While well written,t his story was a bit too close to real life to really hold my interest. I don’t meant that it was realistic, which it was but is not necessarily a fault. I mean that reading this was like reading about someone’s fairly ordinary life, with no elements of escapism or transcendence, which is not something I normally turn to novels for.

I’m surprised now I’d not read any Laurence before. This was an utterly compelling read from page one. It captures the heart Canada, the ache of leaving the prairies, and the ache of going back. It captures the joy of loving hard and letting go, the stifle of a relationship that tries to hold too tight. It captures the simple pleasure of friendship, and the abject pain of parenthood. It’s quite brilliant.