Review of 'On Isabella Street' by Genevieve Graham
Release date: April 22nd, 2025
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Canada
REVIEW
Be prepared that when you pick up a Genevieve Graham novel, you are not going to want to put it down again! I was glued to the pages of On Isabella Street once I started. And exhausted by the time I finished it as I just could not even sleep until I knew the ending! Not to mention, I was stressed to the max as the tension at times is unyielding. The plot had me constantly on the edge of my seat. I thought my heart was going to burst. This is such a powerful story, possibly the author’s best yet (and that is saying something as her previous are incredible). I always learn so much from reading Genevieve’s stories. She is an exceptional researcher on the topics she chooses to write about (or that choose her).
This novel covers a lot of territory, with no skimping on facts. The conversations and thoughts are quite in depth. Circling the topic of Canadians in the Vietnam war or the ‘Unknown Veterans, as they became known, is the fashion styles of the 60s, politics, free love, counterculture, drugs, music, protests and PTSD. We see through the characters’ lives all these things: making the topics more real. Also a big word that constantly surfaced was deinstitutionalization. We truly get to see it in action. This process was meant to end the horrors happening in psychiatric hospitals, by replacing long stays with less isolated community services. In the 1950s and 1960s this change led to many hospital closures (demonstrated in the story)..
Yet as we learned from the novel, it is one thing to shut down a system but something must take its place. There needs to be proper care arranged for the victims or they just end up on the street, homeless and a danger to themselves and others. On Isabella Street, an ideal solution is presented. We not only see the negative impact of what happens when these people are inside the padded four walls but also when they are released with nowhere to go. Thankfully the story does not end there. As eventually, through some caring individuals, proper support begins to happen. It certainly makes the heart sing to see positives rise out of the negatives!
As for the characters, they are all brilliant and I enjoyed each one. But what do you get when you put two very different women and two very different men together? Lots of drama but also some wondrous things too— for these opposites challenge each other in unexpected ways. Which leads to wonderful personal growth. I loved following these four. Hippie Sassy (Susan), Dr. Marion, real estate partner Tom and Vietnam veteran Daniel. What they bring to the story and to each other is priceless. When the Dr meets hippie singer Sassy, she is immediately pushed out of her comfort zone. Bold Sassy, daughter of a wealthy businessman, learns how the world works and that maybe things happen for a good reason. In her new job, she discovers she has skills she did not know she had. On a personal level, there are some firsts happening, too. She is surprised by her feelings for an older man who is very different from herself.
Then there is Veteran Daniel who is first attended by Dr. Marion in hospital. As she gets to know him, his fears and battles, she wants to help him recover from the past. Their relationship evolves and takes some very unexpected turns. Along with her friendship with Sassy, which leads her in a direction she would never have imagined.
There are numerous traumatic events and dramatic twists. I never felt so invested in a story with both my heart and head as I have with this one! Genevieve’s research skills are exceptional. But even more impressive is how she draws out the fine details from facts and utilises them brilliantly in her fiction. She captured and conveyed the startling reality of the past. She covered every plot angle and emotional expression imaginable. And the action experienced in the Vietnam setting was so real, that my heart pounded fiercely during some seriously frightening scenes! It was as if I was pulled into the pages of the book and thrust into the middle of the challenges. I was there and could feel everything the characters were going through. This is powerful writing!
I cannot stress enough that everyone who loves historical fiction should read this novel. I highly recommend it so please get a copy when it is released. This is a Must-Read of 2025. Many thanks to the author for writing On Isabella Street: an unforgettable magnificent story of courage, hope, friendship, love, loss and restoration. 5 Shining Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to the publisher Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for the Arc.
