What do you think?
Rate this book
Finding Edward
Cyril Rowntree, a mixed race Jamaican, migrates to Canada after his mother and surrogate grandfather die. Cyril arrives in Toronto and sets about earning a degree, works two jobs, and begins to navigate his way through the implications of being racialized in his new land.
A chance encounter with a panhandler named Patricia leads Cyril to a suitcase full of photographs and letters dating back to the early 1920s. Cyril is drawn into the letters and their story of a white mother’s struggle to come to terms with the need to give up her mixed race baby, Edward. Abandoned by his white father as a small child, Cyril feels a compelling connection to the boy and begins to look for the rest of Edward’s story.
As he searches, Cyril unearths hidden pieces of Canadian history and gradually gains the confidence to trust his own judgment.
A chance encounter with a panhandler named Patricia leads Cyril to a suitcase full of photographs and letters dating back to the early 1920s. Cyril is drawn into the letters and their story of a white mother’s struggle to come to terms with the need to give up her mixed race baby, Edward. Abandoned by his white father as a small child, Cyril feels a compelling connection to the boy and begins to look for the rest of Edward’s story.
As he searches, Cyril unearths hidden pieces of Canadian history and gradually gains the confidence to trust his own judgment.
340 pages, Paperback
Published June 15, 2022
27 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 2, 2023
We have to learn for ourselves the history that is NOT taught us. p273
Sad circumstances propelled Cyril Rowntree far from the warmth of his home in Jamaica to the cold and lonely city of Toronto to attend university and to excell; to make something of himself with enough left over to send home. But who is he, adrift without his family?
He hadn't learned the language of social interaction, which seemed cleverly coded to the advantage of all the groups and cliques and ethnicities that did not include him. p78
He did not want the politics of it. He didn't want the issue to be any bigger in his life than it already was. p114
Because he still could not fit in. And when he tried, he could not sustain the person he made himself become. p115
Cautiously, Cyril begins to overcome his shyness and fear of rejection to make his own connections. Was it fate or a karmic reward for his generous spirit that he finds out about Edward? A seemingly random encounter, a slender clue; a feeling of connection across space and time prompts him on an astonishing quest that leads to finding Edward, and in the process, finding himself.
You can't be in two places at once, living two lives, and not be broken in half. p270
Rather than give alternate chapters to each of the main characters, SM enfolds Edward's story into Cyril's, slipping it in with the ease of familiarity. Her writing is crisp and engaging and her meticulous research obvious as she examines the nuances of racism as it has evolved over the last century.
You need to be productive with the anger. That's critical because it will mess you up. 286
You can piece a life together....Its a matter of Keep Going Forward. Don't look back. p283
Sad circumstances propelled Cyril Rowntree far from the warmth of his home in Jamaica to the cold and lonely city of Toronto to attend university and to excell; to make something of himself with enough left over to send home. But who is he, adrift without his family?
He hadn't learned the language of social interaction, which seemed cleverly coded to the advantage of all the groups and cliques and ethnicities that did not include him. p78
He did not want the politics of it. He didn't want the issue to be any bigger in his life than it already was. p114
Because he still could not fit in. And when he tried, he could not sustain the person he made himself become. p115
Cautiously, Cyril begins to overcome his shyness and fear of rejection to make his own connections. Was it fate or a karmic reward for his generous spirit that he finds out about Edward? A seemingly random encounter, a slender clue; a feeling of connection across space and time prompts him on an astonishing quest that leads to finding Edward, and in the process, finding himself.
You can't be in two places at once, living two lives, and not be broken in half. p270
Rather than give alternate chapters to each of the main characters, SM enfolds Edward's story into Cyril's, slipping it in with the ease of familiarity. Her writing is crisp and engaging and her meticulous research obvious as she examines the nuances of racism as it has evolved over the last century.
You need to be productive with the anger. That's critical because it will mess you up. 286
You can piece a life together....Its a matter of Keep Going Forward. Don't look back. p283
January 28, 2023
I was disappointed. Very slow and a bit stiff style. There are remnants of other tales from black writers echoing in here, but Cyril and Edward really didn’t hook me in. I almost DNF this, but as I was reading for a book club, hung in there until the end. It’s not bad, just boring as Murray tries to mash together the two lives and much political detail. We are being “educated”. Never a pleasant feeling for a reader, even if it is information we need to know. I felt she could have done a better job of making these characters and issues come alive. I was put off by her mentioning the autobiography by a sleeping car porter. A book by Suzette Mahr, out at the same time as this, just won the huge Giller Prize. It will be interesting to compare. I can’t see how Murray wouldn’t have known it was coming out and probably should have edited that information out- but it’s probably coming from a place of wanting to stuff as much history into this book as she can.
