An Audience of Chairs

by Joan Clark

Joan Clark's An Audience of Chairs opens with Moranna MacKenzie living alone in her ancestral Cape Breton farmhouse, waging a war with the symptoms of bipolar disorder and grieving the loss of her two daughters, taken from her over thirty years previously. There are few people remaining in her life, as Moranna cannot help but tax the patience of nearly everyone she encounters. Her long-suffering brother Murdoch has her best interests at heart, though he is fatigued by her enormous needs and pressured by his ambitious wife to invest less time in her. Pastor Andy politely sloughs off the peculiarly intelligent yet unpalatable sermons Moranna pens for him. Her neighbour Lottie knows what it is to be an eccentric and can be counted on to come through in a pinch. The local RCMP constabulary smooths over her legal scrapes. And her lover Bun, who lives with her when not working on the ferries between Cape Breton and Newfoundland, knows how to give her a wide berth on her "foul weather" days. Thanks to the assistance of these sometimes reluctant guardian angels, as well as to the carefully planned inheritance left by her father (not to mention her own sheer ingenuity), Moranna has managed to get by all these years despite small-town gossips and tormenting youths.

Through a series of flashbacks, we learn more about the devastating effects of Moranna' s mental illness on her life and that of her family. But An Audience of Chairs also gives us a glimpse into the mind of a true iconoclast and wild spirit, who has managed despite overwhelming odds to keep hope alive.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Book Club, Mental Health, Literary Fiction, Mental Illness, Historical

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Joan Clark BA, D.Litt (hon.) (née MacDonald)is a Canadian fiction author.

Born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Clark spent her youth in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. She attended Acadia University for its drama program, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with English major in 1957.[1] She has worked as a teacher

Clark lived in Alberta for two decades and attended Edmonton's University of Alberta. She and Edna Alford started the literary journal Dandelion in that province in the mid-1970s. She eventually returned to Atlantic Canada, settling in Newfoundland.

Joan Clark's early work consisted primarily of literature for children and young adults, such as Girl of the Rockies (1968), The Hand of Robin Squires (1977), and The Moons of Madeleine (1987). By contrast, her 1982 short-story collection, From a High Thin Wire, is a decidedly mature and sometimes sexually charged work. This volume was revisited by Clark and republished with revisions in 2004. Clark has a reputation for continuously revising her works even after their initial printing.

Joan Clark's next publication for adult readers was The Victory of Geraldine Gull (1988), a novel examining the clashes of culture and religion between Cree, Ojibwa, and white communities in Niska, a village in Hudson Bay. The Victory of Geraldine Gull was a finalist for the GOVERNOR GENERAL'S AWARD and the Books in Canada First Novel Award. Clark published a second collection of short stories, Swimming Towards the Light, in 1990. The following year she was presented with the Marian Engel Award, recognizing her entire body of work.

Eiriksdottir: A Tale of Dreams and Luck (1993) was the first of two novels by Clark based on the Viking presence in Newfoundland. The novel focuses on Freydis Eiriksdottir, daughter of Eirik the Red and sister to Leif ("The Lucky") Eirikson. The Dream Carvers (1995) follows the adventures of Thrand, a Norse child.

Clark wrote her first published novel as a young stay-at-home mother, writing in longhand during her infant son’s naptimes. “I had never written fiction before and was amazed that I had been walking around without knowing that there was a story inside my head. That joy of discovery has kept me writing ever since.”

Clark served on the jury at the 2001 Giller Prize.

Clark lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Reviews

[Candice Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful read, even though Moranna is an outrageously frustrating character. I suppose that's the whole point.

[PeachyTO · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Minor edits and reposting on April 10, 2021*

I had selected An Audience of Chairs from the bargain section, as filler to reach the free shipping mark during one of my many online book-buying sprees last year, and accordingly did not expect much from it. It sat patiently waiting and collecting dust on my bookshelf, in hopes that I would one day give it the attention that it so rightfully deserved. In an effort to finally make a dent in the copious amount of unread books that are taking up the diminishing space on my oversized shelves, I finally picked up this piece of Canadian fiction, and am I ever glad I did.

And so began my love affair with Moranna MacKenzie, the proud, self-absorbed, impetuous and free-spirited heroin of Joan Clark’s imagination. I am left with an impression of melancholy and bewilderment, now that her story has been told and she is no longer a part of my existence, as I have spent the last two days completely enthralled in hers. On more than a few occasions I found myself breathless, anxiously awaiting her next unbridled move that would only further her unfortunate descent into madness.

