Ring

The Quincunx Cycle #3

by André Alexis

From the Giller Prize–winning author of Fifteen Dogs, the final installment in the massively ambitious Quincunx by one of Canada’s literary giants

“Love comes from uncertainty! In fact, love is uncertainty’s greatest gift!” This is the message at the heart of Ring, André Alexis’s last installment of the Quincunx, a sequence of five novels that each borrow from a very different genre. Ring is, of course, the romance.

Ring is the story of Gwenhwy far Lloyd, a woman of Welsh and Kenyan heritage who, on falling in love with Tancred Palmieri, is given a ring and three books by her mother, Helen. As it happens, the ring is - or so her mother believes – magical. If Helen is to be believed, it grants Gwen the ability to change three things about her beloved – his psychology, his character, the course of his life – before marrying him. Or if Gwen so chooses, she can change one physical aspect of him – height, bigness of ears, etc. – and one inner aspect.

Ring, provoked by a reading of Harlequin romances, is a mash-up of romance novel conventions and a sunny meditation on the past, on language, on poetry, and yes, on love.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Canada, Fantasy, Audiobook, Magical Realism, Literary Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 2021

About the author

André Alexis was born in Trinidad and grew up in Canada. His most recent novel, Fifteen Dogs, won the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. His debut novel, Childhood, won the Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Trillium Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. His other books include Pastoral (nominated for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize), Asylum, Beauty and Sadness, Ingrid & the Wolf, Despair and Other Stories of Ottawa and Lambton, Kent and Other Vistas: A Play.

Reviews

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ring, unremarkable in itself, lay in the palm of Gwen’s hand.

As the fifth (or, more accurately, the third) volume in André Alexis’ “Quincunx Series” (more on this later), Ring can be considered as it relates to the entire project, or simply on its own. As the “Romance” in the quincunx, this wouldn’t be my favourite genre that Alexis employs to explore his recurring themes, so as a standalone volume, I did find this to be mostly unremarkable. There are several romantic relationships that play out in a nearly Shakespearean profusion of subplots, and for the first hundred pages, not much of importance really happens. But then the titular ring makes its appearance, fate and gods and magic come into play, and the whole becomes rather more interesting. I don’t know if this would really be a satisfying read on its own, but taken as a part of the whole, this was a satisfying read for me. Even though the five books in this series don’t quite add up to an integrated narrative, by design, I did enjoy the callbacks from the others — from places (Barrow) to characters (Tancred Palmieri and Professor Bruno) to someone playing Beethoven’s Pastoral — and as always, I liked when the action moved through familiar small town Ontario, from Brantford to Hespeler to Strathroy. For synergistic reasons, for its place at the heart of the quincunx, I’m rounding up to four stars, but can’t say that I “love” Ring separate from the overall project.

Gwen had taken her friend’s point: it did feel, even to her, as if she were waiting for something. In fact, she’d had that very feeling as if something were on her horizon: an encounter, a discovery, an event. And it was in this mood that, two days after the fundraiser, she texted Olivier Mallay.

Gwenhwyfar Lloyd — a twenty-eight-year-old small town girl who now lives in Toronto — attends a gala at the Gardiner Museum and meets two alluring men: The handsome and charming Olivier Mallay and his friend, the aloof and intriguing Tancred Palmieri. As it’s Olivier who asks for Gwen’s number, it’s him she starts to casually date, but the more time she spends in the company of the mysterious Tancred, the more Gwen begins to realise where her affections are truly drawn. When Gwen goes back home to Bright’s Grove for a visit and her mother recognises that Gwen has fallen in love for the first time, family secrets are revealed that reframe everything Gwen thought she knew about life, love, and reality itself (the publisher’s blurb gets specific about this, but I went in cold and think others should as well). This may sound a little soap opera-ish — and the melodrama, intrigue, and infidelities of the subplots add to that feeling — but as Alexis apparently took his inspiration from reading Harlequin Romances, this is all intentional. This is also a book of deeper ideas, with characters who routinely discuss philosophy, poetry, music, and art. At a dinner party, two characters talk about seeing Holbein’s Ambassadors in London in real life:

Everyone talks about the anamorphic skull, but I love the parquet the men are standing on. The design on it is in the form of a quincunx. Holbein copied it from the floor of Westminster Abbey, where Henry VIII had just married Anne Boleyn. The whole painting’s so suggestive!