January 17, 2023
This book was on my radar to read even before it was longlisted on the Canada Reads 2023 list! I am glad to have read it, while it is starting to get so much buzz. And I love to read/support local authors, and Sheila Murray lives in Hamilton, Ontario which is also where I live. As she writes in her acknowledgements, "My parents' courage to marry in 1950s England humbles me" (her father was Black Jamaican, and her mother, white English). This book is about a young man from Jamaica who comes to Toronto to go to university, and stumbles across the story of Edward, by a suitcase of letters and photographs. (I have seen this story structure before, in The Sandalwood Tree which I read last year, where the protagonist is drawn to research details of a story emerging from an old packet of letters from 100 years previous). I am glad to have read this book, although it is perhaps overly ambitious in the way it tries to educate on various aspects of race and racism in Canada. I will be interested to see how it fares in Canada Reads this year, and also I will be interested to read more of Sheila Murray's writing.
January 5, 2023
This was an exceptional book and being local, I appreciated the descriptions of the Toronto scene and neighbourhoods. The reason this didn't make five stars for me was a somewhat slow and plodding start to the book - only reason I continued was that the characterization of Cyril was excellent and I was really rooting for him to be successful despite the challenges he faced. Once we got into the story of Edward, the plot picked up and the second half was riveting. So many interesting and obscure facts about Canadian history. Some of the present-day political events - protests etc. - were loosely woven into the story and didn't seem to add depth. But overall I was very sorry when we said goodbye to Cyril and Edward. They will stay with me for a long time.
March 9, 2023
I very much enjoyed the subject matter but overall I felt like this book tried to do too many things.
February 4, 2024
Book club 😄
I was initially intrigued by the premise and then it didn’t hold my attention. I am not a book skimmer, but did skim parts. While I could tell the writer was talented, this wasn’t for me but I did appreciate parts of the main character’s story, and did enjoy Edward’s voice in the second half.
I was initially intrigued by the premise and then it didn’t hold my attention. I am not a book skimmer, but did skim parts. While I could tell the writer was talented, this wasn’t for me but I did appreciate parts of the main character’s story, and did enjoy Edward’s voice in the second half.
July 17, 2023
The more I read, the more I loved it. It has well earned 5 stars from me. I learned about this novel last year when the long list for Canada Reads came out. Many thought it should have been short-listed; I now see why. In my opinion, it was far better than some that did.
Beautifully written, it centers around 2 main men - Cyril, a young man struggling to make a new life in Canada (TO) after the 2 most important influences in his life die; and Edward, now an old man who struggled to survive being abandoned early on, but persevered through war, imprisonment, many types of employment, racism, and much more. The two are not related but share similarities. Both are biracial, have roots in Jamaica, want to make a difference, etc. I loved them both.
We move between them as the story unfolds; at times it is so quick and subtle, it takes a moment to refocus. We meet a number of other characters who are integral to each, but not as well developed.
One of the driving forces in this book is racism, then (1920s) and now (2010s). More than once Cyril speaks of keeping his head down and walking slowly. Cyril is very intelligent but still finds himself in trouble at times - some things don't change but just remain more discreet?
Some have described the importance of this novel in part as revealing parts of Canada's history of immigration kept hidden away - not taught in schools. Indeed, Cyril goes to great lengths in his research to uncover truths.
Bottom line for me - has earned all of the accolades it has received; an excellent story; I'm really glad I finally got to read it. You should do the same.
Thank you, Sheila Murray.
Beautifully written, it centers around 2 main men - Cyril, a young man struggling to make a new life in Canada (TO) after the 2 most important influences in his life die; and Edward, now an old man who struggled to survive being abandoned early on, but persevered through war, imprisonment, many types of employment, racism, and much more. The two are not related but share similarities. Both are biracial, have roots in Jamaica, want to make a difference, etc. I loved them both.
We move between them as the story unfolds; at times it is so quick and subtle, it takes a moment to refocus. We meet a number of other characters who are integral to each, but not as well developed.
