Crow Lake

Crow Lake is that uncommon discovery—a first book by a writer of extraordinary skill that is so subtly confident and emotionally spot-on that you can tell from the first page that this is the genuine deal. It's a literary experience that allows you to lose yourself.

This lovely, slow-burning tale takes place in the remote "badlands" of northern Ontario, where suffering and heartache are reflected in the natural surroundings. For the agricultural Pye family, life is like a Greek tragedy, with awful things happening off-stage and the boys' misdeeds being returned upon them.

The Morrisons take center stage in a tragedy that, although seeming more direct and less violent, is really subtle and polarizing. Kate Morrison, who was raised as an orphan, was influenced by her elder brother Matt, who was a keen naturalist, and this led to her developing an interest in pond life. She can recognize creatures under a microscope as a biologist now, but she doesn't appear to be aware of how her own emotional life is doing. She also believes that she has outgrown her siblings, Luke, Matt, and Bo, who used to be her whole universe.

Lawson uses devastating comedy and masterful control to build suspense in this universal drama about family love, miscommunications, and buried grudges. She subtly subverts viewers' expectations all the way to the very end. Within days of its Canadian debut, this surprisingly straightforward classic about the dangers of hero worship shot to the top of bestseller lists and garnered praise from publications like The New York Times and The Globe and Mail. It is tragic, hilarious, and memorable.