Endicott Mythic Fiction discussion

Group Members' Reviews

This novel looks promising! I've ordered it!

I finished this yesterday.

My particular edition has a blurb on the back cover which claims it's Canada's equivalent to Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I can't verify that since I haven't read anything by him yet, but it is definitely magical realism.

I really like how it acknowledges and incorporates a lot of issues (traditional vs. western culture, boarding schools, alcoholism, poverty, lack of good jobs, etc) but isn't overwhelmed by them and keeps the book about Lisa and her family.

I've just started this book and like it thus far. I see no similarities whatsoever with Gabriel Garcia Marquez however. Why did they come up with that? The style is completely different! I am just a few chapters in, but already very nostalgic for British Colombia where I had the chance to reside for 2 wonderful years before moving to Ontario.

I'm so grateful this book was on our list; otherwise I might never have discovered it. And if I didn't live in Washington state, I wouldn't appreciate so fully the setting, weather, people, and culture of the Pacific Northwest as Eden Robinson portrays them. To me, this book isn't in the fantasy or magical realism category: it's reality as many people experience it, just not "consensus reality." Like Lisa, many people have precognitive dreams. And many people, both white and native, have seen actual Sasquatches. The lore of PNW natives contains many stories about these beings. All that said, I appreciated Eden's "circular" manner of story-telling, which is the style of the native story-tellers I have listened to. In this style, time is not linear but circular or cyclical. She handled this deftly. Would love to read what others thought of this book!

I very much agree with what you say about the what might be considered fantastic elements in this novel being reality as many people experience it. I absolutely love this book thus far. I adore Lisa Marie. She has such spunk! I found myself laughing at times in spite of all the sad things happening.

Yes, you're right, Jalilah. The tragic events are related in such a matter-of-fact way, without overmuch sentiment or drama, that I found myself thinking, "But wait, this family is going through so much it's almost overwhelming." I won't be a spoiler since you haven't finished it. But once you do, I'd love to hear what you think of the ending. Anyone else out there reading?

Ramona, I will definitely let you know what I think when I finish. Eden Robinson is a very gifted writer and I'd be interested in reading more from her.

What a powerful, engaging and deeply moving coming-of-age novel! I will definitely read again.
Almost all the characters are, each in their own way endearing. The descriptions of life in her village were so vivid that I could actually visualise and feel what it might be like there.
The end of this book was somewhat disappointing to me (view spoiler)[I have to admit that I am not sure about what happens. It seems like Lisa dies in the end, but does she? Her dead loved ones are telling her she has to go back. The same goes for Jimmy. I feel kind of silly but it is not clear to me (hide spoiler)] Perhaps the author wants to leave the ending open, but because the characters are so likeable and have undergone so many hardships, one really wants the things to work out for them.
Eden Robinson is a very gifted writer. I see this book was published in 2000 and she has only written one other novel since( the other is an essay) I would like to read more of her works.

The ending was ambiguous but I'd gotten the impression that (view spoiler)[Lisa Marie survives and Jimmy was already dead (hide spoiler)] but I can't tell you exactly why I thought so. Maybe it's just because, like you, I liked the family and want things to work out for them.