One of the driving forces in this book is racism, then (1920s) and now (2010s). More than once Cyril speaks of keeping his head down and walking slowly. Cyril is very intelligent but still finds himself in trouble at times - some things don't change but just remain more discreet?
Some have described the importance of this novel in part as revealing parts of Canada's history of immigration kept hidden away - not taught in schools. Indeed, Cyril goes to great lengths in his research to uncover truths.
Bottom line for me - has earned all of the accolades it has received; an excellent story; I'm really glad I finally got to read it. You should do the same.
Thank you, Sheila Murray.
July 29, 2022
Finding Edward is an extraordinary work that tells the story of two mixed-race men and how their lives and experiences interact to create a rich narrative that explores the unspoken history of Canada.
Cyril, a recent immigrant to Toronto from Jamaica in 2012, has to learn to navigate his way through the complexities of his new country. Edward, born in Toronto in 1920 and abandoned in his infancy, has to scramble for every inch of his life, making his way from one coast of the country to the other, searching for his own sense of belonging. Through both these stories, the achievements of Canada’s Black communities and the afflictions perpetrated upon them, largely unrecognized by the majority of Canadians, are uncovered. But it is more than that. Cyril finds the threads of Edward’s story in a few old documents and photos and tries to discover what happened to this man so many years ago. The way their lives are intertwined is truly magical. Through his attempt to find Edward, Cyril finds himself.
The book moves from discovery to discovery, from time past to Cyril’s present, the sense of mystery and revelation leading to a very moving conclusion. The last sentence is perfect. In fact, the writing throughout, just sings. It is a book to treasure and reread. Highly recommended for anyone interested in compelling literary fiction, history, social justice and story-telling at its best.
Cyril, a recent immigrant to Toronto from Jamaica in 2012, has to learn to navigate his way through the complexities of his new country. Edward, born in Toronto in 1920 and abandoned in his infancy, has to scramble for every inch of his life, making his way from one coast of the country to the other, searching for his own sense of belonging. Through both these stories, the achievements of Canada’s Black communities and the afflictions perpetrated upon them, largely unrecognized by the majority of Canadians, are uncovered. But it is more than that. Cyril finds the threads of Edward’s story in a few old documents and photos and tries to discover what happened to this man so many years ago. The way their lives are intertwined is truly magical. Through his attempt to find Edward, Cyril finds himself.
The book moves from discovery to discovery, from time past to Cyril’s present, the sense of mystery and revelation leading to a very moving conclusion. The last sentence is perfect. In fact, the writing throughout, just sings. It is a book to treasure and reread. Highly recommended for anyone interested in compelling literary fiction, history, social justice and story-telling at its best.
September 21, 2023
This is a wonderful and important book. Cyril Rowntree is sent to Canada after the sudden death of his mother. He has to make his own way in Toronto.
Mentors help him. A lost father figure named Nelson whispers support and Randall, a designated university mentor finds him. There’s also Evan and Uncle Junior. Each show a different way of thinking.
I love that he finds libraries and they become a safe place. It’s outside a library where he meets Pat who leads him to a the story of an abandoned mixed race child in the 1920’s. What follows is a piece of lthe history we are not taught in school.
Sheila Murphy elegantly weaves Edward’s story into Cyril”s.
“The clock read 6:00AM when a truck rattled at the corner of the street. It was a weekly sound, one that often woke Cyril from sleep thirty minutes before his alarm… THE RACKET OF SOUND IS the rattle and clang of the passing trolley. Edward is on the street corner.” Chapter 15, Page 262
It’s a must read. An enjoyable story, it is warm and at times uncomfortable but very rewarding.
Edward and Cyril will be with me for a while.
Mentors help him. A lost father figure named Nelson whispers support and Randall, a designated university mentor finds him. There’s also Evan and Uncle Junior. Each show a different way of thinking.
I love that he finds libraries and they become a safe place. It’s outside a library where he meets Pat who leads him to a the story of an abandoned mixed race child in the 1920’s. What follows is a piece of lthe history we are not taught in school.
Sheila Murphy elegantly weaves Edward’s story into Cyril”s.
“The clock read 6:00AM when a truck rattled at the corner of the street. It was a weekly sound, one that often woke Cyril from sleep thirty minutes before his alarm… THE RACKET OF SOUND IS the rattle and clang of the passing trolley. Edward is on the street corner.” Chapter 15, Page 262
It’s a must read. An enjoyable story, it is warm and at times uncomfortable but very rewarding.
