• Seal Intestine Raincoat

Seal Intestine Raincoat

by Rosie Chard

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978-1-897126-44-8 | 2009 September | 256 Pages

 ABOUT THIS BOOK

• Winner of the Trade Fiction Book Award at the Alberta Book Publishing Awards!

• Shortlisted for the John Hirsch Award for the Most Promising Manitoba Writer

After a severe winter storm and extended power failure, thousands become trapped in their homes during one of the coldest weeks of the year. For one small group of people, thrown together by catastrophe, a state of anxiety and claustrophobia follows as they discover no precautions have been made for a disaster of this magnitude. When the darkness and cold stretch on, endurance turns to despair and plans for survival begin to emerge as Fred, a fifteen-year-old boy from England, is forced to take charge in unpredictable ways.

Seal Intestine Raincoat offers a cautionary tale for our times, with its bleak portrayal of socio-economic collapse resulting from an unsustainable way of life. It also unearths the powerful human instincts that convert helpless fear into the desire to adapt.

“Writing with a brittle clarity that leaves no shadows for hiding, Chard has woven a starkly inviting tale of courage and desperation that demonstrates the oft-disturbing range of actions the human animal is capable of.” full review
~ Sue Karp, Vue Weekly

“A stunning drama of extreme weather, courage, cowardice, and one teenage boy’s urgent journey to manhood in a city turned death trap. Told in clear and thrilling prose, Rosie Chard’s debut is a gripping, tense, and deeply fulfilling story, which marks her as a writer to watch.”
~ Liz Jensen, author of The Rapture

“Featuring a well-defined sense of place, characters at once unusual and believable, and a plot with compelling pace, Seal Intestine Raincoat is a tale of ordinary suffering and a testament to the human capacity for survival and triumph.”
~ Wayne Tefs, author of Be Wolf (2007 Manitoba Book of the Year)

“This timely novel which focuses on our increasingly tenuous relationship with the environment is written from the eyes-open, fresh-gazed perspective of a newcomer to Canada. There is a fullness in Rosie Chard's observations, a generosity toward her characters, and precision in her use of language. Seal Intestine Raincoat is a highly engaging first book.”
~ Meeka Walsh, editor, Border Crossings