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The Observer
A spare and powerful new novel from the award-winning author of Good to a Fault and The Little Shadows .
When Julia arrives in Medway, accompanying her beloved Hardy on his first posting as an RCMP constable, she tries to explain her new life to old friends from the city, but can find no shared vocabulary to convey this rural reality, let alone police life. As Hardy disappears into long days at work, Julia takes a job as editor of the local newspaper, the Observer . Interviewing people to compose a view of the town each week, she gathers knowledge of the community’s surface joys and sorrows; meanwhile, Hardy is immersed in violence and loss, and Julia can only witness his increasing exhaustion. At first this new life together is an adventure, but as in all the best stories, time darkens and deepens it.
Grounded in Marina Endicott’s own experience in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, The Observer is an essential story from one of our most beloved storytellers. Endicott writes with the sure pacing and insight of a master novelist, piecing haunting details into a quietly devastating revelation of the fragility of life and law in a tightknit community.
When Julia arrives in Medway, accompanying her beloved Hardy on his first posting as an RCMP constable, she tries to explain her new life to old friends from the city, but can find no shared vocabulary to convey this rural reality, let alone police life. As Hardy disappears into long days at work, Julia takes a job as editor of the local newspaper, the Observer . Interviewing people to compose a view of the town each week, she gathers knowledge of the community’s surface joys and sorrows; meanwhile, Hardy is immersed in violence and loss, and Julia can only witness his increasing exhaustion. At first this new life together is an adventure, but as in all the best stories, time darkens and deepens it.
Grounded in Marina Endicott’s own experience in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, The Observer is an essential story from one of our most beloved storytellers. Endicott writes with the sure pacing and insight of a master novelist, piecing haunting details into a quietly devastating revelation of the fragility of life and law in a tightknit community.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2023
13 people are currently reading
809 people want to read
About the author
Marina Endicott
14 books140 followersMarina Endicott was born in Golden, BC, and grew up with three sisters and a brother, mostly in Nova Scotia and Toronto. She worked as an actor and director before going to England, where she began to write fiction. After London she went west to Saskatoon, where she was dramaturge at the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre for many years before going farther west to Mayerthorpe, Alberta; she now lives in Edmonton. Her first novel, Open Arms, was short-listed for the Amazon/Books In Canada First Novel award in 2002. Her second, Good to a Fault, was a finalist for the 2008 Giller Prize and won the 2009 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, Canada/Caribbean region. The Little Shadows, her latest book, longlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize, was a finalist for this year’s Governor General’s Award and will be published in the UK and Australia in spring 2012. She is at work on a new novel, Hughtopia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 21, 2024
3.5 Stars.
A day to day accounting of the life of a RCMP officer through the eyes of his spouse. The fear you live with, the changing moods that are frequent- and the love required so you both can stay sane.
This book is loosely based on the author’s own experiences. It read like a memoir to me- an accounting of her thoughts and feelings as she watches her partner face dangers quietly but taking an obvious toll. The setting is a small town in Alberta, the province in which I live. The town is called Medway in the book, but is a stand in for Mayerthorpe, where a real life tragedy involving RCMP officers occurred in 2005.
What I liked about the book was learning how being an RCMP officer affected both the officer and his spouse. Living with daily fears and anxieties takes a toll on the individuals.
This is a book I read for a monthly lecture series I attend. I would recommend it only to those who are interested in being on the outside looking in, as we only see the spouse’s viewpoint.
Published: 2023
A day to day accounting of the life of a RCMP officer through the eyes of his spouse. The fear you live with, the changing moods that are frequent- and the love required so you both can stay sane.
This book is loosely based on the author’s own experiences. It read like a memoir to me- an accounting of her thoughts and feelings as she watches her partner face dangers quietly but taking an obvious toll. The setting is a small town in Alberta, the province in which I live. The town is called Medway in the book, but is a stand in for Mayerthorpe, where a real life tragedy involving RCMP officers occurred in 2005.
What I liked about the book was learning how being an RCMP officer affected both the officer and his spouse. Living with daily fears and anxieties takes a toll on the individuals.
This is a book I read for a monthly lecture series I attend. I would recommend it only to those who are interested in being on the outside looking in, as we only see the spouse’s viewpoint.
Published: 2023
June 19, 2023
I loved being an observer, not a participant. I got a nice shot of two old guys who reminded me of Hardy’s grandfather and mine, both named Horace. Heads close together as they talked, probably because they were deaf, their intent communion looked like a Fellini movie. I wrote down their names and hoped/prayed the photo would turn out.
The Observer reads as chatty and candid — as though the main character, Julia, is conversationally recalling the highlights of a past experience — and that is fitting as this is a novel based on Marina Endicott’s own early years as the spouse of an RCMP member in 1990s rural Alberta. As Julia puts her career as a playwright on hold in order to join her partner, Hardy, on his first posting, she’ll find herself not only distanced from the long-term residents of this tight-knit community but also increasingly distanced from Hardy as he struggles to deal with his policing duties (from domestic disputes to countless fatal car accidents) on the understaffed force. Salvation comes for Julia in the form of an intermittent job with the local newspaper, The Observer, and as she gets out into the community, she makes friends with both locals and other RCMP spouses, growing to understand what pressures the stoic Hardy is truly suffering with. Set in a time before a Mountie would have felt comfortable asking for mental health supports, this novel admirably exposes the stress and sacrifices historically expected of RCMP members, and their families. The chatty style makes this seem like a breezy read but Endicott uses it to creeping and devastating effect; this is true and tragic life exposed and I loved the whole thing. (Note: I read an ARC through NetGalley and passages quoted may not be in their final forms.)
Whatever a life ever means, in the end it’s a set of stories you tell yourself, or whoever will listen. Old Mabel, wanting to be left alone out there in the woods — I had always imagined that it was better to have company, better for people to be together than alone. But then I thought of Mrs. Benson, with her broken arm. And Jim Miller, finding that difficult old maid stiff and strange in the bed, and that became his life from then on. With her. I thought about my own parents, and Hardy’s. We live, as we dream — alone together.
Overworked and underpaid, forbidden from discussing the details of his duties with anyone outside the force, as a new recruit, Hardy was rarely home — and when he was home, he was increasingly exhausted, shaky, and bottled up. Lonely, worried about the bills, and unable to get any work done on a new play she was supposed to be writing, Julia jumped at the chance to become an interim editor at The Observer. As she interviewed locals and chased down stories, Julia began to realise the trouble stewing beneath the surface of their sleepy town; trouble that Hardy needed to deal with every day, and then keep to himself. The pair stays at the posting for four years — their arrival and departure marked by passing comets — and along with exposing the pressures Hardy’s job imposed upon their lives, this is a lovely story of a relationship made stronger by those pressures.
People in Medway helped me, were kind even when I was blanked out with fear and grief. I made a few good friends. But I was always standing to one side looking on, seeing what was none of my business. The things that were my business stand out in strong relief: Hardy and the state of his mind and body and soul; my child, who needed my good attention; and in a sideways sense my self, standing and observing me, just as I did the world.
Without giving away any more of the plot, I’ll just stress that this story is relatable and engaging and feels like a slice of true life; for, after all, it is based on the author’s own experiences. All good stuff.
November 16, 2023
Apparently set in the 1990s, this novel offers a glimpse into the life of the partner of an RCMP constable. It focuses on Julia Carey, a former dramaturge who moves from Saskatchewan with her significant—taciturn—other, Hardy, to Medway, a town north of Edmonton in rural Alberta. Previously a sports journalist, Hardy has recently undergone training with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We’re told his father had been a member of the force, but it’s not at all clear why Hardy, an older recruit, decided to make such a drastic career change.