Edward and Cyril will be with me for a while.
May 15, 2023
After meeting the author, I was very eager to finish the book and learned more about the historical and current racism towards Black individuals in Canada
alternating between historical times and current, the author built two strong characters , each trying to did their way in Canada despite challenges and loss.
Apparently this book was written a decade ago yet the story was so current and timely.
This book makes the reader want to learn more about Canadian history and realize that Canada has not always been on the right side of history.
alternating between historical times and current, the author built two strong characters , each trying to did their way in Canada despite challenges and loss.
Apparently this book was written a decade ago yet the story was so current and timely.
This book makes the reader want to learn more about Canadian history and realize that Canada has not always been on the right side of history.
July 29, 2022
“Finding Edward” is a wonderful book and should be included in any great collection of novels dealing with exile and dislocation.
Sheila Murray masterfully interweaves the past and present (the former eventually merging with the latter) as if underscoring the point that past is never really far away from any immigrant’s experience. Further braided through the novel are stories of Black struggle (demolition of Africville, sleeping car porters’ union meetings…), largely forgotten by modern day historians. It is those (hi)stories that form the backdrop of Edward’s life and that influence the way Cyril, the main character, perceives the present.
The prose is elegant, unhurried, evocative, unpretentious. I highly recommend this book!
Sheila Murray masterfully interweaves the past and present (the former eventually merging with the latter) as if underscoring the point that past is never really far away from any immigrant’s experience. Further braided through the novel are stories of Black struggle (demolition of Africville, sleeping car porters’ union meetings…), largely forgotten by modern day historians. It is those (hi)stories that form the backdrop of Edward’s life and that influence the way Cyril, the main character, perceives the present.
The prose is elegant, unhurried, evocative, unpretentious. I highly recommend this book!
March 26, 2023
4.5 stars
Very well done.
Very well done.
January 22, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
A good and well-written story with characters that feel real, told in a "slice of life" style narrative that I found entirely too slow paced.
A good and well-written story with characters that feel real, told in a "slice of life" style narrative that I found entirely too slow paced.
Read
March 23, 2024This was such a strong debut, and I learned a lot about Black Canadian History!
Read the full review on my blog!
Read the full review on my blog!
March 6, 2023
A good book to read during Black History month. I have lots more to learn and find that novels have a way of humanizing statistics.
September 11, 2023
This is a good novel that tries too hard to be the Great Canadian Novel.
Cyril is a 20 year old Jamaican whose white father has abandoned him and whose Black mother has died too young of untreated asthma. Through the legacy of a fairy godfather ( the first of what will be several jarringly magical touches), he has just enough to pay for a university education in Toronto. There he becomes obsessed with the fate of a mixed race boy who was abandoned by his mother nearly a century ago…
One part of this dual timeline story is excellent. The description of Mount Dennis, Cyril’s scrabbling to make ends meet, the influences of his friends and teachers, his basement apartment, the pull back to Jamaica, all realistic and well-done. The psychic link to Zelig-like Edward, who somehow has managed to single-handedly experience every touchstone of 20th century Black Canadian history, is more than a little didactic and very unbelievable. He’s in race riots! Now he’s in Africville Nova Scotia! Off to meet discrimination in World War Two! Now off to the West Coast and Hogan’s Alley! Also, Cyril is the only historian ever who does a completely chronological and successful deep dive into an obscure life.
This is one of those novels that tries a bit too hard to do too much, in my opinion.
Cyril is a 20 year old Jamaican whose white father has abandoned him and whose Black mother has died too young of untreated asthma. Through the legacy of a fairy godfather ( the first of what will be several jarringly magical touches), he has just enough to pay for a university education in Toronto. There he becomes obsessed with the fate of a mixed race boy who was abandoned by his mother nearly a century ago…
One part of this dual timeline story is excellent. The description of Mount Dennis, Cyril’s scrabbling to make ends meet, the influences of his friends and teachers, his basement apartment, the pull back to Jamaica, all realistic and well-done. The psychic link to Zelig-like Edward, who somehow has managed to single-handedly experience every touchstone of 20th century Black Canadian history, is more than a little didactic and very unbelievable. He’s in race riots! Now he’s in Africville Nova Scotia! Off to meet discrimination in World War Two! Now off to the West Coast and Hogan’s Alley! Also, Cyril is the only historian ever who does a completely chronological and successful deep dive into an obscure life.
