The Broken Places

by Frances Peck

Finalist for 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize
A Globe and Mail Best Book of 2022
A 2023 Standout Read at Consumed by Ink
A 49th Shelf Fiction Fave
Vancouver. A day like any other. Kyle, a successful cosmetic surgeon, is punishing himself with a sprint up a mountain. Charlotte, wife of a tech tycoon, is combing the farm belt for local cheese and a sense of purpose. Back in the city their families go about their landscaping, negotiating deals, skipping school. It's a day like any other--until suddenly it's not. When the earthquake hits, the city erupts in chaos and fear. Kyle's and Charlotte's families, along with two passersby, are thrown together in an oceanfront mansion. The conflicts that beset these wildly different people expose the fault lines beneath their relationships, as they question everything in an effort to survive and reunite with their loved ones stranded outside the city.

Frances Peck's debut novel examines the unpredictable ways in which disaster can shake up lives and test personal resilience.

Genres: Canada, Fiction, Adult Fiction

383 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2022

About the author

Frances Peck wrote fiction and poetry until the realities of adulthood and rent steered her toward a career as a freelance ghostwriter, editor, and teacher. Known for her workshops and presentations on the finer points of language, she’s the author of Peck’s English Pointers, a collection of essays on language, and a co-author of the HyperGrammar website.

Now she is rediscovering the magic of making things up. The Broken Places, her debut novel, was named a Globe and Mail best book of 2022 and was a finalist for the 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. Her second novel, Uncontrolled Flight, came out in September 2023 and made book-of-the-year lists at 49th Shelf and Consumed by Ink.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frances Peck, Canadian author, wrote this ‘wonderful’ page turning debut ‘before’ the pandemic.
…..somewhat voodoo ironic timing.
Perhaps Frances Peck has telescopic futuristic powers?/! 😉

It’s a character driven novel with multiple points of view before, during, and after a catastrophic earthquake in West Vancouver, exploring the different ways the chaos of disaster affected
people—(relationships, fears, anticipation, shock, and what we can and cannot control).

The characters with their individual conflicts—lies—wealth—poverty—betrayals—secrets—sickness—remorse—injuries—hope—split second choices—contemp— emotional craziness—loneliness—dreams . . .
……in relation to each other — made the storytelling an entourage gripping, thought-provoking novel …
Lots of reconciliation among the cast.

Kyle (Kiki) is a successful cosmetic surgeon… who lives with his partner, Joe… who can’t seem to remember to take out the trash on Tuesdays for pickup.
Their relationship is filled with tension.

Anna is a caretaker for Miss Dodie who was born in Ukraine during the year of Chernobyl. Interesting dynamics between their differences—and roles in each others lives.

Charlotte (“Hurricane Charlotte”, is super fit), and her husband Tayne (indignantly irate), have an adolescent resentful daughter, Sidney. The Stedman family was on shaky grounds before the earthquake.

Everyone was …. on shaky grounds before the “shockwaves” of the earthquake.
Once disaster strikes- Frances Peck explores the unforeseeable ways everyone behaves, reacts, and responds. Soooo engrossing.
Ha….I’ve lived through earthquakes; the destruction, shock, the eeriness of it.

“The Broken Places” is really good!!! (realistic) …. And it’s the ‘characters’ that make this book so all-consuming enthralling.
We get totally immersed in their drama with the terrific visual and experiential prose.

“One minute you’re on your stool. On your phone, scanning Instagram posts from Rebecca Lee, who used to hang out with you. You’d go to the mall, split a frozen yogurt, one topping your choice, one hers, get high, steal nail polish, steal, once, a pair of jeans, you shoved under your jacket, when Rebecca said no way, you never would. Rebecca, now a stuck up slut who has quit talking to you.”

“Panic is knocking on Charlotte’s door, but she refuses to let it in. Numb is all she feels. Numb from the earthquake, from anger at her family, from the myriad of obligations and unknowns. The mornings events have turned her gradually and uncharacteristically apathetic”.

“Joe crosses the west side of the Stedman property, returning from another, check in with Vincent next door. The white terrier, calmer than yesterday, trots obediently at his side”.