When the couple first move to Medway, they quickly learn of a young constable’s suicide a few years before. Then, not too far into Hardy’s posting, a fellow he trained with at the Academy in Regina comes to stay with him and Julia for a two-week stress leave. Soon enough it becomes evident that police work is taking a toll on Hardy as well. He becomes, “opaque, exhausted, often impatient, or just bleak in mind,” increasingly visited by “dark moods and irritability,” and eventually incapacitated by PTSD. The novel is a first-person account of Julia’s perceptions and experiences.
During her early days in Medway, Julia fills in for a month at The Observer, the town’s local paper, when Catherine, its editor, takes her annual summer holiday. Julia herself will end up becoming the paper’s editor after Catherine has moved on. However, the initial connection with the editor is a valuable one. Having lived in Medway her whole life, this woman has her finger on the pulse of the town and can fill the newcomer in on local happenings, criminal and otherwise. It’s the only way Julia is able to learn about the difficult cases tight-lipped Hardy has been working on—cases that are obviously causing him significant distress and marked changes in behaviour. When her stint at the paper is up, Julia is briefly employed as a substitute teacher at the local high school. Lacking certification, she’s paid a pittance for emotionally draining work. Nevertheless, it offers her further insight into the community. Not long after that, having reconciled herself to infertility, she’s surprised to learn she’s pregnant. Hardy’s response to the news is not the anticipated joyous one. His only remark: He won’t be able to quit his job. No, he won’t, and it costs all of them, as the novel will show.
Overall, THE OBSERVER is a meandering and modest book. Yes, there is information about the lives of first responders; however, the novel is also replete with mundane details of rural and domestic life (barbecues and get-togethers and the names of everyone in attendance) as well as plentiful gossipy information about the lives of locals (including the young widow of the constable who committed suicide, a beekeeper, and Johnny Mair, a volatile and often violent drunk, who is perpetually in trouble with the law). The novel has a very large cast of characters, most only superficially sketched. It’s hard to keep their identities straight. There’s also an overabundance of insignificant events reported on in consistently pedestrian prose. Rather than be given carte blanche to itemize seemingly every single happening, the author should have been taken in hand by her editor and advised to describe only the few most telling incidents.
In the end, I can’t recommend this novel. To me it read like an uninspired memoir or a tidied-up, emotionally flat personal journal—significant for the writer, maybe, but much less so for the reader. I was mostly very, very bored. I made it to the end, but just barely. To be clear: the book isn’t terrible. It’s accessible, and it does offer insight into what life is like for the wives and partners of first responders. The problem is that the whole thing just goes on far too long. Less would really have been so much more.
When the couple first move to Medway, they quickly learn of a young constable’s suicide a few years before. Then, not too far into Hardy’s posting, a fellow he trained with at the Academy in Regina comes to stay with him and Julia for a two-week stress leave. Soon enough it becomes evident that police work is taking a toll on Hardy as well. He becomes, “opaque, exhausted, often impatient, or just bleak in mind,” increasingly visited by “dark moods and irritability,” and eventually incapacitated by PTSD. The novel is a first-person account of Julia’s perceptions and experiences.
During her early days in Medway, Julia fills in for a month at The Observer, the town’s local paper, when Catherine, its editor, takes her annual summer holiday. Julia herself will end up becoming the paper’s editor after Catherine has moved on. However, the initial connection with the editor is a valuable one. Having lived in Medway her whole life, this woman has her finger on the pulse of the town and can fill the newcomer in on local happenings, criminal and otherwise. It’s the only way Julia is able to learn about the difficult cases tight-lipped Hardy has been working on—cases that are obviously causing him significant distress and marked changes in behaviour. When her stint at the paper is up, Julia is briefly employed as a substitute teacher at the local high school. Lacking certification, she’s paid a pittance for emotionally draining work. Nevertheless, it offers her further insight into the community. Not long after that, having reconciled herself to infertility, she’s surprised to learn she’s pregnant. Hardy’s response to the news is not the anticipated joyous one. His only remark: He won’t be able to quit his job. No, he won’t, and it costs all of them, as the novel will show.
Overall, THE OBSERVER is a meandering and modest book. Yes, there is information about the lives of first responders; however, the novel is also replete with mundane details of rural and domestic life (barbecues and get-togethers and the names of everyone in attendance) as well as plentiful gossipy information about the lives of locals (including the young widow of the constable who committed suicide, a beekeeper, and Johnny Mair, a volatile and often violent drunk, who is perpetually in trouble with the law). The novel has a very large cast of characters, most only superficially sketched. It’s hard to keep their identities straight. There’s also an overabundance of insignificant events reported on in consistently pedestrian prose. Rather than be given carte blanche to itemize seemingly every single happening, the author should have been taken in hand by her editor and advised to describe only the few most telling incidents.
In the end, I can’t recommend this novel. To me it read like an uninspired memoir or a tidied-up, emotionally flat personal journal—significant for the writer, maybe, but much less so for the reader. I was mostly very, very bored. I made it to the end, but just barely. To be clear: the book isn’t terrible. It’s accessible, and it does offer insight into what life is like for the wives and partners of first responders. The problem is that the whole thing just goes on far too long. Less would really have been so much more.
July 28, 2024
3.5 stars. One of my favorite authors, Marina Endicott, taps into earlier personal experiences to chronicle the day-to-day life of Julia, common-law spouse of a new recruit RCMP officer assigned his first post in rural Alberta in fictional Medway. In spare and somewhat detached prose, the author presents an emotional, gut-wrenching at times, story of rural policing from a wife’s (the observer’s) perspective. Through Julia, we witness the closeness of these officers and their families in these small communities but their isolation also, as interlopers, sometimes poorly treated, by the inhabitants. We see her beloved partner Hardy’s spiral into a mental breakdown from the pressures and horrors of the job that he experiences daily. Unconditional love and community figure prominently in this tale and the matter-of-fact telling of the ups and downs, the joy and despair, of this isolating life is effective and powerful.
January 8, 2024
A thinly veiled fictionalized account of the 2005 Mayerthorpe tragedy, in which four RCMP officers were murdered while executing a warrant on a remote Alberta farm. This novel’s quiet power is surely at least partly drawn from its autobiographical elements: Endicott and her husband were sent to Mayerthorpe for his first posting as an RCMP officer, where he was serving at the time of the tragedy.
Julia and Hardy are sent to the small rural Alberta town of Medway for his first RCMP posting, a big shock to the young couple used to city life. Julia’s looking forward to the chance it will give her to work on her writing, but it turns out that Hardy’s salary alone won’t keep them afloat, so she takes a job as the editor of the local paper, The Observer, in which she gains a close knowledge of the community, with all its dark secrets of domestic abuse and other violence, actual and threatened. The years tick by, and the things Hardy has to deal with on the job lead to depression and PTSD. And all the time the foreshadowing of something huge and dark coming….
Julia and Hardy are sent to the small rural Alberta town of Medway for his first RCMP posting, a big shock to the young couple used to city life. Julia’s looking forward to the chance it will give her to work on her writing, but it turns out that Hardy’s salary alone won’t keep them afloat, so she takes a job as the editor of the local paper, The Observer, in which she gains a close knowledge of the community, with all its dark secrets of domestic abuse and other violence, actual and threatened. The years tick by, and the things Hardy has to deal with on the job lead to depression and PTSD. And all the time the foreshadowing of something huge and dark coming….
January 12, 2024
I really loved this book, although some might think it's slow. The novel is about Julia and her partner, Hardy. They move to small town Alberta so Hardy can work at the RCMP depot. Julia is a fish out of water. She has a hard time adjusting to the "depot wife" life and living in the small town. Hardy and some of the other men in the depot see events that give them PTSD.
I love how Endicott depicted rural Alberta. When I was 25, I worked at a small town weekly newspaper, and many of the sections where Julia works at "The Observer" reminded me of my experiences. I also felt like an outsider living in the small town, and when you're a reporter living in a place that small, you are known, but you are also removed from things.
There is such tenderness in the details of this book, and compassion for the men working in the force. I loved that the main character goes to Burger Baron three times, and that there is a Chinese restaurant in the fake small town where the action takes place. (I am the granddaughter of a Chinese restaurant owner).
