Radiant Shimmering Light- Sarah Selecky

If you have read some of my posts before, you might know I have a bit of a problem with the whole “branding of influencers” and having a “personal brand” and people always advertising products. Sometimes I feel like Instagram is just a place where people can try to sell you things and make believe their life is perfect.  I also have a bit of an issue with people trying to sell “safe-care”. The self-care industry is worth billions of dollars in North America, with people shelling out money everyday for crystals, malas, and energy aligners. I don’t necessarily think that this is bad per say, but I do think there is something wrong with trying to get people (mostly women) to buy things they don’t need to make themselves feel better, getting into more debt and ending up feeling worse. And most of the people who sell these items are white women, but that’s a whole other story. Let’s get back to the book.

This book is about Lillian, a pet portrait artist, who is barely getting by, but feels pretty content in her life, in most ways. She has always looked up to her cousin, Florence but has been out of touch for many years, due to the fighting of their mothers. Lillian is someone who spends too much time on Instagram, comparing herself to others. It is through the world of online media that she realizes her cousin has re-branded herself as “Eleven” and is now a powerful lifestyle guru. She sees that Eleven is holding an event in Toronto and receives a surprise message inviting her to come along for free! From this meeting Lillian ends up moving to New York to work for Eleven at the “Temple” and “find herself.” Of course once Lillian gets there it is a whole new world to figure out, a world of appearances, newsletters, selling products and “being your best self”.

This satirical and humourous book made me think a lot. I couldn’t put it down, I found the story very compelling and written in a very unique voice. It felt a lot different than most of the books I read, in a good way. I like how the author put in email newsletters from a lot of the characters directly into the book, they made me laugh and were so telling of the world we live in today.

It made me feel a little bit better about the appearances people give us and the way we are all hiding behind perfection. Maybe at the very least, it’s going to make me pull back a bit from constant comparison to others and the chase of a non exsisting perfection.

Also, I liked the ending, the way we are left wondering what choices Lillian has made and not knowing for sure. I am hoping the best for her.

 

 

Giller Prize 2017

I am, and always have been crazy for Canadian literature. Ever since I was a young child and could say the words Anne of Green Gables I have gravitated towards Canadian Literature. Some people complained about having to read Canlit in junior high and high school and I tried to take as many classes as I possibly could. Give me the David Adams Richards, the Margaret Laurence and Robertson Davis and don’t let it stop.

I have never understood when people say that Canlit is boring. Canlit has so many diverse authors and ranges. From YA to indigenous, fiction to non-fiction there is so, so much out there.

I make it a point to read mostly Canadian literature. It is just the way I am. I like relating to things I am reading and there is so much to learn about this country that I don’t know. Everyone reads for different reasons, but one of the reasons I read is to learn about people and to better understand those different than me. It has made me a very open, kind and empathetic person who goes out of her way to interact with as many unique people and cultures as she can.

Last night, for the first time I attended the Gillerlight bash here in Halifax to see who the winner of the Giller Prize for 2017 was going to be. I thought I was going to be surrounded by fellow book nerds and find my people. I was very surprised when we were asked to raise our hands if we had read all of the books and only about 10 people did. I was more surprised when nobody on the panel, defending their books, had read all five?! I felt it was an honour to attend and made it my duty to get involved in the books (although I do every year). I was also more surprised, and quite frankly disgusted, when one of the panelist basically put down Canadian literature saying he tended to shy away from it. WHAT? It is so far from old and stuffy I could barely stop myself from screaming.

Have you tried Fruit by Brian Francis, about an overweight 13 year old gay boy coming to terms with who he is? How about All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai, an incredibly fascinating sci-fi dystopian? Have you read Fatty Legs: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton, an incredible graphic novel based on the author’s experience in residential schools? 

I know not everyone reads as much or as passionately as I do, but I was very disappointed about the lack of enthusiasm from the panel and especially about my great love, Canadian books.

And while I enjoyed myself, despite going home without a prize, proving that book love doesn’t guarantee winning, I was a little underwhelmed. My love for Canlit seemed undermined and stale and it is anything but.

The future of Canadian literature is so bright and there are so many stories to tell.