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cassandrackcity 's review for:
Palm Meridian
by Grace Flahive
Palm Meridian is set at a retirement resort in Florida, post-climate disaster. It’s an oasis in the otherwise ravaged & abandoned state. Dozens of queer residents call this unique little paradise home, and we meet Hannah on the last day of her life. Naturally, she’s throwing a huge party and inviting everyone - from neighbours, estranged best friends to long lost loves.
The book alternates between two timelines - the day of Hannah’s party and her youth growing up in Montreal. This felt first like an ode to queer elders and the importance of community, but secondly like a love letter to the city. I’ve never read such perfect depictions of Montreal- it was just so evocative and nostalgic, and I loved reading about my city from a perspective that had so much love for it.
There was a huge cast of such endearing characters in this book - I adored them all, though Esme was truly iconic. They’re all dealing with the looming death of their close friend in different ways, and are messy and complicated about it in such human & understandable ways. I particularly loved the Eileens, a lesbian couple that has been together for decades - they reminded me of my own queer aunts who share a name.
This book was so unique, and I don’t know if I’ve ever read anything quite like it. I was a little apprehensive about the concept - a resort existing post climate crisis made me anxious to think about (considering the sky was glowing orange from forest fire smoke while I took this pic), but wow it was a delight to read. It’s full of so much queer joy and the beauty of queer people growing old together - unapologetically themselves and in community. There was so much beauty in the evolution that Hannah went through over the course of the book- there was lots of heartache & grief, but it existed along side so much love & I found myself laughing out loud and then bursting into tears a few pages later.
Thank you simon and schuster Canada for an arc of palm meridian
The book alternates between two timelines - the day of Hannah’s party and her youth growing up in Montreal. This felt first like an ode to queer elders and the importance of community, but secondly like a love letter to the city. I’ve never read such perfect depictions of Montreal- it was just so evocative and nostalgic, and I loved reading about my city from a perspective that had so much love for it.
There was a huge cast of such endearing characters in this book - I adored them all, though Esme was truly iconic. They’re all dealing with the looming death of their close friend in different ways, and are messy and complicated about it in such human & understandable ways. I particularly loved the Eileens, a lesbian couple that has been together for decades - they reminded me of my own queer aunts who share a name.
This book was so unique, and I don’t know if I’ve ever read anything quite like it. I was a little apprehensive about the concept - a resort existing post climate crisis made me anxious to think about (considering the sky was glowing orange from forest fire smoke while I took this pic), but wow it was a delight to read. It’s full of so much queer joy and the beauty of queer people growing old together - unapologetically themselves and in community. There was so much beauty in the evolution that Hannah went through over the course of the book- there was lots of heartache & grief, but it existed along side so much love & I found myself laughing out loud and then bursting into tears a few pages later.
Thank you simon and schuster Canada for an arc of palm meridian