anna_hepworth's review
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved this book from start to end. The writing is beautiful, the characters are amazingly real and varied, the pacing exquisite and the events (not plot, per se, because this is very much a slice of life story) interwoven beautifully.
There is a lot of emotion, as viewpoint character Joe goes through a series of life changes in short order. But is it not Joe's story, per se, but the stories of many people that they interact with over a relatively short period.
And for me, as a middle-aged queer, there were things in this story that resonate, that I've not seen in other stories.
There is a lot of emotion, as viewpoint character Joe goes through a series of life changes in short order. But is it not Joe's story, per se, but the stories of many people that they interact with over a relatively short period.
And for me, as a middle-aged queer, there were things in this story that resonate, that I've not seen in other stories.
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Child death, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
main character is queer friendly but clueless, and as a result there are a couple of 'argh, no, shut up' moments.m_storky's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
genuinely one of the best books I've read. gave me hope as a queer person living in Alberta
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Infertility
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
reddaeg's review
5.0
I loved this story, loved the storytelling style, loved the narrative from the main character. My only complaint is that you want to keep on going - things just get good in his life, I want to know what happens next!
likecymbeline's review
3.0
This book doesn't fit in many of the "shelf" categories I created, which is probably a flaw on my part but also indicative of what this book is like. Read it for my Women's Studies class in first year (borrowed the copy, I believe, from Abby, because as notorious a book-buyer I am, I'm an equally notorious book-borrower, from private libraries as much as public). It's not my usual reading, but it's a good novel, and I still find it absurdly exciting when things are actually set in Canada.
rachelini's review
4.0
This had been on my to-read list for ages and I had no memory of what it was about or why I wanted to read it. And in the middle I was worried about a possible path that I really didn't want it to go down so I put it aside for ages (it didn't go there). But wow, what a great book that left me feeling drained but joyful.
thegaypossum's review
5.0
Still percolating on a more eloquent thought to describe this, but in short, I really enjoyed the quiet, just...normal life of Joseph, nothing particularly extraordinary happens but everything felt significant in how it shapes his perspective and pushes him to live his life with more focus.
blooker's review
5.0
I came to become a fan of Ivan Coyote through seeing videos of her telling stories. My interest in reading her first novel, Bow Grip, comes from feeling connected to her as a person through her stories. You can have this same experience easily as she's got quite a few videos embedded on her site at: http://www.ivanecoyote.com/videos
But you don't need to know Coyote to read this book. Unlike her collections which contain autobiographical stories, this story is fictional. It centers around Joseph, a man in Drumheller, Alberta, who runs an auto shop and trades a car to a man called "The Cowboy" for a cello, the precipitating event of the story. Joseph feels it's a good trade as his mother and sister have been on him to get a hobby as a way to get his mind off his wife, Allison. She left him with the wife of another Drumheller man to live in Calgary, and Joseph has been understandably down about this.
Joseph winds up having a human adventure. The man he traded with disappears, and Joseph finds evidence of a woman he's connected to who may be living in Calgary. Also, while he's there searching for him, he might as well drop off the last of the books his wife left at their home. And why not seek out a cello teacher? No way is he going to find one in a little town like Drumheller.
In Calgary, Joseph befriends all sorts of people, and this connecting with others forms the heart of the story. At the beginning, I mentioned that I grabbed this book because I am a fan of Ivan, that I feel connected to her through her stories. Interestingly, this story is all about humans connecting with one another, and the ability to heal provided by these connections. And Joseph seems to learn about himself even as the reader learns how he interacts with and reacts to others.
It took this book to make me realize how much other stories I've read lately amplify the human experience to an unnecessary degree, not to mention how aggressively they thrive on conflict and the negative aspects of life. This is an excellent, quiet, authentic story that can make you feel human, happy, and whole.
But you don't need to know Coyote to read this book. Unlike her collections which contain autobiographical stories, this story is fictional. It centers around Joseph, a man in Drumheller, Alberta, who runs an auto shop and trades a car to a man called "The Cowboy" for a cello, the precipitating event of the story. Joseph feels it's a good trade as his mother and sister have been on him to get a hobby as a way to get his mind off his wife, Allison. She left him with the wife of another Drumheller man to live in Calgary, and Joseph has been understandably down about this.
Joseph winds up having a human adventure. The man he traded with disappears, and Joseph finds evidence of a woman he's connected to who may be living in Calgary. Also, while he's there searching for him, he might as well drop off the last of the books his wife left at their home. And why not seek out a cello teacher? No way is he going to find one in a little town like Drumheller.
In Calgary, Joseph befriends all sorts of people, and this connecting with others forms the heart of the story. At the beginning, I mentioned that I grabbed this book because I am a fan of Ivan, that I feel connected to her through her stories. Interestingly, this story is all about humans connecting with one another, and the ability to heal provided by these connections. And Joseph seems to learn about himself even as the reader learns how he interacts with and reacts to others.
It took this book to make me realize how much other stories I've read lately amplify the human experience to an unnecessary degree, not to mention how aggressively they thrive on conflict and the negative aspects of life. This is an excellent, quiet, authentic story that can make you feel human, happy, and whole.
corvoid's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
I never thought I’d be rooting for a middle-aged cishet dude this much.
Loved the writing style, I laughed out loud several times.
Loved the writing style, I laughed out loud several times.
hectaizani's review
4.0
I'd never heard of this book or author until it was chosen as this month's read by one of my book clubs. I found it highly readable, and really fell for the protagonist Joseph. I know the author has written several collections of short stories and I might try one of those but I'm not really big on them.