A triumph…
Set against Québec’s Grande Noirceur—the Great Darkness, Bourgault’s latest novel is a haunting exploration of institutional corruption and systemic abuse through the lens of the Duplessis Orphans scandal. Sister Cassandra Lalonde, reclassified from teacher to nurse, watches helplessly as her students are falsely labeled psychiatric patients and subjected to horrific abuse. Alone against the Catholic Church, Duplessis’ authoritarian government, and medical authorities, Cassandra’s desperate attempts to protect the children lead to drastic consequences and a shocking criminal revelation.
Bourgault’s sharp, compassionate prose skillfully captures the claustrophobic dread of Sainte-Madeleine’s walls. Sandra’s transformation from obedient nun to guilt-ridden truth-teller anchors the novel’s emotional weight, while Father Normand’s arc reflects Québec’s struggle between silence and accountability. Diane’s fractured memories and her relationships with the other orphans—Eleanora, mysterious and defiant; Suzanne, fueled by rage; and Hélène, clinging to fragile hope—add emotional depth to the bleak setting.
Alternating between past and present, the narrative unflinchingly delves into falsified records, coerced adoptions, and institutional complicity, painting a damning yet humanized picture of a forgotten tragedy. The confession booth scene between Sandra and Normand—an intimate reckoning with complicity and moral decay—reverberates throughout the story. Bourgault’s writing is raw yet deeply compassionate. He avoids gratuitous depictions of violence, relying instead on evocative details to convey the trauma endured by his characters. Scenes of quiet rebellion—like orphans sneaking cookies from the pantry—offer moments of levity against the novel’s heavier themes. Impeccably written, meticulously researched, and rooted in historical detail, this is a masterful exploration of generational trauma, moral reckoning, and the search for justice. Absolutely addictive.
Pub date October 23, 2024
FriesenPress
ISBN 978-1-03-832248-7
Pages 366
Price $9.99 Ebook, $26.99 Paperback, $37.99 Hardcover
