Motorcycles and Sweetgrass

The third novel I read in my popular Canadian literature class was Mortocycles & Sweetgrass by Drew Hayden Taylor. It was refreshing to read a novel based on a Native Reserve in Ontario, it really gave me a new perspective on a very important part of Canada's culture. He is able to pull off an effective story using comedy and mysticism.

Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture

The second book I got to read for my popular Canadian literature class was Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Douglas Coupland. I enjoyed just as much as JPod, Coupland's quirky style has me hooked to his books.

The Best Laid Plans

This was the first of three novels I had to read this past semester for my popular Canadian literature class (I didn't post it immediately for fears of the work I handed in getting dinged for plagiarism and then having to explain to my prof that this is in fact my blog yadayadayada). I found that Terry Fallis did an excellent job in his debut novel The Best Laid Plans. I can see why it was the winner of Canada Reads 2011. Follows are the reading journal entries and opinion paper I wrote for the class. Hopefully you find the opinion paper informative and if you are one of the many in the age 18-24 demographic who does not vote maybe reading this book is a good way for you to start understanding politics and spur you on to take advantage of your democratic rights!

JPod

JPod by Douglas Coupland is the first book I read for the book club I joined this year (the first rule of the book club is don't talk about the book club... don't tell them I told you!). It is also the first Douglas Coupland book I ever read, I borrowed it 6 years ago in high school from my then international business teacher who had brought it in for his classroom bookshelf which provided books for students who forgot one during B.E.A.R. B.E.A.R stands for Bell Excels at Reading, it occurred every Friday for the last 20 minutes of your second period class and was instated shortly after the Grade 10 literacy test was introduced in Ontario to improve success rates (unfortunately my school had a low pass rate in comparison to others in the city). Rereading JPod was just as fun as the first time I read it, especially since it is a peculiar book to read. 

Next Episode

The Canada Reads pick for 2003 was Hubert Aquin's Next Episode. At the time I purchased this book I was not nearly developed enough intellectually to understand most of what was going on and sadly lost interest. Recently, nine years after I bought my copy, I decided to give it another chance. I can better see now why this book was chosen as a Canada Reads pick, it exemplifies the quintessential identity of separatist Quebec.

City of Lost Souls

There isn't really much I can say about Cassandra Clare's latest installment in The Mortal Instrument series, City of Lost Souls, without completely ruining the plot of the previous ones. So I will just say this, it was just as good as the others and you should go read them all! Also check out her prequel series The Infernal Devices, you'll especially enjoy it if you read steampunk novels, personally I like the characters better because I give them all British accents when I'm reading haha.

Plus, like so many teen novels lately, this series is being adapted for the big screen. The first in the series, City of Bones, is slated to be released in summer 2013.

Cassandra Clare

Mortal Engines

When Allison told me that there was a book where cities walk around and eat each other I was sold. After she finished reading Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve I quickly pilfered her copy to read myself. Filled with strong characters and a unique take on a futuristic, post-apocalyptic society Mortal Engines keeps you reading. In it you will find orphans, traction cities, airships, archaeologists, sky cities, pirates, corrupt people in power in government (not that far removed from pirates), and rebel forces. What's not to love?