I love how Endicott depicted rural Alberta. When I was 25, I worked at a small town weekly newspaper, and many of the sections where Julia works at "The Observer" reminded me of my experiences. I also felt like an outsider living in the small town, and when you're a reporter living in a place that small, you are known, but you are also removed from things.
There is such tenderness in the details of this book, and compassion for the men working in the force. I loved that the main character goes to Burger Baron three times, and that there is a Chinese restaurant in the fake small town where the action takes place. (I am the granddaughter of a Chinese restaurant owner).
September 18, 2023
Told with memoir-style writing, this book is fiction. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, if I’m being honest. It’s quite mundane, and almost too Canadian (if that makes sense). Even more than that, it’s specific to Alberta.
I ended up thoroughly enjoying it the further along I got. I loved the mundane things that happened, along with the more “action” side of things; with the MC and her common-law partner being a newspaper editor and RCMP officer respectively.
Told in the first person, it follows Julia and Hardy, a couple that moves to a small town where Hardy is a RCMP and Julia works for a newspaper, aptly called The Observer.
I fully remember the Mayerthorpe shooting in 2005 and there is a part of the book that was reminiscent of that, as she mentions.
“”Some people are not cut out for this line of work,” He said, “too sensitive.”” It’s interesting to see how professionals looked upon mental health and how it was treated, in the not so distant past.
“When Hardy and I first got together my dad had told me that the early days of love, that delight in each other, would be something to rest on later when times got hard.”
Thank you @netgalley for The Observer ARC and @penguinrandomca
I ended up thoroughly enjoying it the further along I got. I loved the mundane things that happened, along with the more “action” side of things; with the MC and her common-law partner being a newspaper editor and RCMP officer respectively.
Told in the first person, it follows Julia and Hardy, a couple that moves to a small town where Hardy is a RCMP and Julia works for a newspaper, aptly called The Observer.
I fully remember the Mayerthorpe shooting in 2005 and there is a part of the book that was reminiscent of that, as she mentions.
“”Some people are not cut out for this line of work,” He said, “too sensitive.”” It’s interesting to see how professionals looked upon mental health and how it was treated, in the not so distant past.
“When Hardy and I first got together my dad had told me that the early days of love, that delight in each other, would be something to rest on later when times got hard.”
Thank you @netgalley for The Observer ARC and @penguinrandomca
September 13, 2023
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Copy provided by Penguin Random House Canada.
When Julia arrives in Medway, accompanying her beloved Hardy on his first posting as an RCMP constable, she tries to explain her new life to old friends from the city, but can find no shared vocabulary to convey this rural reality, let alone police life. As Hardy disappears into long days at work, Julia takes a job as editor of the local newspaper, the Observer . Interviewing people to compose a view of the town each week, she gathers knowledge of the community’s surface joys and sorrows; meanwhile, Hardy is immersed in violence and loss, and Julia can only witness his increasing exhaustion. At first this new life together is an adventure, but as in all the best stories, time darkens and deepens it.
The Observer is an essential story from one of our most beloved storytellers. Endicott writes with the sure pacing and insight of a master novelist, piecing haunting details into a quietly devastating revelation of the fragility of life and law in a tightknit community. Endicott really captures the essence of small town life. I love a book based on personal experience and the author really delivered on explaining that. Living in a small town, and being a police wife. This is such a true and tragic life. Only thing for me it was a little bit slow at time, but I still definitely recommend reading this one.
Rating: 3.5/5
When Julia arrives in Medway, accompanying her beloved Hardy on his first posting as an RCMP constable, she tries to explain her new life to old friends from the city, but can find no shared vocabulary to convey this rural reality, let alone police life. As Hardy disappears into long days at work, Julia takes a job as editor of the local newspaper, the Observer . Interviewing people to compose a view of the town each week, she gathers knowledge of the community’s surface joys and sorrows; meanwhile, Hardy is immersed in violence and loss, and Julia can only witness his increasing exhaustion. At first this new life together is an adventure, but as in all the best stories, time darkens and deepens it.
The Observer is an essential story from one of our most beloved storytellers. Endicott writes with the sure pacing and insight of a master novelist, piecing haunting details into a quietly devastating revelation of the fragility of life and law in a tightknit community. Endicott really captures the essence of small town life. I love a book based on personal experience and the author really delivered on explaining that. Living in a small town, and being a police wife. This is such a true and tragic life. Only thing for me it was a little bit slow at time, but I still definitely recommend reading this one.
Rating: 3.5/5
November 1, 2023
A brilliantly conceived novel of life in a small Alberta town as viewed from its newest arrivals. This is hardly a companion piece to Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town; rather, it is a bold, episodic mood piece that captures the intricacies of both physical and emotional survival in an unexpected setting. Near its final third, Endicott devotes 20 pages to an episode of clinical depression that is as incisive and true as anything ever penned on the subject. Not to be missed.
September 9, 2023
I loved this book! It reads like a memoir but is not. It's fiction -- fiction that is rooted in the author's memory of her time as the partner of an RCMP member in Mayerthorpe, Alberta in the '90s. Any Canadian of a certain age can tell you what happened in Mayerthorpe in the mid-2000s. And that knowledge gives an edge to the book.
Our setting is fictitious Medway, Alberta in the 1990's. It's a story of the day-to-day life of our "observer" and her partner. It's a book where everything and nothing happen. It was impossible to put down.
*start rant* As an aside, I am very unhappy to see a 1 star rating and review that in part states the reader thought the book was going to be "a thriller about a cop and reporter husband wife team who solved a crime together" and was disappointed that it wasn't. In no way does the synopsis lead one to the conclusion that this would be what the book is about. To be fair, I frequently don't read the synopsis before diving into a book but I certainly wouldn't punish the book & author with a bad review b/c I was wrong about the content and ended up being disappointed. *end rant*
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada.
Our setting is fictitious Medway, Alberta in the 1990's. It's a story of the day-to-day life of our "observer" and her partner. It's a book where everything and nothing happen. It was impossible to put down.
*start rant* As an aside, I am very unhappy to see a 1 star rating and review that in part states the reader thought the book was going to be "a thriller about a cop and reporter husband wife team who solved a crime together" and was disappointed that it wasn't. In no way does the synopsis lead one to the conclusion that this would be what the book is about. To be fair, I frequently don't read the synopsis before diving into a book but I certainly wouldn't punish the book & author with a bad review b/c I was wrong about the content and ended up being disappointed. *end rant*
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada.
September 7, 2023
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
This is a novel, but it reads like a memoir - it is very much a case of 'this happened, then this happened, then it looked as if this would happen, but it didn't, then this person left and then this person joined' and so on and so on. It was I suppose an affectionate look at life in small town Alberta and especially being the partner of an RCMP officer there. However, as we learnt over and over again, the narrator's partner was really strict about not revealing things about his work to her, so it was a lot less interesting than it might have been.
I was slightly bored throughout.
This is a novel, but it reads like a memoir - it is very much a case of 'this happened, then this happened, then it looked as if this would happen, but it didn't, then this person left and then this person joined' and so on and so on. It was I suppose an affectionate look at life in small town Alberta and especially being the partner of an RCMP officer there. However, as we learnt over and over again, the narrator's partner was really strict about not revealing things about his work to her, so it was a lot less interesting than it might have been.
I was slightly bored throughout.
September 23, 2024
Prairecore. I didn't like it as much as Toews, not as humorous or as touching, but still was emotive and familiar. I think I came at it less openly as well, as we're asked to sympathize and relate to the narrator's and her new RCMP husband's life in that role. I sympathized with her more easily, and enjoyed her notes on acclimatizing to small town social politics and taking on the observer role for their new life. RCMP? Might be best to just abolish it.
