Fiction Pick of the Week: Finding Home

Finding Home by Eric Wright 2007

The underlying plot is simple: middle-aged Will Prentice returns to England for his mother's funeral. Suffering from a mild, mid-life crises, he decides to stay on indefinitely, to revisit his roots, to discover who he is and where he belongs, Canada or England. His driving companion is young Fred, his uncle's grandson, a recent Cambridge graduate, interested in Canadian Studies. As Fred drives Will across England, coast to coast, south to north, Will talks him through a journey across Canada. This juxtaposition creates a wonderful sense of place for both countries, England and Canada. Within this simple framework, Wright has written a tapestry of one part entertaining English travelogue, with the emphasis on tourist traps, and one part witty commentary on Canada's societies and attitudes. Another level of interest is provided by a family mystery: where did his mother hide her wealth? The reader learns that home is not only geography and landscape, but also a state of mind.