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Fierce
Fresh, tough, and thoroughly addictive, this sparkling debut collection calls to mind the beloved and bestselling works of Lisa Moore, Camilla Gibb, and Mark Haddon.
With an irresistible combination of playfulness and empathy, these effervescent, sometimes heartbreaking tales of underachieving adults, unfairly burdened children, and the unaccountably hopeful of all ages explore the moments of grace in lives that are too often defined by loss.
A punky young woman comes to terms with the accident that took away all of her family except the grandmother who believes she is a bird, and an aging prospector — a woman — discovers that a physical “curse” might have been something of a blessing all along. “The Indian Act” is a compact coming-of-age story, charting the journey of a boy who, though bounced through many foster homes, holds on to the dream of love and unconditional acceptance; and in the novella “River Rising,” three generations in a small town struggle toward joy despite the accidents of fate and the foolish mistakes that almost, but not quite, derail their lives.
Fierce introduces Hannah Holborn as a shining new light in Canadian fiction.
With an irresistible combination of playfulness and empathy, these effervescent, sometimes heartbreaking tales of underachieving adults, unfairly burdened children, and the unaccountably hopeful of all ages explore the moments of grace in lives that are too often defined by loss.
A punky young woman comes to terms with the accident that took away all of her family except the grandmother who believes she is a bird, and an aging prospector — a woman — discovers that a physical “curse” might have been something of a blessing all along. “The Indian Act” is a compact coming-of-age story, charting the journey of a boy who, though bounced through many foster homes, holds on to the dream of love and unconditional acceptance; and in the novella “River Rising,” three generations in a small town struggle toward joy despite the accidents of fate and the foolish mistakes that almost, but not quite, derail their lives.
Fierce introduces Hannah Holborn as a shining new light in Canadian fiction.
- GenresShort StoriesCanada
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2008
6 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Holborn
8 books79 followersNeed Suspense?
Go to hannahholborn.com to receive FREE short story sequel to All That Remains with newsletter sign-up!
Hannah Holborn’s rehabilitation work with trauma survivors inspires her dark and addictive suspense novels.
All That Remains is a"roller coaster from beginning to end." -Amazon Customer
All That Remains is a "dark, complex and suspenseful mystery."--Amazon Customer
Strange Lineup "...totally blew me away."--Majanka, I heart reading.
Fierce is “vivid and eccentric...”—Jan DeGrass, Coast Reporter
Fierce has “beautiful writing, offbeat characters, and strange scenarios — Alexis Kienlen, Grande Prairie Ink
Visit Hannah on Facebook and Twitter at Hannah_Holborn_.
Go to hannahholborn.com to receive FREE short story sequel to All That Remains with newsletter sign-up!
Hannah Holborn’s rehabilitation work with trauma survivors inspires her dark and addictive suspense novels.
All That Remains is a"roller coaster from beginning to end." -Amazon Customer
All That Remains is a "dark, complex and suspenseful mystery."--Amazon Customer
Strange Lineup "...totally blew me away."--Majanka, I heart reading.
Fierce is “vivid and eccentric...”—Jan DeGrass, Coast Reporter
Fierce has “beautiful writing, offbeat characters, and strange scenarios — Alexis Kienlen, Grande Prairie Ink
Visit Hannah on Facebook and Twitter at Hannah_Holborn_.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 16, 2018
I’m not a huge fan of short story collections, but I still download them to my Kindle from time to time because you can pick collections up, enjoy a story or two, put the book down, and then rinse and repeat until the book is finished. And all the while, you can still be reading a full-length novel or nonfiction book, of course.
Well, I’ve found a new winner in author Hannah Holborn’s short story collection called “Fierce.” Every story is unique and in most cases, entirely unexpected. Most feature younger people. Some stories are emotionally moving. Some are a little downright frightening. Even a few stories are downright dark and almost disturbing. Yet others, show sharp wit and well, even playfulness. The author also includes one novella. It’s well worth reading, too.
What amazes me? The author’s somehow managed to do a splendid job of bringing the stories together in a cohesive manner and with great prose. Not all authors can earn that distinction.
There were a few stories that, in my mind, ended abruptly. I’d turn the page, only to realize the story was over when I expected something of a conclusion. But I imagine that could be said of almost any short story collection, so your mileage may vary.
My bottom line? Oh, just pick the book up and read it. You won’t be disappointed, especially given how many stories there are in the book.
Well, I’ve found a new winner in author Hannah Holborn’s short story collection called “Fierce.” Every story is unique and in most cases, entirely unexpected. Most feature younger people. Some stories are emotionally moving. Some are a little downright frightening. Even a few stories are downright dark and almost disturbing. Yet others, show sharp wit and well, even playfulness. The author also includes one novella. It’s well worth reading, too.
What amazes me? The author’s somehow managed to do a splendid job of bringing the stories together in a cohesive manner and with great prose. Not all authors can earn that distinction.
There were a few stories that, in my mind, ended abruptly. I’d turn the page, only to realize the story was over when I expected something of a conclusion. But I imagine that could be said of almost any short story collection, so your mileage may vary.
