This is a multi-layered novel, narrated in various ways and with many digressions, and overall I found it rather too disjointed to fully engage me. The basic storyline is quite straightforward. Gilbert Johnson, an antiquarian bookseller from Scotland, embarks on a journey to British Columbia to trace the steps of his grandfather, (based on a real-life explorer) who became involved in the First Nations civil rights movement. On his flight over, he meets a fellow cancer sufferer, and she becomes involved in his quest. So we have quite a few strands here. First a romance, then the quest, then the complicated exploration of the history of British Columbia and Canada in general, and finally the plight of the First Nations. That’s a lot to encompass, and there are sometimes lengthy interpolations into the narrative to explain the themes and issues – including at one point even a timeline. So although I enjoyed much of the book, and the writing is certainly very accomplished, with some evocative descriptions of the landscape, these interruptions prevented me from becoming involved in the characters, and I found myself skipping chunks. The different elements just did not cohere satisfactorily for me.

I was unable to connect with this book. I made a valiant effort to read it to completion. Even though I was drawn in at the beginning, as my reading progressed the story got bogged down and I had difficulty moving forward.

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Robert Alan Jamieson, and Luath Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.

This is a gentle book, beautifully written. If you or someone you know or love is a cancer patient, or a cancer survivor, it is a book you need to read.

Bert Johnson is an Edinburgh native, a seller of antique and/or well-loved classic books. His little shop kept him content and reasonably happy. When he is diagnosed with throat cancer, he just locks up his shop and return to his mother's country house, where she helps him, and he helps her through her final illness. At the end of his radiation treatments he is restless and not ready to return to his shop, yet the house without his mom is not the answer - and he decided that though traveling the world through his books was once enough, he now must go to BC Canada to research the life of the Canadian pioneer who was most likely his paternal Grandfather, Jimmy Lyle. Lyle had a major part in translating treaties written up between the First Nations and the Canadian government in the early twentieth century and Bert's father, who died when Bert was quite young, had travelled to Canada and spent time with Jimmy Lyle during his teen years, though he didn't speak of it.

And Bert has a long time customer and pen pal who lives not far from Kamloops, BC who needs authentication on a family heirloom, perhaps a Kilmarnock Edition of Robert Burns poetry. Bert has never been honored with seeing the first printing of Robbie Burns poetry. Travel, it is.

On the plane to Victoria, BC he is seated beside Veronika, a woman he finds very interesting. Veronika is also a cancer survivor, not long past the completion of her radiation therapy for breast cancer, so they have that in common. Bert spends a couple of days in Victoria doing research and visiting Veronika and her dog, Hero, before catching a Greyhound Bus to the settlement that had become known as Cloud Falls, BC where he is very surprised that his possible Grandfather is very much still known in the place he had called home. And though he was aware that many of the first settlers in Canada were Scottish, this is proven over and over by the place names and people he meets. A misunderstanding draws Veronika and her pup Hero to Cloud Falls, and the adventure continues.

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Shelves net-galley, read edit
Format Hardcover edit
Status
September 1, 2017 – Finished Reading
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Review Unfortunately, it took me forever to finish this story of a man afflicted by cancer to discover his roots. In his journey from Scotland into British Columbia and parts of Canada, he meets a fellow cancer patient and they strike up a bond between fellow sufferers and evolving friendship. GIlbert Johnson is in search of his possible grandfather who had run away years before. The possible grandfather runs to British Columbia and becomes a person who advocates the indigenous people living there as well as marrying an Indian woman.

While the descriptions of the scenery of the area is flowing and lovely, I found it consumed the story. The relationships that Gil establishes with the various people he encounters is a secondary part of the story but this novel is definitely scenery driven.

For me, it was a chore working myself through the telling of Gil's story. There were too many loose ends as Gill and Veronica, the woman he meets on the plane, journey through the countryside in search of information concerning the grandfather. For those readers who enjoy words written that are descriptive and environmentally driven, this might be the novel for you. For me, it was just oftentimes a chore to read chapters that were often over two hours in length. So sorry that I didn't enjoy this book. (less)

4 and 1 / 2 stars

What a wonderful, wonderful story.

Gilbert “Bert” Johnson is a cancer survivor from Edinburgh. He travels to the Vancouver, BC area to learn about a possible grandfather of his, a James “Jimmy” Lyle, the nephew of a wealthy self-made man named John MacLeod. Jimmy married a First Nations woman and learned the languages and brokered a treaty between the First Nations peoples and the British Colombian Prime Minister. He lived in a little log cabin with his wife high up in the mountains.

The wonderful thing about this book is not only the quality of the writing, but the descriptions of the beautiful scenery around the MacCloud Falls area. It was very interesting learning about the changes in the locale’s name and the different spellings of MacLeod, and how MacLeodsville became Cloud Falls. The history of the transportation and the people in the little village; I could see it all in my mind’s eye. I could smell the woods and see the rivers rushing downstream. The white man’s need to “Christianize” the First Nations peoples and the Scottish colonization of British Colombia are also discussed.

On the plane to Vancouver, he meets a woman who is also a cancer survivor. She may bear a slight resemblance to Sigourney Weaver, but she hates being asked if she’s Sigourney. She travels with her dog Hero. She receives a postcard from Bert as she returns home to Vancouver with a cryptic note on it. She rushes to Cloud Falls to make sure he is okay. While there, she happens across his journal and reads a fascinating story about herself – but not. She recognizes herself in the story, but is also surprised and a little uneasy that he seems to have changed the details of their meeting. She is also uncomfortable with how insightful Bert has been in talking about her.

The writing style of Mr. Jamieson is a little disconcerting. For someone who might like short to the point chapters and a lot of action, this book could be seen as being a little tedious. But once one gets used to the meandering and lyrical style of writing, the book draws the reader in. It is very well written and the use of language is wonderful. The descriptions in the book, whether talking about the scenery or people’s history, are beautiful and well-drawn. It was a joy to read and I’ll definitely be looking into more of Mr. Jamieson’s novels.

I want to thank NetGalley and Luath Press for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful and beautiful story for me to read and enjoy.