Although those closest to Moranna were quick to blame her mental illness for all that befell her, it was quickly apparent to me that it was also those accusers that needed to shoulder some of the blame. Her father failed her by keeping her mother’s illness a secret, as she might have found help for herself before having children, thus avoiding many of the hardships they were faced with. Secondly, the real tragedy of Moranna’s story was her husbands abandonment of her, as she was sick and in need of help, while he was of sound mind and had vowed to be there for her in sickness and in health. Alas, it may be that her forced independence is what led her to a place of contentment, as her anger and will helped her to eventually weather the storm.

That being said, one of the most telling parts of the story, for me, was Moranna’s aversion to the story of the crucifixion of Christ, and his dying whilst taking responsibility for our sins. This cherished Easter story proved too much for her to bear, as she, in true form with her illness, was never able to take responsibility for any of the adversity or mistakes arising from her instability.

In the end, it is the unyielding empathy that Joan Clark affords this tragic character, and that I, as the audience filling one of those chairs, feel for her, that makes this story such an amazing and affecting journey into the complex, isolating and misunderstood abyss that is Bipolar disorder.

[Terri Durling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and just about everything about it. It captivated me and I wanted very much to find out the protagonist, Moranna's destination and how she got there. The beginning and ending were perfect "Picture a woman ..." showing her at two stages of her very complex life. She epitomized "eccentric" and I really did like Moranna despite all her flaws. In fact, this book for me was a real look into the life of a mentally ill person - a front row seat if you will in the "audience of chairs" as to what makes them tick and why they act or do the things they do. With mental illness awareness fast becoming a subject that used to be taboo, it painted a picture of life for not only the mentally ill person but their families and friends - how they reacted, dealt with her and the effect she had on them. You were allowed into their heads and got to know how they really felt. I thought Ms. Clark's dipiction of a person with bi-polar was well done, insightful and educational. I would highly recommend this book and give it a thumbs up - one of my favorites of my book club this year.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moranna is a manic depressive living in Nova Scotia. Her two young daughters bonnie and Brianna were taken away from her in their early childhood because Moranna’s mind kept escaping. The book tells of how she fell ill and then struggled over many years to oversome that, and eventually re-runite with her long lost duaghters as they approach middle-age.
Clark’s style is deceptively simple. She simultaneously brings us into Moranna’s mind, while we watch her from outside and see the devastating effects.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, set in Nova Scotia, tells the story of Moranna MacKenzie, a manic depressive. Moranna's life has had its ups and downs; a failed marriage, the loss of two children and numerous complications from her mental illness. All in all, I found this book to be very powerful and riveting. It's one of the best depictions of manic depression ever depicted in fiction. Moranna is unbelievably human and three dimensional.

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the release of the film adaptation, I finally picked up this book that had been sitting on my shelf for far too long. An Audience of Chairs is the personal and touching story of a woman living with mental illness.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4yKZ7VAf...

[Magdelanye · Rating 4 out of 5]

review pending

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moranna "Mad Mory" MacKenzie -- a middle-aged woman of "freewheeling aplomb" who lives alone in a deteriorating farmhouse outside a small village on Cape Breton Island -- reveals her nature (and the situation in which she finds herself) by small increments in An Audience of Chairs:

She has nothing but contempt for those who try to categorize what they think she is, and lecturing her audience of chairs, she'll say, "It's ridiculous for the so-called experts to think they can label me as bipolar or manic-depressive" -- she knows the terms. "As if the essence of who I am can be labelled or stuck into a file or a book." By now she may well be shouting. "The uniqueness of the self cannot be pigeonholed! The self is always changing, always in transit and it's preposterous to think it can be nailed down by definition. Only small minds would think so." She also rejects the idea that her emotional weather might have been passed on to her by her mother, because to admit it opens the possibility that she might have passed the same weather on to her daughters, who reside in her memory as perfect and unassailable children.

While Moranna resisted diagnosis her entire life, her "emotional weather" is laid out for the reader: when she's on a high, Moranna is a creative genius, playing piano with perfect pitch, designing unique clothes, writing a novel, assembling a cookbook, painting pictures for a children's book, carving wooden likenesses of her ancestors; but when she's on a low, Moranna is incapable of getting out of bed for days at a time. Although she had been married young and her two daughters were the joys of her life, when Moranna's condition put those children at risk, her husband left with the girls, completely erasing themselves from her life.

