Every winter when I make my schedule for the upcoming year, there’s at least one course I choose just because it works with my schedule. This past fall, that course was Montreal and Quebec Literature. The English elective offered by Concordia covers exactly what the title suggests; it takes in in-depth look at a series of poetry and prose books based in and around Montreal. In all honesty, I took the course because it fit with my schedule so that I would have Fridays off. However, I was quickly surprised by how interesting it was to read books with stories taking place in the city where I’m living.
Walk into any chain bookstore in Canada and you are likely to find way more American books than Canadian books. For instance, searching the word “Canadian” on Indigo will bring up over 6000 results in fiction and literature. Look up “American”, and you’ll get over 32,000 results in the same category. With so many more options to choose from, it might seem weird to read a book specifically because of their setting. However, there is a charm to novels where you can recognize street names and restaurants.
Reading books set in your city makes them familiar. Even if the characters are facing conflicts readers will never encounter, there are parts of daily life that readers will recognize. Things like the metro breaking down or the feeling on Ste-Catherine right after the Habs have won (or lost) become relatable because they are both unique to Montreal but universally experienced within the city.
For me however, the most interesting part of reading locally set books is how it forces readers to recognize that everyone in the city has their own story. A character might have the worst night possible in a bar where I’ve never had anything but a good time. Being able to read about how characters’ views on places in the city differ from my own is a constant reminder that even though we are living in the place, we are encountering the city with separate emotions and expectations.
Looking for some local literature? Here are three books based in Montreal:
- Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neil
O’Neil’s bestseller tells the story of a thirteen-year-old girl named Baby who starts turning tricks in Montreal. Readers can look out for the Plateau’s parks and streets.
- Mile End by Michel Hellman
This graphic novel was described by Rover as having illustrations that not “only look like Mile End – they feel like it.” The book is full of stories of what it’s like to live in the borough that any Montrealer can enjoy.
- Melody: Story of a Nude Dancer by Sylvie Rancourt
The struggles and successes of a young, Montreal stripper are at the heart of this graphic novel. The title character humanizes and offers an inside look at Montreal’s notorious strip club scene.