The Molson factory sign glows at dusk along the St. Lawrence in Montréal, just beside the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Photo by Nic Redhead/Flickr.

Morel Maxime Raymond Bock Baraka Books, 2024

As a young man I read Gabrielle Roy’s groundbreaking 1945 novel, Bonheur d’occasion (The Tin Flute), while living in my hometown of London, Ontario. This novel, set in the poor, working-class neighbourhood of Saint-Henri, was a life-altering book for me, resulting in my long love affair, albeit long-distance and infrequent, with the city of Montréal.

Gabrielle Roy’s sympathetic portrayal of the humble residents of Saint-Henri appealed to me, as did her underlying theme of social justice. Sixty years later, I’ve encountered a similarly remarkable book, Morel, written by award-winning Québec author, Maxime Raymond Bock, and brilliantly translated by another talented Montréal writer, Mélissa Bull.

Morel is the story of a construction worker, Jean-Claude Morel, who lived his entire life in the gritty working-class neighbourhoods situated east of downtown in the general vicinity of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

This beautifully crafted book traces the events of Jean-Claude’s life. From his childhood in an area once known as Faubourg à m’lasse to his old age in nearby Hochelaga, Jean-Claude sorts through his past. The reader is able to envision a man who has come to the realization that he can take a measure of pride in the work he has done and the life he has........

© Canadian Dimension