A Historical Fiction book, based in mid-1800’s, in the town that will be known as Ottawa. I was intrigued by the book as the description said it was similar to Outlander, I did not find this to be true.

Pros-
-multiple point of views
-good descriptions and imagery
-great insight into the life of the poor and working class in mid-1800’s Canada
-my favorite character was the prostitute Peg

Cons-
-Political/voting part bored and confused me
-lots of violence
-I wasn’t routing for any of the main characters

I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and this review is voluntary.

In 1836 Bywater (which would become Ottawa), the life of a family unravels. Biddy and Samuel are married and have three daughters. Biddy's sister, Mariah, had a son by Samuel before they emigrated from Ireland. Biddy pretends she is his mother, to avoid the scandal. That strains the family dynamics, with Biddy taking out all her resentment on her sister. Thomas, the son, is an apprentice blacksmith with dreams of being more than his father. With his ambition, he one day finds himself working for the Shiners, an Irish rebel gang, and believes that this is his way up. Their stories unfold: Thomas finds himself involved with two very different women, while Biddy and Mariah have to deal with the consequences of a fire.

I had a hard time with the book until around 70%, I found all the characters quite unlikeable, so it was hard to get invested in their stories. Once Mariah stopped feeling sorry for not being able to tell Thomas who she is to him, her story picked up for me, and I was happy to see where it led her. The same thing for Thomas - I understand he was a boy, and his is very much a coming of age story, but man does he make poor decisions... Thank goodness for Peg, she was my main motivation to keep reading, I hoped she'd get to fulfill her dreams.

I love reading historical fiction, because it gives me insight into other lives, and this was no different. Ottawa in the 1830's was a cruel place to live, regardless of your social status, and this book reflects that very well. At times, I had to stop reading to stop feeling that cruelty, and return to my body, in a way. If the characters had been a little more lovable, their suffering would have torn me in two.

Thank you NetGalley, and Random House Canada for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Tuinman's Unrest is by far a journey to read through the prospective of a family of Irish immigrants to Canada.

The use of multiple perspectives kept me on the edge of my seat. Mariah and Thomas' story is themed upon "unrest", where decision making for a better life, resolving trauma, and searching for purpose leaves one tense and questioning whether they will make it in the end. I found that I didn’t need Seamus’s POV to know that he was a coward, and I didn’t need Biddy’s POV to understand her jealousy and insecurity. These two characters could have been depicted through Mariah and Thomas' POV easily.

As the story progressed, I found that there were some moments where I wasn't connecting to Thomas. I was already routing against Seamus and Biddy since the very beginning. Mariah was the sole character who kept me engaged with the story, until I got furthur along. The imagery in this story is beautiful, but I also found that as the story progressed, the writing became a bit scattered, which made it complicated to stay engaged. This is why, unfortunately, I DNF the story at 59% of the way.

For those who like multiple POV's, who like historical fiction, and can take a slow, tense journey through a complicated family, you may like this.

Thanks to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a solid and gripping historical novel about a little-known era in the history of early Ottawa. Centered around Irish Immigrants, the O'Dougherty family, who are actually inspired by the author's own ancestors, this raw and colourful story clearly portrays their daily struggles to survive and make a life in the new world of Canada. A place where dangers lurk around every corner, particularly for women, in the form of wild dogs and equally wild men. Through the characters of spinster Mariah, her sister Biddy, husband Seamus, son Thomas and the two daughters, the author explores class and religious differences, the inequality of women, political upheavals and specifically the influence of the Shiners, an Irish Catholic gang who were in constant conflict with the Protestant upper classes to gain some political clout. This is a well researched novel with a strong, unique woman at its heart. A real page-turner.

I was completely engrossed by this Canadian historical fiction novel, pulled in by the complex family dynamics, the painstakingly-drawn atmosphere, and the unwavering strength of the women at the centre of it all.

