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liljables's rating:
Added Mar 16, 2022
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
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Not to brag, but I know some pretty great teenagers (okay, I am bragging), and they really do talk and act like Felix and his friends; I assumed that the author was in their early 20s based on how real these characters felt, but Kacen Callender is a 30-something like myself, so I tip my hat to them. Of course, when I say "real" I always mean deeply and wonderfully flawed, and that's very true here. There were multiple times when I was so stressed out by Felix's decision to speak without thinking that I yelled "FELIX, NO" and scared the cat. But, despite his questionable choices and messy, complicated relationships, I was always rooting for Felix, and I think that's the mark of a great protagonist.
Callender has also done a wonderful job of including tough conversations about Felix's trans identity within the fabric of the narrative. These don't feel forced (like, how-to-tell-your-dad-you're-trans 101), but instead read as natural, matter-of-course chapters in Felix's exploration of his identity. The author is a trans person of colour, and has likely had versions of these conversations in their own life, and the authenticity really shows.Not to brag, but I know some pretty great teenagers (okay, I am bragging), and they really do talk and act like Felix and his friends; I assumed that the author was in their early 20s based on how real these characters felt, but Kacen Callender is a…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy; the fantasy and mythology of the series is inspired by the indigenous civilizations of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, which makes for a refreshing departure from the typical Eurocentric setting of SO many fantasy novels.
Roanhorse has struck a perfect balance for the first book in a trilogy: she introduces just the right number of characters, cultures, and locations to keep the reader captivated and on their toes, and hints at how much more we have to learn in the subsequent books. This world feels entirely new, with many layers to discover, but the characters are deeply human, flawed, and relatable, which grounds the narrative in reality.Rebecca Roanhorse's Black Sun is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy; the fantasy and mythology of the series is inspired by the indigenous civilizations of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, which makes for a refreshing departure from the typical…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
Danticat's body of work is unified by a few common themes - Haitian identity, the Haitian diaspora, and relationships between women, particularly mother-daughter dynamics. Everything Inside definitely ticks those boxes, but these stories cover even more ground - a remarkable feat considering there are only eight stories contained in just over 200 pages. Each tale is a quietly intense, deftly constructed glimpse into the interior life of a fully realized narrator.
I wouldn't recommend this as "baby's first short story collection," but if you've already drank the short fiction Kool-aid, this is a must-read! It's a masterclass in getting to the point quickly (this is all wheat, no chaff, baby), and you'll learn a ton about Haitian culture as well.Danticat's body of work is unified by a few common themes - Haitian identity, the Haitian diaspora, and relationships between women, particularly mother-daughter dynamics. Everything Inside definitely ticks those boxes, but these stories cover even…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
The narrative structure of this novel really worked for me. Each chapter is named after one of the characters, and follows the titular figure on part of their journey, but we catch glimpses of the other four, connecting the dots between these young people and slowly revealing how their stories are interwoven. Without question, Vancouver is the sixth character in this story, and felt intimately familiar to me, despite the fact that this novel takes place decades before I would ever visit the city.
This novel is a fresh entry in the category of fiction about residential schools and survivors of those institutions. The scenes at the school will feel tragically familiar to anyone who has read (for example) Indian Horse, but the narratives following the characters' departures were new and compelling to me. I found myself rooting for our protagonists as they sought help at the Friendship Centre, engaged with Indigenous activism, and built lives for themselves with their limited resources.The narrative structure of this novel really worked for me. Each chapter is named after one of the characters, and follows the titular figure on part of their journey, but we catch glimpses of the other four, connecting the dots between these young…
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Book
by Schwab, VictoriaBook - 2020Book, 2020
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
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This novel was exactly what I needed to read when it came to me: it's an interesting blend of contemporary and historical fiction, since we meet Addie in present day, but her 300 year-long story unfolds through flashbacks; and, the premise of the novel involves magical realism, but it's a straight-forward conceit, so it's easy to follow, and probably not "too much magic" for folks who don't dig that genre. I can't say I loved Addie as a character - in fact, I found her Satanic counterpart much more compelling - but her journey is an interesting one, with equal parts tragedy and triumph.