“Unable to settle, she slides off the sofa, pulls on her gray sweatshirt, and pads past the air mattress where Joe is quietly breathing, slava bogu. Miss Dodie will need breakfast, and Anna’s first order of business, after coaxing, the woman into another humiliating diaper change, will be to prepare it.”

“Then a hole. Later, you’ll say you blanked out. Not blacked out, like the old days — you’re convinced you stayed conscious — but however, hard you try, you will never summon up that lost time. You stay where you are, that much you know, because when you come back to yourself, you’re still clutching the doorframe. Your bandage, right hand throbs. The shaking has stopped, and with it the all-encompassing roar. You wait, resting your head on a pile of dish towels inside the cupboard.”
“Only not really resting. In fact, not even close. Your neck is taut, your limbs tents. Your whole body, strung like
wire, screams Run! Get out!”
“You try not to listen, because leaving is the one thing you’re not supposed to do. Drop, cover, hold on. The teachers said that over and over again”.
“You stay put. The world stays still. Minutes pass. How many?”

“Vancouver it’s not the only spectacle on the world’s screens. Across the water, the east coast of Vancouver Island was rocked just as hard. Nanaimo, population 91,000, equally close to the quakes mid-strait epicenter, folded in on itself. Waterfront and downtown cordoned off, university, closed, campus evaluated; high-tech and construction firms shuttered, also the malls, the big-box strips along the Island Highway, the fish cannery, the Costco, the gas stations . . . etc.”

“Now she understands. Her successful life? It’s a forgery of beauty and balance, each detail, painstakingly, brushed in, each colour deliberately, chosen, each flaw, like Tayne’s neglect, and Sydneys addiction, painted over. Real life is not like that. It’s not a beautiful canvas. It unfolds in a dusty room with hideous furniture and an ancient chenille bedspread. Life smells, and not of
perfume . . . “

“When will life return to normal?”
I’ve no idea, myself….but I’m a new fan of Frances Peck!!

[Doug Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was extra special to me since I have lived / worked in the Vancouver/Burnaby area since 1971 so was very familiar with all the place names.
I was on board quite early in the read as her description of the seagull swallowing the purple starfish exactly matched my personal experience of watching this unbelievable spectacle on the Stanley Park seawall two years ago.
Also, having hiked the boulder field leading to Eagle Bluffs many times, I can confirm it is very tricky to navigate, especially going downhill, never mind with a broken leg. I really bonded with this character.
Residents of this area are very aware of the chance of a major earthquake happening at some point.
I happened to be working on the 15th floor of a modern building in downtown Vancouver in the 90's when a quake hit and lived through the terror of this structure swaying back & forth for several minutes (just as it was designed to do) to the extent that I believed it would be going completely over and we were all going to die.
This book takes me back to that event as Frances Peck paints a very vivid and believable story of the destruction of an earthquake. She creates seven main characters who are all impacted in different ways. It is fascinating reading about how reactions to an extremely disastrous situation are so varied among these characters and their interactions with each other. The author gives enough back story of each individual to make them come alive.
The title is very apt as it refers to both the breakage both physical and to the characters themselves.
It is a great study in human behavior.
Highly recommended.
Excuse me while I go out to see if the fire extinguisher is actually in the place I think it is.

Oh, one last thing. I always enjoy stories of misheard song lyrics. I loved the one in this book -- The One-Winged Dove (Stevie Nicks, The White Winged Dove)

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really compelling; I didn’t want to put it down. Vancouver has been hit by a catastrophic earthquake and a group of disparate characters are thrown together by chance. All of them have complicated, sometimes dark, backstories, but this is handled sensitively, not luridly. Some rise to the occasion, some have their essential weaknesses come to the fore. All standard plot devices, but it is so well-written, the characters become so real, that you just want to read forever. I loved the 10-years-later epilogue at the end as well.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. An absolutely incredible book. I could hardly put it down. I would love to read it again for the first time. Highly recommend.