“Unrest” focuses on a family of Irish immigrants in Bytown (which later becomes Ottawa) in the 1830s. Each member of the O’Dougherty family has their own secrets, but none so heavy as Mariah, who carries brutal scars from a dog attack in her youth, and who quietly pines for her sister Biddy’s husband Seamus after a golden afternoon back in Ireland led to the conception of the family’s oldest son Thomas. Living on charity in an unforgiving new country, enduring Biddy’s constant mistreatment, and helping to raise her own child as her sister’s, Mariah is ready to snap.

The story is skilfully told in multiple perspectives, focusing mostly on teenage Thomas getting involved with the dangerous Shiners, and on Mariah making her own way in life despite all the barriers for unmarried women in that time. Tuinman’s writing is superb, sharp and concise and full of unexpected warmth, making me care for these flawed characters and hope for a happy ending even when it seemed impossible. There is no shying away from the dark truths of this time in history, but there is also such care put into the research and the storytelling. I felt utterly transported while reading, and immeasurably satisfied by the ending.

Thanks to Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book. It takes place in 1836 in what will become Ottawa. Mariah goes on a big journey to try to fix things that she doesn't have the most control over.

I became really invested in all of the characters and their motivations. There was just one that I had hard time understanding her choices, I won't spoil who.

It was also really well written and I was never bored once. 4/5, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I was originally drawn to ‘Unrest’ by Gwen Tuinman because of its setting in the Ottawa Valley; while reading, I learned a lot about the rich history and people of the area I have lived in for over 30 years. The history lesson came in the package of a hard-to-put-down story.

The characters and their narratives drew me in, even though I really disliked all of them at the beginning of the book. As the stories progressed, the characters’ personalities and thoughts were fleshed out, and therefore, became more relatable; some, like Mariah through her adventures, became much more likeable (I did find that Thomas’s story arc rang untrue). Descriptions of living in the Valley during the seasons were fascinating and felt real.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Unrest by Gwen Tuinman interested me initially because it’s rather rare to find a novel set in a historical setting in Canada. In addition, I have lived in the area in which the book is set for the past 15 years or so, so that made me doubly interested.

This turned out to be a very compelling read. I thought it might be a struggle in the beginning because at that point, I really didn’t care much for any of the characters. As the story went on I found myself frustrated with some of the choices the characters were making, but by that time I was invested in the story and wanted to see how things would end.

I found Unrest to be an interesting look at a seemingly lawless time in Canadian history. This was not a light read, in any way. There were a number of fairly gruesome, upsetting scenes, but I feel like they reflected the realities of the time.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical periods, but especially anyone interested in Canadian history.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the first few chapters and I just couldn’t put it down. I read it on the couch, on the train, on the bus and in bed. And the entire time I maintained this hope that everything would work out for the protagonists, while also questioning their choices, condemning them even, but understanding them too - all at the same time.

Tuinman tells so many stories at the same time, weaving together threads, pulling at them tightly, loosening them and then tightening them again - keeping us wondering exactly how it will go. I don’t think it’s any surprise that my favourite character is Mariah, aka auntie, aka mam, aka William. I’ll let you discover all of that on your own! Just know that you’ll likely be just as worried for her, concerned for her, and proud of her, as I was as I followed her character’s arc throughout this brilliant novel.

Set in and around Bytown (aka Ottawa) during the turbulent 1830s I wondered if this was going to feel like a repeat of grade eight Canadian history class with the Rebellions of 1837 still etched into my brain because that was the goal of grade 8 social studies (I think!?). Bytown is just rife with tension and Tuinman weaves it so expertly into the people and landscape of her story. It’s Irish vs. English and in there somewhere are the Frenchmen too - all jockeying for control of municipal politics, local taverns, timber camps, you name it. And beneath all those layers of history and complexity, there’s people who just want to love, to be loved and to make something of themselves, define themselves outside of who they have been.

Even if you didn’t love grade eight social studies, read this book.