This is one of those novels that tries a bit too hard to do too much, in my opinion.
June 21, 2022
I could not finish this book, but based on what I read, I gave it 3 stars. I no longer cared about Cyril or Edward. I assume that they eventually find each other, but the journey wasn't that interesting to me.
February 19, 2023
I feel very conflicted.
While I found the message really powerful, I just didn't enjoy the writing.
That being said, I'm very grateful to have read it and will seek out more about Black history in Canada.
While I found the message really powerful, I just didn't enjoy the writing.
That being said, I'm very grateful to have read it and will seek out more about Black history in Canada.
March 8, 2023
I was intrigued by this story of Jamaican student Cyril Rountree who comes to Canada to try to forge a better life for himself and becomes somewhat obsessed by the story of a young man who had followed a similar path decades before.
Part of the novel tells about the older gentleman about whom the book is titled. Young Edward Davina, born in 1923 and given up by his mother, had a very hard life, even as a little kid always working to try to survive. Eventually, he makes it to Toronto and is able to find jobs that are somewhat better, but still difficult and low-paying. He experiences racism daily and it is made worse because he feels he is unwanted in either the white community or the black due to his mixed race: his mother was white and his (absent) father was black.
Cyril Rowntree, on the other hand, is also mixed race but in his case it was his mother who was black and did her best to support him when his black father left to live in England. Cyril's family supports him by saving enough to send him from Jamaica to Toronto, in search of a university degree that will pull him up out of poverty. Cyril works constantly to study and do his best in his courses. Along the way, he is introduced to the story of Edward, who clearly had a challenging existence decades before. Having only a photo and a small collection of letters and memorabilia, Cyril devotes large blocks of his precious time to finding out who Edward was and what became of him.
The research that Cyril does during the process of finding Edward is fascinating. Author Sheila Murray has done a wonderful job of piecing together the two stories and, in the process, has articulated Canada's own dismal past of dealing with racism and the fact that many of these problems persist today.
Part of the novel tells about the older gentleman about whom the book is titled. Young Edward Davina, born in 1923 and given up by his mother, had a very hard life, even as a little kid always working to try to survive. Eventually, he makes it to Toronto and is able to find jobs that are somewhat better, but still difficult and low-paying. He experiences racism daily and it is made worse because he feels he is unwanted in either the white community or the black due to his mixed race: his mother was white and his (absent) father was black.
Cyril Rowntree, on the other hand, is also mixed race but in his case it was his mother who was black and did her best to support him when his black father left to live in England. Cyril's family supports him by saving enough to send him from Jamaica to Toronto, in search of a university degree that will pull him up out of poverty. Cyril works constantly to study and do his best in his courses. Along the way, he is introduced to the story of Edward, who clearly had a challenging existence decades before. Having only a photo and a small collection of letters and memorabilia, Cyril devotes large blocks of his precious time to finding out who Edward was and what became of him.
The research that Cyril does during the process of finding Edward is fascinating. Author Sheila Murray has done a wonderful job of piecing together the two stories and, in the process, has articulated Canada's own dismal past of dealing with racism and the fact that many of these problems persist today.
October 25, 2023
Cyril has just moved from his home in Jamaica to Toronto after the death of his mother. Looking to kick-start a better life for himself so he can provide for his siblings back home, he meets a woman named Patricia who ends up changing his whole world. Because of her, she leads him to a suitcase full of photographs and letters from the 1920s written by a woman who struggled to give up her mixed baby. The story intrigues Cyril because it’s similar to his own story. This then leads him down the path of looking for the long-lost baby, Edward. This was such a captivating story that was enriched by Canadian history that is oftentimes forgotten or ignored. This took a look at the country’s history through a different lens and brought it to the forefront. It left the reader really interested and invested in wanting to know more about Canada and the true origins of the land. Even though this was a simple story of a young man trying to find another man, there was so much heart, experiences and past life that made this a truly beautiful read. The way the author let us get to know the two main characters in a slow build up sort of way, it helped to bridge the gap and realize that the two had more in common than meets the eye. The reader liked that we got to see from both perspectives, but what they found a bit confusing was the changing of points of view. It started gradual, from chapter to chapter, but then it started to pick up as we learned more, which was fine, but when it started to change in the middle of chapters, it got confusing and the reader would have to remember who’s point of view it was. Aside from that, this was such a moving and thought provoking story filled with rich characters. They were so real the reader felt like they knew them. Watching both the main character’s stories play out parallel to one another was so fascinating because you got to watch them grow and learn almost together, despite the decades that spanned between them. The ending to this was also really heartwarming because it wasn’t something grand and big or earthshattering, and it didn’t need to be; it was small and gentle, just for those two characters, knowing it was meaningful for them was enough and it was really touching. Overall, this was a poignant novel about resilience, belonging and a sense of being found and it was really well done.
