THE GLOBE AND MAIL BEST BOOKS OF 2021

CBC BOOKS THE BEST CANADIAN FICTION OF 2021

A fresh take on the romance novel from the Giller Prize–winning author of Fifteen Dogs

From their first meeting, it was clear that Gwen and Tancred were meant to be together. But, as we know, the course of true love never did run smooth.

Gwen’s mother, intuiting that her daughter is in love, gives her a magic ring that has been passed down through endless generations of mothers and daughters. This ring grants its wearer the opportunity to change three things about her beloved. Like all blessings, this may also be a curse.

Ring turns the literary romance upside down and shakes out its pockets. It’s a playful meditation on the past, on magic, on race, on honour, on faith, and, yes, on love.

Following on the heels of Pastoral, Fifteen Dogs, The Hidden Keys, and Days by Moonlight, Ring completes Alexis’s Quincunx, a group of five genre-bending, philosophically sophisticated, and utterly delightful novels.

“A great novel doesn’t try to answer questions, but, like Days by Moonlight, complicates them.” — The Globe and Mail

“This imaginative travelogue will amuse readers even as it raises weightier issues.” — Publishers Weekly

“I’m far from being a dog person, but as a book person I loved this smart, exuberant fantasy from start to finish.” — The Guardian

“A clever exploration of our essence, communication, and how our societies are organized.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Ring raises questions about love, marriage, fidelity, and the divine.” — Canadian Writers Abroad