As a study of mental illness, An Audience of Chairs is written with much empathy: by the time we meet Moranna, she has been living by herself for decades, and with the help of a group of allies (her brother, a minister, a neighbour, a lover who visits twice a year, and an understanding Mountie who smooths out her disputes), she has learned some measure of self control and (thanks to an inheritance from her father and the sales of her wooden carvings) is able to support herself. Although her behaviour is unusual -- she dresses in thrift store costumes and walks for hours, muttering to herself and sticking her tongue out at passing cars -- the case is made that hospitalising or medicating Moranna would destroy the essence of who she is. I do wonder, though, if this isn't the rosiest of pictures: if Moranna's creative genius isn't overplayed to make the reader resist her being "made normal". In a late scene in the book, Moranna is in Halifax and watches as a homeless woman walks by with her shopping cart full of belongings, and I suppose I'm meant to recognise that "there but for the grace of God…", but isn't the shopping cart the more likely outcome for Moranna? How many mentally ill people (to the degree that Moranna is described in this book) would have the ability to live alone without harming themselves (whether by intent or neglect)? Even real life geniuses -- I'm thinking Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Vincent Van Gogh -- came to unhappy ends, so am I to agree that medicating (and possibly killing their creativity) would be the greater harm? And is it the quality of the output that determines whether madness should be left to run free? Moranna is talented at everything she tries, but the Unibomber was considered a genius, too…

I have a soft spot for books set in Cape Breton, and as author Joan Clark was born in the same small Nova Scotia town as my own father, she speaks a language that I understand. I was fascinated by the inclusion of Aunt Hettie's Gaelic legends -- Selkies, the Keeper of the Stones, Weeping Hill -- and it was pleasing to me that the two books mentioned in the text are favourites of mine; Cape Breton Road and The Diviners. This setting is all very familiar territory to me (which I like), but if I had a complaint, it would be that there was something simplistic about the writing style -- much information crammed in without lyricism; much telling instead of showing:

When she's finished cleaning, she takes her daughter's bridal bouquet apart and presses the wildflowers inside the worn copy of Shakespeare, scattering the petals among stories of betrayal and misplaced ambition, mistaken identity and mistaken love. The scattering of flowers isn't a sentimental or even a symbolic gesture, but the grand gesture of an aging prima donna.

When I began reading An Audience of Chairs I thought, "Yes, yes, this is what I like", but it never fulfilled its early promise. In the end, Mad Mory gave me much to think about, though, and I'd rank this book somewhere between like and love on the enjoyment scale.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moranna Mackenzie is a woman in her early sixties who lives alone in an old farmhouse in Cape Breton. Over thirty years ago she lost her two daughters, taken from her because she could not manage her health and her children’s safety was at stake; she has missed them everyday since they have been gone. Although she loved them dearly, she was never able to manage the day to day repetitive tasks required to care for children, especially the times when her restless energy drove her to take on something that captured her attention, a passionate activity from which did not allow her to think about anything else. She refuses to take medication and instead tries to keep herself on an even keel by adhering to a strict schedule so the simple day to decisions do not overwhelm her. She often talks to herself, imagines debates with others and enjoys playing her piano board at the kitchen table, conducting music to the audience of chairs that surround her. She enjoys baking bread and carving the wooden replicas of her Scottish ancestors she sells to tourists during the summer months. To pass the time she listens to CBC radio and reads old copies of the Globe and Mail and therefore considers herself an authority on the state of the world. The farmhouse is a mess, in need of repair and badly neglected. There is a clutter of dirty clothes, unwashed dishes and old newspapers scattered about, loose tiles in the bathroom and mold on the walls. But it has long been her home and she feels comfortable and safe in these surroundings.

The locals call her “Mad Morag” and the police have answered calls about her behavior which usually involves her shouting, shoving or swearing at others. Moranna does not understand why people don’t like her, although she knows they often do. She believes they are intimidated by the strength of her personality and her uniqueness, but it doesn’t bother her; she doesn’t care what people think. She has one neighbour she trusts, Lottie Mackey who she has known since childhood.

Moranna's friend Bun visits her when he is not working on the ferry that travels between Newfoundland and Cape Breton and the two share a comfortable life. They have little in common and don’t often talk much, their relationship based solely on companionship and sex, but both are comforted by their connection.

