The Bone Cage is a novel about Olympic-level athletes: a swimmer named Sadie and a wrestler named Digger. Both are elite athletes in their sport, and both have been pursuing every athlete's dream: gold medal at the Olympic games. But what is the cost of that dream? What is the toll it takes on the athletes; both mentally and physically, and their families? What happens if you don't achieve that dream? The book looks at these questions as it examines the lives of Sadie and Digger in the run-up to the Sydney Olympics in 2004.
This is a terrific book. The story was compelling and propulsive. You care for Sadie and Digger, as people and as athletes, and you want to know what happens to them. At one point during my read of the book, I actually yelled out "Oh no!" and pushed the book away for a minute. I haven't had that reaction from any of the other Canada Reads books I've read. It is a quick read, but that is because you want to find out what happens to Digger and Sadie. Is all the training worth it? What happens after the Olympics?
I am not an athlete, but I found this glimpse inside their world to be fascinating. Just reading the descriptions of the swimming workouts made my muscles ache. And the smell! So many authors focus on visual description, forgetting the sense of smell. Abdou does not - athletes are sweaty, sweaty people who work hard and that clearly comes across in the novel. I also enjoyed that the book was set in Calgary - that is a city I know well and it was described beautifully. The training required of an athlete takes so much - is it worth it? Sadie and Digger are at the end of their athletic careers: how will they be able to fit back into normal life? They have given up so much to be able to pursue their sport and the book makes it clear.
Why should this book be the Canada Reads choice over any of the other books that I've read (and, potentially, the one I haven't read.)? Is the story of an athlete any more universal to Canadians than that of a woman writer (Unless), a political speechwriter/campaign manager (The Best Laid Plans) or an early 20th century midwife (The Birth House)? While not every Canadian is an athlete, many Canadians watch athletes compete in sports every day - witness the vast popularity of hockey in this country. Further, the extremely successful Vancouver 2010 Olympics happened only a year ago.; Olympic athletes are still fresh in our collective consciousness. The Bone Cage can help us with a better understanding of the sacrifice and hard work the athletes put in to get to the Olympics - as well as helping us what it might feel like for them now that the Olympics are over.
I am very interested to hear what the panel has to say about The Bone Cage. It is being supported by a former professional athlete, Georges Laraque (NHL player for at least the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens). I am not an athlete (at any level, never mind the elite one!) and I'm curious to hear if he finds this book true to life.
At this point, I've read four out of five of the Canada Reads Books and the likelihood of me reading the fifth book is small, to say the least. Based on the four I've read, The Bone Cage is my favourite and my pick to win. The Birth House was my least favourite. Unless falls third, and The Best Laid Plans takes the silver. If I get a chance to read Essex County before Monday, I will post about it. But until then, I will post Monday afternoon or evening following the first day's debates. The first episode of Canada Reads can be heard on CBC Radio One, on Monday, February 7th at 11pm and later than evening at 8pm (Mountain time). You can also watch them live-streamed on the Internet during the broadcast, and I would imagine there's some way of listening to the show after it's aired as well. I'll see you Monday with our first debate discussions!
That's all and good, but what I want to know is ... what Olympic sport is Cessna practicing for?
ReplyDeleteCessna is practicing for Olympic-level water drinking. She has her own cat fountain in the kitchen, but the water from the bathroom taps is much better and she will meow incessantly until I come turn it on for her!
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