A child is born in a commune, somewhere in British Columbia, to an unwed mother.
Who is this child?
Solving this mystery drives the plot forward. Details are portioned out sparingly as we gain a clearer understanding of Astra. Insight is provided by family and friends. Astra doesn't take ownership of her story until the Epilogue.
An unwed mother dies giving birth.
Astra Winter Sorrow Brine is left to be raised by her neglectful and self-absorbed father Raymond Brine.
Who should raise a child? How? How do you maintain or establish a relationship with your child--from infancy to adulthood? The relationship between parents and children is one of the central themes.
From an Independent Bookstore in
Astra
Published by McClelland & Stewart
Published in 2021
286 pages
longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize 2021
(Of special significance to me as a Southern Gulf Island resident,
Cedar Bowers lives on Galiano Island)
Astra is a unique book.
Each chapter in Astra is like a stand-alone short story. The re-occurrence of one character Astra unifies the book into a novel. Cedar Bowers is a methodical author. Astra is a must-read.
Anne Logan's review of Astra by Cedar Bowers
On This Blog in November
Wednesday, November 24
Podcast Author Reading
Sunday, November 28
Short Story
Ex
by Leanne Dyck