May 14, 2023
Something pulled me to pick up this book on a visit to one of my favourite bookstores - and wow, it did not disappoint. If you are looking for an exceptional book with a compelling story - pick this up.⭐️
Finding Edward is a book about a young man, Cyril, who moves from Jamaica to Toronto around 2015. He’s alone, and has to make his own way in a new country. Cyril stumbles upon a story of a child, born to a white woman and black man, abandoned back in 1920. As Cyril struggles to find his place in Toronto, he is swept up in uncovering the story of this child. Through Cyril’s ambition to learn, he uncovers more about himself and importantly, about life as a black immigrant to Canada.⭐️
Where to start? The story of Cyril - coming to Canada and finding his place while in a dual timeframe, we learn more about this child, Edward, who survived the very worst. The author does this all in a way that just sweeps you up and teaches you what has happened and is happening in Canada. It does and should outrage you. The two characters will have your heart until the very last sentence. Highly recommend to anyone and everyone. I will remember these two characters forever. What an amazing book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.
@tolovetoread #tolovetoread #read #reader #reading #readersofig #readthisbook #book #books #amreading #bookstagram #bookworm #bookish #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookaddict #booksofig #booksof2023
#bookrecommendations #bookishcanadians #bestbooksof2023 #bookthoughts #booklife #readanywhere #librarylife #sheilamurray #findingedward #cormorantbooks
.
Finding Edward is a book about a young man, Cyril, who moves from Jamaica to Toronto around 2015. He’s alone, and has to make his own way in a new country. Cyril stumbles upon a story of a child, born to a white woman and black man, abandoned back in 1920. As Cyril struggles to find his place in Toronto, he is swept up in uncovering the story of this child. Through Cyril’s ambition to learn, he uncovers more about himself and importantly, about life as a black immigrant to Canada.⭐️
Where to start? The story of Cyril - coming to Canada and finding his place while in a dual timeframe, we learn more about this child, Edward, who survived the very worst. The author does this all in a way that just sweeps you up and teaches you what has happened and is happening in Canada. It does and should outrage you. The two characters will have your heart until the very last sentence. Highly recommend to anyone and everyone. I will remember these two characters forever. What an amazing book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.
@tolovetoread #tolovetoread #read #reader #reading #readersofig #readthisbook #book #books #amreading #bookstagram #bookworm #bookish #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookaddict #booksofig #booksof2023
#bookrecommendations #bookishcanadians #bestbooksof2023 #bookthoughts #booklife #readanywhere #librarylife #sheilamurray #findingedward #cormorantbooks
.
Read
October 17, 2022While the book is called, Finding Edward, I think that it is Cyril who found himself. Finding Edward is many things, and one of those things is a history lesson wrapped in a velvet, black glove. Cyril is that glove – soft-spoke, serious, self-doubting. As Cyril gradually finds his place within the world, within community, within himself, he realizes that his life is not going to be what he dreamt about in Jamaica, before coming to Canada. As he finds his confidence, and thus, himself, through his friends and neighbours, through his education, and through his discovery of and research into Edward, he discovers what it means to be black in Canada. And, we, the reader, find or see a glimpse of the harsh reality of being black in a land where so many promises and hopes are denied.
Ms Murray’s vivid, taste-on-the-tongue and feel the tropical breeze description of Jamaica, took me there, back to Brown’s Town, where I have visited several times. And, back to my own jaunts, through the streets of Toronto when I went to Ryerson so many years ago.
Well done my friend!
Ms Murray’s vivid, taste-on-the-tongue and feel the tropical breeze description of Jamaica, took me there, back to Brown’s Town, where I have visited several times. And, back to my own jaunts, through the streets of Toronto when I went to Ryerson so many years ago.