So, to the quincunx! On his publisher’s website, Alexis explains:

A quincunx is an arrangement of plants or objects with one element at each of four corners of an imagined square and one in the centre. In his difficult but fascinating essay “The Garden of Cyrus,” the Jacobean essayist Thomas Browne makes a case for the mystical power and significance of this arrangement. For instance, quoting from biblical and classical sources, Browne suggests that the vegetation in the garden of Eden would have been planted in this shape. Whether or not God – if God exists – had a quincunx in mind when He created the gardens in Eden, my quincunx is inspired by – and grateful for – Thomas Browne’s essay. So, the five novels in my “quincunx” can be thought of as “plants” rooted in the imagination: my imagination, principally, but also the cultural imagination, as each novel represents a distinct genre of novel, a different kind of “plant.”

Alexis has written before that his initial inspiration was to retell Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Teorema through the lens of several different literary genres. The five genres that Alexis uses to explore his themes of God, Chance, Power, Love, Hate, and Place are the pastoral (Pastoral), the apologue (Fifteen Dogs), the romance (Ring), the quest narrative (The Hidden Keys), and the ghost story (Days by Moonlight). And although Ring was released fifth, it is listed as the third in the series because it, and specifically its halfway point – a long poem entitled “Ring” that tells a story about the goddess Aphrodite and her loyal companion (a half cyclops dog with human consciousness named Margos) and her search for romance – is the central point between all of the books, as explained in this review in The Toronto Star:

There are elements of all five of the novels within the poem. Which brings us back to the sacred geometry of the quincunx: the midpoint of the third book is the very centre of the pattern, and the poem centres the sequence as a whole. It’s not a matter of introducing the thematic elements, nor of summarizing them. Instead, it connects all five novels together in one form: it is the poem that finalizes the quincunx.

In a way, I found that Alexis often sacrificed narrative satisfaction for the sake of his overarching project, and while I may not totally agree with the reviewer in The Star when he gushes that Alexis’ quincunx sequence is “one of the boldest, most audacious, and most satisfying achievements in recent literary memory”, there’s no denying that Alexis has striven for and achieved something really unique here. And I also can’t deny that there were many moments over the five books that I absolutely loved. I unreservedly recommend reading the entire series.

Well, Professor Bruno was saying, to live poetically is to live in uncertainty, to hesitate between the word and the thing. That’s how poetry and love are related! Because love comes from uncertainty, too. In fact, love is uncertainty’s greatest gift! Always remember that Gift is the German word for poison!

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of Ring. A friend of mine told me she was in love with this author's ideas and writing style.

I found that while I enjoyed the ideas and novelty of a ring that binds your true love to you (often at the sacrifice of an appendage), the author tended to be repetitive and dwell for far too long on minute details that didn't really advance the story, although they certainly helped set the tone and atmosphere.



Andre Alexis is undoubtedly an intelligent, well-educated man whose love of art and music is written into most of the scenes in this story.



The writing is superb in many places - even poetic. My only quibble is that it was repetitive and long winded. I'd give this novel a 3.5 out of 5 stars, but unfortunately Goodreads does not allow half stars.

Post-script: I just realized that this is book is one of a series of books where many of the same characters share cameos or are "supporting cast". I will have to check out a few of this author's other novels in this series: perhaps reading these books in the proper order might have increased my rating? I'm going to put his other books on my TBR list. The problem with series novels is that they can get a bit repetitive.

