Review: Annabel by Kathleen Winter (a must read!)

[TheCajunBookLady]

What I Thought:


I KNOW that this book will be on my top 10 of 2010 list! It is certainly one of the most unique and riveting books I've read in a while. I'll tell you that when I saw the summary on Librarything I went a little *crazy* trying to get my hands on one. *smile* The author was kind enough to send me this as a gift after noticing my intense desire to read it. I really appreciated that!


It was a completely engaging book with such unique content that I finished all 400 + pages within a day and a half. I COULD NOT put it down and when I did I was thinking about the next time I could read again.


Kathleen Winter's writing is touching, poignant, and just flows beautifully. I felt very connected to the emotional struggles of these well-written characters as I followed their story. This was so much MORE than just the subject matter...it was about human nature and our desire to fit in at any cost. (this is what I thought) Our psychology, our beliefs, society as a whole...it was a very deep and thought provoking.


For me, this book was a complete package and everything I could have hoped for. If I had to give an outstanding recommendation to a book right now, this would be the one.


(Unfortunately, it's not available in the US till Spring 2011 but I believe you can order it from Canada? Check out the House of Anansi website here.)

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About The Book:
(from Anansi website)

In 1968, into the beautiful, spare environment of remote coastal Labrador, a mysterious child is born: a baby who appears to be neither fully boy nor girl, but both at once. Only three people are privy to the secret -- the baby's parents, Jacinta and Treadway, and a trusted neighbour, Thomasina. Together the adults make a difficult decision: to raise the child as a boy named Wayne. But as Wayne grows to adulthood within the hyper-masculine hunting culture of his father, his shadow-self -- a girl he thinks of as Annabel -- is never entirely extinguished, and indeed is secretly nurtured by the women in his life.


About The Author:


Kathleen Winter's story collection, boYs (Biblioasis), won the Metcalf-Rooke award and the 2008 Winterset Award. Her novel Annabel was published in June 2010 by House of Anansi Press, and is slated for release in early 2011 with Jonathan Cape in London and Grove Atlantic/Black Cat in New York. Bompiani and Matar have bought Italian and Hebrew rights. Kathleen Winter was born in the industrial northeast of England and lives in Montreal with her husband and daughters.

Author blog: http://kathleenwinter.livejournal.com/

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