Well done my friend!
November 29, 2022
Finding Edward by Sheila Murray is excellent and very personal.
I have white hair , I am straight and I have white skin .
Finding Edward took me back to the late nights crossing the city after a long work day and night, the buildings, the houses, the windows, their views of the street and doorways, all hold the faces, the names, the distilled events that made me.
In the book I found that feeling of identification, for the parallel passage, the fear, the deprivation, the hard impossibility of enduring another day, while meeting this unknown country.
I met again my dread of failure, my anxiety of never capturing the moving measures of the Canadian expectation. I remembered the people , the hands and voices that held me … as I studied , worked and ran and ran to face the judging Canada.
Toronto, Mount Dennis , Ryerson College, Jamaica , the Navy …the War at sea
Finding Edward has the fiber and the fabric, the 2 boys/then 2 men use to make their lives and loves.
I have white hair , I am straight and I have white skin .
Finding Edward took me back to the late nights crossing the city after a long work day and night, the buildings, the houses, the windows, their views of the street and doorways, all hold the faces, the names, the distilled events that made me.
In the book I found that feeling of identification, for the parallel passage, the fear, the deprivation, the hard impossibility of enduring another day, while meeting this unknown country.
I met again my dread of failure, my anxiety of never capturing the moving measures of the Canadian expectation. I remembered the people , the hands and voices that held me … as I studied , worked and ran and ran to face the judging Canada.
Toronto, Mount Dennis , Ryerson College, Jamaica , the Navy …the War at sea
Finding Edward has the fiber and the fabric, the 2 boys/then 2 men use to make their lives and loves.
February 20, 2023
Cyril leaves his homeland of Jamaica to arrive in Toronto, alone and unnerved at the differences in the life. He becomes more aware of racism and activism than he has been at home. He makes his way, finding a job to pay for his expenses and send money home for his siblings, who are being cared for by an aunt after their mother dies.
He become interested in the history of a boy he discovers, named Edward, and is drawn to Edward's tale, that of a boy on the street in Toronto.
The story weaves Edward's story into Cyril's and Cyril sees that they have both faced similar obstacles.
I wanted to like this book as it planted some historical Canadian content, riots, Africville in Nova Scotia, but it felt disjointed to me. There were times when I enjoyed the parts narrated by Cyril, as well as Edward, but there were not enough of them to keep me very engaged and I ended up skimming the last 1/4 of the book. I felt like it didn't delve into the 'what it was like' enough for me. I would have liked it to be fleshed out a bit more.
He become interested in the history of a boy he discovers, named Edward, and is drawn to Edward's tale, that of a boy on the street in Toronto.
The story weaves Edward's story into Cyril's and Cyril sees that they have both faced similar obstacles.
I wanted to like this book as it planted some historical Canadian content, riots, Africville in Nova Scotia, but it felt disjointed to me. There were times when I enjoyed the parts narrated by Cyril, as well as Edward, but there were not enough of them to keep me very engaged and I ended up skimming the last 1/4 of the book. I felt like it didn't delve into the 'what it was like' enough for me. I would have liked it to be fleshed out a bit more.
April 22, 2023
A lovely read that was informative as well as an enjoyable read. I had the privledge of meeting Sheila (and her sister!) at the Burlington Library a few months ago so I’m glad that I finally was able to read her book. She obviously did some great research and it informed my knowledge of black history in Toronto. I find it interesting that the Sleeping Car Porter theme keeps popping up in TV and many books. It made me realize that I don’t know much about Africville and would like to learn about that.
We like to think that we are so superior to our neighbours to our south, however this book just confirms that Canada has its own checkered past and continues to do so. I like to feel proud of being Canadian and welcoming new comers to our lands - Canada Lands - however have to remember the black history, the indigenous history and the terrible history of orphanages in Quebec. We still have lots to answer for.
We like to think that we are so superior to our neighbours to our south, however this book just confirms that Canada has its own checkered past and continues to do so. I like to feel proud of being Canadian and welcoming new comers to our lands - Canada Lands - however have to remember the black history, the indigenous history and the terrible history of orphanages in Quebec. We still have lots to answer for.