[Matt Quann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concluding volume of Canadian author Andre Alexis' five novel Quincunx is a romance, but also a meditation on faith, belief, loyalty, friendship, and the different kinds of love one can find in one's life. Gwenhyfar, our protagonist, finds herself inexplicably drawn towards Tancred Palmieri, despite the fact that she is ostensibly dating his friend Olivier. When her mother presents her with a purportedly magical ring that will allow her to change three things about her beloved, Gwen's empirical mind collides with the mystical.

Again, Alexis returns the reader to the bustling, yet homey, streets of Toronto. Where previous novels in the thematically linked series have moved between socioeconomic strata, Ring takes place almost entirely in the sphere of the ultra wealthy. That isn't to say that the same philosophical questions that have peppered the rest of the novels aren't at hand; indeed, Alexis again returns to thorny questions of self, one's relationship to others, to community, and to nature.

Speaking of returns, in addition to the unforgettable moral thief, Tancred, Ring sees the return of numerous characters from the previous novels. Some of the appearances are brief, while others are more fundamental to the story itself. Some of the Azarians make an appearance, there was a surprise Pastoral character that I didn't clue in on until halfway through the book, and Days by Moonlight's Professor Bruno makes several memorable appearances.

Though all the books in the Quincunx are in theory unrelated, Ring is the connective tissue between all five books. It tidies up some loose ends from the previous novels in a fashion that fits smoothly into the fabric of Ring without detracting from its own story. While I think you could read the novels in any order, this one is truly best saved for last.

I had such a bittersweet feeling as I finished Ring last night. I've really loved the ambition, philosophy, humour, and breadth of feeling across these five novels. As a whole, they make for my personal favourite Canadian literature. Even though I know I'll return to these wise novels to enjoy them again, there's something sad about finishing something great for the first time.

[4.5 Stars]

[Betsy Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I more enjoyed watching André Alexis exercise his chops than I enjoyed this novel—a kind of languid, chatty romance with mythological and philosophical themes. The third of what Alexis calls a "quincunx" series (a shape where four shapes form a square with a fifth in the middle of them all) where each book borrows from a specific genre.

In its blurb, Ring is called the "final installment" but apparently it is the third book Alexis wrote in this project. For my purposes, reading them out of any prescribed order, this doesn't matter, except is it fun meeting characters I've formerly met in the other three books I've read so far: Fifteen Dogs , Days by Moonlight , and Pastoral .

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading RING by André Alexis! He’s one of my fave authors! I’ve loved all his other books and I was so excited to read this final book in his Quincunx. This book is a reinvention of the romance novel. It’s about Gwen who meets her love interest Tancred and inherits a magical ring that grants three wishes. It was so fun to revisit characters from The Hidden Keys and Days by Moonlight.
.
And as a romance book fan it was so fun to read this fresh take on some classic romance tropes such as a love triangle, stuck together and soul mates. I loved the touch of magic, poetry and the representation of a non binary character. The Toronto setting was perfect! I also loved the moments when André would write directly to me as the reader! I love his writing style and I adored this book!!
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Thank you to Coach House Books for my gifted review copy!

[Emmeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not every author’s note that lists Greek philosophy and Danielle Steele as inspirations.

This is my second André Alexis novel. I previously read his prizewinning apologue Fifteen Dogs and was left open to reading more of the author, but not overly enamoured of the book. I’m not really a dog person, and it seemed to go simultaneously right over my head, and not give me enough to chew on. Har har. That book, and this one, are part of the author’s self-described “Quincunx,” a series of five sort-of-maybe-not-really related books, each supposedly in a different genre (pastoral, apologue, romance, travel narrative, mystery/puzzle).

This is the romance. It obeys a number of genre conventions: a garrulous best friend as foil to the more reflective heroine, excessively detailed descriptions of what people look like and (in particular) what they are wearing, and an excessively wealthy hero. Indeed, finding these conventions outside of the genre tips them even further into the “ridiculous” camp. For example, the protagonists eat two Michelin star meals consisting of fifteen dishes with descriptions like: “Magdalen Islands Princess Scallop, Ontario Soy Milk and Rapeseed” or “Kelp and Oyster Chawanmushi, Dulse and Cultured Cream Tartlet,” “Birch water ice and Anise Hyssop.” Maybe I don’t move in the right circles, but it had me laughing.

