Fiction Pick of the Week: Annabel

Annabel by Kathleen Winter

Annabel, a nominated title for the 2011 Ontario Library Association Evergreen award,is an edgy novel about a child who was born a hermaphrodite to a family in a small community in Labrador. The baby’s father, Treadway, wants the child to live his life as a male while his mother, Jacinta, feels that the baby is truly her daughter.

The child is brought to a surgeon who follows the wishes of the father.
The baby is christened Wayne. Wayne has a difficult life living in a male body that requires pharmaceutical interventions to mask his dual sexuality.
Wayne has one true school friend, Wally Michelin, who wants to pursue a career as a classical music singer. A tragic accident results in Wally’s vocal cords being injured. Wayne, on the other hand,is interested in bridges and architecture.

What I liked about the book is that both Wayne and Wally are able to achieve their life dreams regardless of the struggles that they have to endure. The novel has many well-developed characters and aptly portrays the struggles of Wayne, Treadway, Jacinta and Wally. Annabel was nominated for the Evergreen Award, the Governor General's Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize.