Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet
A riveting read, one that will sit comfortably alongside the great coming of age stories by Salinger, Chabon and Toews.
(Canada, US, UK and The Netherlands)
World Rights Available Ex:
English Canada: Penguin, May 2007
(Visit Penguin's microsite: Stokum Sucks)
UK: Picador Macmillan, Spring 2008
US: Soho Press, Summer 2008
Netherlands: Arena, January 2008
2008 Sunburst Award, Young Adult category
Finalist, 2008 Ottawa Book Award
Named by the Globe and Mail one of 2007's best debuts
(Saturday Globe: A Feast of Firsts - My Top Five)
"Proulx is pitch-perfect in her portrayal of the potty-mouthed, weed-smoking, angst-ridden adolescent narrator. A debut novel that's sharp, edgy and slightly skewed – all qualities Luke consummately embodies." – Kirkus Review
"Proulx channels ennui, insecurity and inner yearnings of a teenage boy to produce a fast-moving tale of struggling youth."
– Publishers Weekly
"...believable and engaging"
– Booklist
“This is a great book...it is impossible not to marvel at Proulx's mastery." – National Post
“An assured first novel... The beauty of this story is its complete and beguiling faithfulness to Luke's inner world. Unaware, you watch Luke, recognize him, worry for him, until gradually you feel his ache, and his aching entry to adulthood, in your bones.”
– The Globe and Mail
“Joanne Proulx’s growing-up-in-Michigan novel kicks ass…Finally, a growing-up book by someone who actually grew up.”
– Georgia Straight
“...every new writer that surfaces so blessed should be cherished.”
– Toronto Star
“From a writerly point of view, Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet is a tour de force. Proulx’s pitch-perfect recording of adolescent angst that is small-town, male and rooted in the most extraordinary circumstances… impressive indeed.”
– Ottawa Citizen
"... in hands as sure as Proulx's it all makes for powerful fiction."
– Montreal Gazette
"…If great literature is your religion, read the gospel according to Luke Hunter. This debut novel is walk-on-water magical, a true revelation.”
- Neil Smith, author of Bang Crunch
"…Joanne Proulx is a rare talent. Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet is perfectly drawn, with great voice, humour, complexity and an unforgettable setting.”
- Lauren B. Davis, bestselling author of The Radiant City and The Stubborn Season
"…Joanne Proulx’s darkly comic, thoughtful novel nails contemporary youth culture, and a lot more. Here’s a coming-of-age story that’s constantly surprising, at once both wonderfully unfamiliar and true-feeling.”
- Michael Helm, author of The Projectionist, a Giller Prize finalist
"…Wow. A coming-of-age novel that doesn't make me want to go after the author with a two-by-four with a nail at the end of it. Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet is the rarest of things: a well-written, funny, and entertaining first novel.”
- Ray Robertson, author of Moody Food and Gently Down The Stream
"…she fashions a fantastic and unique brand of teenage poetry.”
- Quill & Quire |