This is also a fantasy of a sort. There’s a magic ring that grants three wishes to the women of protagonist Gwenwhyfar Lloyd’s family. (Everyone has a name like Gwenhwyfar, Tancred, Olivier, Magdalena von Armin, Roo, Genovaite…I can’t tell if this is more romance posturing or Alexis just likes going to town with his character names). As you would expect of a magic item granting wishes, there are some downsides.

And so this is also an anti-romance of sorts. Gwen reads the records of her female ancestors, what they wished for, what they regret wishing for, and she makes her own wishes trying to balance love and pragmatism, spontaneity and protection, respect for her beloved, respect for her parents, respect for herself).

Tonally, the story seems told at a remove to its characters. Not a chilly reserve – I like an author who is cold, see Rachel Cusk or Sylvia Townsend Warner, but Alexis is not, his remove is more philosophical.

It all adds up to a book that resists reviewing. I could say that almost nothing happens in the first half except the introduction of some rather preposterous people. I could say that Alexis’s Canadians are like few Canadians I’ve ever met. I could say there’s no antagonist, not much tension, and that sometimes he seems to be shooting his own concept in the foot. But none of that really matters because this is more of an exploration of ideas than anything else, and on those terms, it’s quite charming.

There were sections where I felt I was enjoying myself hugely. There were sections where I thought, hmmm. There was a rather tedious twenty-page poem. There were all kinds of details that were maybe extraneous, maybe important. Afterwards I thought, I’ll read more of this guy but I’m not in any rush. Then I went straight away and put a library hold on Days by Moonlight. I can’t tell if he’s a genius or just off in his own world. I suppose time will tell.

[librarianka · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delight is to read a new book by Andre Alexis, the fifth book completing his quincunx. Erudite, with a great sense of humour and philosophical insight he creates a completely unique narrative, a cross between a mythical tale and urban romance, the way only Alexis can do. And noone on this planet writes with comparable love for the city of Toronto.

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, soul-affirming end to the Quincunx saga. Instead of jumping right into the plot as is his usual, Alexis takes his time in the first part establishing wonderfully real characters and a ludicrously tangible sense of place showing his real focus. When things kick off in the later part it all feels deliciously human and lived-in.

A knowledge of the previous books probably helps, but the unspooling of love, centred around Gwen and Tancred and their acquaintances, is immediately understandable and real thanks to Alexis's wonderfully lucid prose that penetrates everything while never intruding leaving you to dwell on both revealed and hinted truths.

Despite the many different relationships and loves explored, the magic of the novel is it never feels shoehorned as Alexis effortlessly weaves the friendships and encounters together. He's able to explore morality, self-knowledge, eroticism, loyalty, age, wealth, with the deftest touch.

As it builds towards its end the sheer deliciousness of the feeling envelops you in a warm hug such that you don't want it to end.

The Quincunx saga is probably the signal achievement in Canadian popular literature this century, with Alexis building a study of the philosophy of life with a gentle wit and a natural storyteller's spirit.

[Visnja · Rating 1 out of 5]

This really wasn't my kind of book. The plot felt forced and the characters distant. I read it through, however, in hopes there would be some striking finish, as I had come to expect from Andre Alexis when reading Fifteen Dogs. However, turns out, the end didn't at all justify the means. Too exposition-heavy a utopian love story that could have been a modern fable had it investigated things more thoughtfully, instead of staying at the surface like a bad RomCom. I can't even say it could qualify as a fun beach read because very little surprised me. I just kept being told and told and told and told about all the things that happened and was thus left to neither feel very much nor walk away with any profound insights. I experienced this book entirely cerebrally and it did not touch my heart, not once. What a shame.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds me why I'm having a hard time with the fall of Toronto.... Toronto was the magical place I dreamed of when I was a kid. And there are still magical things hiding under the condo towers and dollaramas. I miss you, Toronto.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars i REALLY enjoyed this!!! It's not QUITE a fairy tale, but it's got the monkey's paw but with a positive spin of a "moral." I'm excited to reread this one already

