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Misconduct of the Heart: A Novel
Toronto Book Award Winner Cordelia Strube is back with another caustic, subversive, and darkly humorous book
Stevie, a recovering alcoholic and kitchen manager of Chappy's, a small chain restaurant, is frantically trying to prevent the people around her from going supernova: her PTSD-suffering veteran son, her uproariously demented parents, the polyglot eccentrics who work in her kitchen, the blind geriatric dog she inherits, and a damaged five-year-old who landed on her doorstep and might just be her granddaughter.
In the tight grip of new corporate owners, Stevie battles corporate's "restructuring" to save her kitchen, while trying to learn to forgive herself and maybe allow some love back into her life. Stevie's biting, hilarious take on her own and others' foibles will make you cheer and will have you loving Misconduct of the Heart (in the immortal words of Stevie's best line cook) "like never tomorrow."
Stevie, a recovering alcoholic and kitchen manager of Chappy's, a small chain restaurant, is frantically trying to prevent the people around her from going supernova: her PTSD-suffering veteran son, her uproariously demented parents, the polyglot eccentrics who work in her kitchen, the blind geriatric dog she inherits, and a damaged five-year-old who landed on her doorstep and might just be her granddaughter.
In the tight grip of new corporate owners, Stevie battles corporate's "restructuring" to save her kitchen, while trying to learn to forgive herself and maybe allow some love back into her life. Stevie's biting, hilarious take on her own and others' foibles will make you cheer and will have you loving Misconduct of the Heart (in the immortal words of Stevie's best line cook) "like never tomorrow."
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2020
9 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Cordelia Strube
16 books63 followersRead an interview and an excerpt of Cordelia's new novel, On the Shores of Darkness, There Is Light, in Numéro Cinq Magazine: http://goo.gl/9KOheD
Watch a video of Cordelia interacting with students at York University's Canadian Writers in Person here: https://youtu.be/7548Yv5E5qI
Cordelia Strube is an accomplished playwright and the author of nine critically acclaimed novels, including Alex & Zee, Teaching Pigs to Sing, and Lemon. Winner of the CBC literary competition and a Toronto Arts Foundation Award, she has been nominated for the Governor General’s Award, the Trillium Book Award, the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, and the Prix Italia, and longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Strube is a two-time finalist for ACTRA’s Nellie Award celebrating excellence in Canadian broadcasting and a three-time nominee for the ReLit Award. She lives in Toronto.
Watch a video of Cordelia interacting with students at York University's Canadian Writers in Person here: https://youtu.be/7548Yv5E5qI
Cordelia Strube is an accomplished playwright and the author of nine critically acclaimed novels, including Alex & Zee, Teaching Pigs to Sing, and Lemon. Winner of the CBC literary competition and a Toronto Arts Foundation Award, she has been nominated for the Governor General’s Award, the Trillium Book Award, the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, and the Prix Italia, and longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Strube is a two-time finalist for ACTRA’s Nellie Award celebrating excellence in Canadian broadcasting and a three-time nominee for the ReLit Award. She lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 21, 2020
!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
3.5 Stars
This story covers a broad range of topics, from aging parents, Alzheimer’s and associated problems, to PTSD, especially for war veterans, alcoholism and drug addiction, work-related inequity, immigration and associated problems, corporate greed, and gang rape.
Set in Toronto, this centers around Stevie, a woman in her early 40’s, an alcoholic alternating from succumbing to the desire to facing her need for sobriety. She has a 23-year old son, Pierce, who is home after serving in Afghanistan, and has PTSD, which prevents him from working – among other things. Their relationship is strained; she was largely absent from his life, leaving him with her parents to raise.
Stevie works as a kitchen manager for a chain restaurant named Chappy’s at one of their lowest performing locations, according to Corporate, who seems to daily take away any “perks” to the job.
Entering her life amidst running back and forth to her father - whose health is failing physically, while her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s, frequently accuses the caregiver for Stevie’s Dad of being his mistress – is 4-year old Trudy, who may, or may not, be her son’s child, abandoned by her drug-abusing mother with only a brief note.
Fortunately, Gyorgi, a co-worker from Slovakia, offers some respite from all this stress for Stevie, as well as a bit of insight and friendship.
Pub Date: 21 Apr 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by ECW Press
3.5 Stars
This story covers a broad range of topics, from aging parents, Alzheimer’s and associated problems, to PTSD, especially for war veterans, alcoholism and drug addiction, work-related inequity, immigration and associated problems, corporate greed, and gang rape.
