Suddenly, By Bonnie Burnard
Your support helps us to tell the story
In my reporting on women's reproductive rights, I've witnessed the critical role that independent journalism plays in protecting freedoms and informing the public.
Your support allows us to keep these vital issues in the spotlight. Without your help, we wouldn't be able to fight for truth and justice.
Every contribution ensures that we can continue to report on the stories that impact lives
Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
Sandra first learns that the "little bastard bullet" in her breast is going to kill her on the same morning that the twin towers fall. Her husband, Jack, has to tell the doctor to get off the phone and look at the television.
Set in small-town Southern Ontario, Bonnie Burnard's second novel is a frank account of a fiftysomething woman's last weeks, and her relationship with the two women who care for her, best girlfriends, Jude and Colleen.
With the aid of her journals, Sandra is able to look back over their years together – from hip young mothers to older women who still prefer to be referred to as girls. Though some of the more maudlin passages could benefit from the editorial scythe, there are sentences that wouldn't be out of place in one of Carol Shields's novels.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments