A poignant, minutely observed examination of love, loss, and atonement…
Set in the early 1960s, Anderson-Bernier’s A Gap in the Fence is a resonant portrayal of a young man who is trying to make sense of a shocking secret from his past. When nineteen-year-old Theo comes across a family secret, he sets out to meet the woman behind the secret. But after arriving in a small farming community in Alberta from Vancouver, circumstances force Theo to abandon his quest and accept a job as a farm help. Trying to come to terms with his past, Theo has no idea that future has something bigger in store for him. Anderson-Bernier’s prose is crisp, the pacing smooth and her characters are flawed yet appealing as they (the teenagers in the story) learn to tread the intricate waves of love and domesticity. Told in third-person omniscient, the narrative poignantly illustrates the 60s conservative rural society as Anderson-Bernier explores the complexities of love and family relationships. Her writing is authoritative as the long-buried truths unravel hidden depths and heal old wounds. The backdrop of rural Alberta is ideal for one of the novel’s central themes; exploration of boundaries of romantic relationships. Various themes of healing, reconciliation, and endurance come together as the story inches toward its culmination and almost all the characters reach their own epiphanies. The heartening finale will leave readers feeling warm all the way through. This rich and heart-rending tale is sure to win readers over. A moving debut!
A Gap In The Fence
by Kate Anderson-Bernier
Arboretum Press
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Pub date December 25, 2018
ISBN 9780994068163
PRICE $16.99 (USD)
Categories: Fiction
The Prairies Book Review 
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