This is a long read, at around 450 pages, but it doesn't feel like it - the chapters are short, and the back-and-forth-through-time format kept me wanting more, especially when the central conflict of the story was revealed.This novel was exactly what I needed to read when it came to me: it's an interesting blend of contemporary and historical fiction, since we meet Addie in present day, but her 300 year-long story unfolds through flashbacks; and, the premise of the…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
I'll be honest: Jared is one of my favourite protagonists of all time. He's kind and gentle, flawed but self-aware, every bit the reluctant hero; he's the heart and soul of this series. Of course, a character like that can't exist in a vacuum, and I will say that all of the complicated, chaotic women who surround and protect Jared really keep the plot rollicking along - I would happily read spin-offs about Sarah, Maggie, Mave, Sophia, and Grannie Nita all night and day.
By far the darkest and most magical of the bunch, Return of the Trickster ties up every loose end and provides a fast-paced, hilarious, satisfying conclusion to this wonderful trilogy.I'll be honest: Jared is one of my favourite protagonists of all time. He's kind and gentle, flawed but self-aware, every bit the reluctant hero; he's the heart and soul of this series. Of course, a character like that can't exist in a vacuum, and I…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
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I had the pleasure of hosting Tanya for two events at Whistler Public Library in 2019, and I got to see Tanya working with teens first-hand (long story short: our Teen Book Club fell in love with her), so I 100% get how she's able to write about young people with such authenticity. Daya jumped right off the page - her pain (physical and emotional) was palpable. Like my favourite teen characters, I found myself simultaneously frustrated by some of Daya's choices but still rooting for her to come out on top. The full extent of Daya's grief is unravelled gradually throughout the novel, providing context for her more disappointing behaviour.
I have to say, though, that Tanya's superpower might be writing side characters. This novel has the most delightful supporting cast, from Daya's musical-theatre-loving aunt and uncle to the badass folks on Daya's derby team, and most of all, the soft-but-strong love interest, about whom I'd read a whole series.I had the pleasure of hosting Tanya for two events at Whistler Public Library in 2019, and I got to see Tanya working with teens first-hand (long story short: our Teen Book Club fell in love with her), so I 100% get how she's able to write about…
DisfiguredDisfigured, BookOn Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space
by Leduc, AmandaBook - 2020Book, 2020
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
Disfigured is a must-read for fans of fairy tales, whether you're reading the classics to a child or enjoying fairy tale-inspired adult fiction. I was aware of the phenomenon of signalling villainy by "othering" evil characters (by making them ugly, disabled, or disfigured), but once you read Disfigured, you will see this trope EVERYWHERE.
(Then, when you read Leduc's most recent novel, The Centaur's Wife, you'll appreciate Leduc's writing even more for NOT falling back on this trope, but rather examining disability and otherness in a much more interesting, nuanced way.)Disfigured is a must-read for fans of fairy tales, whether you're reading the classics to a child or enjoying fairy tale-inspired adult fiction. I was aware of the phenomenon of signalling villainy by "othering" evil characters (by making them ugly,…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
The Centaur's Wife is hard to categorize - we have a contemporary, near-future dystopia interspersed with fairy tales that seem to be connected to our characters and setting. We have human characters dealing with the very grim, realistic aftermath of a disaster, banding together with other survivors and figuring out how to cobble together a life from the wreckage, with a deep, ancient magic flickering around the edges of this reality. I think this novel could appeal to fans of contemporary fiction who don't always gravitate towards fantasy, and fantasy lovers who don't always choose contemporary fiction. Regardless of which reader you might be, I encourage you to trust this book to take you on a strange but satisfying journey.The Centaur's Wife is hard to categorize - we have a contemporary, near-future dystopia interspersed with fairy tales that seem to be connected to our characters and setting. We have human characters dealing with the very grim, realistic aftermath…
liljables's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
I'd definitely call The Lowland a family saga - it spans many decades, it's told from the perspectives of almost every member of the Mitra family, and, while the narrative is anchored in real historical events that took place in India, America, and elsewhere, the story is very much character-driven. The settings of this novel are incredibly rich; I wasn't surprised to learn that the author grew up in Rhode Island, because she writes about this place so lovingly. I enjoyed the contrast between the chapters in Calcutta and those in Providence, the absolute immersion in these drastically different cultures thanks to Lahiri's lush, descriptive writing. The characters that form the backbone of this story are also vividly depicted, though certainly not gilded - I'll take a deeply flawed character over a generic "everyman" any day, and this novel is packed with the former.
