Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel (a review)

Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John MandelAbducted as a child by her non-custodial father, Lilia, the main character in Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel, has been disappearing for so long that she no longer knows how to stay in one place. Right from the first chapter, in which Lilia slips away quietly from New York and her life with Eli, I knew this was going to be a book I’d want to read slowly, so I could savour every word. In fact, part 1 of the novel, which (like the rest of the book) slips back and forth in time and is told from alternating points of view, reads a bit like linked stories: each chapter can almost be read independently—all the better to savour them. This is my favourite part of the book: mysterious and startling, it drew me into Lilia and Eli’s stories.

Mandel’s writing style completely enchanted me. Here is a taste:
Lilia: she had ink stains on her fingers, and the most beautiful eyes. She wore a silver chain necklace but wouldn’t say where it was from. She was obsessed by the topography of language: she followed the maps of alphabets over obscure terrains, parted the shifting gauze curtains between window, fenĂȘtre, finestra, fenster and peered outward, wrote out long charts of words and brought home books in five languages. She maintained a secretive, passionate life of study. She was without precedent.* (p. 21)
Part of what drew me to this book is that some of it is set in Montreal, my home for the last 20 years. However, the Montreal Mandel describes is a metaphorical city rather than a real one: a city of frozen dreary streets, unfriendly locals, underground malls and sleazy nightclubs. (It also seemed highly unlikely that a student like Eli would stay for weeks in a hotel as luxurious as the Queen Elizabeth.) Not only did I not recognize my home town in Mandel’s portrayal of Montreal, but this part of the story also dragged: like Eli, I grew a bit tired of waiting for something to happen.

Despite my grumblings about the Montreal sections of this book, Last Night in Montreal is an absorbing read. Mandel masterfully juggles all the strands of her story and I was impressed by how the pieces fell into place at the end. As long as you promise not to judge Montreal by this book, I recommend it!

Upcoming giveaway: I’m going to give away my gently read ARC, so check back later this week!

Read other reviews of this book on these blogs:
Amy ReadsBaby Got BooksBookfoolery and BabbleBooking MamaBooksie’s BlogCare’s Online Book Clubcaribousmomdrey’s library (review & guest post) • Educating PetuniaFeminist ReviewIn Spring It Is the DawnMusings of a Bookish KittyOutside of a DogPassion for the PagePeeking Between the PagesReading on a Rainy DayReflections from the Hinterland • Savvy Verse & WitS. Krishna’s BooksThe Critical FlameThe Word HoarderViolet Crush

You can also read guest posts by the author on these blogs:
Educating PetuniaSavvy Verse & WitPowell’s Books Blog

Interviews with the author are available here:
Boxing the OctopusWords to Mouth

Thank you to Unbridled Books for sending me this book to review.


This is the seventh book I review for the New Authors Challenge.




This is also the third book I review for the LibraryThing Author Challenge.


*Note that this quote comes from an ARC and therefore may have been changed for final printing.

23 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear the Montreal scenes aren't true to life. I still want to read the book, though.

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  2. I can't wait to get this one. I watch for your giveaway; great review.

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  3. Hi Avis: Loved the review. You have confirmed that this book is not for me though :) - when I read the exerpt that you chose, all I could think of "what does this blurb mean?

    As for the descriptions of Montreal - I would have to agree about the dreary underground shopping :)

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  4. Glad to see you mostly liked this one :) And thank you for the link to my review!

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  5. Enjoyed reading through your blog and learning about books that are new me!

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  6. I had thought something was not quite right with the deary descriptions of Montreal because I had heard great things about the place from friends. But then I wouldn't know, so I let it go :)

    Thanks for linking to my review.

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  7. Something about the writing in that quote seems so redundant though. Almost every line starts with "she" and then the description. I feel like these sorts of descriptions need to be a lot more subtle and should perhaps take longer, instead of one paragraph that presents you with a perfectly formed (though vivid) character.

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  8. There's just something about reading a book set in your hometown, isn't there? Even if the book isn't perfect, there's something engaging about reading familiar landmarks, etc.
    Nice review, although sorry the Montreal parts didn't live up to your expectations!

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  9. Funny, when I read your Teaser Tuesday on this one, I wasn't really interested...but the quote in your review makes me quite curious!

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  10. This book sounds really interesting. It's kind of disappointing that the fictional Montreal is so different from the real. I've never been there, so I wouldn't have noticed.

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  11. Thank you for your lovely review! I really appreciate you taking the time to read the book.

    I lived in Montreal for eight months or so, and the Montreal in the book is true to my experience of that city. But I think our relationships with cities are nearly as personal and subjective as our relationships with other people, and I know a great many people who are madly in love with the place.

    And you know, you've got an excellent point with regards to Eli's long sojourn in The Queen Elizabeth Hotel. :)

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  12. I've heard so much about this book. I'd like to give it a try...

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  13. Thanks for the review! I like the way you showed the author's writing style. It gives me more a sense of how the book is written. This book sounds interesting and one that I think that I would enjoy reading.

    Cindy
    Socmom213@aol.com

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  14. I've never been to Montreal but I promise not to judge it by the book. Thanks for the link. Glad to see you liked it so much. I loved it. And I have a guest post by the author as well with advice for aspiring writers, in case you want to incluse a link.

    http://educatingpetunia.blogspot.com/2009/06/tips-for-aspiring-writers.html

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  15. What a great review. I've always wondered what an adult "abucted as a child" would feel, do and be like. I can only think that the authors Montreal is grimmer and grittier due to the whole subject matter of growing up detached. Just provides more of an "emotional lost highway" essence.

    rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

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  16. I really liked the writing too, Avis. It was indeed enchanting.

    I'll be e-mailing you later regarding the question you asked on my blog about the book. :-)

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  17. Thanks for the review Avis...I love books that have a little mystery weaved into the story.

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  18. Great review -- I'm sorry to hear that it did not portray Montreal very accurately since I've heard that it's a wonderful place!

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  19. I think it can be hard to read books that don't connect to what our views of a city are like. I liked the excerpt that you shared and I definitely want to read this book. I enjoyed reading the author's comments on your review.

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  20. I'm a little sad that Montreal isn't describe in a way that is true to life, especially since I live here too! :) But I'm still interested by this book (And I agree, unless she is insanely rich, I can't imagine a student living at the Queen Elizabeth!! Unless it's for a night or two, but not more!)

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  21. Montreal is a place I have always wanted to visit, so it is good to know it is not like how Mandel portrayed it in the book. Great review!

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  22. sounds like a great read and I don't know enough about Montreal to know if it is fact or fiction.

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