Morrissey weaves much historical detail into her tale. Livvy was the character who touched me the most - I think she reminded me a bit of my own gran, but all of the players were just as well drawn. I wanted to stay and visit with the boisterous Louis family, shout at her father, console her mother and dance with Henri. Livvy's bewilderment, heartache, anger and reclamation of her life made my heart ache. They are raw and powerful, painting vivid pictures and evoke such strong emotions. Morrissey's prose just grab me and squeeze. I search amongst them for the girl cloaking herself against a too horrible truth and who curls now inside the silence of an old woman's heart, her feelings too deep to be told.' 'I sit digging at my palms, digging out nuggets of stories Mother seamed into my bones, I chink them into being, like a miner, and they fall onto my lap like ill-fitting pieces that fossilized before truth set them right. Livvy has been subjected to secrets, lies and manipulation since she was a small child. The story is told from past to present with Livvy uncovering and remembering more and more of her life. Livvy's present day neighbour Gen, a single mom to young Ronny, checks on Livvy as she tries to venture out, but doesn't realize that she is ill. The house is overrun with children, noise, food, chores, animals.and love. Solace for Livvy and her mother is found in the raucous household of Missus Louis. There are unspoken undercurrents between her parents and hints of a deal between her father and her maternal Grandmother Creed - despite the fact that they despise each other. We are transported back to 1930's Newfoundland where young Livvy lives with her mother Cecile and shopkeeper father Durwin in the French outport of Sables d'Or. She dreams of the past and her life and what led her to the house she lives in. In the past eighty years they've burned themselves out, leaving little more than a spattering of images that dim and glow like embers in the receding path of the fire they once were.'īut, the memories are returning as she weakens. 'If there's one good thing age has taken from me, it's the burden of memories. And as she drifts in and out of consciousness, she dreams. But Livvy is more than just tired - in fact she is having a series of mini heart attacks. Livvy is growing tired, she seems to be losing track of time and can't keep up with her day to day chores. As a winter storm batters the city, Livvy lies down just to rest a bit.

Livvy Higgs is an eighty year old woman living alone in Halifax. Canadian author Donna Morrissey has done it to me before - her prize winning first novel Kit's Law, is a favourite of mine. I knew The Deception of Livvy Higgs was going to break my heart from the opening chapter.

Downhill Chance by Donna Morrissey