Fiction set in canada

[lamprey42]

Any suggestions for fiction with Canadian setting? I can only think of Margaret Atwood's books and Anne of Green Gables. We are about to move there so I thought it might be nice to read some.

The Shipping News by Anne Proulx
The Saints of Big Harbour by Lynn Cody

Both a little bit bleak though haha

Look up Alice Munro and Carol Shields (American born but became a Canadian citizen.) I really love Carol Shields, particularly The Republic of Love and Happenstance. Her daughter, Anne Giardini, is also a writer, but I haven't read any of her work.

Linwood Barclay is great, too - he writes suspense.

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney. Also I second the recommendation for Carol Shields (I loved Unless).

The Murdoch books by Maureen Jennings

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

It's a children's novel which was made into a film by Disney, but it is a lovely uplifting story.

Canada by Richard Ford. The first sentence "First, I'll tell you about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later."

Alistair MacLeod: No Great Mischief.

Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London.

Anything by Farley Mowat (Lost in the Barrens is a particular favourite of mine).
Fall on your Knees by Anne Marie MacDonald

Personally can't stand anything by Lynn Cody, I went to school with her and she's a pretentious twit.

John Irving's "Until I Find You" is partially set in Halifax and Toronto (I actually got my first tattoo from one of the characters mentioned in the book).

Douglas Coupland: Girlfriend in a Coma, City of Glass, Souvenir of Canada.

Tomson Highway: Kiss of the Fur Queen.
Donna Morrissey: Kit's Law

I can't remember if any of William Gibson's books are set in Canada...but he's a great Canadian author..

Ami McKay: The Birth House
Wayne Johston: the Colony of Unrequited Dreams.

Jeez, and so so so many more. LOL. I'm trying to think back to all the ones I read growing up!

Oh! and:

Hugh MacLennan: Barometer Rising (About the Halifax Explosion) and Each Man's Son!!!

I adore Alistair Macleod's writing - so very beautiful. For something more prosaic (but brilliant reads) try the Inspector Gamache series set in Quebec by Louise Penny.

Hi @lamprey42 You might like to check out our collated books set in Canada www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/?location=Canada&reset=1 You can drill down further by genre and location. All the best with the move!

Brilliant. Thanks for all the suggestions. Should keep me going for a bit! :-). Most of those are new to me - I have read the shipping news but remembered it as cape cod for some reason. Tripfiction I'll try that link too.

Michael Crummey is a Newfoundland writer. He is ace. I absolutely loved Sweetland by him.

Fall on your Knees by Anne Marie MacDonald

The most depressing book I've EVER read

Beautifully written, but sheesh, dark.

Hanahsaunt: "I adore Alistair Macleod's writing - so very beautiful. For something more prosaic (but brilliant reads) try the Inspector Gamache series set in Quebec by Louise Penny."

I assumed I had misunderstood 'prosaic' all these years, so I looked it up: "Having or using the style or diction of prose as opposed to poetry; lacking imaginativeness or originality... commonplace, unromantic"

I agree she's a brilliant read, but surely anything BUT prosaic?

Burning Ground by Pearl Luke

Giles Blunt. Set in and near Toronto. I'm not Canadian, but he seems to cath a feel for the places he writes about.

I think most of Richard Ford's novels are set in Canada, not just Canada?

I second Linwood Barclay. Good thrillers. not high literature, but well crafted.

Crow lake by Mary Lawson. A lovely gentle book. And the author is a distant relative of LM Montgomery.

Robertson Davies - fabulous.

Ooh, I was just coming on to say Robertson Davies.

He is my favourite author.

Stef Penney Tenderness of Wolves is a fantastic book, as is Crow Lake.

Another recommendation for Robertson Davies. His book Fifth Business is a good place to start.

Sick Heart River by John Buchan
Old fashioned but very powerful

Kathy Reichs books are set in Quebec

Voyageurs, by Margaret Elphinstone. About the fur-trappers, among other things. Long, but exciting and memorable.
Also Entry Island by Peter Shaw. Atmospheric but went on a bit.

Crow Lake is a lovely book

A Place called Winter, by Patrick Gale. Not one of his best imo but he's very readable.