If you’re looking for a bit of mystery, try Louise Penny’s popular book. “Three Pines” detective series. Although she is set in a fictional Quebec city, her novels often feature Montreal (“glass houses” In particular.) Kathy Reichs digs up the bones of the city in her thriller “Leave him dead.” And Montreal’s rich queer culture is captured in coming-of-age novels. “The geography of Pluto” by Christopher DiRaddo, and “Bottle Rocket Hearts” by Zoe Whittall.
Perhaps nothing will excite you more when traveling to Montreal than the stunning work of Heather O’Neill. In novels like “Lullabies for little criminals” and “The Hotel of Lonely Hearts” O’Neill captures both the darkness and dreaminess of the city in bright colors. The latest from O’Neill, “When we lost our minds” is a dizzying confection that offers a sharp-eyed 19th-century view of Montreal’s Golden Square Mile neighborhood.
What stories provide a glimpse of modern Montreal?
Among the most contemporary books, literary gems abound: “Our Lady of Mile End” by Sarah Gilbert, a collection of stories set in the neighborhood of the same name; “Ru” by Kim Thúy, a magnificent story of Vietnamese immigrants woven with moving vignettes; and “The bets,“ by Sean Michaels, which evokes the everyday and magical elements of the city.
What books will take me behind closed doors?
A host of brilliant Montreal novels evoke places and show the most vulnerable experiences of those who, for various reasons, live on the margins. In the vitriolic symphony that is “Cockroach,” By Rawi Hage, a struggling Lebanese immigrant imagines himself as a literal cockroach. “Bone and bread” by Saleema Nawaz, explores the tumultuous lives of two orphaned sisters who grew up in a Hasidic community in Mile End. For a dark depiction of work life (and Montreal loves dark depictions of work life), consider “The dishwasher,” by Stéphane Larue, adapted to the cinema, or the fiery and charming “Bitch,” By Nelly Arcan.
What literary monuments and bookstores should I visit?
Librairie Drawn & Quarterly is a beautiful independent bookstore located in the heart of the Plateau area of Montreal. It is also an internationally renowned comics publisher, including work by Kate Beaton, Adrian Tomine, Lynda Barry and Chester Brown, among many others. The bookstore’s carefully curated selection of titles and its beautiful, unique interior make this a must-visit. Other lovely English bookstores to visit along the way: Librairie Saint-Henri Books, Argo Bookshop (Montreal’s oldest independent bookstore), and The Word.