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Art & Books Books

Review: Heyday by Marnie Woodrow

HEYDAY by Marnie Woodrow (Tightrope), 249 pages, $21.95 paper. Rating: NNN


After waiting more than 10 years, it’s wonderful to see a new novel by the great Marnie Woodrow (Spelling Mississippi), even if it doesn’t quite come together in the end.

The Hamilton-based writer weaves together two stories – taking place a full century apart – about women who have life-changing moments at carnivals.

In 1909, Bette meets the beautiful Freddy a ticket taker at the Centre Island cinema, while riding the roller coaster at the carnival there. Bette feels an attraction she can’t resist, and she’s resourceful enough to figure out ways to sneak away to keep visiting her. Soon social pressure and Freddy’s own difficult past threaten to sabotage the connection.

In a story set 100 years later, photographer Joss is mourning the death of her long-time partner, Bianca. She may not have been entirely satisfied with the relationship – she’s still carrying a torch for sort-of ex Laura, who lives in New York City – but grief has debilitated her. She can barely pick up her camera, let alone shoot. 

Both she and Freddy long to go to Coney Island, Freddy so she can find freedom, Joss to sort out her feelings about Laura.

Woodrow is a terrific writer, evoking the sounds and smells of Centre Island’s carnival and the staid environs of Bette’s middle-class home. And she has a sly way of insinuating queer content into Bette’s story, especially via the character of Charlie, who tries to facilitate the link between Bette and Freddy.

You can sense the resonances between the two stories – the excitement of carnival, the yearnings of Joss, Bette and Freddie – but the introduction of a younger character at the end of Joss’s journey, designed to connect the narratives, only confuses things. And I’m still trying to decipher the meaning of the book’s last line.

But this is an entertaining page-turner signalling the welcome return of a writer I’ve been missing.

susanc@nowtoronto.com | @susangcole

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