Unfortunately I've decided to DNF this about 5% in. I instantly knew I wanted to read it when I saw the setting was Ottawa but I just couldn't get into this. It's not my favorite time period to read about which didn't help. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this though!

Unrest is a great title for this book. There is so much unrest in this novel, from the relationships to the political situation with the early days of Bytown. I found Mariah a sympathetic character. I would have preferred only Mariah and Thomas' point of views. There was information gleaned from Biddy and Seamus, but you would have learned that information without them being a focal point.

I also didn't like Thomas much. Not only was he young and reckless but he did things to get ahead that were nasty. Not as nasty as Rory, but only just by a small amount. He used Clara for his own purposes and claimed he loved her. He hurt innocent people and he seemed more focused on status and money. He did have a good character arc, but it took a long time to get there, and I almost stopped caring whether he would.

Mariah on the other hand had a character arc that was believable and made sense to me. She may have made some poor choices along the way, but she was trying to do right by Thomas and her decisions were always based on family. Her growth and an individual and a woman was quite amazing, especially considering this is historical fiction at a time women had little to no voice or place in society without a man.

Also, the history of the Irish within Canada was very interesting. My roots are partly Irish so I felt a great deal of sympathy for how they were treated and how they were trying to find a place in society against great discrimination.

A captivating read, this novel held me to the pages throughout the late hours. A Canadian setting in Bytown (Ottawa) during the 1830's brings us a story with characters alive enough to come off the page. Mariah, Biddy, Shamus and Thomas are the nucleus personalities who emigrated from Ireland a decade previously in hope of a better life in Canada. This family has a deeply guarded secret from one of their own that threatens to shatter each one of them and pivot their lives in directions never imagined. For me, Mariah is the key character. She is the sister of Biddy and aunt to Biddy and Shamus' four children, the eldest of whom is Thomas. They all live together on a rustic homestead in the woods. Mariah is scarred physically and emotionally and is treated poorly by her sister.

Desperation and "unrest" is the theme throughout as the story unfolds in the colourful backgrounds of the blacksmith forge, drinking establishments, timber camps, forests, shanty homesteads, the opulent mansions and bitterly cold environment of snow and ice. The Irish poor are revolting against the corrupt, wealthy, political establishment that keeps them impoverished and it is Mariah and teenaged Thomas who are most affected throughout the story. Especially when Thomas joins the Irish "Shiners" rebel organization.

There is a rich supporting cast of characters I loved, and loved to hate! One of those 'characters' is an innate pair of pearl and gold 'earbobs' given to Mariah by her now deceased mother before leaving Ireland, years ago. Not only are they valuable, but they seem to be ripe for theft and are the dominant motivation for Mariah's future plans.

It is fulfilling to observe Mariah emerge from the brow-beating cruelty of her sister and milk-toast behaviour of Shamus to become a strong, self-reliant woman. She finds within herself a core of courage resolutely building with every setback.

Thomas as well, enters a turbulent rite of passage as he tries to attain his dreams through ill gotten gains. Eventually, through the means provided by a feisty, least-likely woman he is set on a path of possible maturity.

This is an entertaining, galloping novel that has no dull moments. Would make a great TV series.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my voluntary review.

I enjoyed learning more about this part of our Canadian history. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed seeing one of the main characters, Mariah, develop and grow stronger throughout the novel. Would recommend this book for others interested in learning more about the early history of Ottawa. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Canada for a free e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The novel is set in 1836 in Bytown, modern day Ottawa [ON]. Mariah, disfigured from a dog attack, lives with a secret in her sister’s house. Her son Thomas, only knows her as his aunt. Mariah tirelessly cares for her sister’s family. Thomas gets caught up with the Shiners, an organization of Irish troublemakers, and the story begins to unfold. Mariah goes on a journey of discovery, where she finds out she is strong and deserves to be acknowledged and loved. Thomas learns the hard way that there are no shortcuts to success. I particularly enjoyed being transported almost two hundred years, experiencing the characters of the time, some not so great people and a few, very wonderful. While I rooted for both Thomas and Mariah, I was particularly enraptured by the tough and fruitful journey of Mariah, as she discovers that the qualities she sought in others, were within her all along. What a great treasure of a story! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Being Canadian and a lover of historical fiction, this book satisfies both aspects in my love of reading. The story drew me in and kept me fascinated. Elements of the story were intriguing and yet at times were appalling. It is always refreshing to read a good story and to learn about the history along the way.