Set in Toronto, this centers around Stevie, a woman in her early 40’s, an alcoholic alternating from succumbing to the desire to facing her need for sobriety. She has a 23-year old son, Pierce, who is home after serving in Afghanistan, and has PTSD, which prevents him from working – among other things. Their relationship is strained; she was largely absent from his life, leaving him with her parents to raise.
Stevie works as a kitchen manager for a chain restaurant named Chappy’s at one of their lowest performing locations, according to Corporate, who seems to daily take away any “perks” to the job.
Entering her life amidst running back and forth to her father - whose health is failing physically, while her mother, suffering from Alzheimer’s, frequently accuses the caregiver for Stevie’s Dad of being his mistress – is 4-year old Trudy, who may, or may not, be her son’s child, abandoned by her drug-abusing mother with only a brief note.
Fortunately, Gyorgi, a co-worker from Slovakia, offers some respite from all this stress for Stevie, as well as a bit of insight and friendship.
Pub Date: 21 Apr 2020
Many thanks for the ARC provided by ECW Press
December 19, 2019
(5 big stars)
It’s been five days since I finished this book and I still can’t stop thinking about these characters. I’m actually kind of desperate to know how things turn out for Stevie (the down-on-her-luck kitchen manager at Chappy’s restaurant), Gyorgi (“the busboy”), Pierce (Stevie’s PTSD-suffering son) and Trudy (a damaged 5-year-old who might be Stevie’s granddaughter). I came to care deeply for them, as flawed as they each were. All of the characters in the book were appealing, actually, down to the blind Lab Stevie inherits amid the rest of her confusion. Strube does such a good job of characterizing individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Each one has their own voice. Overall, Strube’s writing is excellent and seems effortless. And she conveys such a good sense of humor. I can’t say enough about this book. I liked her previous effort – On the Shores of Darkness, There is Light – but I loved this one.
Many thanks to the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my opinion.
It’s been five days since I finished this book and I still can’t stop thinking about these characters. I’m actually kind of desperate to know how things turn out for Stevie (the down-on-her-luck kitchen manager at Chappy’s restaurant), Gyorgi (“the busboy”), Pierce (Stevie’s PTSD-suffering son) and Trudy (a damaged 5-year-old who might be Stevie’s granddaughter). I came to care deeply for them, as flawed as they each were. All of the characters in the book were appealing, actually, down to the blind Lab Stevie inherits amid the rest of her confusion. Strube does such a good job of characterizing individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Each one has their own voice. Overall, Strube’s writing is excellent and seems effortless. And she conveys such a good sense of humor. I can’t say enough about this book. I liked her previous effort – On the Shores of Darkness, There is Light – but I loved this one.
Many thanks to the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my opinion.
April 19, 2020
Have you ever fallen in love with a story and it’s characters so much you kind of want to keep living inside it and hope the book never ends?
That was me with Cordelia Strube’s Misconduct of the Heart. She’s a very accomplished Canadian author I have never read before but cannot wait time read more of. I started this one almost by chance the same day I was offered an eGalley from the publisher ECW Press. I didn’t know a lot about what I was getting into and honestly, if I describe this one to you, I’m afraid it doesn’t begin to do the book justice or makes it sound like a difficult read. It is gritty and raw but damn, do I ever love these broken, flawed characters.
Stevie is the kitchen manager at a low end suburban Toronto chain restaurunt called Chappy’s with a chaotic and ragtag crew of colorful characters. From the start, it was obvious to me that Strube is amazing at characterization. Each of the many restaurunt workers- Jesús who is hospitalized after a cooking accident, Wade the evolutionary biology major who is always spouting animal facts, the gorgeous and sweet Slovakian busboy Gyorgi, the loopy gay general manager Bob who goes on a weird new age self improvement bender and leaves sticky notes with misspelled proverbs and encouragements due to his dyslexia, and so many more. It wasn’t at all hard to keep track of who was who, despite their being more side characters than I’m used to seeing and they all had so much... character. Half the book takes place here and as much as Stevie claims to not form connections- staying she has trouble with the words trust and love- she may not have the words but you can feel her love for her coworkers even though she may not always like them.
