DEBUT FICTION
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund ( HarperCollins, 288 pp; $ 29.99) – Jan. 3
The first chapter of Emily Fridlund’s debut novel has already earned itself an award as a short story, so either the accomplished Minessotan essayist is feeling greedy, or History of Wolves has a bit more story left to tell. I’ ll skip judgment in favour of raw anticipation, ready to get hold of the literary fiction introduced with genre- bending flair by its young first- person narrator in what, with full publication, might now be the book’s best teaser.
Shot- Blue by Jesse Ruddock ( Coach House, 240 pp; $ 19. 95) – Feb. 20
Guelph native Jesse Ruddock is, in no particular order, a: doubledegree- earning poet, Harvardgraduated hockey player, accomplished photographer, lakeside carpenter, seasoned angler and now, newly minted author. In Shot-Blue, a young single mother, son Tristan in tow, fights to keep the two alive on an unnamed Northern frontier. ShotBlue’s synopsis betrays at least one twist: Tristan will eventually be forced to confront the nearby wilderness, and the strangers who find cover within it, alone.
Things We Lost in the Fire: Stories by Mariana Enriquez ( Hogarth, 208 pp; $ 32.00) – Feb. 21
Enriquez, living in Buenos Aires, takes to pen life in modern Argentina with 12 brutal glimpses into the class- torn country suspended with hints at supernatural and a crosscurrent of folkloric South American superstition. Hitting shelves a week past Valentine’s Day, I understand Things We Lost in the Fire houses some exploration of Hikikomori, too – perfect for the lurid lonely hearts book club, just when dark winter makes honorary members of us all.
Imagine Wanting Only This by Kristen Radtke ( Pantheon, 288 pp; $ 29.95) – Apr. 18
Kristen Radtke’s graphic memoir is a story of loss, but the Brooklyn- based illustrator’s approach is adventure: the sudden death of Radtke’s uncle spurred her passion for ruins of people and place. Her grief makes good company. In an impressive spread of portfolio work, Radtke’s illustrations tend toward raw vector- drawn portraiture, and sparse samples of her written skill mirror the style with clever, candid observations on their subjects.
Seven: Racism, Death and Hard
Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga ( House of Anansi, 304 pp; $ 22.95) – Sept. 30
Stories of Canada’s indigenous people are only as timely as they are chronically overdue. Tanya Talaga’s byline is no stranger to the subject in print: you might recognize her from 20 years’ work at the Toronto Star, or a more recent National Newspaper Award nom for her series on murdered and missing indigenous women and girls. Talaga isn’t the type for hand-wringing; a bullish reporter, Seven promises to retell in full the truths she’s pursued on what’s proven tragically to be one of Canada’s deadliest beats.