A brooding hero gives a centuries-spanning novel gravity, but too many characters “create a pacing that is reminiscent of old ‘monster of the week’ television, à la Scooby Doo, or Doctor Who, without the levity that makes these shows so digestible.” —Zoe McKenna reviews The Mona Lisa Sacrifice, by Peter Darbyshire (Hamilton: Wolsak & Wynn, 2024) $24.00 / 9781998408054
Deeply whimsical story of a plucky orphan “reads like a forgotten classic,” and—when it works— “is almost endlessly charming.” —Greg Brown reviews Library Girl, by Polly Horvath (Toronto: Puffin Canada, 2024) $22.99 / 9781774883341
Featuring a tyrannical emperor, a kindhearted young hero, a daunting quest, and an “exceedingly chaste” romance, the novel succeeds on its own terms. —Jessica Poon reviews The Last Dragon of the East, by Katrina Kwan (Toronto: Saga Press, 2024) $24.99 / 9781668051238
A note from Richard Mackie, publisher, The British Columbia Review. * Dear friends, supporters, and readers, On behalf of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of The British Columbia Review, I must mention our pressing need for continuing financial support from our reading community. We make this request for private donations annually to keep the…
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With “each new offering, Van Camp reminds us of his remarkable gift for storytelling. ‘Beast’ is no exception.” —Zoe McKenna reviews Beast, by Richard Van Camp (Madeira Park: Douglas & McIntyre, 2024) $24.95 / 9781771624145
Writing “evocatively with gutsy language and pacing that moves along,” this debut YA novelist also “handles the humanity of her characters with a sense of honour; they feel to be so fully-developed that they’re letting her know where they should be on the page.” —Alison Acheson reviews Devil by the Tail, by Caroline Lavoie (Winnipeg: Deep Hearts YA, 2024) $21.99 / 9781998055616
A veteran writer’s new novel is defined by meticulous, expansive, and breathtaking world-building. Sometimes, though, too much is too much. —Zoe McKenna reviews Blackheart Man, by Nalo Hopkinson (Toronto: Simon & Schuster / Saga Press, 2024) $34.99 / 9781668005101
“Newland’s talent with the architecture of sentences never detracts from the exhilaration of his plot, with its strange events and estranged sense of time.” —Peter Babiak reviews The Marysburgh Vortex (Volume 1: Jack Wenland, Time Guardian), by Trevor Newland (Vancouver: Simply Read Books, 2024) $22.99 / 9781772291001
Novelist sets out to “destroy it all … and start over with a handful of survivors, to see if they could build something better,” and then imagines the fraught next steps. —Dana McFarland reviews Post Civ, by Julianne Harvey (Surrey: Ruby Finch Books, 2024) $25.00 / 9780987797841
Sophomore YA novel offers “a beautiful, heartwarming story about memory and grief with a speculative twist and a sprinkling of romance that’s sure to delight teen readers.”—Greg Brown reviews The Space Between Here and Now, by Sarah Suk (Toronto: HarperCollins Canada, 2023) $24.99 / 9780063255135
Epic poetry that’s a “respectful, evocative, beautiful even, and artful” reimagining of premodern Scandinavia magic. —Harold Rhenisch reviews Sigrene’s Bargain with Odin, by Zoë Landale (Toronto: Inanna Publications, 2023)
$19.95 / 9781771339681
Highly recommended novella presents “a humane vision from an imagined future, of the potential that arises from valuing connection and collaboration in and with place.” —Dana McFarland reviews Arboreality, by Rebecca Campbell (Hamilton: Stelliform Press, 2022) $19.00 / 9781777682323
Full of lore, a “refreshing, earnest, and hopeful” debut for YA readers captivates and entertains. —Zoe McKenna reviews Why We Play With Fire, by Giselle Vriesen (Toronto: 100 Block Futures, 2024) $23.99 CAD / 9781955905312
With mesmeric effects, a debut novel blends the beautiful, surreal, and disturbing. —Daniel Gawthrop reviews The Invisible Hotel, by Yeji Y. Ham (Toronto: Bond Street Books, 2024) $34.00 / 9780385698054
Debut eco-thriller is “controlled, crafted, deliberate—and, to boot, utterly purposeful.” —Theo Dombrowski reviews Adrift, by Lisa Brideau (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Landmark, 2023) $25.99 / 9781728265681
Although addictive and inventive, a debut novel’s storyline could use a trim. —Valerie Green reviews The Wickedest of Things, by Russel Barrie (Kamloops: Russel Barrie Books, 2023) $24.00 / 9781738060701
Debut horror novelist conveys the “tingle and rattle of fear” but wears his influences on his sleeve. —Bill Paul reviews Arlya, by Jack Lowe-Carbell (Victoria: Tellwell Talent, 2024) $24.99 / 9781779410979
An “exhilarating” sci-fi epic whose “each page is a gift.” —Zoe McKenna reviews Shadow Matter, by S.W. Mayse (Calgary: Tyche Books, 2023) $24.99 / 9781989407554
Debut fantasy novel reveals both promise and flaws. —Sheldon Goldfarb reviews Strands of Time and Magic, by Andrew Platten (Seattle: Amazon, 2023) $19.99 / 9781738101603