July 25, 2024
This book was an excellent palate cleanser between more gripping stories. That said, it wasn’t at all boring proving it’s possible, with excellent writing to tell a simple story and have it be as compelling as the twistiest thriller. The book is aptly named and the story is a window into small town Canada and the cast of characters that populate them. If you know me, you know I am not a police apologist and have many questions about the future of policing and what role they should play in our communities and I was pleased that this book does not glorify the RCMP in any way. As a teacher who often suffers an emotional toll from that job I can understand the even greater emotional and mental toll that would be suffered by someone in work such as policing where they are forced to face incredibly terrible or otherwise sad and upsetting situations on a regular basis. This book does an excellent job of demonstrating this and the impact it has on those around them as well. However the book still manages to be uplifting and heartwarming and comforting. Endicott writes from her own experience and has done a masterful job of telling this story that is so uniquely Canadian in many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed it and encourage others to do the same. If it hasn’t already been, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up on lists for literary awards.
March 4, 2025
A very insightful story about rural life and policing in Canada, as it should be, since the author lived that life. I knew that the story was based on the town of Mayerthorpe, and sort of went in expecting the RCMP tragedy that occurred there to be central to the story. It’s not, rather just a story of ordinary men and women doing their jobs and making their way through life. It’s the kind of quiet book I enjoy. Her writing reminds me of Kent Haruf’s, a favourite writer of mine.
September 24, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Canada for this ARC. The Observer is an everyday account of life in a rural town in Alberta Canada delivered in such a way that it captivates the reader. A young woman’s view of life with an RCMP officer, in a small town with so many different characters with so many issues. A great read!
August 31, 2025
Powerful use of setting. An excellent read.
September 26, 2023
The Observer, quasi-fictional recounting of a small rural town's seasonal doings through the eyes of a Mountie's young wife, proceeds toward tragedy with all the inexorable fatality of a comet as seen by those innocent of the scientific explanations.
In this pre-cellphone, pre-internet proto-memoir our narrator is, by her own admission, a out-of-her-depth outsider in Medway (a fictional standin for Mayerthorpe, Alberta). She struggles to grasp the local rhythms of life, the inexplicable codes governing what dish to bring to which potluck. A recurring temporary job at the local paper, The Observer, gives her more insight into the denizens of town and surrounding farms, and hands her secret after secret that can't be spoken of directly, let alone printed in the paper. Mysteries come and go, adding menace but rarely resolved.
The characters are mostly sympathetic, the prose often beautiful, the moments of joy in nature sublime... and yet the darker undercurrents multiply, expanding like the comet's tail in the night sky. The sense of impending doom thickens page by page, chapter by chapter, recreating the nigh-breathless tension of life in an RCMP household, of an RCMP career, and in a town where too many assholes have been tolerated, too many secrets swept under for far too long.
Something has to snap. You're just not sure what, or who, or how bad it's going to go.
There's no emotional catharsis here for the reader, just as there was not for the very real townspeople who lived through, and still live with, not only the Mayerthorpe tragedy but the myriad dark currents that swirl beneath the idyllic surface of small rural towns.
In this pre-cellphone, pre-internet proto-memoir our narrator is, by her own admission, a out-of-her-depth outsider in Medway (a fictional standin for Mayerthorpe, Alberta). She struggles to grasp the local rhythms of life, the inexplicable codes governing what dish to bring to which potluck. A recurring temporary job at the local paper, The Observer, gives her more insight into the denizens of town and surrounding farms, and hands her secret after secret that can't be spoken of directly, let alone printed in the paper. Mysteries come and go, adding menace but rarely resolved.
The characters are mostly sympathetic, the prose often beautiful, the moments of joy in nature sublime... and yet the darker undercurrents multiply, expanding like the comet's tail in the night sky. The sense of impending doom thickens page by page, chapter by chapter, recreating the nigh-breathless tension of life in an RCMP household, of an RCMP career, and in a town where too many assholes have been tolerated, too many secrets swept under for far too long.
Something has to snap. You're just not sure what, or who, or how bad it's going to go.
There's no emotional catharsis here for the reader, just as there was not for the very real townspeople who lived through, and still live with, not only the Mayerthorpe tragedy but the myriad dark currents that swirl beneath the idyllic surface of small rural towns.
October 3, 2023
The Observer: A Novel by Marina Endicott was a new to me author. I am forever trying to read more Canadian content in my yearly reading challenges. Unfortunately, this novel was a bit of a slow burn and fell flat for me. It could be that I needed a faster paced read at this time. However, the novel seemed to pick up at the 85% finished mark and ended abruptly. The novel itself felt memoir-ish/conversational and I have not ever read this type of style in a non-memoir, and without the chapters breaking it up, it felt to go on and on with whatever the people were doing or going through.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me an advanced reader’s copy with exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me an advanced reader’s copy with exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2023
This novel is written in the style of a memoir, which for some may be enjoyable but for me made it extremely difficult to read. While I do enjoy a nice memoir now and then, this book to me mainly feels like one in the way the book's events are told. It feels like someone just filling you in on things that happened to them in chronological order, rather than a story with a purpose. I found the writing extremely dull and I couldn't bring myself to care about a single character (and there were so many introduced in such quick succession that I couldn't keep track of who's who). I DNFd at 49%, as this book felt entirely like a chore to read.
November 13, 2023
This novel depicts the struggles of RCMP officers and their partners in small rural communities.
The setting is the 1990s in a fictional small town in northern Alberta. Julia, the narrator, is a playwright and dramaturge who pauses her career to move with her partner Hardy to Medway where he has his first posting. She takes a part-time position as editor of the local weekly newspaper, a job which helps her to learn about the community.
Life is not easy for either Hardy or Julia. Hardy works long hours and is often exhausted physically and emotionally by what he witnesses on a regular basis: “He was having a hard time in the mill of stress and exhaustion and heartsickness that overtakes any thoughtful person who does police work.” Unwilling and unable to talk with Julia, Hardy suffers in silence: “talking was a double problem for Hardy: a problem of security and of privacy, a problem both legal and spiritual. Nothing he did at work could ever be told, for security reasons but also out of decency.” The stress and daily exposure to “venal, pointless crime, the waste of intelligence and youth and substance,” and violence and death take a mental toll, resulting in a “weariness of mind and soul.”
Julia struggles as well. Initially she has no job so feels adrift. As an outsider, she has difficulty learning about the customs of a rural community: “There were a lot of rules that I did not yet know or understand. In the two months we’d been here, over and over I had leaped to a conclusion only to discover that I’d been wrong or misinformed, or prejudiced by my earlier urban life.” She does meet other RCMP wives but “all the other wives seemed to accept and naturally understand the natural flow of this life that was so foreign to me.” At RCMP social gatherings, she finds “So many people to catalogue and remember, so much hierarchy to understand.” Though some women do step forward to help her, Julia finds that she “had to pick things up by osmosis, or by stealth.” The newspaper job helps her to meet people and make connections within the community.
Besides feeling lonely because she is an outsider, she also feels lonely because she is virtually abandoned by Hardy who is often not home because of work. Hardy’s silence about work when he is home only adds to Julia’s worry because her imagination goes wild as she thinks of all the terrible things that could happen to him. Then there’s the almost constant fearful waiting for Hardy to come home unharmed. Hardy’s description of their “’living in one long emergency’” is so apt. And then there’s Julia’s sense of powerlessness; she sees her husband struggling with the stresses of his job, but doesn’t know what she can do to help him; she is only aware of her “inability to affect anything or be of help, no matter what got thrown. I prayed all the time, insufficiently, for Hardy.” She fears that, like a former officer in the town, Hardy might commit suicide.
The novel is slow paced, but there is a lot of tension. Readers who remember the Mayerthorpe incident will be aware of the dangers of life for people in law enforcement. I was always wondering what was going to happen to Hardy. Would he be harmed or killed at work? Would he get the help he needs for his PTSD? Would Julia and Hardy’s relationship survive?
