Not the Canada You Know

A fun new Arctic mythology mixes cultures that feel real and cleverly imagined

This review is for the audio version of the book from NetGalley

Funny from the first line ("If I were to describe my sister in one word, it would be...oversimplified.") Clinton Festa's Ancient Canada: A Mythological Tale tells the story of two teenagers whose gifts, both natural and supernatural, enable them to change the course of warring nations.

In interviews, Festa has said that the book was inspired by a trip to New York City, where a friend's neighborhood restaurants came from diverse cultures that never could have met in the ancient world. In Ancient Canada, sisters Marigold and Lavender have no such limitations. They are able to travel by land, sea, and air from their native Canada to other countries surrounding an ancient Arctic Circle.

In this alternative Earth, the people of the different northern cultures wage war on each other while otherworldly creatures exist just outside their perception. Crossing repeatedly between the "real" world and the fantastical, the sisters work to undo the misunderstandings that drive people apart. Their consistently witty dialog lightens tragic events without making light of them.

Though this independently published book is expertly narrated by voice actor Deanna Larson, the audio quality leaves something to be desired compared to audio books from the big publishing houses. That said, Larson does a great job of differentiating the voices of the many characters, both male and female, and the excellent quality of the story soon eclipses any imperfections in the audio.