Crow Lake: FROM THE BOOKER PRIZE LONGLISTED AUTHOR OF A TOWN CALLED SOLACE

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Crow Lake is a unique (to me) story about a family and the fate of 4 siblings after the tragedy of their parents' early death. Their story is narrated by Kate, one of the siblings, as a young girl and as an adult, and switches seamlessly from past to present. The most important themes are the effects of loss and how choices affect the trajectory of one's life. It's also about (mis)perceptions and survivor guilt. Orphaned young, Kate Morrison and her siblings were bound together by loss. None of them could have expected the tumultuous times ahead—least of all Kate’s older brothers, Matt and Luke. Twenty years later, the sacrifices they made and the promises they broke would continue to reverberate through their lives and the quiet rural community of Crow Lake.

In this universal drama of family love and misunderstandings, of resentments harbored and driven underground, Lawson ratchets up the tension with heartbreaking humor and consummate control, continually overturning one’s expectations right to the very end. Tragic, funny, unforgettable, Crow Lake is a quiet tour de force that will catapult Mary Lawson to the forefront of fiction writers today. Sibling relationships. In both, the girl feels the strongest attachment to one of the older brothers, and the departure of one of them into the big world becomes the cause of a painful discord of fraternal-sisterly relations. The Morrison siblings have been haunted by tragedy since the sudden death of their parents in an accident when they were young. Thank you for all the people who have talked about this for many years. I don’t know why it took me so long to read it, but I want to thank each and everyone of you.Crow Lake explores the connection people hold for the land on which they are born, a common theme in Canadian literature. While some are satisfied to stay in the isolated farming community, others want to explore the wider world, which is likely possible only by going to college or university. In this way, higher education provides a means of betterment, or even freedom. Other themes in the novel include domestic abuse, family dynamics and sibling rivalry. Class rivalry, too, is hinted at as a mature Kate struggled with her feelings about the family she left behind. Sequel

From this tragedy, Lawson spins a magnificent tale of love, disappointment, and family dynamics. It is painful at times to watch these youngsters struggle with issues that would be too weighty for much older and cooler heads. The extra character in this book is the town of Crow Lake, itself. A small, isolated town, with one store, a church and scattered farms, it is described beautifully and plays as important a part in the unfolding history of the Morrisons as the children themselves. Her oldest brother, Luke, was the first in their whole family to get into college (and receive a scholarship). Brother Matt, a year behind Luke in school was following those footsteps too and he is expected to do the same. Kate was 7 years old and baby sister, Bo (short for Elizabeth) is probably just about 2.Kate attended a conference in Edmonton to give a paper on the effect of pesticides on the life of still-water ponds. Understatement was the rule in our house. Emotions, even positive ones, were kept firmly under control. It was the Eleventh Commandment, carved on its very own tablet of stone and presented specifically to those of Presbyterian persuasion: Thou Shalt Not Emote." To summarize: both books are good, each in its own way. Having brought acquaintance with one, it is difficult to resist and not read the second. Enjoy reading.