My bottom line? Oh, just pick the book up and read it. You won’t be disappointed, especially given how many stories there are in the book.
December 31, 2018
The first few pages of this book puzzled me, but as I read further, I understood the tales and found them very interesting, realistic, and completely informative. The tales are about sad people, people who lose hope but are also hopeful. The young and the old, who struggle against difficult odds, survive or not survive, but who have dreams and try very hard to reach their dreams and their goals. I was sorry to see it end. I was given this book by the author to read, rate, and review. The stories are tender and moving; the book is excellent. This is the 2nd book I’ve read by this author. The first was another very good book, ‘All That Remains’, and I look forward to reading more of her writings.
February 22, 2009
Fierce is a wonderful mix of writing styles, individual short stories and a novella. I will deal with the short stories first. I found the stories to be unrelated to each other, different types of stories, although some have a similar basic theme. Hannah has an exciting style that serves her well. The stories can flow into one another, or they can be read one story at a time with breaks between. There are nine short stories in all, dealing with such subjects as sudden death, the ones left behind, ghosts, living with mental and physical deformities, memories, lost souls and sexual crimes, and healing. They show an insight and charm that negates the depression of some subjects. The stories are very well written, some very short and others longer, a little mystic at times. Regardless, there seems to be a message of despair in some that turn to hope. Don’t imagine the book to be depressing, it isn’t. It delves into peoples’ lives in fascinating ways. Most take place in or around water; I assume this is probably coastal. Hannah Holborn is a Canadian author living in White Rock, B.C. She has worked with the First Nations, inner-city youth, and the mentally ill which shows in her writing. Most of the stories are centered around young people and their families or foster families. The stories are easy to read, enlightening, and often witty.
The novella makes up the second half of the book, River Rising. This story takes place in the fictional very small town of Everlasting, Yukon, situated between Dawson City and Mayo. It is a town of dysfunctional citizens and families living out their lives with high unemployment and too much gossip. Isolated as they are, they have only each other and drink for entertainment. The characters are once again well-defined, and there are underlying stories of love and hope. Difficult as their lives are, I felt at the end I wanted the story go on.
The book is complex, creates whole lifetimes in short stories and the novella. It was an interesting experience to take part in. I recommend this book for quick reads, reading through at one go, for family dynamics. Well worth the read.
The novella makes up the second half of the book, River Rising. This story takes place in the fictional very small town of Everlasting, Yukon, situated between Dawson City and Mayo. It is a town of dysfunctional citizens and families living out their lives with high unemployment and too much gossip. Isolated as they are, they have only each other and drink for entertainment. The characters are once again well-defined, and there are underlying stories of love and hope. Difficult as their lives are, I felt at the end I wanted the story go on.
The book is complex, creates whole lifetimes in short stories and the novella. It was an interesting experience to take part in. I recommend this book for quick reads, reading through at one go, for family dynamics. Well worth the read.
April 11, 2010
Fierce by Hannah Holborn is a diverse and beautiful collection of short stories and a novella about damaged, imperfect individuals facing various difficult situations. The stories covered a wide spectrum of themes such as love, loss, death, loneliness, fear, isolation, madness, beauty, sadness, disability, and imperfection. Ultimately, the strongest message I took away from this book was acceptance, whether of yourself, your situation, or others. Fierce seems to be one of those rare and special books that can touch any number of people in a different way though.
The characters in Fierce were all vivid, unique, and contrasting. There was something so genuinely human and likeable about almost all of the characters despite, or often because of, their flaws that I found myself wondering what happened next in their lives. Many of the short stories felt like the beginning of a more complex journey.
Hannah Holborn had a way of using the location of the stories as a potent element of the plot. She used the setting to give each story an effective ambience. One common setting for the stories in Fierce is the Yukon. I found this very interesting because the Yukon is not a place that I have much knowledge about, and I had never read anything set there before. I felt an added connection with this book because a few of the stories were set in, or mentioned, cities in the Vancouver are that are very near or familiar to me.
Fierce is an exceedingly well written novel that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a book with a lot of deeper meanings, hidden emotions, and unexpected events. I’m looking forward to what this author has to offer in future novels.
The characters in Fierce were all vivid, unique, and contrasting. There was something so genuinely human and likeable about almost all of the characters despite, or often because of, their flaws that I found myself wondering what happened next in their lives. Many of the short stories felt like the beginning of a more complex journey.
Hannah Holborn had a way of using the location of the stories as a potent element of the plot. She used the setting to give each story an effective ambience. One common setting for the stories in Fierce is the Yukon. I found this very interesting because the Yukon is not a place that I have much knowledge about, and I had never read anything set there before. I felt an added connection with this book because a few of the stories were set in, or mentioned, cities in the Vancouver are that are very near or familiar to me.
Fierce is an exceedingly well written novel that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a book with a lot of deeper meanings, hidden emotions, and unexpected events. I’m looking forward to what this author has to offer in future novels.
January 14, 2019
What an amazing collection of stories. Fierce and heartwarming
January 28, 2009
Hannah, I hope you're reading this. I read about your book in Quill and Quire, and got myself a copy for review. I really liked your collection. I thought it was a wonderful mix of offbeat sensibilities and real life humanity. It was both funny and sad, and I loved all the various Canadian references and locations. The oddness made it more enjoyable for me.
