In the Village of Viger and Other Stories

by Duncan Campbell Scott

Set in the fictional village of Viger, Duncan Campbell Scott’s ten stories present a community torn apart by madness, festering jealousies, and lifelong animosities. From the almost demonic presence of “The Pedler” to the tender innocence of “The Bobolink” and the humour of “The Wooing of Monsieur Cuerrier,” the collection explores a rural village facing the darkness of its own future.

First published in 1896, In The Village of Viger is now recognized as a story cycle rather than merely a collection, hence standing at the beginning of a long tradition that includes such classics as Stephen Leacock’s Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town and Margaret Laurence’s A Bird in the House.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

136 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_...

Reviews

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written collection of short stories about a small town in Quebec. The author is good at creating the atmosphere of this late 19th village.

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very mixed bag for me and I feel like it would be for most readers since the stories drastically differ in tone and even genre. I loved a handful of them, but also found a lot of them quite boring so as a whole, this was pretty "meh" for me.

[Dessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought I’d hate this book, or at least grind my teeth at it the way I’ve been grinding my way through all of this nineteenth century settler lit, but this little story cycle is actually weirdly welcoming and intimate. The machinations and workings of this small town are like nothing so much as they are a family dinner, complete with dramatic cousin and nostalgic grandfather and gossipy aunt.

[Shahna · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is boring and repetitive

[Ibis3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting at all. Some of the stories contained some humour, some were rather sad, a few were actually spooky(!)--kinda in "Turn of the Screw" territory. My favourite was the last story "Coquelicot", which wasn't in the original collection. Tracy Ware's afterword put things in perspective. Seven and a half stars. Blog post to come.

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series of short stories about a small town...