#103. SARAH CANARY By Karen Joy Fowler

Published : 1991
Pages : 300
Overall Mark : 8/10

When mysterious black-cloaked Sarah Canary wanders into a Chinese labour camp in the Washington territories in 1873, Chin Ah Kin is ordered to escort her far away. But Chin soon becomes her follower and what began as a straightforward mission to remove a frightening figure from a superstitious community becomes something very different. The two are separated, incarcerated and reunited, in an epic journey spanning a fantastical Pacific Northwest landscape that could have been.

KAREN JOY FOWLER (1950-)
Karen Joy Fowler was born in Indiana, An author of science fiction, fantasy and literary fiction, she is best known for her bestseller The Jane Austen Book Club.

VERDICT
Although not strictly speaking a science fiction novel, this is strange yet fascinating tale that uses a past version of the United States that may or may not have existed. The mysterious title character does little throughout the book, but her very presence drives the lead characters, Chin and BJ, on a journey that ultimately leads to situations that otherwise would not have occurred for them. The characters are quirky and fun, which makes them feel real, and BJ specifically stands out as an everyman character for the ages.