A review by bookalong
Always Brave, Sometimes Kind by Katie Bickell

5.0

This one takes place in rural and urban Alberta, spanning almost three decades. It takes us through the complicated web of lives of some deeply real characters that are struggling and evoke much empathy. Bickell has written a stunning debut with Always Brave, Sometimes Kind. Affecting and thoughtful prose, these linked stories had me emotional and astonished by the end, I had to keep reminding myself this was a debut because wow! The structure and how she puzzled all the characters together was brilliantly done. And the showcasing of a communities progression was impressive and felt very realistic. Short stories have really been my thing this year and this one was one of my favorites so far! Winner of the 2021 Alberta Literary Award and nominated for a couple other Canadian awards, Bickell is one to watch!

Thank You @touchwooded for sending me this one in exchange for an honest review. For more of my book content check out https://www.instagram.com/bookalong