Patchwork Society

by Sharon Johnston

A sweeping tale of life in Sault Ste. Marie from the 1930s through the Second World War.

280 pages, Paperback

Published April 21, 2020

About the author

Sharon Johnston grew up in Sault Ste. Marie and graduated with a degree in physical and occupational therapy from the University of Toronto. She completed a doctorate in rehabilitation science from McGill University and ran a horse-training business called Chatterbox Farm.

Among her many duties as the wife of Governor General David Johnston, Her Excellency finds time to recount the struggles of veterans adjusting to life in Canada after the Great War. Presently, she resides at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

Reviews

[E Dobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The two main characters are valiant heroines, both ahead of their time with their progressive views and sense of fairness and respect for others, even the less fortunate. The book offered an interesting view of many historical events of the time, including the Residential School system and the impact on everyday Canadians during World War 2.

[Jane Tilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, Patchwork Society, the second in a series, is truly extraordinary. I greatly enjoyed the first, Matrons and Madams, but the two books together are truly a work of art. This is a wonderful story that chronicles not only this particular family but also Canada as it evolved throughout the twentieth century.
Such a sprawling saga the author has recorded so faithfully by building a fictional plot line and a convincing narrative around events the author had only heard about growing up. What an accomplishment!

To have captured all the intricacies of the characters of “Clara, Lily and Ivy”, asking throughout the writing, “Is this what a woman would think in 1922, 34, 41? “I wonder what I would have done in her place in 1918, 1930?”…...is surely the mark of a superb writer and chronicler of the times.

I was particularly interested in Clara's work with the Residential School. So much has been revealed in disturbing ways since that time, but it is apparent she was in no way satisfied with the way it was managed by either Ottawa or the church. She was often swimming upstream, fighting against the way it was, as recent archives and first hand stories have shown us. One is left with the feeling that the students were fortunate she was there.
Likewise, the author's family is fortunate Clara was ' there'–in England, in Lethbridge and in "The Soo". She set an amazing example of what a woman can do with intelligence, gumption and the will to ‘get on with it’. The author's mother, the author, her daughters and grandchildren are the beneficiaries of that wonderful spirit, the author being a seriously accomplished woman in her own right.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Patchwork Society so much. I was anxiously awaiting this book because I thought that Matrons , Madams was excellent. This was as good , if not better than the first one. Sharon Johnston is an excellent writer who has great character development. . She incorporates social issues and masterfully incorporates them into her story. I found myself chuckling and laughing at various parts and felt tears in my eyes at the end of the book. The book is timely even though it deals with problems people faced in the 1930- 1950’s .Some are facing these struggles today 70+ years later. The chart provided by Sharon Johnston in the front of the book that lists all the characters was a great addition . It allowed the reader to check who various people were should they have forgotten. I read the book in two days. I hope that the author is busy writing because I am looking forward to book #3. I have been telling all my friends and relatives about this wonderful book. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Marie Tremble]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author takes you under the skin of the characters and transports you to Sault Ste. Marie in the 1930s. The characters are compelling and the plot lines are well supported. I loved her sparse writing style, although, at times, I did wish she could have let loose a bit more. I kept expecting her to go deeper into the plots, and I feel she could easily write a more ‘voluminous’ story. With her knowledge of the far reaches of Canada, I suspect she could pull off ‘the great Canadian novel’.

[Martha Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have now read the first two books of this trilogy, Matrons and Madams and Patchwork Society, and found both of them to narrate compelling stories about real women in the early and mid 20th century and the issues they had to deal with during these periods including sexism, prostitution, residential schools, marriage, single mother-hood and divorce. Johnston tells the stories of these generational women in such a manner that she not only captures the challenges these women faced but also clearly portrays the historical nature of the times in which they are set. I highly recommend both books and look forward to reading the third and final sequel. Martha Piper

[Elizabeth Wirth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at Northern Ontario between the two World Wars up to the early 1950's. The people are alive and the main protagonists really draw us in. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend, especially in today’s light on residential schools, which are seen from the point of view of a newcomer nurse, and are not the centre of the story, but provide cultural interest to a personal story of family and society.