"The Slow Fix" Ivan E. Coyote

Despite the fact that this may make me seem a little strange, I have a question for you. Have you ever driven past someone's house at night, in the dark, and been able to see a glimpse of their living room or kitchen as you drive by? Have you ever glimpsed that little piece of their life and wondered who they were, and what they did for a living, and if they were happy? I do that all the time; I think that it may be genetic because my mom does it too. It seems like you're getting a little glimpse into someone else's world, a world completely unlike your own. You may be wondering what I'm getting at, but basically Ivan E. Coyote wrote a book that invites us into her home and tells us all about her life in bite-sized, easily digestible stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. She is truly laugh out loud funny at times, and I couldn't stop laughing when I read the first story in her book, which is all about her crazy family. My family is like that too: loud, opinionated, a little obnoxious, but loving above everything else. The stories themselves were short enough to be read while waiting for dinner to cook, or supervising bathtime (handy for a busy mom of three such as myself!), yet long enough to get you to stop what your doing and think about what she is really saying.

The story matter is what interested me the most, though. Ivan E. Coyote writes about many gender issues that are near and dear to her. For example: if you are a woman, who prefers not to embrace the gender stereotypes associated with being a woman, so you actually appear to be a man- what the heck bathroom do you use? I would never have considered this question if I hadn't read the book, but now that it's been brought up, that's a real head-scratcher! Coyote challenges our views about gender, tells us a little bit about what it's like to be a lesbian in a small town, tells us about her childhood, and in general she entertained me to the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading literature that challenges the way that you view the world.

For more on "The Slow Fix", check out the book on Chapters.Indigo.ca or for more on Ivan E. Coyote and her other books, please visit her website here. And, as always, thanks to Mini Book Expo for getting literature to me that I might not otherwise have a chance to read.