

June 2025 Issue of the Ottawa Review of Books
As we head into our summer break, ORB offers you our insights into a very eclectic selection of books. Topping off the list is the...


The Topography of Pain by Ivan Lesay
Reviewed by Ian Thomas Shaw Ivan Lesay’s The Topography of Pain  is a rare literary debut that weaves philosophical depth with visceral...


Dark Like Under by Alice Chadwick
Reviewed by Timothy Niedermann This debut novel by British writer Alice Chadwick covers a period of twenty-four hours—midnight to...


The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor
Reviewed by Wendy Hawkin I was sucked into the current of this unique and memorable historical novel when I heard the author read the...


Sorry, Not Sorry edited by Shawn Bird
Reviewed by Robert Runté If you are an Alberta separatist, a truck convoy supporter, or Fox News enthusiast, this anthology is probably...


Welcome to ORB’s May 2025 Issue
In this issue, we offer some eclectic insights into five works of Canadian fiction and non-fiction. From the depths of the Congo, Ottawa...


The War You Don’t Hate by Blaise Ndala
Reviewed by Ian Thomas Shaw With The War You Don’t Hate , Congolese-Canadian writer Blaise Ndala cements his reputation as one of the...


My Thievery of the People by Leila Marshy
Reviewed by Tim Niedermann In this, her first collection of short stories, author Leila Marshy takes the reader to far-flung places. From...


Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park
Reviewed by Wayne Ng Spycraft meets identity crisis in this sharp, genre-bending debut that moves between borders, allegiances, and...


Anna’s Shadow by Ingrid McCarthy
Reviewed by Tim Niedermann In Verona, Italy, there is an organization called the Club di Giulietta —Juliet’s Club—which for decades has...