This book kept me riveted right to the end. It is well-researched and well-paced, and you will enjoy it if you love the lilt of an Irish tale told in a Canadian historical setting.

In reading Unrest, I was drawn into the time and places: Ottawa's Bytown area and its rough beginnings, the Ottawa River valley logging camps and tankards of booze, womanizing, and women finding freedom. At times, this book shows the cutting ruthlessness of the period. It highlights how Irish immigrants had to fight their way to gain equal footing. Lives were cheap. Living was difficult. The time necessitated a woman tying herself to a man to gain safety—such as it was. Things aren't always what they seem.

This book is well-researched and represents the period perfectly. It would easily translate to a screen adaptation. The characters are full and alive. It's a well-done piece of historical fiction.

The title seems appropriate as in this exploration of Canadian history, we encounter a family in turmoil - a boy on the cusp of adulthood struggling against familial obligation, a marriage full of tension, two sisters with a history of scorn between them. On top of the interpersonal unrest, we find a society stacked against the Irish immigrant with agitation being stirred up among the classes. This book was not a hopeful, bright work of historical fiction but delivers angst, trauma, and a better understanding of the dark layers of a city that the history books gloss over. It's gritty, and the characters are not always likable. That being said, I found it to be well crafted and found myself comparing it to One For The Blackbird, One For The Crow by Olivia Hawker in tone or telling - a reminder that sacrifice and resilience often meant survival in a cruel, harsh world set up to guarantee failure. A recommended read from me but going knowing it's not all sunshine and roses.

Unrest by Gwen Tuinman gives the reader a very interesting history of the Bytown (Ottawa) Ontario area in 1836. Jam packed with drunken Irishmen, ladies of ill repute, snooty English folk and the life of the downtrodden, this book is a great historical fiction read.
Mariah lives with her sister and brother-in-law and their three /four children. She was scarred as a teenager after a dog attacked and bit her face. With very little hope of ever finding a husband, she lives there, basically treated as a servant, by her sister (Biddy) and her children. Pregnant with another child, Biddy is left to keep the home while her husband goes away for the winter to chop wood and bring home some money. The house catches fire and the family is forced to live with friends. Unfortunately, Biddy blames her for the fire and Mariah leaves. With no options on how to live with no money, Mariah must make her way in a man’s world.
I really enjoyed this book. It dragged in a few places but those were minor glitches during my reading time. Rate at 4.5
I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys Canadian historical fiction. You’ll learn about Irish immigrants, the Shiners, the Ottawa area and Peter Aylen (a real person).

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my eARC.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with a digital galley of Unrest.

Wow. Gwen Tuinman deftly plunges us into the fractious tensions of our burgeoning nation’s capital, 1836 Bytown. Unrest is historical fiction at its finest. Through the language, characterizations, morays, social conflicts and exquisite depiction of everyday life as a Canadian homesteader, I feel I’ve not only learned more about the lives of my country’s founders than from anything I learned in history class, but have experienced them. The struggle for survival physically and relationally throb like a pounding pulse throughout the novel as the plot twists and characters fight their grim circumstances. An eye-opening and vivid read.

I found the history in this book interesting, but I had problems getting into the story. I found most of the characters unlikable, and some of the writing seemed to jump around a lot. It also seemed to me that the ending was a very quick one that left me unsatisfied as to how we got there. My thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book.