No Viable Option is at once an unusual literary mystery with a
noirish evocation of the inner city and a political satire of
activist groups whose ideals are undermined by in-fighting. On a
summer evening in 1992, two young residents of a homeless shelter
break into the house of legal aid lawyer, Will Burgess. He is
murdered during the act and certain items are stolen. With the
stolen articles in hand, one of the perpetrators, a Native youth
named Sam Weir, desperately flees from both his cronies and the
police (who are convinced that Sam acted alone). Simultaneously we
meet Eric Speers, an aspiring writer and worker at the charity
which owns the shelter and other endeavors. It was an organization
in its death throes. Eric is, as well, a mess: suffering insomnia,
increasingly neurotic, confused about his course in life and broke.
Together with Sandy, a niece of the murdered man, they begin to
investigate the stolen items after Sandy receives a threatening
phone call and the police appear uninterested. The pair are drawn
into a labyrinth of secrets and crimes, and finding their way
through it may be the only hope that Sam Weir has for staying
alive. Set during the severe recession of the early 90's, No Viable
Option is an impassioned indictment of the failure of political
groups to live up to the principles they espouse. Always
entertaining with striking characters, it is an ingenious pastiche.
The story is told using multiple points of view, lists, narrative,
dreams, journal entries, song lyrics, newspaper columns and sex as
a political metaphor. Craig Grimes is a Canadian novelist. His
works are built around stories of personal conflict which focus on
ethical and political concerns. They are set in Canada and there is
a strong sense of place. They are also characterized by shifting
points of view and narrative form, and the inclusion of other sorts
of writing to advance the action (poems, journal entries, lists,
quotes, songs, etc.).
General
Imprint: |
Charivari Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
April 2012 |
First published: |
April 2012 |
Authors: |
Craig Grimes
|
Dimensions: |
203 x 133 x 11mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback - Trade
|
Pages: |
186 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-895166-22-4 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-895166-22-5 |
Barcode: |
9781895166224 |
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