[Marci Laevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure… Did I like it? Not really. Did I hate it? No. Interesting story, characters were mostly well-developed, effective denouement, engaging writing. But it just didn’t quite catch me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Arlene Prunkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frances Peck’s debut novel, The Broken Places, is a story about seven troubled, broken people and what happens to them when the “big one,” an earthquake of massive proportions that kills thousands and devastates Vancouver’s Lower Mainland, rocks West Vancouver. It took me longer than it should have to finish because I found myself reading ever so slowly, savouring each exquisitely crafted sentence. While I might be biased since the story is set in my hometown of Vancouver and Frances is my esteemed colleague and a highly respected member of Editors Canada (the Editors’ Association of Canada), I believe this book is so good that it should be nominated for the BC Book Prize, if not the Giller Prize (the top award in Canadian fiction). A masterpiece of literary fiction, The Broken Places focuses on superbly written, intertwined characterization, but unlike much literary fiction, the plot is fast-paced and gripping, particularly in the second half, making this a real page turner (or you can read it slowly and savour the writing, as I did). The characterization is so well executed, distinctive, and detailed that I recommended the book to one of my own current author clients whose characters need more individuality. If you buy no other book this year, I recommend this one, especially to all the book clubs out there. Five stars – ten if I could! Congratulations, Frances!

[Mallee Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the big one hits Vancouver, a cast of unlikely characters is thrust together in the Stedman's North Vancouver household to wait out the disaster. Stedman, a tech-tycoon locks himself in his office and ignores his daughter, Sidney. It is the gardener, Joe who helps her bandage her cut hand and attends to the necessities of turning off the power, the gas, filling the tubs with water, and preparing for the aftershock. Meanwhile, Anna does her best to tend to the old woman in her care since they cannot return to their own house. Stedman's wife is trapped in Hope and beginning to rethink her marriage and work life now roads to Vancouver are damaged and only emergency vehicles are permitted to use the highways.
This is a great cast of characters and a compelling story. I would have given it a five out of five if not for the out of story news casts and the occasional Rain interview that I soon found myself skipping because what was of interest was what happened to the characters.

[Alison Jacques · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent read. Well crafted, well written. Characters are distinct and interesting and believable. The scenario — a major earthquake off the coast of Vancouver — is terrifying, of course. I liked how each chapter opens with a zoomed out view of things before focusing back in on the seven main characters. I also liked the descriptions of West and North Vancouver; the setting itself and these descriptions reminded me of Twin Studies by Keith Maillard. I'm going to be recommending this novel widely, and I hope Frances Peck has more novels for us in the future.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased, since I was in a business partnership with Frances for 15 years, but I thought this book was fantastic. A terrifying look at the aftermath of a major earthquake in Vancouver, focusing on the reactions of seven characters, each with a carefully but briskly drawn backstory. Their actions are driven by details in those backstories, making the plot utterly believable even through all its twists and turns.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Frances Peck's writings on grammar, I was not the least bit surprised that her fiction writing is excellent. I would have read a whole novel focused on Kyle's story, as I have a strange and morbid fascination with wilderness survival stories, but every single chapter was engrossing. Each character was so real and their perspective compelling to read, even if they were unlikeable. I can confidently say I didn't skim a single word and in fact learned several new ones, a hallmark of great writing for me. Another quality that I appreciate is a writer's ability to extrapolate on the ordinary and mundane in such a way that I can't put the book down; it's one of my favourite elements of Stephen King's writing, and this debut nailed that narrative flow. The differing elements to each chapter with interviews that jumped in the timeline, the second person narration sections, and the broader omniscient observations elevated the storytelling even further. And it is always so incredibly refreshing to read something Canadian!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. Living in Vancouver, it was fun to read about places you know. There was not only sadness and drama but also a bit of humour in this book, which made it a good read.

A seemingly normal day. An earthquake hits. The book follows a few different people:
Anna, a troubled woman who fled war-torn Ukraine and cares for a rich elderly woman who suffers from Alzheimer's.
The Stedmans - Charlotte, wife of a billionaire, who feels stuck in her life. Tayne, the tech billionaire and their daughter Sidney, who at the young age of 14, has already been to rehab.
Joe, a landscaper, who's relationship with his boyfriend, Kyle, is not doing well.

The tragedy brings these characters together in the Stedman's mansion as they struggle for survival.

[Jessica Taschner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all the intricate stories of the characters lives during such a tragic event. As a vancourite, it was so cool to read about my home city. Although, now, I need to panic prepare for the “big one” 😂😅

[Jane Cawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who lives on the west coast, this story about an earthquake gets one thinking!

