From Marjorie's website I see there is a book launch at Munro's on Oct. 17 although Munro's doesn't have it on their website as yet. Looks like she has a full schedule of readings including the Vancouver Writer's Festival. Looks like another banner year for local writers!
From the blog of Kate Soles:
The
fact that Marjorie Celona has remained my best friend for the past 26
years undoubtedly influences my review of her debut novel. However, I
can say with certainty that, even if I didn't know Celona personally,
her story and its cast of flawed but deeply endearing characters would
still have me captivated.
Unsurprisingly,
"Y" begins on the doorstep of Victoria's YMCA, where a young and
frightened Yula abandons her newborn daughter. This infant, Shannon,
becomes the novel's omniscient narrator, moving through foster homes and
constantly seeking roots. An outlooker and a chameleon, Shannon guides
the reader through a complex and disturbing family history that ends
with Yula's dramatic decision. The tale deftly combines comedy with
tragedy, inevitability with unexpectedness and casual acquaintance with
intimacy.
Ultimately, "Y" profoundly poses the question we always ask when life takes one turn instead of another: why?