I'm writing a review of it, and will pass it on to M and S.
I'm writing a review of it, and will pass it on to M and S.
February 2, 2011
Truthfully, I wasn’t optimistic about Fierce when I started it. This Canadian collection of shorts stories and a novella features more emotionally and physically damaged people than it should be humanly possible for one writer to conjure. Doesn’t the author, Hannah Holborn, know anyone even remotely normal?
But then a strange thing happened during ‘The Indian Act’. I sort of fell in love. Suddenly these crazy, damaged, sad people started making sense to me. ‘The Indian Act’ follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of Liam, a kid who is shuffled from one foster home to the next until he finally finds a family who is decent and loves him and his best friend, Callie, whose mother just up and leaves her.
‘We Danced Without Strings’ tells the heartbreaking story of a mother coming to terms with her daughter’s diagnosis of Angelman’s Syndrome; a condition which includes an absence of speech, facial abnormalities, a protruding tongue, hand-flapping, jerky gait and, strangely, a permanent smile and easy laughter. “If we let her,” the mother muses, “she would be happy.”
‘Ugly Cruising’ gives us a glimpse at another kid, Elvin, with another horrible condition: Treacher Collins syndrome. “He has a torso and all the usual appendages,” Elvin’s younger sister, Cricket, notes “but what he does lack is a nose and a chin and a voice to confront others with.” Cricket’s family deals with with Elvin’s condition in various ways: his mother, Wanda, drinks; his father, Bing, makes lame jokes and Cricket and her teenage friends apply horrible theatrical makeup and go Ugly Cruising.
The book’s novella, ‘River Rising’ is a beautiful conclusion to this book. The story follows the lives and fates of the people of a small northern town called Everlasting. Central to this story is River, a teenager who has spent her life mourning the mother she barely knew. The choices she makes are both inevitable and heartbreaking and, ultimately, hopeful.
Although there were a couple stories I just didn’t warm up to, by the time I closed the book on Holborn’s strange cast of misfits I felt sort of sad to be leaving their company.
But then a strange thing happened during ‘The Indian Act’. I sort of fell in love. Suddenly these crazy, damaged, sad people started making sense to me. ‘The Indian Act’ follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of Liam, a kid who is shuffled from one foster home to the next until he finally finds a family who is decent and loves him and his best friend, Callie, whose mother just up and leaves her.
‘We Danced Without Strings’ tells the heartbreaking story of a mother coming to terms with her daughter’s diagnosis of Angelman’s Syndrome; a condition which includes an absence of speech, facial abnormalities, a protruding tongue, hand-flapping, jerky gait and, strangely, a permanent smile and easy laughter. “If we let her,” the mother muses, “she would be happy.”
‘Ugly Cruising’ gives us a glimpse at another kid, Elvin, with another horrible condition: Treacher Collins syndrome. “He has a torso and all the usual appendages,” Elvin’s younger sister, Cricket, notes “but what he does lack is a nose and a chin and a voice to confront others with.” Cricket’s family deals with with Elvin’s condition in various ways: his mother, Wanda, drinks; his father, Bing, makes lame jokes and Cricket and her teenage friends apply horrible theatrical makeup and go Ugly Cruising.
The book’s novella, ‘River Rising’ is a beautiful conclusion to this book. The story follows the lives and fates of the people of a small northern town called Everlasting. Central to this story is River, a teenager who has spent her life mourning the mother she barely knew. The choices she makes are both inevitable and heartbreaking and, ultimately, hopeful.
Although there were a couple stories I just didn’t warm up to, by the time I closed the book on Holborn’s strange cast of misfits I felt sort of sad to be leaving their company.
February 23, 2025
Rereading this book for the first time since 2008 when it came out. I have this book because I know the author: we met in 2007 in Pender Harbour, and she recommended a few other books (Wild Dogs, Raw Shark Texts) as well as her own forthcoming story collection. All have been excellent. Fierce’s stories are crisp and evocative, bringing both emotions and landscapes into sharp relief in just a few pages. My favourites are “The Fierce with the Fierce” (Yukon ghost story), “Seaweed” (God visits a family), “Indian Act” (love story) and “We Danced Without Strings” (a family learns tragic news). The novella “River” is also good, but ultimately feels cut short, like there is much more story to tell about the broken but persevering families of Everlasting, YT.
January 30, 2015
Some excellent writing by Langley, BC's own Hannah Holborn! Hannah paints a memorable picture of a Northern BC town and the futile lives that some of its denizens led. This book has several short stories and one longer, "novelletta" type. I have also enjoyed "Hug House" and "No One Was Supposed to Die" by this author. It's nice to have such talent in our own back yard!
June 28, 2015
Amazing collection of short stories. Holborn is not afraid to delve into tough topics such as death, isolation, fear, damaged lives and she does it very well. The stories are solid, believable and gripping. Fiercely written.
April 30, 2009
there are so many surprises and intricate layers of reality in this book. i'm only on the third story and i'm already hooked. more comments to come later. but pretty good so far!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews