Is It the Sun, Philbert?

by Roch Carrier, Sheila Fischman (Translator)

"Young Philibert learns what it means to be a citizen of the new Quebec. A savage, comic the final novel in the ""La Guerre"" trilogy."

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Roch Carrier, OC is a Canadian novelist, playwright and author of "contes" (a very brief form of the short story). He is among the best known Quebec writers in English Canada.

From 1994 to 1997, he served as head of the Canada Council. In 1998, he ran as an electoral candidate for the Quebec Liberal Party under Jean Charest, in the riding of Crémazie. He was defeated by 309 votes.

In 1991, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. From 1999 to 2004, Carrier was National Librarian of Canada.

A quote from "Le chandail de hockey" ("The Hockey Sweater"), one of Carrier's contes, is reprinted on the back of the Canadian five-dollar bill.

Reviews

[Robert Hudder · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, not sure if I didn't get it... I liked the first two volumes very much but this one seemed a bit savage and felt as if there was no place for the older Quebecois in new Montreal. Maybe I missed the memo...

Mind you, this book came out a year after I was born. Montreal was a different city before the referendum's. Maybe this reflects what was going on at the time. If so, then this is a real trip. Since then, Montreal is no longer the crown jewel of Canada. That has been passed onto the maudit anglais who pulled everything to Toronto because of their fear of separation.

I feel fairly sad at this outcome.

[Shane Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very odd disjointed novel from the well known French Canadian author, Carrier.

[Meem Arafat Manab · Rating 4 out of 5]

So better than the little reputation it has, so much of life crammed in so few of pages. Philbert's arrival, his metamorphoses into Mr Phil, and the end, so much of everything, and the wheel at the end of the book.
It's extremely unlikely I will run across another Roch Carrier, but this book was a pleasant read.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a disturbing read with some bizarre but unforgettable passages. Philibert's journey from the futility of rural Quebec living into the urban morass of Montreal is almost surreal at times. What this novel accomplishes in 100 pages is more than most novels can pull off in four times that length. Depressing, heartbreaking, but also a display of superior artistry.