The opening of the story is filled with tension as we meet the characters whose lives are (unbeknownst to them) about to change forever. They intertwine in an interesting way and the points of view are well-chosen and varied. The plot speeds along—it’s a real page turner.

I appreciate the sociological nature of the storytelling too. It’s about the individuals but they are always put into a social context that deepens the themes of the novel.

[Jennie Flanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know whether I loved it or hated it.But I couldn’t put it down.The characters were so sad,and miserable and the book was pure agony to read.I finished it and am glad that it’s over.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Broken Places goes well beyond a “life changed in an instant” story. Frances Peck’s novel ruminates on our best and worst natures, instincts, and impulses.

Impatient readers should know that it takes a good long while for the big disaster to strike. The novel is carefully paced, offering ample time to get to know each character whose world is upended when a massive earthquake hits Vancouver.

The writing is beautiful and evocative, and I suspect that West Coast readers will recognize many of the places and personalities Peck describes.

I particularly loved the complex social dynamics she explores throughout the story. We see various class issues and ugly family histories play out as wildly different people are thrown together to navigate a crisis. At its core, though, this is a novel that lingers on the thoughts that plague us, or drive us, when we’re all alone.

[Elroy Deimert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Broken Places WILL win BC Book of the Year. This is by far the most compelling first novel to surface on the Pacific coast in a long while. It is unexpected, like an earthquake. I've taught Can. Lit for 30 years and have never been as dramatically surprised. It has a manageable number of contemporary characters for a change, believable and dynamic: the earthquake metaphor emerges gradually and is marvelously sustained throughout the characterization. Her approach to relationships is mature and perceptive. Her theme has the depth and impact of the subterranean fault. Don't miss this book!
Elroy Deimert (author of Pubs, Pulpits & Prairie Fires)

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived more than 16 years in Vancouver, right in the very heart of the city. Two blocks from Vancouver General Hospital. The threat of an earthquake, the Big One, is always there, but somehow, those of us who love that city live with the threat somehow. Every once in a while you work on your emergency plan, you update your “go bag”, you look at your insurance policy. But most of the time, it’s not real. Peck takes that blithe hubris and smashes it to the floor. It’s coming, sweethearts, and it ain’t gonna be pretty. In this critically acclaimed novel, she introduces us to a wonderful cast of characters who live in West or North Vancouver, and find themselves facing painful truths about themselves, their relationships, and the world they live in when it all comes crashing down one sunny day in May. Kyle is out for a kayak and a run, hoping to forget the devastating betrayals he keeps committing. Anna is taking her elderly employer out on errands, waiting for the day to end so she can indulge her secret addiction. Charlotte is furious with everyone – including herself – as she zooms around trying to get the perfect cheese and the trendy wine for a dinner party she will be hosting with her thankless, driven husband. Then the earth shifts violently, and their world is turned upside down, both figuratively and literally. But this is by no means a mere apocalyptic novel (which I love!); it’s a literary exploration of relationships, truths and lies, conflict and resilience. Peck is a writer by profession, but this is her first novel, and she deserves all the accolades she’s received. It’s a powerful novel of pain, shame, love, fear, desire and strength. And the ending is note perfect. Loved it start to finish. My thanks to the Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library for obtaining this title for me via inter library loan.

[Wayne Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frances Peck’s novel is a masterclass in methodical, character-driven storytelling—an approach that often goes underappreciated but is richly deserving of praise. Peck herself has received accolades, and it’s easy to see why.

Unlike stories that start in media res to ignite instant adrenaline, there are no mysteries to solve, no dramatic alien landings, and no charming new neighbor to stir things up. Instead, the narrative unfolds with a slow, tense build, drawing us inexorably toward the earthquake. The big event doesn’t strike until about a third of the way in, but by then, we’re deeply invested in the lives of the vividly rendered characters, each of whom feels real and impossible to ignore.

When the quake finally hits, Peck’s meticulous attention to detail shines. Her grasp of seismology and disaster response adds depth and realism, but the true focus remains on the human element. She never loses sight of the survivors—their courage, heartbreak, and resilience amid chaos.

