Welcome to this month’s post on all things historical fiction!
Earlier this year, I read Prize Women by Caroline Lea, a fascinating and moving novel about the Great Stork Derby, a contest to see who can give birth to the most children in a ten year period (yes, it really happened). The story takes place in 1920s Toronto and it occurred to me that I’ve read very little historical fiction set in Canada.
A quick look through my review archives shows that since I started blogging I’ve only read five historical (or partly historical) novels with a Canadian setting. One of these was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction a few years ago: A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale, the story of an Englishman who decides to start a new life in Winter, a small, remote settlement in Saskatchewan. I enjoyed it and really need to read more books by Patrick Gale! Touch by Alexi Zentner is also set in a remote part of Canada – the fictional gold rush town of Sawgamet – and is part historical/part magical realism. It’s a beautifully written book and the descriptions of life in a harsh, wild landscape are very well done.
Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace is another book based on a true story – the story of Grace Marks, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1840s Canada. It’s probably my favourite of the Atwood novels I’ve read so far. There’s also Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, the first in his Deptford Trilogy, which begins in 1908 with our narrator Dunstan Ramsay growing up in the Canadian town of Deptford. The book was published in 1970 and by the end we have been brought up to date in the 1960s, but enough of the story takes place earlier in the century for it to be classed as historical, I think! Finally, I’ve read Perdita by Hilary Scharper, a dual timeline novel about a woman who claims to be 134 years old. This unusual novel moves backwards and forwards in time between the 19th century and the modern day and is set on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario.
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Have you read any of these? Which other books about Canada and its history can you recommend?
She Reads Novels 
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in Canada either. Apart from some scenes in the Outlander series. Prize women is on my list though.
Prize Women is great – I hope you like it!
It’s a long time since I read Alias Grace but I’ve always thought of it as one of my favourite Atwoods. And I’ve only just started my journey with Robertson Davies, but love it so far!
I haven’t read a lot of Atwood, but that one and The Handmaid’s Tale are my favourites so far.
The only book you mention that I have read is A Place called Winter. I loved it. But I’ve yet to read a Patrick Gale I haven’t enjoyed. This may be my only Canada-inspired novel …
Canada just doesn’t seem to be a setting I come across very often, for some reason.
I haven’t read any of the books you mentioned but can recommend Minds of Winter by Ed O’Loughlin. Long, long ago, I read two books based on the life of Eskimos (Top of the World, and its sequel, written by Hans Ruesch). I can’t remember the country where it’s set though, it may not be Canada. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan is set partly in Canada, as is Africaville by Jeffrey Colvin, though I didn’t like the latter.
Thanks, Carmen. I think I already have Washington Black on the TBR, although I didn’t know it was partly set in Canada. I’ll look out for Minds of Winter.
I loved both A Place Called Winter and Alias Grace.
Yes, they are both great books. I need to read more by both Patrick Gale and Margaret Atwood!
Me too… I’ve read several Gale and a few Atwood, but nowhere near enough of either.
I have Fifth Business on my Classics Club list – sounds good! I remember loving Stef Penney’s The Tenderness of Wolves, set in early Ontario. I read it pre-blog and pre-reviewing though, so the details have now passed from my memory!
I’ll look out for The Tenderness of Wolves, thanks. I just don’t seem to come across books set in Canada very often – I don’t know why!
I’ve read books set in Canada, but none that really deal with Canada’s history unless Mrs. Mike counts. That’s a good one. The Quintland Sisters is one on my TBR list, along with Alias Grace.
I have Mrs Mike on the TBR – thanks for reminding me about it!
I enjoyed The Tenderness of Wolves as well; I’ve only read one Patrick Gale and keep thinking I should read more, this sounds a good one and I’m off to Canada in September so I might save it up for then (not Saskatchewan though)!
I hope you enjoy your Canada trip! I’ve never been but would love to. I’ll have to look out for The Tenderness of Wolves!
I’m planning to read my seventh Robertson Davies novel and start his last trilogy this August, most of which are mostly set in Canada. I’ve also read a couple of Margaret Atwood volumes – a collection of short stories and Hag-Seed – but I can’t just now recall any other Canadian authors I’ve enjoyed apart from Yann Martell. At least there are titles by Guy Gavriel Kay and Emily St John Mandel to look forward to!
I’m looking forward to reading more Robertson Davies, maybe after 20 Books of Summer is over!