Though the book is generally serious, there are touches of humour. Having grown up in a small town, I smiled at Julia’s learning that being told not to bring anything to a social gathering meant “a square might be nice.” And I loved Jerome, an enormous bison named “’after that giraffe puppet who sticks his head into the house on TV.’”
Julia comments, “I kept seeing things that made me revise my former opinions about police, opinions formed by my repugnance for the idea of police authority in general, and by my fear and ignorance.” This novel, based on the experiences of the author and her RCMP husband, may revise some people’s opinions about police, especially when there are calls to defund the police. Julia tries being a substitute teacher and concludes, “Teaching high school is the worst job in the world, and those who do it are not paid nearly enough.” As a former high school teacher, I appreciate that sentiment, but the book shows that policing may be the worst job in the world.
Because of its honest depiction of the realities of life for rural police and their partners, this book is a necessary read.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
The setting is the 1990s in a fictional small town in northern Alberta. Julia, the narrator, is a playwright and dramaturge who pauses her career to move with her partner Hardy to Medway where he has his first posting. She takes a part-time position as editor of the local weekly newspaper, a job which helps her to learn about the community.
Life is not easy for either Hardy or Julia. Hardy works long hours and is often exhausted physically and emotionally by what he witnesses on a regular basis: “He was having a hard time in the mill of stress and exhaustion and heartsickness that overtakes any thoughtful person who does police work.” Unwilling and unable to talk with Julia, Hardy suffers in silence: “talking was a double problem for Hardy: a problem of security and of privacy, a problem both legal and spiritual. Nothing he did at work could ever be told, for security reasons but also out of decency.” The stress and daily exposure to “venal, pointless crime, the waste of intelligence and youth and substance,” and violence and death take a mental toll, resulting in a “weariness of mind and soul.”
Julia struggles as well. Initially she has no job so feels adrift. As an outsider, she has difficulty learning about the customs of a rural community: “There were a lot of rules that I did not yet know or understand. In the two months we’d been here, over and over I had leaped to a conclusion only to discover that I’d been wrong or misinformed, or prejudiced by my earlier urban life.” She does meet other RCMP wives but “all the other wives seemed to accept and naturally understand the natural flow of this life that was so foreign to me.” At RCMP social gatherings, she finds “So many people to catalogue and remember, so much hierarchy to understand.” Though some women do step forward to help her, Julia finds that she “had to pick things up by osmosis, or by stealth.” The newspaper job helps her to meet people and make connections within the community.
Besides feeling lonely because she is an outsider, she also feels lonely because she is virtually abandoned by Hardy who is often not home because of work. Hardy’s silence about work when he is home only adds to Julia’s worry because her imagination goes wild as she thinks of all the terrible things that could happen to him. Then there’s the almost constant fearful waiting for Hardy to come home unharmed. Hardy’s description of their “’living in one long emergency’” is so apt. And then there’s Julia’s sense of powerlessness; she sees her husband struggling with the stresses of his job, but doesn’t know what she can do to help him; she is only aware of her “inability to affect anything or be of help, no matter what got thrown. I prayed all the time, insufficiently, for Hardy.” She fears that, like a former officer in the town, Hardy might commit suicide.
The novel is slow paced, but there is a lot of tension. Readers who remember the Mayerthorpe incident will be aware of the dangers of life for people in law enforcement. I was always wondering what was going to happen to Hardy. Would he be harmed or killed at work? Would he get the help he needs for his PTSD? Would Julia and Hardy’s relationship survive?
Though the book is generally serious, there are touches of humour. Having grown up in a small town, I smiled at Julia’s learning that being told not to bring anything to a social gathering meant “a square might be nice.” And I loved Jerome, an enormous bison named “’after that giraffe puppet who sticks his head into the house on TV.’”
Julia comments, “I kept seeing things that made me revise my former opinions about police, opinions formed by my repugnance for the idea of police authority in general, and by my fear and ignorance.” This novel, based on the experiences of the author and her RCMP husband, may revise some people’s opinions about police, especially when there are calls to defund the police. Julia tries being a substitute teacher and concludes, “Teaching high school is the worst job in the world, and those who do it are not paid nearly enough.” As a former high school teacher, I appreciate that sentiment, but the book shows that policing may be the worst job in the world.
Because of its honest depiction of the realities of life for rural police and their partners, this book is a necessary read.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
October 5, 2025
One star seems a little harsh, but I go by what the stars are supposed to represent, and one star is "I did not like it." This is a dull, dreary book. It's semi-autobiographical, so I feel bad about rating it so low, but honestly, Endicott manages to deliver the story in such a flat, emotionless tone that it was hard to care about any of it. There's a scene where a trailer is set on fire - the trailer where she had until recently been leaving her child to be babysat. I didn't realize that she was upset by this until she talked about driving somewhere and letting her kid play until she stopped shaking. The whole thing was recorded in just a flat, "just-the-facts, ma'am," kind of way, it was impossible to know the effect one her without being told.
We are introduced to a number of characters, who don't really have any distinguishing features. He's a cop, he's a cop, she's a cop, she's a cop's widow, etc. I couldn't keep most of them straight, and none of them seemed to have any personality. One of them was funny, apparently. Even her partner is kind of a cipher. He was a reporter, became a cop; she gave up a dream opportunity so they could move to the small town where he was posted. She's a trailing spouse, not used to rural living so spends a lot of time alone and depressed. She picks up work here and there, has a kid. Lots of talk about her and her kid. It's really kind of a moment by moment thing, as if you're reading a diary that recounts what happened that day rather than reading a story that you're supposed to be engaged in.
A lot of the positive reviews talk about this is what it's like to be the wife of a cop - never knowing if they're going to come home safely, not being able to understand what they have to go through on the job every day. I get that, but I don't find that topic can hold my interest for a novel - that sentence I just wrote describing it is deep enough for me. Also, since the protagonist never seems to show any emotion, it's hard to really emphasize. And I also realize that my boredom with her topic about her moments with her child wouldn't be boring for everyone - some people love to relive those times. I've had two children of my own, I stayed home with them so I was very involved, I loved doing it, but I have no interest in reading about someone else's experiences.
And then the book ends on a very dramatic, jarring note, when she recounts the story of four mounties being dramatically shot dead during an incident in the town where her husband was stationed. This is years after they've moved away, so it's not policemen they know personally, but still very upsetting. I know this is based on a real incident - I remember when it happened. It was national news while it was still happening -a standoff with four dead and a possible live shooter still holed up in the barn. There is a lot of real emotion and anguish when she tells the story - she talks about finding herself screaming when she is told that RCMP spouses can't attend the funeral, not realizing how much from those years she was still holding onto. It's the first real emotion in the book, and a shock in light of the 200+ pages of dull prose that preceded it.
I've never read a book by Marina Endicott before. She's been nominated and won all kinds of literary awards, including ones for this book. I don't know if the flat way she's written this is the result of her recounting a very emotional time in her life, or if this is just the way she writes. But I was barely able to get through this book, so I'm not going to take the chance and try to read anything else by her. I won't say don't read it, because there are obviously a lot of people who think it's a great book, but I personally regret spending my time on it.
We are introduced to a number of characters, who don't really have any distinguishing features. He's a cop, he's a cop, she's a cop, she's a cop's widow, etc. I couldn't keep most of them straight, and none of them seemed to have any personality. One of them was funny, apparently. Even her partner is kind of a cipher. He was a reporter, became a cop; she gave up a dream opportunity so they could move to the small town where he was posted. She's a trailing spouse, not used to rural living so spends a lot of time alone and depressed. She picks up work here and there, has a kid. Lots of talk about her and her kid. It's really kind of a moment by moment thing, as if you're reading a diary that recounts what happened that day rather than reading a story that you're supposed to be engaged in.