When she’s not working she’s looking after both her parents who each are declining rapidly with dementia, and her adult son, who had served in the Canadian military in Afghanistan and returned a haunted shell. Stevie has never been close to her son. He was conceived when she was still in high school, the product of a gang rape and she has never told anyone about it, instead slipping away into alcoholism. At the time of the book she’s been sober for over 4 years but she’s still haunted. And she looks at her son, the private war that never ends behind his eyelids, and she relates. In some ways she is closer now to him than she ever has been but they each kind of exist, together but apart in their own respective miseries. Then when a little girl is left at Stevie’s parents house things start to change...
This book. It’s heavy in some ways but in a weird way I found that heaviness almost comforting. Everyone in it is broken in their own unique but very human way and reading it made me feel maybe a less broken or perhaps in relatable company. I don’t know how else to explain it. I would maybe caution readers who have military or rape related PTSD to approach this one with caution but it’s worth saying the trauma, while remembered and discussed, is all in the past. I’ve read worse in thrillers and true crime novels in terms of sheer brutality but what stood out to me is how often rape is used as drama in books and movies and then almost forgotten about. This is a book about how we live with trauma, even twenty years on. There’s some really fascinating discussions and thoughts on trauma, war, rape. As a survivor, one who’s about as healed as I imagine I can be (which is of course to say, it never really goes away but it’s easier now to deal with than I ever thought it would be. Of course my rape related trauma has also largely been replaced by medical trauma so there’s also that...), I liked the way this book made me think. As I said, in some ways it made me feel better about myself and a little less broken. I’ve been just as fucked up as Stevie, as her son, as so many of these characters, but I’m not there now. And with that in mind too, I could also relate and found a sense of comfort in all these broken, raw people. Stevie’s stand-offishness and inability to get close to others, while still somehow managing to be this genuinely decent caring person... I guess I could see some of myself in her, could relate to her thoughts and fears and her resigned attitude towards being alone. Except she’s not as alone as she thinks she is.
Clearly Stevie overcame her drinking even before this book began which robes she is capable of moving forward and she makes progress in this book, that kind of true meaningful progress that sneaks up, surprises her, and is more than she ever thought herself capable of. But I want to be clear this is no fairy tale. Stevie, her son, everyone is still broken and raw at the end of this one. But they’ve also grown. I loved this because it read so real. And I loved Stevie so much, the little girl, Gyorgi the busboy, and some of the others, that I want to linger in their world for awhile. They feel like friends or kindred spirits. It’s not an easy book in so many ways, but for me, anyway, it was relatable, and real. It’s one I won’t be forgetting and am so grateful to have read. Seriously, just an all around fantastic read. Everything about it.
That was me with Cordelia Strube’s Misconduct of the Heart. She’s a very accomplished Canadian author I have never read before but cannot wait time read more of. I started this one almost by chance the same day I was offered an eGalley from the publisher ECW Press. I didn’t know a lot about what I was getting into and honestly, if I describe this one to you, I’m afraid it doesn’t begin to do the book justice or makes it sound like a difficult read. It is gritty and raw but damn, do I ever love these broken, flawed characters.
Stevie is the kitchen manager at a low end suburban Toronto chain restaurunt called Chappy’s with a chaotic and ragtag crew of colorful characters. From the start, it was obvious to me that Strube is amazing at characterization. Each of the many restaurunt workers- Jesús who is hospitalized after a cooking accident, Wade the evolutionary biology major who is always spouting animal facts, the gorgeous and sweet Slovakian busboy Gyorgi, the loopy gay general manager Bob who goes on a weird new age self improvement bender and leaves sticky notes with misspelled proverbs and encouragements due to his dyslexia, and so many more. It wasn’t at all hard to keep track of who was who, despite their being more side characters than I’m used to seeing and they all had so much... character. Half the book takes place here and as much as Stevie claims to not form connections- staying she has trouble with the words trust and love- she may not have the words but you can feel her love for her coworkers even though she may not always like them.
When she’s not working she’s looking after both her parents who each are declining rapidly with dementia, and her adult son, who had served in the Canadian military in Afghanistan and returned a haunted shell. Stevie has never been close to her son. He was conceived when she was still in high school, the product of a gang rape and she has never told anyone about it, instead slipping away into alcoholism. At the time of the book she’s been sober for over 4 years but she’s still haunted. And she looks at her son, the private war that never ends behind his eyelids, and she relates. In some ways she is closer now to him than she ever has been but they each kind of exist, together but apart in their own respective miseries. Then when a little girl is left at Stevie’s parents house things start to change...
This book. It’s heavy in some ways but in a weird way I found that heaviness almost comforting. Everyone in it is broken in their own unique but very human way and reading it made me feel maybe a less broken or perhaps in relatable company. I don’t know how else to explain it. I would maybe caution readers who have military or rape related PTSD to approach this one with caution but it’s worth saying the trauma, while remembered and discussed, is all in the past. I’ve read worse in thrillers and true crime novels in terms of sheer brutality but what stood out to me is how often rape is used as drama in books and movies and then almost forgotten about. This is a book about how we live with trauma, even twenty years on. There’s some really fascinating discussions and thoughts on trauma, war, rape. As a survivor, one who’s about as healed as I imagine I can be (which is of course to say, it never really goes away but it’s easier now to deal with than I ever thought it would be. Of course my rape related trauma has also largely been replaced by medical trauma so there’s also that...), I liked the way this book made me think. As I said, in some ways it made me feel better about myself and a little less broken. I’ve been just as fucked up as Stevie, as her son, as so many of these characters, but I’m not there now. And with that in mind too, I could also relate and found a sense of comfort in all these broken, raw people. Stevie’s stand-offishness and inability to get close to others, while still somehow managing to be this genuinely decent caring person... I guess I could see some of myself in her, could relate to her thoughts and fears and her resigned attitude towards being alone. Except she’s not as alone as she thinks she is.
Clearly Stevie overcame her drinking even before this book began which robes she is capable of moving forward and she makes progress in this book, that kind of true meaningful progress that sneaks up, surprises her, and is more than she ever thought herself capable of. But I want to be clear this is no fairy tale. Stevie, her son, everyone is still broken and raw at the end of this one. But they’ve also grown. I loved this because it read so real. And I loved Stevie so much, the little girl, Gyorgi the busboy, and some of the others, that I want to linger in their world for awhile. They feel like friends or kindred spirits. It’s not an easy book in so many ways, but for me, anyway, it was relatable, and real. It’s one I won’t be forgetting and am so grateful to have read. Seriously, just an all around fantastic read. Everything about it.
April 2, 2020
I've been looking forward to Cordelia Strube's forthcoming book, Misconduct of the Heart. The premise had intrigued me....
"Stevie, a recovering alcoholic and kitchen manager of Chappy’s, a small chain restaurant, is frantically trying to prevent the people around her from going supernova: her PTSD-suffering veteran son, her uproariously demented parents, the polyglot eccentrics who work in her kitchen, the blind geriatric dog she inherits, and a damaged five-year-old who landed on her doorstep and might just be her granddaughter."
I picked it last week, sat in the sun and turned the first page....and was immediately hooked by the first few chapters. The introduction to Stevie et al is rough, raw and yes, powerful. Inside Chappy's you'll find the walking wounded, the marginalized, the forgotten and largely dysfunctional cast. And I wondered where in the world would Strube take this story from such a grab ya by the throat introduction?
But that was my initial gut response. As I kept reading, I found my perception changed - I cared about what happened to Stevie, her family and co-workers. I wanted more for them. My own emotions ran the gamut - anger, sadness, outrage (gotta love corporate - not) but also on the flip side hope, love and yes, humour.
One of the Chappy workers regals the others with animal kingdom facts. The facts given relate directly to what is happening in the book at that time - very clever. Stevie's inner dialogue and thoughts will make you stop and think. There is much wisdom to be found in her thoughts and dialogue. And I would challenge you to think about this character's observation...
"Olivia has this theory we go through life not really seeing what's around us or really knowing who's around us. And because we're shit-scared of what we don't know, we close our eyes to stuff."
When I first started to read the book, it was like a train wreck that I couldn't stop staring at. But by the end? Yeah, I wanted to know these people. They're so, so.... well, so real, so well depicted. Just people doing the best they can in the situation they're in - bad and good. Each player has a tale to tell and I was interested in each and every one. But Stevie? She was one of the best characters I've met in a long time.
And yes, there are some really heavy situations. Gentle readers - this is no holds barred read, certain situations may be triggers for some.
Strube is a very, very talented wordsmith with a sharp eye for the human condition. I absolutely loved this book. Hands down one of my faves for 2020.
PS - I really started wondering about the behind the scenes at the restaurant. Makes you wonder how much is truth - and how much of that is fiction.
"Stevie, a recovering alcoholic and kitchen manager of Chappy’s, a small chain restaurant, is frantically trying to prevent the people around her from going supernova: her PTSD-suffering veteran son, her uproariously demented parents, the polyglot eccentrics who work in her kitchen, the blind geriatric dog she inherits, and a damaged five-year-old who landed on her doorstep and might just be her granddaughter."
I picked it last week, sat in the sun and turned the first page....and was immediately hooked by the first few chapters. The introduction to Stevie et al is rough, raw and yes, powerful. Inside Chappy's you'll find the walking wounded, the marginalized, the forgotten and largely dysfunctional cast. And I wondered where in the world would Strube take this story from such a grab ya by the throat introduction?
But that was my initial gut response. As I kept reading, I found my perception changed - I cared about what happened to Stevie, her family and co-workers. I wanted more for them. My own emotions ran the gamut - anger, sadness, outrage (gotta love corporate - not) but also on the flip side hope, love and yes, humour.
One of the Chappy workers regals the others with animal kingdom facts. The facts given relate directly to what is happening in the book at that time - very clever. Stevie's inner dialogue and thoughts will make you stop and think. There is much wisdom to be found in her thoughts and dialogue. And I would challenge you to think about this character's observation...
"Olivia has this theory we go through life not really seeing what's around us or really knowing who's around us. And because we're shit-scared of what we don't know, we close our eyes to stuff."
When I first started to read the book, it was like a train wreck that I couldn't stop staring at. But by the end? Yeah, I wanted to know these people. They're so, so.... well, so real, so well depicted. Just people doing the best they can in the situation they're in - bad and good. Each player has a tale to tell and I was interested in each and every one. But Stevie? She was one of the best characters I've met in a long time.
And yes, there are some really heavy situations. Gentle readers - this is no holds barred read, certain situations may be triggers for some.
Strube is a very, very talented wordsmith with a sharp eye for the human condition. I absolutely loved this book. Hands down one of my faves for 2020.
PS - I really started wondering about the behind the scenes at the restaurant. Makes you wonder how much is truth - and how much of that is fiction.
March 1, 2022
hoo boy, this was a rough one... but i wanted another 100 pages at least. let me start off by saying this was my first Strube, but it won't be my last. the first half of this book oozes misery in a way i haven't encountered since reading A Little Life by Yanagihara. unlike that book, where the suffering is introduced and slowly deepens throughout, Misconduct of the Heart throws you right in when the protagonist is quite near her inevitable rock bottom. for me, this book succeeded where Yangihara's failed, because i fell in love with the deeply flawed characters. more importantly, Strube seems to love them, where Yanagihara shows nothing but contempt for her characters. and like real life, there are moments of brightness and joy here, and those moments are all the more powerful because you love Stevie and Trudy and Gyorgi and Liv. you don't just pity them like the empty victims of A Little Life. i have so much to say but don't want to ruin this experience for anybody. please give it a try, and stick with it even when it hurts. i promise you it is all worth it.
January 17, 2020
This is the fourth book I’ve read by Cordelia Strube, and I have enjoyed each of them. This book isn’t as dark as my favourite, On the Shores of Darkness, There is Light, and didn’t affect me as personally, but it has the same overall sense of despair, mixed with a glimmer of hope.
One of Strube’s strengths is her wonderful characterization of ordinary people. Her characters are quirky, flawed, (mostly) likeable, and believable. Even with Stevie’s constant abrasiveness, I came to eventually understand her struggles and appreciate her strengths. Several characters are employees working together in the kitchen of a chain restaurant. While I’ve never worked in this environment, I had to laugh at the recognition of the character traits of Chappy’s staff in people I have worked with. Many of us have undoubtedly worked with a Bob and a Wade, and someone from head office who has come to “fix” things. The fast-paced kitchen work environment always felt very real.
With themes including PTSD, alcoholism, sexual assault, immigration, and parenthood challenges, the book is full of clever observations about human behaviour. Strube’s snarky humour helps to lighten the mood throughout.
This is a somewhat dark story about the struggles of people trying to cope with past trauma. There are a lot of loose threads at the end of this book, the way a story about complicated people must be.
I want to express my sincere thanks to ECW Press for an ARC of this book.
