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A Complicated Kindness

By Miriam Toews
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3.69 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews is a poignant novel set in a small Mennonite town in Manitoba, Canada. It follows the life of Nomi Nickel, a rebellious teenage girl, as she navigates the complexities of her strict religious community while dealing with personal loss and family strife. The story blends humour and heartache as Nomi grapples with her yearning for freedom and the quest for identity amidst confining circumstances.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're drawn to stories of rebellion and resilience set against the backdrop of a strict religious community. With its dark humour and deeply introspective narrative, it explores themes of family, freedom, and the search for personal identity, all captured through a compelling teenage perspective.

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A novel of fierce originality and brilliance from the celebrated Canadian novelist, author of The Flying Troutmans and All My Puny Sorrows.

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews is a novel of fierce originality and brilliance from the celebrated Canadian novelist, author of The Flying Troutmans and All My Puny Sorrows.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

We're Mennonites. As far as I know, we are the most embarrassing sub-sect of people to belong to if you're a teenager.

Sixteen-year-old Nomi Nickel longs to hang out with Lou Reed and Marianne Faithfull in New York City's East Village. Instead, she's trapped in East Village, Manitoba: a town with no train station, no bar, and where job prospects consist of slaughtering chickens at the Happy Family Farms abattoir.

Since her mother and sister have left home, Nomi lives with her father, Ray, a sweet yet hapless schoolteacher. Fighting against the restraints of the town, Nomi's longing for a future of opportunity and hope sets her on course towards a climax at once startling and inevitable.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Complicated Kindness, by Miriam Toews, is often praised for its dark humour and poignant storytelling. Reviewers highlight the novel's exploration of themes like family, faith, and identity within a strict Mennonite community. The protagonist's voice is described as distinct and compelling, filled with wit and poignancy that helps illuminate the challenges of reconciling personal desires with communal expectations.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571341009

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 September 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 17.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 200g

Pages: 256

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Miriam Toews

About the Author

Miriam Toews (pronounced taves) was born in 1964 in the small Mennonite town of Steinbach, Manitoba. She has published four novels and a memoir of her father, and is the recipient of numerous literary awards including the Governor General's Award, the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award (twice), and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.

In 2007 she made her screen debut in the film Luz silenciosa. She was nominated for Best Actress at Mexico's Ariel Awards for her performance.

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