List your top 5 Canadian literature reads from 2024

Every web site, paper, blog and even LT is asking for your votes for your top reads of the year. Since we are the Canadian Literature group, I thought we would jump on the band wagon and name our top 5 Canadian literature reads for this year. (Note, they don't have to be published this year, just read.)

I'll start things off:
The Theory of Crows by David A. Robertson
The Lover, the Lake by Virginia Pesemapeo Bordeleau
The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
The Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice
Up Ghost River by Edmund Metatawabin

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Fire Weather by John Vaillant
Denison Avenue by Christine Wong, Daniel Innes
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue by Christine Higdon
The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt

great idea! thanks for getting it started

>2 raidergirl3: I almost put Denison Avenue on my list too but Up Ghost River edged it out by a hair. I have been meaning to read the other 3 for some time.

>3 gypsysmom: well now I have to look for Up Ghost River!

My top Canadian five reads this year are:

Stillwater by Darcie Friesen Hossack
What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
In Winter I Get Up at Night by Jane Urquhart
To Track A Traitor by Iona Wishaw
This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud

>2 raidergirl3: I read Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue in 2023 and really loved it too.

>6 vancouverdeb: it was your love for Gin, Turpentine,Pennyroyal, Rue that caused me to read it. And I had just started, when Higdon did a local reading I was able to go to. Great serendipity!

>5 vancouverdeb: I have the Alan Bradley on my list to read before the end of the year and it's probably going to be an additional best book. This Strange Eventful History appeared on the list of Best Canadian Literature for 2024 on CBC (somehow it escaped my notice before) and I immediately put it on my list of books I would like to read. In Winter I Get Up at Night was also on the list. You're in good company.

Some tough picks but mine has a distinctive franco-flavour. In no order:

1. Em by Kim Thúy
2. L'Énigme du retour by Dany Laferrière
3. Rue Deschambault by Gabrielle Roy
4. Paul à la maison by Michel Rabagliati
5. Gerbe en germes by Eddy Garnier

I read some good English books too but none that had the finesse and depth of feeling as these.

>7 raidergirl3:
>8 gypsysmom: Glad to be of help with my fav's, Danielle and Wendy.

>9 Cecilturtle: I've read the first 3 in English but I'll bet reading them in their original language adds to the experience. Thanks for sharing.

It seems I read only 2 works of Canadian literature this year, and that therefore those were my favourites. It's also very good you didn't insist on them having been recently published! Clearly, I have a lot of catching up to do.

1. Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
2. Short Talks by Anne Carson

>12 CabbageMoth: Oldies but goodies.

2024 isn't over yet! But I'm sure nothing will knock I (Athena) by Ruth DyckFehderau off my list. More to come.....

I read 11 Canadian books in 2024. These were excellent:

Women Talking, Miriam Toews
When We Lost Our Heads, Heather O'Neil
Fit to Die, Daniel Kalla
And Then She Fell, Alicia Elliott

Top 5 Canadian novels read in 2024:

Number one, far and away: I (Athena) by Ruth DyckFehderau

The others, in no particular order:
Leaning, Leaning Over Water by Frances Itani
Denison Avenue by Christina Wong
and the two Ann-Marie MacDonald books I re-read this year, Fall on Your Knees and The Way the Crow Flies

Fire Weather by John Vaillant
Up and Down / Terry Fallis
made my top 9 overall.

I'd need to look closer to see which other Canadian ones were my top ones.

ETA: I'll add one more:
What Strange Paradise / Omar El Akkad

>17 LibraryCin: I'm about to pick Fire Weather up from the library. There's an online book club that reads one science related book a month and in January they are doing Fire Weather. Then later in the month there's a webinar with John Vaillant. I'm looking forward to that--he's been one of my favourite nonfiction writer for years.

>18 gypsysmom: Oooh, I hope your book club likes it. That webinar sounds great!

I'll add one more to my list (and I'll edit the above):
What Strange Paradise / Omar El Akkad

>20 LibraryCin: Oh! I really liked that one. I read it in 2021

I want to read the latest Heather O’Neil but her books with their endless cruelty and violence exhaust me. It almost turns into caricature because of the bizarre violence.

The one Canadian novel I loved was Monday Rent Boy. Hardly known but very moving in many ways.

>22 alans: huh. I’ve read almost all of Heather O’Neill and I’d never describe her books as cruel or violent. I’ll have to watch for it next time. I’m adverse to reading about cruelty and violence.

>23 Nickelini: And I've only read one Lullabies for Little Criminals. I should look into some of her others, as I thought it was very good.

>24 LibraryCin: Oh, you're in for some treats. I've loved all her books. Just have her latest to read.

As I said, I'm adverse to books with violence and cruelty, but I'm currently reading Girl With the Louding Voice. Talk about cruelty! Yikes. I supposed to finish this for my book club but I'm not sure I can do it.

>25 Nickelini: Oh, I lied (or forgot). I have read The Lonely Hearts Hotel, but I wasn't a fan of that one.

>26 LibraryCin: Lonely Hearts Hotel was one that sat on my shelf for a long time because it didn't sound like something I'd like. But when I finally got to it, I fell in love. There is something so magical about her world building, even when she's describing something gritty or sad. Don't remember any cruelty or violence though (anything out of the norm with most books published)

I’m just discovering this group now. Thankyou for all the comments as I’ve been looking for more good Canadian reads so appreciate the suggestions. My favourite Canadian read was probably Emma Otto Russell and James which I did read awhile back but did land on Canada Reads as a finalist this year.

>28 BonnieP: Welcome and hope to see you posting your reads.