Chase and Haven
By (Author) Michael Blouin
Coach House Books
Coach House Books
15th January 2009
Canada
General
Fiction
FIC
Paperback
250
Width 127mm, Height 203mm
283g
Haven is fiercely protective of her little brother, Chase, spiriting him away when their fathers temper is about to flare yet again. She hides the bread away so hell have something for lunch, and she teaches him to hide himself. But when thats no longer enough to keep him safe, she steals the car and takes them both away to their aunt, Mary, who tries her best to love and nurture them.
They try to redeem their harrowing childhood in different ways: Haven, lost and damaged, goes to medical school and teachers college, and marries young, hoping to find meaning through her daughter, April. Chase battles his demons through cathartic but doomed performance art. And, always, they try to keep one another afloat.
Chase and Haven is a haunting story inventively told and deeply felt of suffering and love, made of thousands of small impressionist facets that refract the quiet spectrum of the beauty and the detritus of two entwined lives.
Michael Blouin has been the recipient of the Diana Brebner Prize for Poetry from Arc, Canada's National Poetry Magazine, as well as the Lillian I. Found Prize for Poetry from Carleton University, and his work has been shortlisted for a National Magazine Award. He is the author of the collection of poetry I'm not going to lie to you.