Do You like book Consolation (2006)?
I picked up this book at a library book sale. In other words, there wasn't a whole lot of investment on my part ($2 maybe?) and I didn't expect a whole lot. I found it interesting, but generally not compelling, and couldn't help but think it was written with people in mind who were quite familiar with Toronto. There are really two stories to "Consolation". The first, and I think more interesting one, takes place in the city's early days as it was being settled. Given the harsh weather and challenging economy, the success of its early residents was by no means guaranteed. We are treated to the story of three unlikely friends, each marooned in this outpost of civilization and responding to their isolation in their own way. Their relationships are interesting and touching. The second story involves a modern day family consisting of a mother and daughter grieving over the recent suicide of the advanced ALS afflicted husband/father, and the fiance of the daughter who holds a secret (many, actually) that neither of the other two are aware of until the end of the book (though the reader finds out very early on). The two stories are connected by the thread of this dead man whose life's work was to uncover the history of early Toronto, to a largely dubious and uninterested world. As sometimes happens with novels I read, the main characters didn't strike me as all that likeable, which made it difficult for me to root for their success. Nevertheless, the story was interesting and very well written, and I'm glad I read it. Those who enjoy history, are intimately familiar with Toronto, or even who want to know more about the early days of photography should find this to be an acceptable read.
—Mary
David Hollis spent his career unearthing artifacts of old Toronto, but at the time of his death from Lou Gehrig’s disease, his academic legacy was shadowed by his unsupported claims that a complete set of glass negatives of photos of Toronto, circa 1860, was lost in a shipwreck that now lies under landfill. However, the story doesn’t really deal with David except in flashback, as his wife, one of his daughters, and his daughter’s fiancé deal with his death by keeping vigil over a construction site that may uncover–and possibly pour concrete over–the lost ship. The parallel story of the photographer, a young Englishman trying to make his way in what was then a frontier outpost, punctuates the story and becomes far more vivid and compelling than the painful emotional freeze of the present day. It is fairly slowly paced, but the characters (including the city of Toronto, a character in its own right here) have a way of coming to life forcing you to care about them.
—Julie
I borrowed this book without putting much time into reviewing it beforehand. When I actually picked it up to read and determined what it was about (ie. Toronto) I figured it would be boring and likely not worth my while. Once I started reading it, I initially confirmed my suspicions and almost put it down (in reality, I never do this). Am I glad I didn't! I loved the intermingling of the two stories; one from 1997 Toronto (where I happen to live) and one from 1856 historical Toronto. It became a two for one bonus!I'm a fan of historical fiction and thoroughly enjoyed delving into the beginnings of what has now become the Toronto of today. Redhill did an excellent job of using the appropriate diction for the times, which made it all that much more likeable.Definitely a good read and proof of the old adage "Don't judge a book by its cover".
—Robert Colquhoun
