In a town that lies along the St. Lawrence River, two teenaged boys board a makeshift raft and do not return. This novel, which recounts how an incident shattered the existence of an entire community, is, above all, a celebration of life. Written with a poetic sensibility, its power lies in the detailing of a simple life as reflected upon within a tragic situation. The result is a powerful literary work of the imagination.

Christiane Frenette is the author of the Governor General's Literary Award-winning novel, La Terre ferme, as well as the acclaimed novels, La nuit entiere and Apres la nuit rouge; of these three books, the first two have been translated by Sheila Fischman and are available under the titles Terra Firma and The Whole Night Through. Apres la nuit rouge won the Prix elittraire ville de Quebec in 2006. Christiane is also the author of several collections of poetry, including Ceremonie memoire, and Indigo nuit, for which she received the Prix Octave-Cremazie. Sheila Fischman is one of Canada's most distinguished and honoured literary translators. She has translated the works of Jacques Poulin, Francois Gravel, lise Turcotte, and Pascale Quiviger, among many others. For her work, she has been nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award, the Canada Council Translation Prize, and the Felix-Antoine Savard Prize, each of which she has won. In 2001, she was named to the Order of Canada in recognition of the excellence of her work. Sheila Fischman lives in Montreal.

Christiane Frenette's profile page

Sheila Fischman's profile page