One of Strube’s strengths is her wonderful characterization of ordinary people. Her characters are quirky, flawed, (mostly) likeable, and believable. Even with Stevie’s constant abrasiveness, I came to eventually understand her struggles and appreciate her strengths. Several characters are employees working together in the kitchen of a chain restaurant. While I’ve never worked in this environment, I had to laugh at the recognition of the character traits of Chappy’s staff in people I have worked with. Many of us have undoubtedly worked with a Bob and a Wade, and someone from head office who has come to “fix” things. The fast-paced kitchen work environment always felt very real.
With themes including PTSD, alcoholism, sexual assault, immigration, and parenthood challenges, the book is full of clever observations about human behaviour. Strube’s snarky humour helps to lighten the mood throughout.
This is a somewhat dark story about the struggles of people trying to cope with past trauma. There are a lot of loose threads at the end of this book, the way a story about complicated people must be.
I want to express my sincere thanks to ECW Press for an ARC of this book.
April 18, 2020
Nothing is easy for Stevie so be prepared to feel a bit of pressure- not as bad as she feels, but still.... She's a recovering alcoholic, she works for a chain restaurant, she's got a son with PTSD, she's got a mom with dementia, and she's possibly got a grandchild. Her son Pierce came back from Afghanistan damaged. Her dad is stressed from caring for her mom. The Chappy's people are circling like vultures because her location is not performing well. The bright lights are Trudy, who has been abandoned by her mother (I know but..) and Gyorgi the dishwasher at Chappy's. Can she keep it together? This felt all too real in spots, which is a good thing generally except that times are tough in the real world right now. Don't let that be an impediment to picking this up though- the characters are relatable, the writing good, and the story may well resonate. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.
December 12, 2024
DNF I just couldn’t get into this is book at ALL !! I am giving it 2 stars to be kind NOT my type of book
October 28, 2020
Read as an audiobook.
December 30, 2019
TW - Sexual Assault
I enjoyed this novel overall - Cordelia Strube is a master of dialogue and witty banter; and extremely talented in creating a cast of very believable and colourful, eccentric characters. One of my absolute favourite take-aways is the advice to be a noodle. Definitely going to be using that one.
The author reminds me of a broodier, darker cousin of Fredrick Backman. Strube tackles issues from more of a realist, albeit cynical perspective. Life isn't always sunshine and rainbows, and sometimes after a black cloud, a grey sky is all we can hope for. That is at least how I felt at the end of "Misconduct of the Heart".
I do however, have major problems with one of the passages about sexual assault- which is a central theme in this novel. I can even agree that it is within the realm of the character to say it based on her experiences and education level; but, it perpetuates a myth about sexual assault that is not adequately corrected by the end of the novel. It perpetuates a myth that violent, stranger rape is real rape. I really tried to not let this affect my rating, but I cannot deny that it has. My mood and enjoyment of the novel shifted completely after reading this passage.
I liked the book, but the more I sit and think about it, the more I don't know if I can recommend it.
Thank you, ECW for an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed this novel overall - Cordelia Strube is a master of dialogue and witty banter; and extremely talented in creating a cast of very believable and colourful, eccentric characters. One of my absolute favourite take-aways is the advice to be a noodle. Definitely going to be using that one.
The author reminds me of a broodier, darker cousin of Fredrick Backman. Strube tackles issues from more of a realist, albeit cynical perspective. Life isn't always sunshine and rainbows, and sometimes after a black cloud, a grey sky is all we can hope for. That is at least how I felt at the end of "Misconduct of the Heart".
I do however, have major problems with one of the passages about sexual assault- which is a central theme in this novel. I can even agree that it is within the realm of the character to say it based on her experiences and education level; but, it perpetuates a myth about sexual assault that is not adequately corrected by the end of the novel. It perpetuates a myth that violent, stranger rape is real rape. I really tried to not let this affect my rating, but I cannot deny that it has. My mood and enjoyment of the novel shifted completely after reading this passage.
I liked the book, but the more I sit and think about it, the more I don't know if I can recommend it.
Thank you, ECW for an ARC of this book.
February 24, 2020
This was a bit of a slow start for me; I found the viewpoint of Stevie’s life to be a bit too depressing. Sure, there is a bit of hope mixed it but it is such a faint thread. We soon learn Stevie works for Chappy’s, which is the definition of a stereotypical restaurant environment with corporate cutting costs at any oppourtunity. Her personal life really isn’t much better; her son has PTSD, her parents have issues as well.
As the story unfolds, we learn more of her personal struggle and the topics include not only PTSD, but Alzheimer’s, and sexual assault as well.
All that being said, I actually enjoyed the writing style and the author's ability to identify the different characters and their various flaws and personalities. Because of this, it had the refreshing feel of being genuine; but perhaps a bit too real at times. The one thing I didn’t really like were the occasional journal entries; but I understand why they were used as a way to convey some internal thoughts. Perhaps I just didn’t warm up to Stevie and when that is the central character it can make it hard to really enjoy the read itself.
All opinions are my own. I recieved an ARC from ECW Insiders.
As the story unfolds, we learn more of her personal struggle and the topics include not only PTSD, but Alzheimer’s, and sexual assault as well.
All that being said, I actually enjoyed the writing style and the author's ability to identify the different characters and their various flaws and personalities. Because of this, it had the refreshing feel of being genuine; but perhaps a bit too real at times. The one thing I didn’t really like were the occasional journal entries; but I understand why they were used as a way to convey some internal thoughts. Perhaps I just didn’t warm up to Stevie and when that is the central character it can make it hard to really enjoy the read itself.
All opinions are my own. I recieved an ARC from ECW Insiders.
November 17, 2020
Oh my god. The author skips around between time frames and characters sometimes by individual paragraph with no warning. So glad I didn't pay for this book. I only made it through ten pages.
Your mileage may vary.
Your mileage may vary.
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June 23, 2020Cordelia Strube, a Canadian playwright and novelist, drops us into the poor, not-so-nice underbelly of a Canadian suburb, where we’re introduced to an eclectic restaurant staff, a young veteran suffering from PTSD, and Stevie, a forty-year-old kitchen manager who has closed herself off to any kind of connection or vulnerability. Misconduct of the Heart sidesteps small talk and launches straight into the gritty realness of a world that doesn’t have the time, money, or energy to worry about hurt feelings or positive initiatives.
Strube peppers the pages with witticisms, sarcasm, and Stevie’s self-deprecation, a combination that would please any cynic’s damaged soul. There are moments, however, where the dark, dry humor drifts a little too close to stereotype for comfort. Stevie constantly refers to members of her kitchen staff by their country-of-origin, if a person is obese, their weight becomes a character trait, and the gay men in the book tend to be caricatures who lack depth or authorial exploration. There’s a fine line between joke and insult, and I’m not sure Misconduct of the Heart always lands on the right side.
Strube’s dark, character-driven, novel is for fans of Vonnegut and Heller, and for those of us that appreciate authors who aren’t afraid to send their characters to work every once in a while. If you root for the underdog and despise corporate agendas, you’ll definitely want to pick up Misconduct of the Heart.
Strube peppers the pages with witticisms, sarcasm, and Stevie’s self-deprecation, a combination that would please any cynic’s damaged soul. There are moments, however, where the dark, dry humor drifts a little too close to stereotype for comfort. Stevie constantly refers to members of her kitchen staff by their country-of-origin, if a person is obese, their weight becomes a character trait, and the gay men in the book tend to be caricatures who lack depth or authorial exploration. There’s a fine line between joke and insult, and I’m not sure Misconduct of the Heart always lands on the right side.
Strube’s dark, character-driven, novel is for fans of Vonnegut and Heller, and for those of us that appreciate authors who aren’t afraid to send their characters to work every once in a while. If you root for the underdog and despise corporate agendas, you’ll definitely want to pick up Misconduct of the Heart.
March 3, 2023
I loved this book so much. What I loved most were the characters in it, those beautiful, flawed, broken characters, and their relationships to each other. How they support each other, how they heal each other, how they effect each other.
This book takes on topics like rape, war, PTSD, dementia and still manages to be full of humor. In all the darkness of this book, there's still light. It's depressing but not hopeless. I think that's what the key to a good book about trauma is - that it doesn't leave you in despair, feeling like everything is meaningless. Strube makes it very clear in her book that everything is actually very meaningful. I don't know if I bring across how much this book and the characters in it mean to me but please read this book. You won't regret it.
This book takes on topics like rape, war, PTSD, dementia and still manages to be full of humor. In all the darkness of this book, there's still light. It's depressing but not hopeless. I think that's what the key to a good book about trauma is - that it doesn't leave you in despair, feeling like everything is meaningless. Strube makes it very clear in her book that everything is actually very meaningful. I don't know if I bring across how much this book and the characters in it mean to me but please read this book. You won't regret it.
