The Holding

by Merilyn Simonds

An intoxicating debut novel that twines the lives of two women on the same land, a century apart. Alyson Thomson has left the city for a simpler life on an abandoned farm with her lover, Walker, a potter. Wandering there, she uncovers, in the ruins of a log cabin, the writings of a young woman who lived more than a hundred years before. Into Alyson's story Merilyn Simonds weaves the moving tale of Margaret MacBayne, who, with her family, left behind hardship in a seaside Scottish town in the hope of building a new home in the Canadian wilderness. Margaret, an expert on herbs, contemplates revenge when her brothers rob her of her happiness. When Alyson too suffers great loss, she must decide if retribution is worth the price. Taut and uplifting, sensuous and astute, The Holding is psychologically complex and beautifully rendered. Simonds brings us an intimate journey of discovery into the things we keep most guarded, whose truths often lie in unexpected places.

Genres: Fiction, Canada

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 23, 2004

About the author

Merilyn Simonds is the author of 18 books, including the novel The Holding, a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, and the Canadian classic nonfiction novel, The Convict Lover, a finalist for the Governor General's Award. In 2017, Project Bookmark Canada unveiled a plaque to honour the place of The Convict Lover in Canada’s literary landscape.

Simonds’ short fiction is anthologized internationally and her books are published in the UK, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the United States. In 2012 she published The Paradise Project, a collection of flash fiction hand-printed on an antique press with endpapers made from plants in her garden. The experience of producing the collection in both a digital and book-arts edition is the subject of Gutenberg’s Fingerprint: Paper, Pixels, and the Lasting Impression of Books. Her most recent publication is Refuge, a novel set in Mexico City, New York, and eastern Ontario.

Simonds writes a blog—Books Unpacked—on her website merilynsimonds.com. She shares her life with writer Wayne Grady. They divide their time between Mexico and Canada.

Reviews

[Shadoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it...hadn't heard of the author...upon reading Wayne Grady bio she is mentioned (his wife)....the book is packed with weather and plants..love and hardship....hundreds of years apart on the same 'holding' in northern ontario. A bit wordy at times but a great read.

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canadian historic fiction with 2 storylines around 2 women living on the same parcel of land, separated in time by 140 years. There are interesting parallel interests and circumstances in the two women's lives. I don't know if anyone else who read this book experienced the same thing, but as the climax of the book was drawing near and the modern woman is reading a diary left by the pioneer, I was afraid she would choose to take a similar action as the pioneer woman when she began to relate to her circumstances.

What I learned: I had never heard of the Opeongo Line in school (not that surprising since I didn't go to school in Ontario but instead learned about the metis, Louis Riel and his uprising before quickly moving on to European History) so I looked it up.

[Debs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought randomly at a big book sale, because I liked the cover and title. This was an enjoyable read and the writing had beauty to it, but I felt that the ending to be a bit of a letdown. I'm still glad I read it though. I'm starting to give away more of my books if I don't think I'll read them again, so friends, if any of you would like to read this one I'll give you my copy.

[Connie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in rural Canada, on the same plot of land, this historical fiction story was told through alternating woman narrators a century and a half apart. Both earthly and spiritual - a story that will stay with you for a long time.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books that are about witches, herbs, and the woods. Also parallel story lines and Canada.

[Jean St.Amand · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They will never guess she knows the truth. Their satisfaction at having their way will cloud their eyes and dull their brains, and it will never occur to them to wonder what a woman might do when she is betrayed. " Now, that is a line that will stay with me. Margaret's story was much more interesting than Alyson's. Throughout Alyson's chapters I was so bothered by what a complete wanker Walker was that I kept wishing the whole book was just Margaret's story. I could never figure out what it was Alyson ever saw in Walker. He treated her like garbage and was a pretentious little bitch that needed to be slapped in his whole face.
Often when I read a book that is very descriptive I find myself skimming because I can never manage to see in my mind what is being described, but in this book I saw it all...vividly. In spite of what an ass Walker was, I may read it again. Perhaps just Margaret's chapters next time.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written. Interesting references to immigrant settlers and to medicinal properties of wild flowers and herbs. Raises issue of attitudes in close personal relationships that could be seen as duplicitous or right-to-privacy.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! As a woman who grew up in the country and has intimate knowledge of the cabins, fields, gardens and forests in these pages, I can say that Simond's writing is transportive. I read this while living in downtown Toronto, and it made me hungry for the simple pleasures of the country. The couple in the story also feel very familiar to me. Simond's depiction of the personal trials one goes through while living in relative isolation with another human being are poignant and timeless.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book until the end which was quite disappointing. The dual stories of women living on the same land in rural Canada (one who had settled the land and the other living in a maddeningly dysfunctional marriage in current times) worked quite well. The most interesting aspect to me was the story of the woman who had settled the land. Although I "liked" the contemporary woman and could empathize with her plight in many ways, her relationship with her husband was incomprehensible to me.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

German title: Das alte Land

I loved the idea of combining the lives of two women who lived near each other, just 140 years apart. And I felt completely attracted by Margaret who settled the land with her brothers and by the story of her life. But I didn’t have the same interest in Alyson’s, the modern woman’s life. She stayed strange to me and often I couldn’t completely understand the way she acted nor the way she felt. With Margaret it was just the opposite.

Why bought? Loved the idea

[JuliannaM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ughhh. I want so badly to support local authors, especially women and femmes, but this book and the one I read last year are just brutal storytelling that reinforces the sad, frail, dependent woman trope. The ending disillusioned me from believing there's actually anything substantive being said about grief and community among women here. And of course, there are some deeply problematic and reductive narratives about Anishinaabe Algonquin peoples. Just... ugh.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books ever!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read, connecting the past and the present through the healing power of nature. Good rainy day book. Lovely.

[Kelly Beaudoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane, you'll love this. I'll bring it when we come on Saturday.