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ring by Trinidadian-Canadian author André Alexis completes the quincunx . This is an ambitious project covering five different genres of fiction, of which Ring represents the romance portion. I've now read all 5 of the quincunx and my top rated ones are Pastoral (pastoral) and Days of Moonlight (travel narrative). My first Alexis novel was Fifteen Dogs and since have read about 7 of his books. His writing consistently is very philosophical and meditative in nature, often contemplation from different unique angles. He's said that he is an "agnostic Catholic" and biblical references often creep into the tale. I also love that his settings are in Toronto and small Ontario towns; in fact, often they read like an affectionate love letter to these towns. Lastly, appreciation for nature particularly pastoral landscapes and plants suffuses his books.

Ring has all of the above, with very knowledgeable discussion of art, music (classical, jazz), philosophy and language. I think I remember reading in one of the interviews that Alexis used to have a dearth of reading material growing up and would sneak to read his mother's (?) romance novels. I have the same experience; in my tween years, I would surreptitiously read my aunt's bookshelves of Mills and Boon novels. Those that read the books know they all follow an expected formula so I was quite curious what Alexis would do with this IMO rather stale and predictable genre. All kinds of questions of love, one of humankind's most examined topics, are brought up. When we fall in love, do we fall in love with the idea of the person and then have to adjust to the actual person? Do we have a predestined person to be with? If we could change the traits, whether physical or mental or personality, of our life partner, what would they be? What price are we willing to pay for these changes?

Readers of his other novels will notice the interconnection; Tancred the male love interest is the pickpocket thief employed by Willow in Hidden Keys, the dogs of Greek mythology are from Fifteen Dogs. The ring central to this story is passed down by matrilineal inheritance, mother to daughter. Both a gift and curse, it allows the bearer three wishes for changing their partner. I love love the epic poem Greek mythology that Alexis created involving Aphrodite, goddess of love and a shepherd. The relationship between Helen and Alun is really interesting, especially in light of the revelations of what Helen's wishes were. She gives very practical advice to her daughter Gwenhwyfar, the female protagonist, and is upfront about her regrets. The central love story I think is Alexis' riff upon the Harlequin style format. Tancred is obscenely rich, as is the case in most of these novels. His wealth though comes from Willow with the complicated backstory so he doesn't quite know what to do with it. This whole wealthy crowd who end up on vacation in Muskoka are fairly animated characters, as are Professor Bruno and Michael. I like how professors sound like professors; a little pedantic, pontificating on their pet theory. The characters are intelligent and perceptive, engaging in delightful banter. And those gourmet food menu lists sound so delectable.

I am very curious to see what other experimental projects André Alexis takes on next. Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be cerebral, philosophical and poetic. A vastly underrated author, one that constantly impresses me.

Here's a review of Ring in The Toronto Star: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment...

[Brennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is complicated, well-written, and very unfulfilling in certain ways. I really enjoyed it, but it was very strange in some ways, and had some faults...potentially on purpose by the writer.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a stand-alone book, this is a perfectly lovely romance with a twist (contained in the book blurbs, so this shouldn't be a spoiler for anyone), involving a ring that may or may not grant a woman the power to change forever three things about her beloved in exchange for a sacrifice. The ring is accompanied by three books containing a narrative poem (the central chapter of the story) and commentary from generations of mothers going back to a time before the written word.

As the final central piece of Alexis' Quincunx Cycle (labeled Quincunx 3, but published last), this novel is a blast, bringing together characters from each of the other four Quincunx novels and incorporating their motifs and themes. Robbie Myers, the cattle rancher, returns from Pastoral. The god Zeus returns from Fifteen Dogs. Tancred, Olivier, Daniel & Fiona, and all of the Azarians are here from The Hidden Keys. And Professor Bruno and Michael, with a cameo by Alfie, are here from Days by Moonlight. This is not simply a linking together of known characters, as new things have happened in their lives and other primary characters appear for the first time here.