July 3, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Strube does a created job of showing how valuable relationships in the work place can be. Stevie is a manager at a restaurant. Although the crew she works with is made up of those viewed as lowly and unwanted, great friendships and a solid community is formed. Stevie's life holds a deep secret full of pain that she tries to heal over through counseling, however, this approach proves unsuccessful and demoralizing. She realizes how to break down walls through a relationship with another, when she learns to love.
Strube does a great job creating likeable characters, a solid storyline, with a beautiful ending!
Strube does a created job of showing how valuable relationships in the work place can be. Stevie is a manager at a restaurant. Although the crew she works with is made up of those viewed as lowly and unwanted, great friendships and a solid community is formed. Stevie's life holds a deep secret full of pain that she tries to heal over through counseling, however, this approach proves unsuccessful and demoralizing. She realizes how to break down walls through a relationship with another, when she learns to love.
Strube does a great job creating likeable characters, a solid storyline, with a beautiful ending!
May 25, 2020
This was one of those books that was super super strange and it could go either way. For me, it settled peacefully in the middle. Our main character Stevie, lives with her very dysfunctional full grown troubled son. She works at a restaurant that is like a TGI Fridays and is the kitchen manager. She deals with a large cast of very very very very eccentric characters. This book was definitely not an easy read and it had a lot of characters and very jarring scene changes. I did enjoy the weirdness of all of the cast but it was a bit too much for me at times.
December 3, 2020
This book follows Stevie and all the things she has to navigate. There is a lot going on in this book but it kept my interest and I needed to know what came next. I was drawn in by the characters and became a bit invested in their stories. I have this book on my list to give as gifts to my book friends. I look forward to seeing more from this author. Thank you Netgalley and ECW for letting me read this book!
June 20, 2020
Primal wounds, repeated generation upon generation, form the basis of this novel. Stevie, a kitchen manager in a fast dining restaurant struggles with her parents dementia and her son’s PTSD, as well as her staff’s love lives, immigration issues, and her boss’s managerial platitudes. When fate dumps a tiny person into her life, the walls start to come down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2021
I enjoyed the writing style and the characters were fascinating in this book, but felt it was soooo long, and repetitive at times. The telling of the war scenes in Afghanistan was heartbreaking. An interesting story about those who are struggling with their demons...and I did get a sense of hope for them at the end of the book.
July 2, 2021
The enormous cast of characters is the best thing about this novel, as you end up being interested in(and falling in love with) all of them. Yet I would have enjoyed this novel much more if it wasn't so rambling and drawn out. Cutting 50 pages very likely wouldn't have negated any of the storytelling -- as it stands, many of the early arguments, scenarios and bitch-fests feel repetitive.
March 24, 2020
I assume that my mood is not the right one to appreciate this book but I found hard to connect to the characters that I found unlikeable.
The plot is ok and I liked the style of writing.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The plot is ok and I liked the style of writing.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
April 21, 2020
Cheer for Stevie as she navigates her life and tries to make up for her past mistakes. We all make mistakes and we all goof but it's what we do after that shows our true character. You will love this book as much as I did. Happy reading! #MisconductOfTheHeart #NetGalley
October 28, 2020
I found this book a bit hard to get through with the number of characters and feeling a lack of investment in the MC. The dialogue is exceptionally well done and it's worth reading as a sample of great dialogue.
April 29, 2023
Cordelia Strube's novels are people-watching. She creates and sustains characters so fully that their existence carries the narrative. Her keen observations and study of human fragility and falibility are brilliant; detailed; careful; realistically fraught, and raw.
This is one of her best.
This is one of her best.
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April 4, 2024DNF. I'm trying to read books outside of the normal genres I read. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. This was too fragmented for me. I get the writing style and perspective that was the focus, but I wasn't engaged by the characters.
January 21, 2025
I don’t know why I like to revisit my restaurant career through creative media but I do and this book is spot-on. I am a slow reader so I can’t comment on the book as a whole yet but I love the characters and it is quite alarming dark but not for the sake of being dark. Gripping and well written!
September 27, 2025
Anybody who has worked in a restaurant will recognize some of these characters. Sad and funny at the same time. I would like to know more about what happens to these characters but am also kind of afraid to see how they end up.
December 22, 2020
I put this on my to-read list ages ago, so I couldn’t remember anything about it, and what a read. Dark, sad, but a story about holding out for hope in a world that feels hopeless. Well worth it.
December 26, 2020
This is a very graphic and detailed book with PTSD flashbacks I had to stop reading due to the graphic nature. DNF
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