Reading this novel felt eerily timely, with natural and climate disasters and a California earthquake dominating the headlines. Though fictional, the story resonates deeply, feeling urgent and personal in today’s context.

This is writing at its finest—measured, nuanced, and haunting. It’s a book that will linger in your mind long after you turn the final page.

[Brit McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars?

Next on my reading around Canada adventure is The Broken Places by Frances Peck, recommended y and bought from the bookseller in Mermaid Tales Bookshop in Tofino on Vancouver Island. I was so indecisive, only wanting to buy one paperback book and wanting it to be Canadian! The bookseller had a lot of patience with me, we love booksellers!

The Broken Places takes place in Vancouver, where an earthquake has hit the city and five unlikely people are thrown together to shelter from the ensuing chaos, while their loved ones are caught up in it from the outside. In some ways, it's not an easy read. These people are not nice people, generally they are not likeable. But their intertwining stories are so compelling, I was drawn in to watching their lives all crumble.

I was a little impatient to start with, because it takes around 150 pages for the earthquake to even happen. It's a slow start and even after the quake, the tension still fizzles throughout. Something else is coming!

I really enjoyed reading about the places I have become reacquainted with lately while travelling, even with all the devastation they have been put through in this novel! Even though I'm now back in Australia, I'm not done with reading Canada.

[Bamy333 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally grabbed by this fast-paced and gripping plot of The Broken Places! A story about the impact of a catastrophic event on a thoughtfully portrayed group of unique characters from various social and economic classes. I enjoyed getting to know some of the characters while resenting others which is a tribute to the author in making the reader care (or not) about these broken characters with revealing back stories and their interactions with those around them. I found myself wondering: who will survive? Who will not? Who will be transformed? Or whose life will be completely altered? A fascinating psychological study of how people react in the face of catastrophe! There is great insight into how the past and present determine how these flawed characters respond to each other and view their futures. A believable set of characters interacting in an unfathomable set of circumstances. I enjoyed it immensely! We were fortunate to have Frances Peck zoom with our book club to discuss this book (which we all enjoyed). We learned about her writing process and how personal events inspired the story. We were greatly impressed by her and our bookclub will be reading her 2nd book: Uncontrolled Flight at the next opportunity!

[Chitban · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️
I’ve been trying to read more stories set in Canada, and this one really captures Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Since the disaster at the center is an earthquake, it makes sense that navigating the city and coordinating across municipalities would be difficult. The book hints at these challenges but never explores them in depth, which is a recurring issue. Many ideas are raised but not developed.

The multiple POVs were also distracting. Anna’s story, as a refugee from Ukraine, was the most compelling, showing how refugees carry deep scars and little support while being expected to rebuild quickly. Even so, her trauma was teased for too long before being revealed late in the book, which meant that it got lost amongst the chaos. Honestly, shifting between so many voices made it harder to stay invested in her story.

Three of the six POVs (Steadman, Charlotte, and Kyle) felt repetitive. Their privileged, entitled perspectives blurred together, and I do not think we needed all three to make that point. Sydney and Joe, on the other hand, had strong arcs, though Joe’s choice to forgive Kyle at the end felt rushed and incomplete.

This is likely meant as a study of the human psyche, but it did not land for me.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Broken Places, Frances Peck offers a Canadian variant on the disaster narrative. The place is Vancouver, the time contemporary. On a gorgeous morning in May, an earthquake wrecks the city. It’s not quite “The Big One,” but big enough to cause widespread devastation and make headlines around the globe. The story the earthquake unleashes brings us into intimate contact with an ensemble cast of seven characters: a family of three (the Stedmans), a gay couple, and a nurse and her elderly patient (a dementia sufferer) who happen to be out for a walk. Peck’s people—some of whom are likable and sympathetic, others not so much—begin the day in their separate spheres. Tensions seem to be high all around, a situation brought about by secrets some have been harbouring, smouldering resentments, unspoken desires, various manifestations of mistrust, and frustration that’s been long percolating and is now approaching the boiling point. From the moment the earthquake hits, Peck’s narrative moves briskly and seamlessly across the individual perspectives. The family home of the Stedmans, where five of the characters end up, becomes the focal point of the action. Peck also takes advantage of the external perspectives of the two characters who are not there, providing the reader with a broader picture of the prevailing chaos and how emergency crews are grappling with a tragedy of colossal proportions. Throughout, Peck’s writing has a cinematic immediacy that, as the scene shifts, quickly immerses the reader in each character’s troubled psyche, revealing secret passions and deepest fears. It turns out that everyone here was shattered by loss, damaged, or otherwise wounded long before the disaster. Suspenseful and bursting with high drama, The Broken Places is also a thoughtful, intelligent novel. By exposing her characters to extremes of danger and stress, Peck demonstrates the human capacity for compassion and craven self-interest in equal measure. Some characters are privileged, others not, but an earthquake doesn’t care: in an instant it levels the field, rendering everyone vulnerable, regardless of income level or social standing. In the end we are all human, we can all be broken. We can survive too, but if only we put ego to one side and accept our differences as strengths.