Someday, when life allows, I'm going to get a real kick out of revisiting all of the Quincunx books and creating a giant spreadsheet to chart all of the intersections among them of character, place, and theme.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I’m not romantic enough to have appreciated this book. Or maybe it is as boring as I found it. It’s making me second-guess my love of Fifteen Dogs; maybe I should revisit (and then find it is similarly mundane and repetitive)? I had higher expectations of a book about a magic ring

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely mix of romance, mythology, and magic!

Ring is the final installment of André Alexis quincunx series, other titles include Pastoral, Fifteen Dogs, The Hidden Keys, and Days by Moonlight. (I have not read these yet) Now I'm not usually a fan of romantic storylines but this sounded so interesting that I wanted to give it a try and I'm so glad I did!

Set in Toronto, Ring is the story of Gwen who after falling for her beloved, Tancrid is given a magical ring by her mother that is believed to grant three wishes to change her beloved.

This was wonderfully imagined and unique! Though tough to sum up, i'm still ruminating all this genre-bending novel is trying to achieve. Alexis is wonderful at developing characters and making them believable and has obvious talent with language use. I'm looking forward to Alexis's other books, I have a feeling they will be just as contemplative. If your looking for something a little different definitely give this author a try!

Thank you to @coachhousebooks for sending me this one, opinions are my own.

For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong

[Leah O'Hara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andre Alexis is fast becoming my favourite author. I have read 'Days in Moonlight' and '15 Dogs', and have enjoyed 'Ring' as much or more than the others. I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, and his voice is deep and appealing, and adds life to his characters. They are full, flushed out and intelligent in such diverse ways, it is hard to imagine they all spring from one mind. Each of the quincunx I have read has a element of the divine, an unexpected spirituality that has in 2 cases been imposed on the protagonist. Both characters were to some degree agnostic (ambivalent?) as many in our relative age group are (born in the 80s or 90s), which I can relate to, and are surprised by their encounters with the miraculous. Because of these fantastical elements, I would consider Andre Alexis to be writing works of magical realism, personally my favourite genre. Ring spoke to me particularity because I am recently engaged to be married, and the whole work is a meditation on love, relationships and marriage. Finally, I loved loved the easter eggs in this book. I can only imagine I will discover more in each of the five quincunx books remaining - 2 to go.

[Gemington · Rating 3 out of 5]

TW: manipulation and control

Poet-philosopher disguised as a novelist tackles the romance genre via Classic Greek literature with a splash of magical realism and a hefty scoop of Canadian poetry. What sacrifices do we make for love and why? Why do we want to change our lovers and what are the ramifications of the changes? What does it mean to live someone as they are, and is it a good thing?

This book works well as a series of thought provoking problems but less well as a novel. The characters are written at a long distance and the women’s perspectives in particular ring false. The play with romance genre, particularly in the first half is clumsy; it is a genre neither loved or appreciated in this telling. However, the reverence for poetry and classical literature is fierce and true.

So ultimately I think Andre Alexis is asking us to demand more from romance and love, and to look elsewhere for ideas and answers about the meaning of live and relationships. Poetry and classics have much to offer that are often ignored in favour of the commercial romance book, and much is lost in that preference.

[Vontel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great book to read while waiting in waiting rooms during a hospital visit. I love the design of the book, and the use of such "rich" paper, so appropriate to the content of the book. There are certainly elements of magical realism within the book. I was quite enjoying the book, when I suddenly lost interest in the book & characters about 2/3 of the way through. I've skipped to the end, flipped through some of the intervening chapters twice, and didn't recapture my earlier interest. there are certainly many different kinds & permutations of romance within the book. Perhaps the message is "beware of romance & of dreams of changing your partner".

I have read at least two of the books in his series of five. I thought I had read the other two, but think they are still just on my "to read" list. I will want to read one of the books, because several of the characters appear in "Ring", at an earlier time in their lives.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

So captivating and fascinating on the one hand, while confusing and frustrating on the other (maybe the whole book is a metaphor for those we love?). I thought the story was beautiful and enchanting, but started too slowly.