Moranna’s brother Murdoch lives in Sydney Mines and wonders if he will ever be free from the responsibility of looking after his sister. He sees her as a woman of extremes and feels weighed down by the obligation to check up on her. Since she doesn’t own a phone, it means he must travel a long distance to see her and and he resents it.

This story looks back on Moranna’s life, on how she emerged from being what neighbours called an “odd child” and a free spirit to go to university where she dreamed of becoming a concert pianist and after acting in school’s plays, decided to become a stage actress.

Moranna was a smart, pretty and creative young woman, but also impulsive, single minded and easily distracted by whatever captured her attention. She was passionate about everything she did, unaware and unconcerned about of how her behavior was viewed by others. During a summer job at Keltic Lodge after her first year at Acadia University, she met Duncan Fraser, a political science major from a well to do Halifax family who was headed to a career in journalism. Duncan found Moranna bright, funny and exciting and determined not be saddled in life with a boring wife, married her. When he was offered a job as a stringer for the Scotsman, the couple moved to Scotland. It was during this time that Moranna experienced her first episodes of depression and hallucinations while researching the life and work of Robert Burns. Duncan had no idea what to make of his wife’s behavior, so he encouraged her to write a novel and was pleased when she found something to challenge herself and keep her occupied.

The couple moved to Ottawa where Duncan took up a position in the Prime Ministers office. Moranna had two children, but both births were followed by postpartum depression, the second time worse than the first.

Duncan then moved to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the family moved to Toronto. During that time, Moranna began to unravel, spending long days in bed and leaving the children to care for themselves. Duncan stayed home to make the meals and look after the children and when this period abated, hired a babysitter to help his wife. Moranna took up painting, using the living room wall for her canvas and then moved on to the rest of the walls in the house. When that was done, she painted the furniture. Duncan was not sure what to think, but he appreciated her creativity.

When Duncan was offered a six-week assignment in Russia, Moranna wanted to go with him, but accommodations were not suitable for a young family and she was forced to stay home. Her father Ian, concerned she was following in the steps of her mother Margaret who committed suicide, offered her the farmhouse in Baddeck, closer to him and the rest of her family. During that time, fueled by her restless energy, she painted the furniture and then moved on to paint the floor. When the euphoria died, she sank into a funk of loneliness and depression, realizing she was not cut out for the menial tasks of motherhood which she found dispiriting and boring. Overwhelmed by her situation, she stayed in bed and slept, ignoring the children who were forced to fend for themselves. Lottie found them in the pigsty, brought them home and hired a neighbour’s daughter to help her friend care for her children.

Moranna began writing and illustrating a children’s book and one day decided to take her daughters and her niece on a picnic on an island in the Bras D’or Lakes. While there, she was swept up in a burst of creative energy, completely forgot about the children and took the boat back to the farmhouse to work for hours on the illustrations for her book. The children were finally rescued that night by two sailors and the police called her father Ian. While he picked up the pieces, Moranna, who did not appear to understand the gravity of the situation, went to bed and abandoned herself to the sleep that carried her off and disconnected her from the demands of everyday life.

Ian had always acknowledged she was an unusual child, but he finally admitted to himself she was having a breakdown and arranged for her to be admitted to a psychiatric facility in Dartmouth. Once admitted she would not cooperate in her treatment and refused to take the medications they prescribed, fearing they would stifle her creativity. She was determined to stay alert, believing the KGB were after her and her husband.

She walked out of the hospital after a month, traveling through Nova Scotia on foot, looking for her children who had been taken by her in-laws to Chester. Unable to find them, she repeatedly rode the ferry between Cape Breton and Newfoundland, pushing aside the often-overwhelming thoughts of suicide. Eventually her mania subsided and she returned to the farmhouse where she lives an undisciplined and disorganized life, wearing old clothes and pushing aside the ever-continuing thoughts of suicide.

Duncan abandoned and then divorced her. She had no idea where her children were or if she would ever see the again. She had gradually come to accept the fact she had problems, but never admitted that to others and organized her life so she could cope with her illness. When she learns her eldest daughter is to be married in Halifax, she plans to try and connect with her, worried Bonnie will neither recognize or want to see her.

Clark creates an unforgettable and sympathetic character in Moranna, taking readers into that space in her head with its desperate quirky thoughts and in doing so, helps readers place themselves in the shoes of those who struggle with mental illness. We experience how Moranna becomes disoriented by her illness, experiences hallucinations and becomes so dragged down by her depression she cannot get out of bed. But it is not all gloom and doom, as there are some very funny moments which will bring a smile to everyone’s face.