[Jani Wittaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Held me from start to finish. Beautifully drawn characters, wound together in a powerful display of all our human frailties. I was thoroughly invested in learning the outcomes of each of the 7 protagonist's stories and was awake and reading until the wee wee hours unable to let go of this multilayered story.
Gorgeous prose, not a single wasted word. Thoroughly drawn characterisations that made me believe in these people. The novel ended and I want to know more about them...
Such was the strength of the interwoven dynamics between these characters that the earthquake is a fully secondary (though suberbly well expressed) event.
As a Vancouverite I am now diligently reacessing my survival pack and reviewing my plan of how to connect with my family when the communication systems break down.
This story feels real.
Visceral. Cereberal. Actual.
I really believed this story.
X jw

[David Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

well written and a good read

Frances Peck is without question a skilled writer. I met her this year at the Tucson Festival of Books and in addition to her writing, she is a charming lady. The book is given a 4 star rating, which I consider very positive. In my opinion what kept it from being a 5 is I felt the central characters showed minimal change from the books beginning to the end. That did not alter the story, but I felt some disappointment in the character arc of the story. Pecks story research is very evident, and she has painted vivid imagery. This book should be read and I look forward to the author’s next work.

[Lynn Slobogian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling debut novel! So hard to put down. I loved the parallels between the evolving earthquake and its results in the physical world with the tumult of the characters' inner lives and gradually revealed secrets. While the story's ever-changing action gripped me, the deeper questions of how we deal with stress, shock, and fear in our regular, day-to-day lives—how far will we go to avoid dealing with it? how much can we take until we snap? what does society tell us is acceptable or required?—kept me enthralled. And surprises until the very end! A very tasty and engrossing read.

[James Nesbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the pleasure of knowing Frances Peck, and here's what I wrote her in a note:

"Frances, I was so impressed with The Broken Places. An earthquake in the Lower Mainland is something we all think about, isn’t it? Your portrayal of the inevitable is nuanced, assured and captivating. You have the gift of weaving humour, suspense and pathos to create truly human characters and a thoughtful, imaginative tale rooted in the unvarnished truth of people and the Earth."

I hope you enjoy reading The Broken Places as much as I did.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. But the throwaway comments about the DTES are brutal, show a lack of understanding of the DTES, and perpetuate stereotypes. I also have trouble connecting to the wealthy characters. I do like dole of the development of some of the characters for sure. I almost wish those DTES comments could be taken out.I do like the local angle of it a lot
I also like to support local authors.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this book. And I mostly liked the interesting characters and the way the story unfolds. There seem to be extraneous details and aspects to the characters that are unnecessary. Why does one main person need to be a promiscuous gay man? Seems like overkill and maybe not very realistically or sympathetically developed.

[Jodie Siu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read - rollicking plot (literally!) that hits far too close to home, with fascinating and deeply imagined characters. Crisis seemingly puts the best and worst of humanity on display, and this book lays it bare. Glorious - terrifying and hopeful, riveting and appalling. I devoured this story.

[Patricia L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great CHARACTER DEVELOPmENT however there was too much description of stereotypical rich and poor. What makes the author write that the people in the DTES would be the first to be looting after an earthquake?

The Stedman family in West Vancouver were awful people. Did they have to be that unlikeable?
The wife who went missing was interesting.