There was too much talk of this character Ollie, who seemed me a bit of an unrealistic or implausible person. What modern attractive, educated, smart 20- or 30-something living in Toronto spends all his time with a woman in her 50s and her 80-year-old husband -- no matter how intellectually stimulating the conversations may be? And Gwen's roommate Nadia spends all her time with a man from rural Ontario even though she is also young, attractive, and has the city at her fingertips? Also, what was the deal with the pick pocketing and Tancred? I felt his history wasn't explored enough and could have been very interesting and offered more stories.

A number of the characters were not realistic or fully drawn out to me, but I also wasn't sure if this was meant to be some alternate universe of Toronto where intellectualism, poetry, and art was prized above all else (however, in that case the Nadia/Robbie relationship doesn't quite fit).

Enjoyed reading this book but left uncertain and a bit dissatisfied with the whole story. Curious if others felt this way about Ollie and the other characters?

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. Was a nice read overall but lacked some story development that would have enriched the story. The progression of the relationship between the main characters felt rushed which made the depth of the romance seem a bit superficial/hard to really empathize with. The story is a good one but would have been better if the book was longer - that way the story could progress more with more detail and make it a more meaningful read overall. Love Andre Alexis but this was not my favourite novel of his. Was a pleasant read all things considered.

[A.M. Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ring can’t be easily categorized. It presents a contemporary tale grounded in magic. If you're a literary fiction aficionado, especially of 19th century fiction, Ring should please you. You’ll enter a contemplative world set in Toronto, a novel of manners à la Jane Austen or Leo Tolstoy.

[Mikayla Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Glennys Egan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply did it for me!!!!! Romance, philosophy, mythology, and meditations on love and god and fate. André Alexis is a Canadian treasure.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the central investigation around love, sacrifice, marriage, and interconnected generations of women. I loved the magic realism and the weaving in of Greek mythology. That being said I thought this was the weakest of the five books in this series, or perhaps it just spoke to me the least. I also found it slow to start. If I hadn't loved the other four books so much I might have given up on this in the first 50-100 pages, but once the ring itself is introduced things pick up and I was ultimately glad I persevered. Alexis' writing style is luminous as always. I hope to give the entire Quincunx another read one day.

[ayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful and moving exploration on romance, more than anything I love the implication that Tancred is a fan of One Punch Man.

[Alex Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book, by a great Canadian writer. Although it’s #3 in a five-part series, it is heavily linked to #4 and #5. Best served to read after the fourth and fifth instalments of the Quincunx to fully appreciate the scope of Alexis’ writing and storytelling.

[Marilyn Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am truly amazed by this writing. Alexis is accessible but complex. Erudite but down to earth, etc. I’m finding as I read through his quincunx of novels wonderful puzzles and heartfelt plots. This is truly a gem, as were the other two I’ve read so far. Two more to go in the series. I highly recommend them for an intellectual and visceral joy ride.

[Darryl Suite · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 // Just the right amount of wierdness. And had me thinking about my ex. And I ain’t mad mad about it.

This isn’t as good as “Fifteen Dogs” but it was enough for me to order “Pastoral,” the first one in this Quincunx, a series of 5 books each told in a different genre style. This one is his take on romance. It’s sweeping, relatable (asks those big questions of falling in love and marriage), philosophical, and magical. It’s a mashup of literary fiction, romance, and the fantastical. Strangely enough, this book is the last one published, but is really the third in the series. Because I’m on an Alexis buzz, I’m starting his short story collection “The Night Piece.”

Alexis is an underrated mad genius.

Also note: this book is beautiful to look at all the way down to the thick acid-free pages. A beauty.

[Laurie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sort of a romance?
I love Andre Alexis, and I think he is amazing and smart and sometimes I feel like I don't understand everything he has written and I like that.
This book was interesting and connected to Greek mythology and a bit of a romance and a bit of a fantasy and I felt like I was reading it behind a magical screen.