Book Review: Sointula

Sointula
Bill Gaston
Raincoast, 2005.

As usual I have been reading a lot – particularly fiction – and I thought this book was definitely worth mentioning here as a random find I ended up really enjoying. I just happened to catch the cover of this book out of the corner of my eye while in the Ottawa airport last week and I thought “Sointula”? Who has written a novel based on that crazy little place? (One of those many strange small BC towns where I worked for a summer years ago). Of course I was compelled to purchase it as a result and consumed it over a quick two days.

Basic plot is the story of a woman seeking to reconnect with her son after bumping into the past with the death of an ex-lover – bringing her both to the west coast of BC and to the brink of who she really is. And no, it’s not one of those boring introspective pieces either – as Gaston has a knack for writing characters with gentle humour infused in their sterotypes… (the retired wanna-be writer, the loner son, the drug dealer, the crazy housewife turned renegade forager (okay – perhaps that isn’t a stereotype – you know what I mean)). But what really made the book for me is Gaston’s incredible ability to describe and draw on location. The places he writes about are those of my life so far – Victoria, James Island, Gabriola, the north island highway past Campbell River, Sointula, a little Sunshine Coast – and what is remarkable to me is how well he captures them each, turns them sideways and makes fun of all the myths about their beauty and tourismo. Ah – yes – Victoria really is an unfriendly town – finally someone says it in print!

Definitely a fun read, and if you are at all interested in coastal BC from the perspective of someone who is obviously from the place, then I would say pick up this book.