A tender , loving story about some people in a small , the smallest?, town in Canada. Fortune plays with them and upsets the dreams of the lonely, bewildered mayor. Well defined characters and hilarious coincidences come in a great small package. ( )

I was pining for some time with Hosea Funk. This was my second time through the novel and it felt like gathering around a kitchen table on a fall evening with good friends who aren't shy about their experiences and would be the first to admit they don't have it all figured out. A pleasant reprieve that didn't slide into sentimentality. Toews is one of my favorite writers for her ability to capture images, moments, humor, and a wonder about the world in a way that is unique, and beautiful.

this review is for the audiobook edition, narrated by susanna fournier.

i love this book. i've read it a couple of times before, in paper, but wanted to listen to it, to see how it was in that format. fournier is a good narrator and did suit this story... but toews is an excellent reader so it would have been cool to listen to her narrate her own book. my only criticism about the narration is that it felt toooo fast and a little frantic at times. there are certainly those types of moments in the story, but not enough to necessitate that sort of pace for the entirety of the tale. it was a bit distracting at moments. apart from that minor quibble, this is still one of my favourites from toews. it is high on her signature quirkiness, and still clever, insightful, and warm in its intent. there is always so much heart in a miriam toews story, and her style of humour truly appeals to my own. my favourite, and funniest, bit in the novel occurs when uncle jack comes to visit knute's father. uncle jack is a tornado of hilarity . i was listening to this in the middle of the night and trying to stifle my laughter so as to not wake people up! i recommend this book to everyone, and especially so if you need a literary pick-me-up. ( )

Not her best work, I reckon. All Toews' stories seem to be about quirky and strange people and situations, but this one is just too far out in left field for me. Very little is 'believable' and although that doesn't invalidate the story, it makes it less interesting for me. Even the characters names (especially the characters names) are off the planet. However all of the basic plots stretch credibility. ( )

The mayor of Algren, Manitoba is desperately trying to maintain the population at an even 1500 - the limit for town status - to keep the title of the smallest town in Canada. His motive is to receive a visit from the prime minister whom he believes to be his father.

Although the story has the flavour of satire, as the reader progresses, it is becomes familiar, a nostalgia for small towns remembered. Filled with quirky characters, this is a sweet, endearing story that is both funny and touching. Highly recommended. ( )