autumn

Two years after her last visit, a young woman returns to Salouet to collect poems from Inuit children for her book. She finds that the children she knew from her time as a day camp teacher are now teenagers. Maggie, Sarah, Louisa, Elizabeth, and Nathan her former students love going quad bikes, fishing, or hunting for terns for days at a time. They have their secrets and their wounds. She still feels love and a need to protect these teenagers, but they no longer need her protection. During her stay in Salouet, she is overwhelmed by memories and a longing for her mother, from whose loss she has not recovered, and for the warm home she has lost. At the same time, she finds an opportunity to reflect on her relationship with her boyfriend, who is waiting for her in Montreal. A tender novel written in poetic language, it offers a glimpse into the lives of the Inuit, the hardships they face, and their marginalization.