The narrative flows back and forward in Moranna’s life but at times one must stop to consider exactly where something fits in the timeline of her life. As readers begin to understand Moranna’s thinking, even though they do not agree with her actions, it helps them understand this eccentric woman and others like her who are at odds with their place in the world.

I found the conclusion somewhat overly romantic and implausible. What might have given the narrative more depth, would be knowing how the children viewed their life growing up with a mother they clearly loved but who could never fully accept the responsibility of raising them. Still, this is a very good novel, with strong writing and a well-defined central character.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was completely absorbing. It was a very interesting take on mental illness. I liked the authors writing style and thoughts he did a great job of character development. I found myself so personally invested in Moranna's mental stability and her desire and longing to see her daughters that I literally had knots in my stomach for her when she went to her daughters wedding uninvited. I think that is the mark of a great author when you physically feel the emotions she is trying to convey.

[Madelyn Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unsentimental portrayal of a woman (and her family and friends) dealing with mental illness. Although never specified, Moranna probably is bipolar. She is supported unconditionally by her father and step-mother, boyfriend, Bun, and unevenly by her brother, and some members of her Cape Breton community. Compassion fatigue is evident, especially with her brother, Murdoch. Central to the story is the end of her marriage to Duncan, and loss of her two young daughters when their father takes them away. Moranna’s mercurial personality is equally fascinating and frustrating to read. Yet, I trusted author Joan Clark to shepard me, the reader, through all the turmoil and quiet events of Moranna’s years. The book has a very satisfying conclusion, and I recommend it.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for the second time as it was the book my Book Club had chosen. I read it for the first time in 2011. Moranna is an interesting, eccentric character. This book explores her journey with mental illness but also her strength and resilience. I have worked in mental health for 33 years and the descriptions of her psychosis and mania are amazing and profound even though it is a work of fiction. It was sad to see how ill she was and also that those around her did not realize it. I enjoyed also seeing the references to familiar landmarks in Cape Breton and Nova Scotia. I do wish the ending could have been explored more. Thank you Joan for sharing Moranna’s story. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Dina McPhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story, in a Canadian setting, written by a Canadian author. This book delves into the life of a woman/mother struggling with bi-polar. It shares her beautiful personality, her struggles, her losses, her ability to love deeply, and the people (characters)who support her. Highly recommend!!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very engaging read. I found myself thinking about this book in between reading times. Moran’s is a fascinating protagonist.

[Orla Hegarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heart wrenching and powerful story about patriarchy and how it deals with women. The story is not new but this rendering is gripping.

[Andrea Linthorne Mugford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, from start to finish!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely sympathized for the main character (and her family/friends) and could understand how emotionally difficult it must have been for everyone, as she learned about her normal and how different that was from other's. The author does a good job of incorporating different perspectives towards the main character and her actions. The main character definitely owned her mental illness and made her own decisions. There weren't many in-depth explanations of feelings or behaviours or medical terminology but there were lots of expressions of feelings. The main character was able to be reflective and it was a tad melancholy and a bit of a fun tale with spirit and redemption at the end.

[Cathy Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and thought the character of Moranna was so well depicted. Joan Clark did a good job showing her as a sympathetic character who struggled with her manic depression. She was very real to me with her artistic temperament and ups and downs.

I enjoyed the setting of Cape Breton as I was on vacation there at the time so was able to fully appreciate and relate to the descriptions of the land and the people.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The characters were very real, I came to really know them. The depiction of mental illness is very realistic - not sure where the author did her research. It portrayed the illness without making it something scary or to be pitied. A very strong female character. A very funny book, too.

[Heather(Gibby) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book, I am surprised there has not been a greater buzz surrounding it.
It shows the reader what living with bi-polar disease looks like to the person living with it. Of course not everyone's experience is the same, but the character of Moranna is developed with compassion and caring. I absolutely loved this book!

Understanding and not judgement can go a long way.

[Sarah Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing novel. Based on truth. I can relate very much because I live in the same area that Miranna lived. I have mental illness & can relate in this way too. I know the real people of this story as well. Again amazing read. Please read...

[Mady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Joan Clark's style! I could read anything written by her. She can make me feel so absorbed in a story that I can forget everything else!

