Transit was the 4th book from the Scotiabank Giller Prize short-list. It is the second book in a trilogy including Outline which I reviewed recently. I really wanted to enjoy this book but struggled to retain focus. Every time that I put the book down, I would need to reread it to catch up on where I left off. The content would not stick in my mind. I am not sure why I had such difficulty but it may have been related to the author’s appearance at the Between the Pages Event – she seemed to have trouble putting words together despite her beautiful prose. I am not sure if it was just nerves but her distracted answers seemed to influence my reading of this novel. I too felt distracted.
The novel followed Faye as she bought a new flat, in need of much renovation. The downstairs neighbours were dreadful and difficult. Her sons were living with her ex during the construction and chapters described the experiences Faye had as she met with an ex, friends, a new date and participated in a book event.
Perhaps there is a time and a place to read each book. If this is true, I did not read Transit at the right time. I struggled to finish it, retain it and now to describe it as it has not left lasting thoughts to ponder. Perhaps it is a novel that I need to read at another time and try to appreciate its’ unique approach and creativity.
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