Refusing to accept being dismissed by a society that leaves little space for old women, three friends plan a daring and extraordinary adventure

Hannelore, Clotilde, and Frau Schnadelhuber are tired of living in a world that does not allow old women to be seen or heard. Determined to prove their worth to a society devoted to youth, the three women set out to undertake a dangerous stunt that’s not to be ignored. With the assistance of Cleopatra Maria, the 26-year-old genius granddaughter of Hannelore and grandniece of Clotilde, the four women steal the barrel from a travelling show and drive it across Canada with a plan to ride it over the Niagara Falls.

Coloured by real-life quotes about daredevils who have actually attempted to take the plunge over the Falls, The Widows weaves together the stories of Hannelore, Clotilde, and Frau Schnadelhuber both before and during their grand adventure.

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Shortlisted for the Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBT FictionShortlisted for the Alberta Literary Award for Best FictionLonglisted for the Giller PrizeA seventeen-year-old boy, bullied and heartbroken, hangs himself. And although he felt terribly alone, his suicide changes everyone around him. His parents are devastated. His secret boyfriend's girlfriend is relieved. His unicorn- and virginity-obsessed classmate, Faraday, is shattered; she wishes she had made friends with him that time she sold him an Iced Cappuccino at Tim Hortons. His English teacher, mid-divorce and mid-menopause, wishes she could remember the dead student's name, that she could care more about her students than her ex's new girlfriend. Who happens to be her cousin. The school guidance counsellor, Walter, feels guilty - maybe he should have made an effort when the kid asked for help. Max, the principal, is worried about how it will reflect on the very Catholic school. And Walter, who's been secretly in a relationship with Max for years, thinks that's a little callous. He’s also tired of Max's obsession with some sci-fi show on TV. And Max wishes Walter would lose some weight and remember to use a coaster. And then Max meets a drag queen named Crêpe Suzette. And everything changes. Monoceros is a masterpiece of the tragicomic; by exploring the effects of a suicide on characters outside the immediate circle, Mayr offers a dazzlingly original look at the ripple effects - both poignant and funny - of a tragedy. A tender, bold work.

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• Short-listed, Commonwealth Prize Best Book