The COVID-19 outbreak means that the Canada Reads debates this year are currently postponed until further notice so we all got a little extra time to read all five of finalists which, I definitely needed this year. Did you read them all?
Which one of these books will be crowned the winner? Which one will be the one book to bring Canada into focus? If you’re a follower of the debates you know that sometimes it’s not always the book you expect to win due to some outstanding debating.
Firstly, I’m going to rank the books by how much I personally enjoyed them and then I am going to predict which book I think might be the winner this year when the debates resume. I actually enjoyed all of these books so I found it challenging to rank them this year.
Favourites
1.
From the Ashes
I think this novel will be everyone’s personal favourite out of the five. It’s a truly inspiring read about how one Canadian man overcame so many insurmountable circumstances. The novel is a moving and uplifting and I found it the most positive of the five contenders.
2.
Radicalized
The only collaboration of short stories, this novel took an intriguing approach to a variety of societal issues. One story had a super hero twist while another a futuristic envisionment of the apocalypse. Each with well-developed and emotionally intriguing characters this novel is an approachable read with some serious content.
3.
We Have Always Been Here
Being queer and muslim is not something a lot of places and people in the world are ready to accept, unfortunately, even in Canada. This memoir details the life and advocacy of one such queer muslim and how she aims to bring attention to the subject. The author’s story is moving and engaging and I enjoyed following her personal journey.
4.
Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club
One the most profound books of the five and the best written, this novel has an enormous cast of characters that show you what it’s like growing up and living in Newfoundland when you’re a poor. While intriguing this book isn’t very uplifting and didn’t make for ideal self-isolation reading during the intense time of the COVID-19 pandemic. I may have ranked this book differently under different circumstances.
5.
Son of A Trickster
Son of Trickster is a YA novel that intermingles poetry and whimsical Native American stories while also drawing attention to some of the issues facing today’s Native American youth. I enjoyed this book for the most part but had to put it at the end of my list based on the other contenders this year. Its story just wasn’t as strong as the others.
Winner Prediction
Radicalized
I believe that this is the one book that will bring Canada into focus. It covers an array of pertinent topics and issues and in a manner that is approachable to any reader. The novel is succinct, entertaining, and thought provoking.
The Pluviophile Writer 
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