allow the reader’s own memories to become woven with those of our newfound character “friends”, and allow ourselves to be caught up in the sights and sounds described within
The only negative I can say is that Ms. Barton-Sinkia has set the bar awfully high for her future works. I have a funny feeling she’s up for the challenge though and look forward to being enthralled all over again in her already anticipated sophomore tale!
May 14, 2018
Wow! Ok so it’s been a week since I’ve finished this book and I still can not stop thinking about every character. I enjoyed immensely the growth of Simone and Nolan. Don’t let the page count fool you.. I felt like I blinked and it was over! A page turner for sure. Warning: be prepared to experience every human emotion.. I laughed, I cried, I gasped and it will make you stop and think about how every decision you make not only affects you but everyone around you and even generations to come... as you grow with each character over the years in this amazing journey you’ll come to have compassion and understanding as to why people are the way they are! G. Barton-Sinkia tackles the issues of racism, social class & unconditional love with careful thought and honesty. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of something special this summer.. A MUST READ!!!
June 19, 2018
I just want to say please do not be put of by the size of this book it is a big book but the story that unfolds in between these pages are utterly riveting. I couldn't believe that this is a debut novel as the writing is very descriptive and very well thought out. I loved getting involved in Simone's life from when she is young to her adult life, it makes for a emotional read. I think what I learnt from this book is that you have to follow your dreams, don't hold back on what would bring you happiness as you never know what is around the corner. I liked the twist at the end. I didn't want this book to end but I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Simone's life. I want to read more of this author.
May 31, 2018
Just to start off - this is a long book - 886 pages to be exact. My word of advice DO NOT LET PAGE COUNT INTIMIDATE YOU! Honestly, every page was a gift. When I turned the last page, I could not believe that the story was done. I wanted more, which is always the sign of a great novel.
This book is a family saga. Generations of two families explored, countries lived in. Loves found and lost. I became so invested in these characters that I couldn't put it down. The story of Mike, and Pam, and Nolan and Simone will live in my heart for a long time.
This book is a family saga. Generations of two families explored, countries lived in. Loves found and lost. I became so invested in these characters that I couldn't put it down. The story of Mike, and Pam, and Nolan and Simone will live in my heart for a long time.
March 20, 2019
I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a reader. I just don’t have time. However, the book was recommended by a friend when I told them I wanted to get back into reading over my vacay. When I saw the page count, I was already turned off, but my friend told me to try it. I’m glad I did. The characters jump off the page even in the mundaneness of living their lives. The more I read, the more I wanted to know about them, the more I was rooting for them. Through all the victories and losses, the joy and pain, I could not not put the book down, it was that enthralling. I don’t read, but am looking to change that habit. By the Next Pause was the perfect book to start me back on my reading journey.
July 27, 2018
Loved this book! From any reader's standpoint, the characters, dialogue and events ring true. What is doubly delicious in this reader's case is the overlay of having lived (and still live) where the story is set and having known characters and lived school/neighbourhood situations intimately as are presented in the book.
September 18, 2018
For me, reading a good book is something of an obsession. When you find a story that is compelling, impactful and deeply thoughtful, you can't help but think about what you have read, long after you put the book down. Such was the case in reading Canadian author G. Barton-Sinkia's debut novel, 'By The Next Pause'. I was drawn in from the first page and hesitant to stop when life got in the way. Set with Toronto as a backdrop, I was immediately familiar with the picture that was painted and all of Ms. Barton-Sinkia's references to places I recognized helped to truly transport me into the worlds of the story's main characters. We meet Pam, a young Jamaican immigrant mother, her daughter Simone, who has only just come to Toronto after 9 years of being raised by her aunt, Pam's surly and racist Irish neighbour Mike O'Shea and his precocious son, Nolan. An unlikely pair, Pam and Mike, who have genuine contempt for one another at the outset, are pushed together by fate and tragedy to help their children find their way. Simone and Nolan’s relationship evolves over time and space and changes with each new shift as they try to find themselves amongst all the confusion.
Honest and raw, Ms. Barton-Sinkia recognizes the importance of making characters relatable and real, while delving into issues of racism, tolerance, self-discovery, empowerment, love and acceptance. She challenges our prejudices and finds something redeemable in each person’s journey, effortlessly weaving them in and out of each other's lives. 'By The Next Pause' is an immigrant story and makes references to experiences that echo my own as a young immigrant child in a latch-key home where both of my parents worked and I had to fend for myself with my brother. I was taken back as I read about Simone, Nolan and their friend Kester doing their best to pass the time - whether it be climbing a tree, dancing to hip hop or swearing for the first time. I immediately fell in love with their motherly neighbor, Mrs. Price, who helped care for both Simone and Nolan, while cooking up delicious dishes that I could smell through the pages. I was all at once empathetic and frustrated with Pam as she tried desperately to connect with her feisty daughter, who wanted nothing to do with the woman who gave her up. I wanted to shout at the pages when I felt Simone was making wrong choices or missing emotional cues. I couldn’t help but want to shake some sense into Mike as he made sweeping generalizations about race and I felt so disheartened when I saw Nolan going down a dangerous and hateful path. The ever evolving relationships, challenges and true heartbreak that these characters experienced took hold of my soul until the shocking conclusion that poetically links everything together in a beautifully chaotic and meaningful way. I will not soon forget the feeling I was left with at the end of ‘By The Next Pause.’ I truly wanted the story to play on.
