Memory Trace

Stan Chung teaches English at the College of New Caledonia in Prince
George, B.C.

Gavin Scott sets Memory Trace in an Ontario boys’ boarding school just
after World War II. For young Stephen Hopkins, true adventure lies
outside the realm of the stuffy English-style school, for he wants to
become a soldier. But the war and its effects permeate his existence in
unexpected ways as Stephen and his dominating schoolmaster move toward a
climactic confrontation. The novel’s characters seem well motivated,
but the theme remains unclear. The story moves slowly at times while
alternating between Stephen’s narration and the schoolmaster’s
journal entries. Scott’s talents are apparent, but his intentions
require clarity. One keeps expecting the story to amount to something
more.