Shadows of Disaster

Alana Trumpy is a graduate student in English at the University of
Toronto.

This work of historical fiction blends the character development of a
preteen girl with the real-life story of Canada’s most deadly
rockslide, British Columbia’s Frank Slide.

Twelve-year-old Jolene must take a trip to Crowsnest Pass with her
father, an entrepreneur of the Museum of Disasters who is caught up in
the world of facts, and her grandfather, whose preoccupation with the
world of imagination could be a sign of senility. When Jolene suddenly
finds herself with her grandfather back in the year 1903 during the
events leading up to the fatal rockslide, she learns to take the risks
that have been holding her back in the present and at the same time
discovers the true meaning of history: “She’d never thought about
the word history before, but, of course, it was right there—the story
in history. It was as much a part of history as all the facts and dates
and details she’d had to memorize.”

This captivating novel takes its readers on a romp through the past
that can, as one of its major themes suggests, be brought to life by
engaging with history imaginatively. The novel’s main weakness is that
the dialogue is not natural and in many instances is intended only to
convey historical detail or factual information relevant to the plot’s
progression. One example of crude exposition disguised as dialogue
occurs on page 21, where Jolene’s grandfather says to Jolene, “Take
your father, for instance … a couple of years ago, he decided to quit
his job and devote his time to making the museum a reality.” The
“moral of the story” is also mapped out with a lack of subtly in
this novel.

Quibbles aside, Shadows of Disaster manages to stimulate young
readers’ engagement with Canadian history. Recommended with
reservations.