Montreal in Literature

Montreal in Literature

This article relates to Mood Swings

Much of Frankie Barnet's novel Mood Swings takes place in Montreal. Nestled in the southwest of Canada's francophone province of Quebec, Montreal is a multicultural and largely bilingual city with a thriving arts scene, which makes it an appealingly unique backdrop for all sorts of literature. Below are some notable books that have been set there.

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler: This satirical novel, published in 1959, follows a working-class young man as he strives to gain wealth and respect, while shining a spotlight on Montreal's anglophone Jewish community. The screenplay for the 1974 film adaptation, co-written by the book's author, was nominated for an Oscar.

Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill: This 2006 international bestseller focuses on the dark side of Montreal with 12-year-old Baby as she grows up in an impoverished single-parent home. Praised by Publishers Weekly as "tear-jerkingly effective," it won the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's competitive Canada Reads contest in 2007.

Bottle Rocket Hearts by Zoe Whittall: This novel, published in 2007, follows Eve, a young queer woman, as she comes of age against the backdrop of the 1995 referendum, where Quebecers voted on whether to declare independence from Canada. Eve's everyday struggles and romantic life play out amidst the province's tensions.

Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah: Published in 2022 but set in 1986, this story is centered on the experience of a Lebanese immigrant in the city. Muna faces racism, struggles to find a job, and ends up working at the call center for a weight-loss company. There, she is privy to callers' innermost thoughts and secrets, even as she feels iced out by society in the rest of her life. (Hotline was published in Canada by Esplanade Books in 2022 and will be published in the United States by Other Press in August 2024.)

Bookworm by Robin Yeatman: Released in 2023, this darkly funny novel follows a woman who becomes obsessed with a stranger at a cafe and begins to fantasize about killing her husband so she can pursue this new man. It's bizarre and satirical, and has a strong sense of place, which will make the reader feel as though they, too, are wandering Montreal's streets.

As one of Canada's literary hubs, Montreal will likely continue to be the setting of some of the country's most innovative books.

Filed under Places, Cultures & Identities

This article relates to Mood Swings. It first ran in the June 19, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.