I'm looking forward to reading more from Jhumpa Lahiri!I'd definitely call The Lowland a family saga - it spans many decades, it's told from the perspectives of almost every member of the Mitra family, and, while the narrative is anchored in real historical events that took place in India, America, and…
Added Mar 03, 2020
Comment:
I don’t think I have to explain who Michelle Obama is, right? I will tell you that Michelle Robinson was born and raised in Chicago, grew up in a small apartment rented from relatives along with her older brother, and worked her ass off to get into Princeton, followed by Harvard Law. She went on to practice law at a prestigious firm in Chicago, which is where she met a young man with a funny name. I won’t reveal any more, but I will say that Becoming takes you all the way from Michelle’s early childhood to the end of her tenure as First Lady, with many twists along the way.
I will freely admit that of this book’s three sections (Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More), Becoming Me was my favourite by a mile. Obama writes about her childhood with such fondness and warmth, while painting an honest, not always flattering picture of what the South Side of Chicago would have been like for a young black girl. She acknowledges often how lucky she was in every step of her schooling and early career - to find the right mentors, who introduced her to the right opportunities, which set her on the path to success. Many of the programs Obama later established were specifically designed to help the kids who didn’t get those lucky breaks, no matter how hard working they (and their parents) might be.
The third section, Becoming More, was fun to read in that voyeuristic, peeking-behind-the-curtain way - this part of the book spans the Obamas’ two terms in the White House. It was really just the middle section, the narrative of Michelle and Barack’s relationship pre-presidency, that didn’t grip me as much, but I understand that it was necessary to the narrative as a whole.
Overall, Becoming is well-written and highly readable - I’d happily pick another book by Michelle Obama should she write one!I don’t think I have to explain who Michelle Obama is, right? I will tell you that Michelle Robinson was born and raised in Chicago, grew up in a small apartment rented from relatives along with her older brother, and worked her ass off to get into…
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, BookBig Questions From Tiny Mortals About Death
by Doughty, CaitlinBook - 2019Book, 2019
Added Mar 03, 2020
Comment:
Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death has a fairly expository title. In this latest volume, Doughty uses her professional expertise to answer a range of gruesome and hilarious questions she has gathered from children over the years. The whole “kids say the darnedest things” cliche certainly applies to the topic of death! Doughty’s answers are highly informative and well-researched, debunking myths about death and sharing tidbits from a wide variety of death rituals. Some of my favourite queries include: can we give Grandma a viking funeral?; what would happen if I ate a bag of popcorn kernels, died, and was cremated?; and if I die making a funny face, will it stay that way forever?
I must say that I wasn’t quite sure of the intended audience for this book when I began. It’s written in simple-enough language for, say, a middle grade kid, and if your child is as fascinated by the macabre as I was at that age, I say go for it. In fact, I bet this would be a really fun read-aloud (again, for the right kid/adult combo). But Doughty’s writing style and humour definitely still deliver a satisfying adult read, and I’d happily endorse this book right along with her previous titles.Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death has a fairly expository title. In this latest volume, Doughty uses her professional expertise to answer a range of gruesome and hilarious questions she has gathered from…
liljables's rating:
Added Mar 03, 2020
Comment:
Depending on your TV preferences and general pop culture knowledge, you may or may not know who Shonda Rhimes is. For the uninitiated, Rhimes is the showrunner (that is: creator, head writer, and executive producer) for Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal; her production company, Shondaland, is responsible for half a dozen other popular shows besides. It's undeniable that Rhimes is hugely successful, but in November 2013, she had something of an epiphany in the midst of a somewhat heated conversation with her sister, who muttered under her breath, "you never say yes to anything." This lead Rhimes to declare 2014 her "Year of Yes".
Now, I was somewhat skeptical that I would find any pearls of wisdom that would be applicable to my life within these pages; in fact, I'm making a concerted effort to say "no" to more things in my life these days (because #burnout). But I found myself nodding along more often than I was rolling my eyes. One of my favourite chapters is about "saying yes to compliments"; that is, accepting praise with sincere thanks rather than brushing it off or saying "it was nothing". It probably wasn't nothing, friend! Let yourself be valued and appreciated - Shonda says so! My other favourite chapter (surprise, surprise) was about "saying yes to saying no" - knowing when people in your life are overstepping boundaries and having the confidence to say no to them (and YES to your boundaries).
If you're still on the fence, allow me to add that I don't watch ANY of Shonda's shows, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Rhimes' writing style is exactly like her speaking voice (based on interviews I've heard), and it's a real pleasure to read - it's friendly and familiar and informal. Dang, I bet this is another great audiobook, too.Depending on your TV preferences and general pop culture knowledge, you may or may not know who Shonda Rhimes is. For the uninitiated, Rhimes is the showrunner (that is: creator, head writer, and executive producer) for Grey's Anatomy, Private…
liljables's rating:
Added Mar 03, 2020
Comment:
You might recognize this book as the novel that co-won the 2019 Booker Prize, along with Margaret Atwood's follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments. Much was said about the controversial decision to break tradition and choose two winners; namely, the first EVER black woman to win the Booker had to share the title (and the £50,000 prize). Having read both books, I can say that for me, Bernardine Evaristo's Girl, Woman, Other is the superior read by a long-shot.
Girl, Woman, Other is divided into twelve chapters, each of which follows a different character - mostly female, mostly black, and mostly British. Each story is a slice of life, and while there is no primary, overarching plot, the chapters tell interwoven stories. They're grouped into threes where the relationships are most obvious (for example, a mother, a daughter, and the mother's best friend), but you'll see familiar faces and places throughout the twelve chapters.
I'm not going to be coy: I LOVED this novel. The polyphonic narrative really worked for me, and I was impressed throughout at how distinct each character's voice was. In a way, it reminded me of Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing*, in the sense that each chapter introduced a new character that was linked to the previous chapter; however, where Gyasi's narrative was linear, Evaristo leaps back and forth through time, often introducing us to a young woman and then her mother, grandmother, or teacher in their youth. As each chapter began, I found myself looking for the thread that would connect this new section to those before, especially if the link was subtle or tenuous. I fell in love with every character, and I know this is a novel I'll read again.
*Please do yourself a favour and read Homegoing!You might recognize this book as the novel that co-won the 2019 Booker Prize, along with Margaret Atwood's follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments. Much was said about the controversial decision to break tradition and choose two winners;…
liljables's rating:
Added Feb 13, 2020
Comment:
This YA Fantasy novel has been on my radar for quite some time. Nigerian-American author Tomi Adeyemi has created a fantasy world that is so vividly detailed while also being crammed full of delicious social commentary (which should go hand-in-hand with any great fantasy novel). Children of Blood and Bone incorporates elements of West African mythology and Yoruba culture along with unique magical details. I loved the structure of the narrative, told from the perspectives of Zelie, Amari, and Amari’s brother Inan, who is in pursuit of our heroines. The chapters are quite short, often revealing two viewpoints on the same scenario back-to-back.
A quote from the New York Times review of CoBaB sums up my feelings quite nicely: this novel “storms the boundaries of the imagination. Yet it also confronts the conscience.” I stand by what I said above - a fantasy world that doesn't somehow comment on our own feels like a wasted opportunity. Adeyemi has written a captivating, magical story that also examines oppression, racism, and slavery in a way that both teen and adult readers can grasp. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Children of Vengeance and Virtue, the second book in the Legacy of Orisha trilogy.This YA Fantasy novel has been on my radar for quite some time. Nigerian-American author Tomi Adeyemi has created a fantasy world that is so vividly detailed while also being crammed full of delicious social commentary (which should go hand-in-hand…
liljables's rating:
Added Feb 08, 2020
Chop Suey NationChop Suey Nation, BookThe Legion Cafe and Other Stories From Canada's Chinese Restaurants
by Hui, AnnBook - 2019Book, 2019
liljables's rating:
Added Dec 17, 2019
Comment:
In 2016, journalist Ann Hui and her husband embarked on a cross-Canada road trip with a very specific purpose: to visit small, family owned Chinese restaurants across the country. Hui was intrigued by the phenomenon of Chinese restauranteurs serving food that in no way resembled actual Chinese cuisine - how did this so-called “chop suey” (which translates roughly to “bits & pieces”) become Canada’s answer to Chinese food? In visiting these restaurants, Hui meets generations of Chinese Canadians, each family with its own reasons for moving to rural Canada.
