A beautifully written story about a small town in Newfoundland and the effects of dwindling resources on its inhabitants. Thoughtful and lyrical, but perhaps a little too charming for my cynical mind - regardless, I did enjoy this lovely story.

Our Homesick Songs was so beautiful — beautifully written and a beautiful playful depiction of human emotions in the face of difficult times. The story focuses on a family living in a very small dying community in Newfoundland. There are two intertwined timelines. In the 1970s, we see Martha and Aidan in their teens, finding each other as they survive difficult family situations. In the early 1990s, Martha and Aidan are parents to 14 year old Cora and 11 year old Finn. The fisheries have collapsed and Martha and Aidan take turns flying out to Alberta to work in resource camps. Meanwhile, the village is dying and Cora and Finn are the only children left. Bleak, I know. And it gets bleaker but I don’t want to give any spoilers. But what made this a 5 star read was the playful, ever slightly surreal feel of the story. It’s hard to describe, but Hooper infuses the story with music, poetry and nature in a way that makes the hard times bearable. None of it is flowery or overwrought. It’s simple, hard hitting and beautiful. I loved the characters and the story. One of my favourite books of the year. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

A fish shortage means the residents of the fishing village Big Running, Newfoundland must find work elsewhere. With his neighbours disappearing and his own family members going west to work in the oil fields, young Finn Connor turns to old stories and songs to try to bring the fish - and the people - back to Big Running. Emma Hooper’s astounding follow-up to “Etta and Otto and Russell and James,” sharing the lyrical prose and sense of wonder of its predecessor, does not disappoint.