Honest and raw, Ms. Barton-Sinkia recognizes the importance of making characters relatable and real, while delving into issues of racism, tolerance, self-discovery, empowerment, love and acceptance. She challenges our prejudices and finds something redeemable in each person’s journey, effortlessly weaving them in and out of each other's lives. 'By The Next Pause' is an immigrant story and makes references to experiences that echo my own as a young immigrant child in a latch-key home where both of my parents worked and I had to fend for myself with my brother. I was taken back as I read about Simone, Nolan and their friend Kester doing their best to pass the time - whether it be climbing a tree, dancing to hip hop or swearing for the first time. I immediately fell in love with their motherly neighbor, Mrs. Price, who helped care for both Simone and Nolan, while cooking up delicious dishes that I could smell through the pages. I was all at once empathetic and frustrated with Pam as she tried desperately to connect with her feisty daughter, who wanted nothing to do with the woman who gave her up. I wanted to shout at the pages when I felt Simone was making wrong choices or missing emotional cues. I couldn’t help but want to shake some sense into Mike as he made sweeping generalizations about race and I felt so disheartened when I saw Nolan going down a dangerous and hateful path. The ever evolving relationships, challenges and true heartbreak that these characters experienced took hold of my soul until the shocking conclusion that poetically links everything together in a beautifully chaotic and meaningful way. I will not soon forget the feeling I was left with at the end of ‘By The Next Pause.’ I truly wanted the story to play on.
July 31, 2018
This book is just my kind of book. A long, wonderfully told, family story with wonderful characters, a great story, some laughs, and some heartbreak. I couldn't put it down, and despite its heft, I finished it in a couple of days. The characters became my friends, and I could see myself in the story. Loved it.
January 28, 2020
I can't believe I did it!!!! I actually finished on time!
I was silently cursing this book when it was picked for our book club. I mean come on....884 pages!!!
This story was great but there were parts that could have been left out (maybe the book would have been easier to handle). I loved the characters and fell in and out love right along with them.
2020 Reading Challenge Author: B
I was silently cursing this book when it was picked for our book club. I mean come on....884 pages!!!
This story was great but there were parts that could have been left out (maybe the book would have been easier to handle). I loved the characters and fell in and out love right along with them.
2020 Reading Challenge Author: B
June 19, 2018
Some books are done when you are, some books sit in your soul for a while, and some books never leave. I don't know if By the Next Pause will ever leave. The characters are rich, and fully formed, leaving us with believable characters working their way through life in an epic journey of time from the 80's through today, experiencing gut wrenching heart break and soaring joys. Although over 800 pages, (and many a late night unable to put it down) it is a fast read, moving at an accelerated pace as Ms. Barton-Sinkia takes us through 80's Toronto with Island immigrant family Pam and Simone and their Irish neighbors Nolan and Mike. This novel feels real, Ms. Barton-Sinkia obviously doing her research of this time which shows clearly through the nuanced characters, setting and of course, the music references--from which the title of this book originates.
Beautiful, beautiful novel. If you like books you can't put down, get ready to sit for a while with this one!
Beautiful, beautiful novel. If you like books you can't put down, get ready to sit for a while with this one!
December 13, 2018
I’m so upset it’s over!! I have never laughed, screamed and cried and frankly, spoken and yelled out loud 'to' a book ever like I did with this one! I cried for 10mins when I finished it. PLEASE get a copy of this book and pass it along... you won’t regret it!!
February 14, 2020
The best review that I could give By The Next Pause is that after I finished this opus at 2:30 in the morning last night I went back to bed and fell asleep holding my fiancé closer than the night before.
March 21, 2019
Favorite book this year. Do not let the size scare you. Impossible to put down!
January 28, 2020
This is an amazing book. Loved the characters, but shocked by the ending.
It was a long book but it passed by so quickly!
Can't wait for her next book!!
It was a long book but it passed by so quickly!
Can't wait for her next book!!
August 22, 2018
For anyone who grew up in Toronto in the 1980s, this book is a must-read! I laughed out loud at those memories leaping off the page. Do not let this book’s heft dissuade you - it reads with light fluency. Pam’s naked and unapologetic complexity captivates. By The Next Pause reveals how choices and happenstance intertwine to direct how life unfolds.
December 29, 2018
Amazing book! Don't be fooled by the size of the book...you get pulled into the lives of Nolan, Mike, Simone and Pam. This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster ride of which I did not want to get off of. Even when I finished reading By the Next Pause, I kept going back and reading several chapters. Highly recommended!!!
January 30, 2020
This is a long book that could benefit from some more editing. I liked the characters and cared about their stories but what I’ve learned from this book is that no one ever gets a happy ending. The ending of the book sucked, the book’s timeline jumps around, and the perspectives shift sometimes mid-paragraph. An ok first effort.
2020 reading challenge: a book about a non-traditional family
2020 reading challenge: a book about a non-traditional family
March 12, 2021
Character development is fantastic. I laughed, I cried (many times!!) and I thought about the characters whenever I wasn’t reading. And now that I’ve finished the book, I miss them.
The author captured the essence of several cultures and really called on me to empathize with such a variety of characters.
The author captured the essence of several cultures and really called on me to empathize with such a variety of characters.
July 22, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were complex and rich in personality and the story stayed with me well after I finished reading it. Highly recommend!
January 26, 2022
It took me about 300 pages to get into it, but it's a real page-turner once you're hooked.
October 21, 2018
The story was a great ride for me. Some parts made me feel teary-eyed and others completely distant that I wanted to skip. I genuinely didn't see a few parts coming which made for a welcomed surprise.
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