A lot of the positive reviews talk about this is what it's like to be the wife of a cop - never knowing if they're going to come home safely, not being able to understand what they have to go through on the job every day. I get that, but I don't find that topic can hold my interest for a novel - that sentence I just wrote describing it is deep enough for me. Also, since the protagonist never seems to show any emotion, it's hard to really emphasize. And I also realize that my boredom with her topic about her moments with her child wouldn't be boring for everyone - some people love to relive those times. I've had two children of my own, I stayed home with them so I was very involved, I loved doing it, but I have no interest in reading about someone else's experiences.
And then the book ends on a very dramatic, jarring note, when she recounts the story of four mounties being dramatically shot dead during an incident in the town where her husband was stationed. This is years after they've moved away, so it's not policemen they know personally, but still very upsetting. I know this is based on a real incident - I remember when it happened. It was national news while it was still happening -a standoff with four dead and a possible live shooter still holed up in the barn. There is a lot of real emotion and anguish when she tells the story - she talks about finding herself screaming when she is told that RCMP spouses can't attend the funeral, not realizing how much from those years she was still holding onto. It's the first real emotion in the book, and a shock in light of the 200+ pages of dull prose that preceded it.
I've never read a book by Marina Endicott before. She's been nominated and won all kinds of literary awards, including ones for this book. I don't know if the flat way she's written this is the result of her recounting a very emotional time in her life, or if this is just the way she writes. But I was barely able to get through this book, so I'm not going to take the chance and try to read anything else by her. I won't say don't read it, because there are obviously a lot of people who think it's a great book, but I personally regret spending my time on it.
December 27, 2024
This is a quiet, meandering book about life in small town Alberta, told from the narrator Julia's perspective. Julia moves to fictional small town Medway with her partner Hardy who has just joined the RCMP. They made a deal that Hardy would work for 5 years, while Julia would write, and then they would swap. Julia through the majority of the book is miserable, and I don't even know if she and Hardy truly like each other. Hardy's working hours means they hardly interact, and when they do he isn't allowed to tell her anything about his job. She's out of place, and forced to take various part time jobs to help pay the bills, deviating from their agreement that she would be here just to write.
I finished this book because it was for a book club, otherwise I think I would have DNF'd it. The prose is just slightly off, the cadence and grammar of sentences just slightly wrong, forcing me to re-read in a new tone to understand it. I think (hope?) it's done on purpose (?) to throw us readers off edge, the same way Julia feels a stranger in this small town. An example: "Sometimes when drunk Hardy hears extra well, some preternatural awareness." vs what would make it easier to read: "Sometimes when drunk, Hardy hears extra well, some preternatural awareness."
Towards the end of the book, Julia remarks to herself: "Journalism is not the job of the editor of a rural newspaper, I decided. [...] My real job was to chronicle that mess, its triviality and occasional beauty. To get the names right, to give people something they could put in a drawer for the slide show when their kids get married. To honour the true nature of the place, and not try to impose opinions or advice that only an outsider would offer." And this is a great summary of the book - Julia lists happenings, gives us the names of everyone, even those who never reappear in the novel again, how they all relate to each other; she gives us the small town gossip in bland, weird prose. We read between the lines of her observations and come away thinking she hates Medway, she hates Hardy, she hates her life yet she keeps having children with him. She even says to herself that she thinks about leaving constantly but she can't, she's doing good work letting Hardy vent out at her, helping him take stress off from the job, she can't because what about the kid(s).
At the end of Part Two, Julia reflects about life in Medway, how much she loved the people and the small town, and how lovely her new friends are, which feels really artificial because we've just spent the last 95% of the book not really hearing this side of her at all.
I think we were supposed to feel sympathy for her, for Hardy and the force but I could not bring myself to care.
I finished this book because it was for a book club, otherwise I think I would have DNF'd it. The prose is just slightly off, the cadence and grammar of sentences just slightly wrong, forcing me to re-read in a new tone to understand it. I think (hope?) it's done on purpose (?) to throw us readers off edge, the same way Julia feels a stranger in this small town. An example: "Sometimes when drunk Hardy hears extra well, some preternatural awareness." vs what would make it easier to read: "Sometimes when drunk, Hardy hears extra well, some preternatural awareness."
Towards the end of the book, Julia remarks to herself: "Journalism is not the job of the editor of a rural newspaper, I decided. [...] My real job was to chronicle that mess, its triviality and occasional beauty. To get the names right, to give people something they could put in a drawer for the slide show when their kids get married. To honour the true nature of the place, and not try to impose opinions or advice that only an outsider would offer." And this is a great summary of the book - Julia lists happenings, gives us the names of everyone, even those who never reappear in the novel again, how they all relate to each other; she gives us the small town gossip in bland, weird prose. We read between the lines of her observations and come away thinking she hates Medway, she hates Hardy, she hates her life yet she keeps having children with him. She even says to herself that she thinks about leaving constantly but she can't, she's doing good work letting Hardy vent out at her, helping him take stress off from the job, she can't because what about the kid(s).
At the end of Part Two, Julia reflects about life in Medway, how much she loved the people and the small town, and how lovely her new friends are, which feels really artificial because we've just spent the last 95% of the book not really hearing this side of her at all.
I think we were supposed to feel sympathy for her, for Hardy and the force but I could not bring myself to care.
December 16, 2024
The Observer is fiction, but is based on Endicott's actual experience as the wife of an RCMP officer whose first posting was in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. The fictional rural Alberta town of Medway is Hardy's first posting. Julia previously worked as a dramaturge and had lived mainly in cities, so small town life was completely foreign to her. At first, I found the novel to be a bit meandering, and I did wonder, about a quarter of the way in, when the gist of the story was going to begin.
I did not read any synopses of the novel, nor any Wiki articles about Endicott prior to reading the book. Now that I have, I look back on my response to the book with even greater appreciation for Endicott's writing.
Even though the book seemed to wander from one incident to another and introduction to one secondary character to another, I did feel an accuracy with this depiction of being an outsider being thrust into life in rural Canada. "The Observer" is the name of the newspaper where Julia finds employment off and on, but more importantly it is exactly the right title for anyone "from away" who finds herself in small town Canada. If you are not a born-and-raised member of the community, preferably at least third generation, you will forever find yourself an observer - trying to remember names, other people's relatives, and the long standing feuds that colour friendships and relationships.
The life of a newly minted police officer, medical professional, teacher, or a host of other professionals who find themselves in their first real job, especially one in a rural setting, carries with it a bag of stresses: being underpaid, the exhaustion of long hours of work, and bearing witness to trauma that the community has been aware of for so long, possibly generations, that they have become numb to it. We can feel Hardy's exhaustion, which spirals down into clinical depression and PTSD. Endicott's descriptions of clinical depression are gut-wrenchingly precise and accurate.
As I read the book, I was very aware of the level of tension building. Having not read about Endicott's actual life history, I honestly kept expecting Hardy to be killed in the line of duty. Now, looking back on my own reaction to Endicott's words, I have nothing but praise for her skill as a writer.
I did not read any synopses of the novel, nor any Wiki articles about Endicott prior to reading the book. Now that I have, I look back on my response to the book with even greater appreciation for Endicott's writing.
Even though the book seemed to wander from one incident to another and introduction to one secondary character to another, I did feel an accuracy with this depiction of being an outsider being thrust into life in rural Canada. "The Observer" is the name of the newspaper where Julia finds employment off and on, but more importantly it is exactly the right title for anyone "from away" who finds herself in small town Canada. If you are not a born-and-raised member of the community, preferably at least third generation, you will forever find yourself an observer - trying to remember names, other people's relatives, and the long standing feuds that colour friendships and relationships.
The life of a newly minted police officer, medical professional, teacher, or a host of other professionals who find themselves in their first real job, especially one in a rural setting, carries with it a bag of stresses: being underpaid, the exhaustion of long hours of work, and bearing witness to trauma that the community has been aware of for so long, possibly generations, that they have become numb to it. We can feel Hardy's exhaustion, which spirals down into clinical depression and PTSD. Endicott's descriptions of clinical depression are gut-wrenchingly precise and accurate.