September 11, 2024
This novel follows the life and times of two young men in two different eras of Canadian immigration. One is slowly researching, and trying to find out bits and pieces of the others pre world war II life, in the historical record. The personal tale of one takes us through the recent history of life in an earlier, less diverse, Canada and the growing city of Toronto. Both share a mixed black and white parentage and the loss of those parents at a young age. They also share a pervasive sense of dislocation and feel deeply the struggle to belong on their own terms.
The novel covers a lot of new ground about black history unearthed, and successes ignored or suppressed, and too long unacknowledged.
It makes for an interesting contemporary story with threads that weave back to when Canada was growing from its colonial past and into the country it is today.
Fascinating stuff based in historical fact.
The novel covers a lot of new ground about black history unearthed, and successes ignored or suppressed, and too long unacknowledged.
It makes for an interesting contemporary story with threads that weave back to when Canada was growing from its colonial past and into the country it is today.
Fascinating stuff based in historical fact.
September 5, 2022
I found Finding Edward to be a compelling read. It follows Cyril, a young newcomer, who finds his feet in Canada through his labours in discovering the life story of another biracial man. In so doing he uncovers un-and-under-told histories of this colonial country in the early to mid 20th century.
Sheila Murray paints evocative settings, whether in Jamaica and Toronto or Canadian places from decades past. Cyril's Jamaica is richly depicted and I felt the pang of leaving it.
I also felt outraged when racist oppression rears up and lands hard on both men. It’s a powerful reminder that Canada has never really been the welcoming human rights harbour that Canadians like to think it is, and that our rich history and present are very much grounded in the stories of the Edwards, Cyrils and others who are on the outskirts of hegemonic society.
I highly recommend this book!
Sheila Murray paints evocative settings, whether in Jamaica and Toronto or Canadian places from decades past. Cyril's Jamaica is richly depicted and I felt the pang of leaving it.
I also felt outraged when racist oppression rears up and lands hard on both men. It’s a powerful reminder that Canada has never really been the welcoming human rights harbour that Canadians like to think it is, and that our rich history and present are very much grounded in the stories of the Edwards, Cyrils and others who are on the outskirts of hegemonic society.
I highly recommend this book!
April 14, 2023
I enjoyed this book a lot. I chose it initially because of the image on the front cover. I saw it displayed in my local bookstore and was very drawn to it. I was not expecting it to be so focused on history, but I did enjoy that aspect, especially the details about working as a sleeping car porter and the descriptions of Africville.
The switching back and forth between Cyril and Edward as the narrator was confusing at times, and I found myself sometimes having to double back to figure out whose story I was in. I imagine the author intentionally had the two narratives flow into one another without any visible signal that the narrative focus was shifting.
Great characters and beautiful descriptions. I would highly recommend this book, especially for people interested in Canadian history.
The switching back and forth between Cyril and Edward as the narrator was confusing at times, and I found myself sometimes having to double back to figure out whose story I was in. I imagine the author intentionally had the two narratives flow into one another without any visible signal that the narrative focus was shifting.
Great characters and beautiful descriptions. I would highly recommend this book, especially for people interested in Canadian history.
December 10, 2024
Meh. Had to read this for my book club. It's ok but didn't ever grab me.
Hard to put my finger on it - I kind of had the impression the author was trying too hard to "educate" me. And I wasn't impressed with the writing.
Cyril is a mixed race man from Jamaica who goes to Toronto after his mother's death. His father is unknown to him and his now-dead benefactor had provided funding. This all takes place in 2012. Shortly after he arrived, he comes across a mystery - another mixed race man (Edward) who lived in Toronto in the 1920s and he becomes obsessed with finding out about him.
This book can be called a sweeping saga, because as Cyril discovers more about Edward's life, the narrative sweeps through a lot of Black history in Canada.
I found it kind of slow. Didn't learn anything I didn't already know, but maybe for some it would be informative.
Hard to put my finger on it - I kind of had the impression the author was trying too hard to "educate" me. And I wasn't impressed with the writing.
Cyril is a mixed race man from Jamaica who goes to Toronto after his mother's death. His father is unknown to him and his now-dead benefactor had provided funding. This all takes place in 2012. Shortly after he arrived, he comes across a mystery - another mixed race man (Edward) who lived in Toronto in the 1920s and he becomes obsessed with finding out about him.
This book can be called a sweeping saga, because as Cyril discovers more about Edward's life, the narrative sweeps through a lot of Black history in Canada.
I found it kind of slow. Didn't learn anything I didn't already know, but maybe for some it would be informative.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews