Dallas Morning News
"As a poet, [Johanna Skibsrud] knows how to pare a story down to its essence and infuse every thread with meaning. . . . The tale is so true and poignant that, as in the moment when the narrator flew over the water, readers, too, will want to stay there ‘as long as possible.’"
NPR
"A slim debut novel graced by inventive language and a haunting atmosphere. . . . The melancholy mood and restrained language of the story settles deep into a reader’s consciousness."
National Post
"Skibsrud knows what she's doing: The slow fuse of the novel's first half turns out to be a very effective setup for the explosive second."
The Globe and Mail
"A solid debut and a beautiful tribute to a father-daughter relationship."
Michael Enright
"I read it twice, and it’s amazing even the second time, and I think it would be even more amazing the third time. She’s a tremendous stylist."
NOVEMBER 2011 - AudioFile
This debut novel, winner of Canada’s 2010 Giller Prize, is the story of a father and daughter who attempt to overcome guilt and neglect in search of understanding and forgiveness. Celeste Ciulla’s narration fails to aid in navigating a complex story that bounces from past to present among several characters. She doesn’t breathe life into the settings or the characters: Napoleon, his unnamed daughter, and Henry, the longtime family friend who takes Napoleon in. Long, dense, often-awkward sentences and constant shifting from past to present and character to character challenge the listener to stay focused and engaged. The epilogue, in which Joey Collins and Greg Steinbruner read a trial transcript as young Napoleon and his inquisitor, leaves the listener with little insight into Napoleon's sad, tortured life. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
