The fact that Marjorie Celona has remained my best friend for the past 26 years undoubtedly influences my review of her debut novel. However, I can say with certainty that, even if I didn't know Celona personally, her story and its cast of flawed but deeply endearing characters would still have me captivated.
Unsurprisingly, "Y" begins on the doorstep of Victoria's YMCA, where a young and frightened Yula abandons her newborn daughter. This infant, Shannon, becomes the novel's omniscient narrator, moving through foster homes and constantly seeking roots. An outlooker and a chameleon, Shannon guides the reader through a complex and disturbing family history that ends with Yula's dramatic decision. The tale deftly combines comedy with tragedy, inevitability with unexpectedness and casual acquaintance with intimacy.
Ultimately, "Y" profoundly poses the question we always ask when life takes one turn instead of another: why?