Chop Suey Nation is a great balance of travelogue, food memoir, and family history. As she travels east from Victoria, Hui unpacks her own family’s experience of coming from China to Canada and running a restaurant in Abbotsford. In doing so, we also get glimpses of the larger history of the terrible treatment of Chinese immigrants in Canada. These emotional but informative passages are interspersed with Hui’s visits to restaurants with many aesthetic similarities but each with its own charming regional particularities. This book is entertaining, educational, and thoroughly enjoyable!In 2016, journalist Ann Hui and her husband embarked on a cross-Canada road trip with a very specific purpose: to visit small, family owned Chinese restaurants across the country. Hui was intrigued by the phenomenon of Chinese restauranteurs serving…
liljables's rating:
Added Dec 11, 2019
Dear GirlsDear Girls, BookIntimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living your Best Life
by Wong, AliBook - 2019Book, 2019
liljables's rating:
Added Dec 10, 2019
Comment:
You may know Ali Wong as the comedian who was extremely pregnant in both of her Netflix standup specials (go watch Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife NOW if you haven't already), or from her charming rom-com Always Be My Maybe, which kind of broke the internet earlier this year with its Keanu Reeves cameo. She has fast become one of my favourite comedians, so I obviously had to pick up her book ASAP when it was released this fall.
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life is, in fact, a series of letters for Ali's daughters, those very babies that were in utero during her specials. These letters run the gamut of parental advice - in her signature style, Wong holds nothing back when sharing her failures and successes in school, comedy, dating, travel, and fame.
Dear Girls is an excellent addition to the already impressive list of memoirs written by hilarious women; Ali Wong brings something new to the table by never (EVER) shying away from the gruesome physical details of her dating life, the birth of her children, or child-rearing. We all KNOW these things are gross at times, but Wong revels in that knowledge. This woman can also write about food like her life depends on it (which, of course, it does), and more generally, she can really write - considering there's a whole chapter about how Wong is secretly stupid, your girl can really craft a sentence.
Finally, I want to state the obvious: you do not need to be a woman to enjoy this book. You do not need to be a mother to enjoy this book. You do not need to be an Asian comedian with children to enjoy this book. To paraphrase many smart people, the more uncompromisingly specific a story is, the more it ends up touching the bigger universal truths. PLEASE carry this notion with you whenever you find yourself thinking, "this book isn't for me."You may know Ali Wong as the comedian who was extremely pregnant in both of her Netflix standup specials (go watch Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife NOW if you haven't already), or from her charming rom-com Always Be My Maybe, which kind of broke the…
liljables's rating:
Added Dec 09, 2019
liljables's rating:
Added Dec 09, 2019
Comment:
Red at the Bone begins in 2001 and introduces us to three generations: 16-year-old Melody, who is getting ready for her coming-of-age ceremony; Melody's mother Iris and father Aubrey, who were 16 when Melody was born; and Iris and Aubrey's parents, some of whom are not present at the ceremony. Woodson's narrative moves back and forth through time so we can meet all of these family members - we're present at the moment of Melody's conception; at the moment when Iris' mother realizes her teenage daughter wants to keep her child; and at the end of several lives. These stories intertwine to deliver a beautiful, poignant portrait of a family - a surprisingly in-depth portrait, given the length of the book.