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to realize that I’d read this book before. I do try to keep new reads apart from the ones I’ve read before, but it seems to be failing me. I think that sorting my books by colour on a whim last year has led to a bit of chaos. At any rate, this was my second reading of the book and a much more careful and thoughtful reading at that.

In this reading I paid a lot more attention to the inner thoughts of Moranna, the main character who rides the tides of mental illness - deep lows and manic highs. As my SIL has been struggling with mental illness, or might I say, a restless mind, I appreciated the challenges that Moranna copes with throughout the book. Her struggles to connect with family & friends, to fit in, to keep her house “as it should be” all lead me to reflect on how much society’s emphasis on being “normal” can unfairly punish those with mental illness.

Clark did such a fine job bringing fateful events of Moranna’s past into the present. I appreciated living on the East coast during this story, and riding the ferry from time to time. So well done!

[CarolynAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STAR
Although somewhat quirly and un-mistakenly Canadian, I quite enjoyed this book (not as much as 'Latitudes of Melt'); it certainly has an interesting plot and a very captivating character in Moranna. Essentially, it is about an older woman living in Cape Breton, mostly on her own, with mental health issues, including bipolar disease. The story in about her strategies for coping, the people who interact in her life, and tells the struggles of her younger life through flashbacks. She reflects upon her past years and her two daughters who were taken from her as children. Moranna's great wish is to reconnect with her daughters, one who is about to get married and it's the struggle for Moranna to see if she can go to the wedding.

[Sandra Hodgson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cover blurb "...when Moranna learns that one of her long-lost daughters is to be married in Halifax, she is determined to attend..."

The story of Moranna's mental illness and her struggle with medications and hospitalization along with the ostracizing in her small community is well written and realistic. BUT the publishers do disservice to the everyday life of a woman with mental illness by burying it behind the story of a mother seeking her lost children.

The novel is 349 pages long. We are only introduced to the long lost daughter on page 246. By that time I had zero interest in the daughters. I was focused on Moranna's current life. Her time with Bun, and the piano board, her relationship with Murdoch and Davinia, the outcome of her community interactions.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I cannot say enough good things about it. The story is charming, heart breaking, maddening and uplifting all at the same time. The author has a true knack for taking the reader inside the head of the main character Moranna, a middle aged lady who has suffered from bipolar disorder for all of her adult life. Yet while we are privy to Moranna's thoughts, the author never leaves the reader feeling pity for her. Instead, it creates a feeling of understanding and empathy for all she has dealt with. Thank you, Joan Clark, for this amazing tale. I highly recommend it to all!!

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Maranna, a woman who lives alone in a Cape Breton farmhouse fighting the ups and downs of a mental illness and still grieving the loss of her two daughters who were taken from her over 30 years previously. She arranges her life carefully to keep herself on an even keel. She plays complicated concerti on the piano board, bakes bread and carves wooden replicas of her Scottish ancestors to sell to summer tourists. When he's not working her lover Bun lives with her. These two aging misfits ask only to be left alone to live as they choose. When she learns that one of her long-lost daughters is to be married in Halifax, she is determined to attend.

[Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult read..with all the amazing truths!!
Any new Mom that has even a wee bit of post partum depression..or as I like to say..in such immense awe of this new presence of wonder..we all experience the feeling of 'limbo'.
"Am I 'fine'..am I 'crazy'..am I ready for this?..etc.
I see myself and oh so many of the people in my life in Moranna. Some so painfully close.
If you have ever known (or are) a Mom that has 'lost' a child..to others..to illness..to death..you know..you know!!
Thank YOU Joan Clark for this wonderful and scarey story.

[Evelyn Horsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Of all the novels I have read in 2019 this was my favourite. Moranna fascinated me and while I found her totally outrageous, eccentric she was able to insinuate herself into my heart. Totally irresponsible, impetuous she became a force to be reckon with. She fought hard to regain her sanity and sense of self and she won and at the same time won my heart and admiration. What spunk, what a read! Don't miss getting to know Moranna...am so glad I didn't.

[Dubhease · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous book by Joan Clark.

"Picture a woman". Moranna is a fascinating character study of a flawed protagonist. Her struggles with mental illness felt real.

The lack of agency woman had in the sixties and seventies rang true. That she could be committed by her father, her husband could move her children away from her, and that he could refuse her contact - these felt sadly real. Moranna for all her flaws was a puppet to many male characters.