As I read the book, I was very aware of the level of tension building. Having not read about Endicott's actual life history, I honestly kept expecting Hardy to be killed in the line of duty. Now, looking back on my own reaction to Endicott's words, I have nothing but praise for her skill as a writer.
October 22, 2023
3.6 stars. This is a quiet novel about a couple -- Julia Carey and Hardy Willis -- who move in the 1990s to a tiny town in northeastern Alberta. He's a new recruit with Royal Canadian Mounted Police and she's hired as an editor for the local newspaper The Observer.
Written in the first person from Julia's perspective, the story starts off a bit slow as they're meeting people in the town and learning their ways and trying make ends meet to pay bills. Julia feels like an outsider who's not used to a rural community, but eventually they start making friends especially with the other RCMP members there and their spouses. Hardy, as a new member, is given much brunt work and is on nights, seeing to wrecks on the highway and other grim tasks. Julia tries to help him cope, but he doesn't tell her much of what he encounters on the job. The story moves about like little episodes about town, from one thing to the next ... with Julia handling sporadic work at the The Observer and becoming friends with a recent widow named Stephanie whose RCMP husband committed suicide. She wants to ask her more about it but holds off.
As the novel goes along, I became more drawn into Hardy & Julia's lives ... as they have a baby and things become harder for Hardy on the job. You come to realize the stress and hardships these police members face as they endure threats, crimes, and victims in bleak circumstances, which take a mental health toll.
Apparently the novel is based on the author's own life from her years in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. By novel's end, I found it pretty affecting and a bit of a haunting look back on one's life ... when some deeply impressionable events happened. It's a quiet, small-town tale but still manages some ripples.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin RandomHouse for allowing me the ARC to read. It's my first Marina Endicott novel but won't be my last.
Written in the first person from Julia's perspective, the story starts off a bit slow as they're meeting people in the town and learning their ways and trying make ends meet to pay bills. Julia feels like an outsider who's not used to a rural community, but eventually they start making friends especially with the other RCMP members there and their spouses. Hardy, as a new member, is given much brunt work and is on nights, seeing to wrecks on the highway and other grim tasks. Julia tries to help him cope, but he doesn't tell her much of what he encounters on the job. The story moves about like little episodes about town, from one thing to the next ... with Julia handling sporadic work at the The Observer and becoming friends with a recent widow named Stephanie whose RCMP husband committed suicide. She wants to ask her more about it but holds off.
As the novel goes along, I became more drawn into Hardy & Julia's lives ... as they have a baby and things become harder for Hardy on the job. You come to realize the stress and hardships these police members face as they endure threats, crimes, and victims in bleak circumstances, which take a mental health toll.
Apparently the novel is based on the author's own life from her years in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. By novel's end, I found it pretty affecting and a bit of a haunting look back on one's life ... when some deeply impressionable events happened. It's a quiet, small-town tale but still manages some ripples.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin RandomHouse for allowing me the ARC to read. It's my first Marina Endicott novel but won't be my last.
October 29, 2023
The Observer is a fictional memoir detailing the experiences of Julia as she settles into life in Medway, Alberta with her partner Hardy. Hardy is a brand new RCMP recruit and this small, rural town is his first posting.
Told as a first-person account from Julia's perspective, The Observer is a perfectly paced, slow read that allows the reader to become fully immersed in the storyline. Julia describes her life as both her and Hardy find footing in Medway and build connections within the community.
As someone who once lived in a small, rural community in Northern Alberta and arrived there as an outsider, like Julia, there were details within the storyline that resonated with me as a reader. It was easy for me to relate to Julia through descriptions of the setting, Julia's accounts of everyday life, and also through the use of actual Alberta place names in the novel. The mention of midnight lunches, a very small detail in the story, stood out to me as I have only experienced them in Alberta. Such details make The Observer relatable to the point that it no longer feels like a work of fiction.
The Observer is not simply a novel about life in rural Alberta. It is a novel that delves into the deeper, darker corners of RCMP life and the sacrifices that accompany a life of service. The author has leaned on her personal experience as the spouse of a RCMP officer and her time spent living in rural Alberta to build connection and provide a further sense of realism. It is a story that brings context, humanity, and awareness to the experiences of officers and their families. The Observer is a story that will resonate with readers both in and outside of the scope of the RCMP.
Kind thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Knopf Canada for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
Told as a first-person account from Julia's perspective, The Observer is a perfectly paced, slow read that allows the reader to become fully immersed in the storyline. Julia describes her life as both her and Hardy find footing in Medway and build connections within the community.
As someone who once lived in a small, rural community in Northern Alberta and arrived there as an outsider, like Julia, there were details within the storyline that resonated with me as a reader. It was easy for me to relate to Julia through descriptions of the setting, Julia's accounts of everyday life, and also through the use of actual Alberta place names in the novel. The mention of midnight lunches, a very small detail in the story, stood out to me as I have only experienced them in Alberta. Such details make The Observer relatable to the point that it no longer feels like a work of fiction.
The Observer is not simply a novel about life in rural Alberta. It is a novel that delves into the deeper, darker corners of RCMP life and the sacrifices that accompany a life of service. The author has leaned on her personal experience as the spouse of a RCMP officer and her time spent living in rural Alberta to build connection and provide a further sense of realism. It is a story that brings context, humanity, and awareness to the experiences of officers and their families. The Observer is a story that will resonate with readers both in and outside of the scope of the RCMP.
Kind thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Knopf Canada for an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 11, 2023
Marina Endicott's "The Observer" was a must-read for me, given my admiration for her previous work "Good to a Fault" and my eagerness to explore "Close to Hugh." When the opportunity to dive into this ARC presented itself, I didn't hesitate.
Set against the backdrop of 1990s rural Alberta, the novel introduces us to Julia, a young playwright who puts her career on hold to support her boyfriend's new post with the RCMP. Endicott's personal connection to Mayerthorpe, Alberta, adds a unique layer of authenticity to the narrative.
The book's title rings true as we follow Julia through her life, often as a spectator/ observer to the experiences of others around her. She also immerses herself in the world of the local newspaper, "The Observer."
Endicott masterfully captures the essence of small-town life, immersing readers in a monotonous yet engaging narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish. It's a brisk read, perfect for those looking to lose themselves in slow burn story.
The profound sense of loneliness enveloping the protagonist is palpable, as is her husband's downward spiral in mental health. The novel sheds light on the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health issues, especially among men, during the 1990s.
"The Observer" unflinchingly portrays the devastating impact of PTSD, emphasizing that its effects ripple through the entire family, leaving no one unscathed. Marina Endicott's latest work is an exploration of the human experience, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Set against the backdrop of 1990s rural Alberta, the novel introduces us to Julia, a young playwright who puts her career on hold to support her boyfriend's new post with the RCMP. Endicott's personal connection to Mayerthorpe, Alberta, adds a unique layer of authenticity to the narrative.
The book's title rings true as we follow Julia through her life, often as a spectator/ observer to the experiences of others around her. She also immerses herself in the world of the local newspaper, "The Observer."
Endicott masterfully captures the essence of small-town life, immersing readers in a monotonous yet engaging narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish. It's a brisk read, perfect for those looking to lose themselves in slow burn story.
The profound sense of loneliness enveloping the protagonist is palpable, as is her husband's downward spiral in mental health. The novel sheds light on the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health issues, especially among men, during the 1990s.
"The Observer" unflinchingly portrays the devastating impact of PTSD, emphasizing that its effects ripple through the entire family, leaving no one unscathed. Marina Endicott's latest work is an exploration of the human experience, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 17, 2023
If you have ever wondered what it's like to serve and protect those in remote areas of our country (Canada) then this book will resonate with you for sure.
Hardy and Julia are posted into a little town called Medway in the western provinces. Every day Julia worries about Hardy's safety and if he's going to come home again.
