Connection at Newcombe

by Kayt Burgess

Newcombe is too small to qualify for a rail station. So begins a campaign against time and government to guarantee the survival of their community in post-war Northern Ontario.

It's 1920. The Great War is over and the troops are on their way home to reclaim their old lives. But before he can return to his days as a lawyer, Major Callum Bannatyne has one more mission: to ensure The Canadian National Railway builds its newest expansion through his hometown of Newcombe.

The only problem? Newcombe's population is too small for it to qualify for a station. And so begins a small town's campaign against time and government to recruit their ringers and guarantee the survival of their community in post-war Northern Ontario.

But not everyone is on board with duping the government and Cal’s plan is undermined at every turn, whether due to the machinations of the local Reverend’s zealous son, or the bullying of belligerent furrier Randall Evershed. Even Fergus, Cal’s own father, who suffers with dementia, inadvertently jeopardizes the plan when he attacks one of Newcombe’s conspirators during one of his fogs.

But if living in the Canadian wilderness has taught the people of Newcombe anything, it’s how to be resourceful in the face of adversity.

170 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2021

About the author

Writer, artist and musician Kayt Burgess was born in Manitouwadge, Ontario and grew up in Elliot Lake. She studied classical music at the University of Western Ontario and has a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University.

She has lived in New Zealand, England, Scotland and is living in Ontario. Heidegger Stairwell is her first novel.

Reviews

[D.A. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover quote says, “Both whimsical and so grounded in place you can smell the wood smoke, taste the ale, and feel the dirt on your skin”(Lakshadweep Rosnau). She is correct. From the moment I opened this book, I could smell pine, hear the gruelling sounds of war and trains and feel the dampness. Each character in this story makes me want to cheer. I, frankly, wallowed in each chapter. It’s a thin volume but I dawdled through it, enjoying every step.
The premise is interesting- a northern Ontario town fighting for survival, men returning from war seeking a reason to live, native and settler populations both together and opposed. The old grudges and romances found in an isolated northern town. Having travelled through northern Ontario, I felt at home immediately.
Cal, returning hero, is trying to get the railroad to agree to run tracks through the town of Newcombe. In order to persuade the powers that be, he needs to somehow get 200 residents to declare for the census. The problem is there are nowhere near 200 people in residence. So begins a careful set of negotiations with the native tribes, trying to patch over past wounds. The church gets involved, the younger minister troubled by the idea of lying to the government; will he be persuaded to be quiet? And what of the local witch.? Can she conjure up enough past residents to fill the numbers?
Much less twee than “Seducing Dr. Lewis” but of the same cheerful big heart, this is an enjoyable read, with all the feels. I found myself tearing up at the end, when it seems like all is lost.
Highly recommended. Respectful of all, it even includes a character with dementia who is treated with compassion. I love that when that happens- these days we are too quickly to send people with memory loss away - and yet the author does not diminish the horrible effects of this on the person’s family.
So well done. Congratulations to Katy Burgess.

[Dinah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connection to Newcombe took me back a century to a place not too far from me. Our geographies and stories in Northern Ontario aren’t often represented in literature. So it was familiar to me when the voice of Jean-Guy was introduced. I welcomed his Franco-Ontarian accent and knew he represented some of my own heritage. Coming from a small town, the community was recognizable to me, too – the French, the English, and the folks who are neither, each contributing to the whole their diversity of opinions, heritage, and belief structures.

The setting is the strength of Connection to Newcombe: Kayt Burgess places us readers convincingly within the town of Newcombe—and we arrive there with Niamh through the bush, with Callum and Jean-Guy by train, or with Noelle on horseback; we meet its residents on the street, in the church and in the bar.

The town’s boundaries are rigid and real — outsiders like Niamh, Bill Ahlers and the circus performers must circle this town. They can live wholly only in the wilderness, but they are tied to Newcombe in various ways. The indigenous people of the Waakamig live nearby; we see their traditions are safe when there is with plenty of wilderness between them and the people of Newcombe. We also meet Callum’s father, “crazy old Fergus”, who is more and more often living in the wilderness of dementia. Burgess does a commendable job bringing the readers into Fergus’ mind, and we see the bafflement of the people around him as his reality encroaches on what the townspeople see and as his behaviours create racial harm.

The formal geographical and colonial structures and boundaries in place in Newcombe are self-serving (why did our forebears even believe such structures would work out there in the bush? was it fear of the wilderness?), but we learn that the people living in and around Newcombe are willing to bend the rules and erase boundaries when they are presented with the opportunity to be recognized officially by government officials who have a train station to offer. It’s an effort in support of recognition but also for long-term survival. A rural existence must have a connection to the greater world to meet essential needs and build a future.

I want to see more stories of Northern Ontario like this, where we can explore not only the interaction between people and the land, but the complexities of interactions among the many peoples now living here.

***

Thanks to Latitude 46 for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book set in northern Ontario. It was very poignant.

[Kaylie’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content Warning: dementia

Kayt Burgess’ latest novel Connection at Newcombe is a delightful historical fiction tale that is bound to make the reader smile. World War I has ended and soldiers from around the world are making their way home. Cal Bannatyne and Jean Guy Vachon are on their way back to Newcombe, a small community north of Sault Ste. Marie where they cannot wait to be reunited with family after serving overseas. Cal ends up befriending the man in charge of the Canadian National Railway and learns that there’s a possibility that Newcombe can get a station if they have at least two hundred residents, which they do not. But Cal lies, and says they do. Cal is determined to make his white lie true as he enlists the town of Newcombe to come together with the neighbouring reserve and find a way to bring the railroad to Newcombe.

Burgess has created some very likeable and quirky characters. Connection at Newcombe takes a look at various character perspectives in the two weeks leading up to the census bureau sending someone to count Newcombe’s population. While looking at these other characters, Burgess also weaves in the story of how Cal is going to somehow come up with the additional people needed to make Newcombe a two-hundred-person town. The story is lighthearted with some occasional flashbacks to Cal’s time in the war, but overall it’s quite enjoyable. Is it believable? Not really. Is it historically accurate? Well... no (Thunder Bay is named at one point however it wasn’t officially named Thunder Bay until 1970, decades after World War I). But it is a quick read with fun characters that are bound to keep the reader entertained.

Even though Connection at Newcombe can feel like it’s being rushed, especially during the last quarter when things are wrapping up, it is still a unique and fun story. Burgess’ prose is lovely and the story flows very smoothly. Cal and Jean Guy are pretty happy-go-lucky for two men who have just served in a gruesome war, so their characters are not overly believable. The reader may even forget that the story was taking place just after the war had ended unless a flashback was brought up. All in all, Connection at Newcombe is a fun read if you’re looking for something lighthearted to escape with for an afternoon.

Thank you Latitude 46 Publishing for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Originally published on Cloud Lake Literary, link below:

https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blog...