Wayne Turner

This novel tells the story of Wendell Patterson, whom we first meet when he is around 13 years old. That is when Wendell first meets Maggie Burns, who will have a major impact on him for next 12 years or so.

Wendell is the son of the local doctor, a man he has trouble relating to. Wendell's mother left when he was just a toddler and he romanticizes her, not wanting to see the truth. Maggie is the daughter of a local businessman, whose wife is a patient of Dr. Patterson's. Maggie is a strange person, and we see glimpses of why this may be. She may be responsible for the drowning of her younger brother. She has a strange relationship with one of her father's borders, Elliot, who is not who or what he appears to be. And she has a strong hold on Wendell, who loves her despite not knowing who she really is.

The novel is set in the early 1900s and creates a strong sense of that era in Canada. We see the impact of family secrets...things that aren't discussed or accepted. We also see a story of obsession and self-forgiveness that is very well told.… (más)

The best thing about Battlefront organization chart books is the capsule historical summaries, particularly as they include some fine and colorful maps (books by academic publishers are often very poor in maps, and they are very seldom in color). On the other hand, the historical summaries, while for the most part excellent, are also unsourced -- the reader has no idea where they came from and can't use them to find additional information. One additional pet peeve is that the names of towns are often spelled inconsistently or even incorrectly. In this book, the map on the back endpaper is in error; it reverses the situation on the southern portion of the Western Front, showing the border of France as the area occupied by the Allies as of Dec.1944, and vice-versa.… (más)