There's not much more that needs to be said about this wonderful novel - the writing is superb, the story is small in scope but wonderfully intimate, the characters are flawed and vivid. Iris and Aubrey in particular drew me in: their decisions are not predictable, and their relationship felt incredibly realistic to me. I can't wait to read more from Jacqueline Woodson!Red at the Bone begins in 2001 and introduces us to three generations: 16-year-old Melody, who is getting ready for her coming-of-age ceremony; Melody's mother Iris and father Aubrey, who were 16 when Melody was born; and Iris and Aubrey's parents,…
How Long 'til Black Future Month?How Long 'til Black Future Month?, Book
by Jemisin, N. K.Book - 2018Book, 2018
liljables's rating:
Added Oct 15, 2019
Comment:
N.K. Jemisin's How Long 'til Black Future Month? is an incredible collection of science fiction and fantasy stories with an almost unbelievable variety of tones, voices, themes, settings, and characters. Seriously: how did one human produce all of these narratives?! I've never read any of Jemisin's novels, but her Broken Earth series won her three consecutive Hugo Awards for Best Novel, so...I've gotta rectify that ASAP.
As per usual with a short story collection, I can't offer much of a synopsis, but I can tell you about some of my favourite stories; this isn't an easy task, mind you, because I loved pretty much every one! The book opens with "The Ones Who Stay and Fight," a near-future utopia delivered by a beguiling first-person narrator; there are two equally delightful fantasy tales about food (new favourite genre?), "L'Alchemista" and "Cuisine des Memoires". "Valedictorian" would be a best-selling YA dystopia right this minute if it was released as a novel, and "Red Dirt Witch," set in Alabama, is one of the best fairy tales I've ever read. To randomly round out this selection, "The Evaluators" is a chilling epistolic sci-fi horror story that had my heart racing.
What else can I say about this book? As the title suggests, Jemisin (along with many other authors of colour and LGBTQ+ authors) is working hard to diversify the science fiction and fantasy genres, which have long been dominated by straight, white, male authors. Jemisin's heartfelt introduction to this book describes how, even as recently as the early 2000s, "science fiction claimed to be the fiction of the future, but it still mostly celebrated the faces and voices and stories of the past." I'm really excited for the young sci-fi fans who are growing up reading authors like Jemisin, who will never have a doubt that the future is for every colour, every gender, and every background.N.K. Jemisin's How Long 'til Black Future Month? is an incredible collection of science fiction and fantasy stories with an almost unbelievable variety of tones, voices, themes, settings, and characters. Seriously: how did one human produce all of…
liljables's rating:
Added Oct 07, 2019
Comment:
My fandom of Tegan & Sara is...serious. While I might not love their newer stuff, their earlier albums spoke directly to my angsty teenage/young adult soul. Now I know why, thanks to the sisters' joint memoir, High School: we 100% would have been pals back then if we hadn't been separated by a few years and a few provinces. As the name suggests, this memoir recounts Tegan and Sara Quin's teen years, chronicling their discovery of song writing and their respective struggles with their sexuality. T & S have such a distinctive sound, and you can really see their signature style emerging within the pages of the book. Not sure how this would resonate with a non-fan, but it's a must read for the converted!My fandom of Tegan & Sara is...serious. While I might not love their newer stuff, their earlier albums spoke directly to my angsty teenage/young adult soul. Now I know why, thanks to the sisters' joint memoir, High School: we 100% would have been…
liljables's rating:
Added Sep 16, 2019
Comment:
Thrillers like Necessary People aren't normally my cup of tea, but I was sufficiently intrigued by the fact that Anna Pitoniak grew up here in Whistler to give this one a go. I'm glad I did - Necessary People was really entertaining! For most of the novel, I found myself rooting for Violet, an ambitious young woman who had succeeded despite her truly awful parents and difficult childhood; I also thoroughly enjoyed questioning the motives of the characters (Violet included) as the plot thickened. This was one of those stories where I asked myself, "wait...has this character been a sociopath all along?!" on more than one occasion. Fun!Thrillers like Necessary People aren't normally my cup of tea, but I was sufficiently intrigued by the fact that Anna Pitoniak grew up here in Whistler to give this one a go. I'm glad I did - Necessary People was really entertaining! For most of the…
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