Comments on: Through Black Spruce, by Joseph Boyden

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:31:55 +0000

Brenda: By coincidence, a good friend in the book trade who knows Boyden well was over earlier this week and I asked her about his next book. Alas, she said that she has not heard anything about when it might be released, so I am afraid I can’t help — I’ll try to remember to check back here and post a comment if I do hear anything.

By: Brenda in Sydney

Brenda in Sydney — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:26:11 +0000

I am constantly searching for JB’s latest release, having read Through Black Spruce and Three Day Road (in that order) and just loved them. I thought the descriptions of the war in Three Day Road were both horrifying and riveting, but it’s the relationships that he is so good at drawing for us. HIs writing style is compelling and I really do feel as if I “live” in his books when I read them. I’m hungry for the next one. Any clues as to when it might be released? I’m Australian, but I lived in Toronto for 21 years and I know Moosonee and those Northern parts of Ontario, so that always connects me to the characters and the place, and makes my reading experience so much more personal as I can ‘locate’ myself there in my mind. Thanks for your blog. I agreed with your review of both books.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:30:37 +0000

John: I had given Three Day Road a miss when it first came out, because I too have a bit of war novel fatigue (after you read so many good ones, a hesitation sets in I think). As you can tell, I thought Through Black Spruce was excellent and I hope you will find it as good as I did. I did go back to the earlier work afterwards and found it quite worthwhile -- perhaps because I could approach it knowing that Boyden was contemplating a trilogy. I certainly look forward to volume three when he gets to it.

By: john h

john h — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:26:23 +0000

I just spotted “Through Black Spruce” in my local library recently so I will probably read it some time fairly soon. I wondered if you had read it, being Canadian and all. I read “Three Day Road” a year or two ago on the recommendation of a friend and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. War books are not exactly my thing but of course there’s more to it than that. His most recent sounds worth checking out.

By: Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:12:39 +0000

Hm, interesting point… I suppose the sisters will be grannies in that one if the time span is similar.

I like the way we’re left to wonder about his vision at the end. I’ll say no more, but hopefully you know what I mean.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:09:50 +0000

Colette: I can’t help but think that Boyden was using the ending to set up part three of the trilogy. I’ll admit I didn’t like the ending that much on my first read — liked it a lot more the second time through.

By: Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:05:39 +0000

Well, you know I sometimes have a thing about endings. Through Black Spruce has an excellent ending. Throughout, I was curious what it was going to lead to, so getting there was great too.

By: alison

alison — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:16:11 +0000

I’m one of those lukcy people who has met Joseph and Amanda and they are both wonderful. I know it sounds corny, but they make you believe in love again, they really are a great and well-suited couple.
I’ve been meaning to read Amanda’s latest book, I’ve heard great things about it and I really liked her first novel. It’s in my bedside pile now. I have read both of Joseph’s novels. I agree with kevin – they are both terrific and you don’t need to read them in order. They do connect, but in a complementary way.

By: workingwords100

workingwords100 — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:38:41 +0000

Me neither. Too much togetherness.

Here’s another link:
http://cola.uno.edu/cww/CWWnews.cfm

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:56:59 +0000

Isabel: He is not only handsome, two of my friends who have met him say he is every bit as nice in person as his books are in reading (which I am sure you know is not true of all authors). Thanks for the link to the interview. I too heard good things about Babylon Rolling — the copy I ordered just arrived last week but I hope to get to it soon. I did read one story last fall that said the two of them actually do their writing in the same room, at the same time. I don’t think I could do that.