It doesn't help that Julia has time on her hands with not a whole lot to do, so worry becomes her "job". Until she lands a temporary job with the "Observer". The community newspaper needs an editor/typesetter/reporter. As small town go, the paper only comes out weekly, so stories are gathered and published for the community. It's almost like a gossip magazine for the community, by the community. Add to this any Police activity in and around Medway and you have the gist of the whole Community News.
When Julia and Hardy start to obsess about all the things that could go wrong, you have the start of much mental anguish and I would even say the beginnings of PTSD. The stress can be debilitating. Hardy's work as an RCMP officer takes him away from home for several days at a time and Julia's imagination starts to get the better of her.
This is an interesting book to read and gives you some insights as to what life in a small town can be like, with all the quIrks and people with axes to grind and more. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
I just reviewed The Observer by Marina Endicott. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]
Hardy and Julia are posted into a little town called Medway in the western provinces. Every day Julia worries about Hardy's safety and if he's going to come home again.
It doesn't help that Julia has time on her hands with not a whole lot to do, so worry becomes her "job". Until she lands a temporary job with the "Observer". The community newspaper needs an editor/typesetter/reporter. As small town go, the paper only comes out weekly, so stories are gathered and published for the community. It's almost like a gossip magazine for the community, by the community. Add to this any Police activity in and around Medway and you have the gist of the whole Community News.
When Julia and Hardy start to obsess about all the things that could go wrong, you have the start of much mental anguish and I would even say the beginnings of PTSD. The stress can be debilitating. Hardy's work as an RCMP officer takes him away from home for several days at a time and Julia's imagination starts to get the better of her.
This is an interesting book to read and gives you some insights as to what life in a small town can be like, with all the quIrks and people with axes to grind and more. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
I just reviewed The Observer by Marina Endicott. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]
January 15, 2024
The Observer, by Marina Endicott, follows the life of Julia and Hardy after arriving in rural Alberta's Medway, for Hardy’s first posting as an RCMP constable.
I found many similarities between this novel and my own life, as the wife of security and first responder for a mental health and addictions centre. There are joys, but there are also intensely deep sorrows. Lives are saved, and lives are lost.
My words can't do this novel justice, so here are some quotes that really spoke to me.
"Does someone teach us to see beauty, or does the world show it to us all the time?”
“But I’m a fine one to object to people being self-conscious—if it wasn’t for self-consciousness I’d barely be conscious at all.”
“I was scared sometimes, but never alone-in-the-city scared. There, I’d been afraid of people—here I was afraid or in awe of elemental forces. Nothing was directed at me; I was a mere speck”
“After a while he said, “And one of the reasons we can’t get to the bottom of it is that the first impulse we have is to shove people aside who have mental health issues, attempt to make them different. So the last thing you’ll do is tell anyone, because you know they will make you different.” Ben said, “That guy, you know—the guy I knew? Never said a thing. It was literally easier to die than to ask for help.”"
“But now I could not ever commit suicide, because of Ethan. That is the deal you make when you have a child.”
Many thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for providing me with a copy of this 5 star novel!
I found many similarities between this novel and my own life, as the wife of security and first responder for a mental health and addictions centre. There are joys, but there are also intensely deep sorrows. Lives are saved, and lives are lost.
My words can't do this novel justice, so here are some quotes that really spoke to me.
"Does someone teach us to see beauty, or does the world show it to us all the time?”
“But I’m a fine one to object to people being self-conscious—if it wasn’t for self-consciousness I’d barely be conscious at all.”
“I was scared sometimes, but never alone-in-the-city scared. There, I’d been afraid of people—here I was afraid or in awe of elemental forces. Nothing was directed at me; I was a mere speck”
“After a while he said, “And one of the reasons we can’t get to the bottom of it is that the first impulse we have is to shove people aside who have mental health issues, attempt to make them different. So the last thing you’ll do is tell anyone, because you know they will make you different.” Ben said, “That guy, you know—the guy I knew? Never said a thing. It was literally easier to die than to ask for help.”"
“But now I could not ever commit suicide, because of Ethan. That is the deal you make when you have a child.”
Many thanks to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for providing me with a copy of this 5 star novel!
September 27, 2023
This book was not the mystery I was expecting. Instead it’s a beautifully described reflection of small-town life as the partner of an RCMP officer in the fictional town of Medway.
The story unfurls slowly; I spent the first half patiently tallying up clues and waiting for the crime - haha! Once I realized this was more fictional memoir than mystery, and the narrator’s voice became more confident, I was able to more fully appreciate it.
This book explores themes of commitment, sacrifice, depression/PTSD and what it means to truly stand by a partner who has pledged their life to helping others. It exposes the realities of life in law enforcement and the toll it can take, and also how this amplifies the beauty that can be found in day-to-day living.
As an observer, the narrator shields herself somewhat from the harsh impacts of the tragedies RCMP officers see daily. ‘Observing’ gives her permission to step back and attempt to make the experiences less personal. Though it’s soon clear that partners and family members feel impacts alongside officers - these experiences shape people, families and communities.
The story is particularly impactful and poignant against the backdrop of the Mayerthorpe, AB shooting of four officers in 2005, and the countless officer shootings that have occurred since.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Canada for the ARC.
The story unfurls slowly; I spent the first half patiently tallying up clues and waiting for the crime - haha! Once I realized this was more fictional memoir than mystery, and the narrator’s voice became more confident, I was able to more fully appreciate it.
This book explores themes of commitment, sacrifice, depression/PTSD and what it means to truly stand by a partner who has pledged their life to helping others. It exposes the realities of life in law enforcement and the toll it can take, and also how this amplifies the beauty that can be found in day-to-day living.
As an observer, the narrator shields herself somewhat from the harsh impacts of the tragedies RCMP officers see daily. ‘Observing’ gives her permission to step back and attempt to make the experiences less personal. Though it’s soon clear that partners and family members feel impacts alongside officers - these experiences shape people, families and communities.
The story is particularly impactful and poignant against the backdrop of the Mayerthorpe, AB shooting of four officers in 2005, and the countless officer shootings that have occurred since.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Canada for the ARC.
October 27, 2023
Check my blog for the full review and consider subscribing while you're there.
Julia and Hardy move to the fictional Alberta town of Medway, where Hardy is joining the RCMP as a new recruit. He doesn’t quite earn enough to pay the bills, so Julia takes a series of temporary jobs, often with the local newspaper, The Observer. She is also the sharp-eyed observer in this fictional memoir set in the 1990s, as the book explores Julia’s experiences as a struggling newspaper editor and photographer, the common-law spouse who feels like an outsider in a tight group of RCMP wives, and the city kid who is learning about small-town life. Stress builds within the marriage as Hardy's work takes his toll, along with the small joys and tragedies of life in Medway. It’s a slow burn of a novel, shifting from a young couple’s optimism to a kind of weariness with life, though as with life, there are moments of laughter and joy too. I’ll be recommending this for those looking for a deep read, as it’s neither plot-driven nor light reading. My thanks to Knopf Canada for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library has a copy on order for the adult fiction collection.
Julia and Hardy move to the fictional Alberta town of Medway, where Hardy is joining the RCMP as a new recruit. He doesn’t quite earn enough to pay the bills, so Julia takes a series of temporary jobs, often with the local newspaper, The Observer. She is also the sharp-eyed observer in this fictional memoir set in the 1990s, as the book explores Julia’s experiences as a struggling newspaper editor and photographer, the common-law spouse who feels like an outsider in a tight group of RCMP wives, and the city kid who is learning about small-town life. Stress builds within the marriage as Hardy's work takes his toll, along with the small joys and tragedies of life in Medway. It’s a slow burn of a novel, shifting from a young couple’s optimism to a kind of weariness with life, though as with life, there are moments of laughter and joy too. I’ll be recommending this for those looking for a deep read, as it’s neither plot-driven nor light reading. My thanks to Knopf Canada for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. The Grand Forks (B.C.) & District Public Library has a copy on order for the adult fiction collection.
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