Those Lancasters

Lynne Perras teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

Anne Cameron has published over 30 books that include plays, poetry,
screenplays, and novels. Those Lancasters revolves around the
misadventures of an eccentric Vancouver Island family. The Lancasters
consist of eight adult brothers and sisters, their spouses and children.
The group is anything but ordinary: the various members fight, swear,
drink to excess, act promiscuously, and generally find themselves in a
great deal of trouble, with each other, their neighbors, and even the
police. The family business, marijuana growing, leads to many
difficulties as well as funny adventures. Police raids, fist fights,
suicide, and murder make up many of their experiences as the novel
chronicles their daily interactions and skirmishes.

The novel is a lively read, replete with colorful, spirited, and
well-drawn characters ranging from the reliable and long-suffering
sister, Colleen, to the argumentative and violent brother, Norm. The
book’s major weakness is its length. At almost 400 pages, the saga of
the Lancasters continues for too long, with Cameron describing meal
preparation, housecleaning, and shopping in endless and sometimes
tedious detail. The characters, while initially interesting, are not
sympathetic or even likable most of the time. That said, Those
Lancasters is an energetic portrayal of an intriguing segment of
Canadian society.