Zoe Whittall’s Bottle Rocket Hearts: A Rough and Exhilirating Ride through Queer Montreal

Eve, the spunky 19-year-old protagonist of Zoe Whittall’s debut novel Bottle Rocket Hearts (2007), is a 90s rebel girl, screaming along with Kathleen Hanna as she rides her bike down Montreal’s Ste Catherines street in her silver spray-painted doc martens. Not despite, but because of her irreverent, dead-pan comments such as “I don’t have bad self-esteem, I’m realistic,” Eve is instantly a likable character who makes you root for her throughout Bottle Rocket Hearts.... read the rest of my review at http://caseythecanadianlesbrarian.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/zoe-whittalls-bottle-... ( )

Eve is on a mission to comprehend herself and the complicated world around her in Bottle Rocket Hearts. She appears to be striving for an understanding of her sexuality, independence and originality, but mostly, unconditional love. Zoe Whittall covers a vast array of social issues with cheeky and valorous prose, never once coming off like an after-school special (all though our protagonist self-admittedly grew up on them in the suburbs of Montreal). I felt an immediate connection with the skittish characters, and savoured all of their staunchness and devotion to one another. In it's essence it feels like a story about labels, and effectively, their repercussions -- in our relationships, in society and more importantly, to ourselves.

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This review originally posted at Christa's Hooked on Books -- http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-bottle-rocket-hearts-by...

I want to start off by saying that this book completely blew me away. I picked it up from the library, barely knowing anything about it and I ended up devouring it in a single sitting and spending days thinking about it.

From the very first page this book is filled with very real and raw emotion. Eve is struggling to figure out what's going on around her and her place in it. On a basic level her struggle is one that we can all relate to. The search for one's one identity. I also found the writing incredibly intimate. As the reader you were right there listening to Eve's thoughts and feelings. She was so exposed and that made her seem incredibly real. At one point she claims “I feel like I'm having the world's slowest nervous breakdown”. Statements like this really helped you understand exactly how she was feeling in a particular situation and really made you stop and think.

The story itself was interesting and engaging. The characters are all very detailed and lively. Some of them will definitely surprise you. Whittal's writing is frank but creative. It doesn't hold back. In addition to Eve's internal struggle, there is also a great deal of social commentary. The novel places gay/lesbian rights alongside the Yes/No vote for Quebec independence. This was a time of conflict and confusion for many people in Canada. A time when identity was a crucial issue and for many people it still is. French Canadian and gay/lesbian identity, are both under represented in Canadian literature, it is nice to finally read something that gives them a voice.

This novel moved me. If I ever get the chance to meet Zoe Whittal I want to thank her for it. (I may hug her if she let me.) The intimate and honest writing really spoke to me. There were a lot of issues and problems Eve came across that I could relate to. I think there are a lot of people out there who could find a sense of comfort and unity in Bottle Rocket Hearts. For Canadians, for gays, lesbians and other members of the community, for young people trying to become adults, for anyone who has ever struggled with finding their own identity within a larger society – this book is for all of us ( )

Do not be fooled by this slender novel because Whittall packs in quite a punch! Set against the backdrop of Montreal's 1995 referendum, Whittall brings the reader into a world where rebellion is the norm and assimilation is not a guarantee. It is here that the reader meets Eve who is young and naive in this changing city. She wants more than anything to move out of her parents' house and start a life of her own. When she meets Della, Eve thinks that she has found the answer to her prayers. Della is older, experienced, and wild. While Eve learns a great deal from Della's antics, she learns even more from herself and her reactions to life with Della. In a roundabout way, she is finally able to accept herself and gain confidence in her decisions.

The turmoil of the 1990s in Montreal is a fantastic setting for this novel in which all of the main characters are in emotional flux. Whittall's writing is refreshing and a delight to read. Her characters have great depth and even those who are antagonizing someone find a way to win your heart. Overall, this is well-worth a read and a re-read.

www.iamliteraryaddicted.blogspot.com ( )

Eve is on a mission to comprehend herself and the complicated world around her in Bottle Rocket Hearts. She appears to be striving for an understanding of her sexuality, independence and originality, but mostly, unconditional love. Zoe Whittall covers a vast array of social issues with cheeky and valorous prose, never once coming off like an after-school special (all though our protagonist self-admittedly grew up on them in the suburbs of Montreal). I felt an immediate connection with the skittish characters, and savoured all of their staunchness and devotion to one another. In it's essence it feels like a story about labels, and effectively, their repercussions -- in our relationships, in society and more importantly, to ourselves.

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