The Doomsday Book of Fairy Tales by Emily Brewes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to confess that I’m having trouble reading anything dystopian these days because the truth is just too imaginable during the pandemic. I absolutely loved the setting of this book….something homegrown where I can imagine the PATH system in Toronto becoming a shelter, and the wilds of Northern Ontario becoming a haven. The story itself is bleak and frustrating, and continuously full of dark imagery of survival. The relationships between our lady and her family and neighbours are fleeting at best. There are small sparks of human compassion and generosity but ultimately this main character is very alone, except for Doggo. The fairy tales themselves are brilliant and an oasis each time in this otherwise wretched existence. I very much enjoyed the structure of the book, and each phase had a satisfying transition into the next one. I would like to have a cup of coffee with Emily Brewes because I think we are remarkably unlike. Her philosophy on life must be very interesting to have accomplished such a book.

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