Gemma Marr – The Miramichi Reader

The Good German by Dennis Bock

January 30, 2021January 24, 2021 by Gemma Marr

Dennis Bock’s newest novel, The Good German, offers an unexpected revision of the Second World War and its aftermath. In this world, Germany has defeated the allied forces and London has been decimated. Refugees from London, and immigrants from Germany, stream into Canada, and the tensions between these various groups become the central focus of the narrative.

Must-Have New Brunswick Books of 2020*

January 9, 2021 by James M. Fisher, Gemma Marr and Bill Arnott

The books in this “Must Have New Brunswick Books of 2020” list cover all ages and tastes and will give you an idea of the diversity of voices – both young and old – that emanate from here. This list includes fiction for young readers as well as mature ones, and non-fiction titles concerning New Brunswick, and its history, people, and geography.

The Hush Sisters by Gerard Collins

December 6, 2020December 5, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Sissy and Ava Hush are estranged, middle-aged sisters with little in common beyond their upbringing in a peculiar manor in downtown St. John’s. With both parents now dead, the siblings must decide what to do with the old house they’ve inherited.

Boy With a Problem by Chris Benjamin

November 23, 2020 by Gemma Marr

How does a teenager deal with grief? Where do you turn in the aftermath of tragedy? What can ease the shame of a dark secret? Who can help when things feel helpless? In sparse but emotive prose, Chris Benjamin’s collection … Continue reading

Annaka by Andre Fenton

November 1, 2020October 19, 2020 by Gemma Marr

The narrative follows 16-year-old Annaka Brooks as she returns home to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for her Grampy’s funeral. Though much of her adolescence has been tarnished by feelings of loneliness and difference, her homecoming provides opportunities to rebuild connections with family and friends and to figure out key secrets from her past.

The Talking Drum by Lisa Braxton

January 20, 2021September 22, 2020 by Gemma Marr

It is 1971. The fictional city of Bellport, Massachusetts, is in decline with an urban redevelopment project on the horizon expected to transform this dying factory town into a thriving economic center. This planned transformation has a profound effect on the residents who live in Bellport as their own personal transformations take place.

Cod Collapse: The Rise and Fall of Newfoundland’s Saltwater Cowboys by Jenn Thornhill Verma

August 30, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Jenn Thornhill Verma’s Cod Collapse: The Rise and Fall of Newfoundland’s Saltwater Cowboys is a tricky text to categorize. Part memoir, part historical overview, and part reckoning, Cod Collapse traces the development and decline of the ground fishing industry in … Continue reading

Messenger 93 by Barbara Radecki

July 23, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Barbara Radecki’s sophomore novel, Messenger 93, opens with a flutter of information. A mind-bending conversation with a crow kicks off the absorbing thriller, and cryptic messages, hidden clues, and uncertain instructions become the norm in M, the narrator’s, life. … Continue reading

Swimmers in Winter by Faye Guenther

July 13, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Faye Guenther’s first collection of short fiction, Swimmers in Winter*, is described as a “trifecta of diptychs.” Any of the six pieces can stand well on their own, or can work in their pairs to flesh out the characters, … Continue reading

Broken Symmetry by Rosalie Osmond

June 14, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Broken Symmetry centres on the Wentzell family. The events unfold from 1943 to 1959 and mostly occur in their shared family home in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

All I Ask by Eva Crocker

May 25, 2020 by Gemma Marr

There are novels that feel alive. There is no other way to describe it, because words like ‘fresh’ or ‘current’ are not enough. These novels are more than just a compelling plot or strong writing. They do more than tap … Continue reading

Lay Figures by Mark Blagrave

July 16, 2020May 2, 2020 by Gemma Marr

The literary figure of the flâneur is a symbol of urban observation. Made popular in the 19th century, the flâneur is a man of leisure who wanders through the city and watches as he walks. He attempts to understand life … Continue reading

Some People’s Children by Bridget Canning

April 13, 2020 by Gemma Marr

Some People’s Children* is Bridget Canning’s second novel, and effectively debunks the myth of the ‘sophomore slump.’ The novel follows Imogene Tubbs as she navigates the difficulties of life as a teenage girl living in rural Newfoundland.

Imogene has been … Continue reading

No Girls Allowed by Natalie Corbett Sampson

March 24, 2020 by Gemma Marr

No Girls Allowed, by Natalie Corbett Sampson, follows ten-year-old Tina Marie Forbes and her family as they fight for her right to play hockey. The Forbes family moves from Toronto to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and are excited to get settled in the town. Early on, Tina reflects, “all you need to do to make friends is play sports. Join a team and there’s a bunch of them ready to meet . . . That’s been true wherever we’ve lived.” Sport is an essential part of who Tina is, and forms the basis from which she builds community.