A page-turner about intergenerational trauma leads the Indigo list of the Best Books of 2021.
Indigo staff read 5,000 books throughout the year and cast 4,000 votes, before discussing favourites and deliberating for 20 hours to determine an official selection of curated titles.
“This is one of my favourite days of the year – when we share our highly anticipated top book recommendations with Canadians,” said Rania Husseini, senior vice president of print at Indigo, in a statement.
Topping the list is The Strangers by Katherena Vermette, one of Canada’s most esteemed Indigenous writers.
Vermette is a Red River Metis (Michif) writer from Treaty 1 territory, Winnipeg. A companion to her bestselling book, The Break, The Strangers is a searing exploration of race, class, trauma, and matrilineal bonds that refuse to be broken.
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“From the chronicles of a cancer survivor’s 15,000-mile road trip across the United States to a magical, queer, modern romance on a subway train, there is truly something for everyone. We’re honoured to amplify the diverse voices of today’s literary world, through a fantastic list led by Katherena Vermette’s The Strangers,” Husseini said.
Indigo’s Best Books of 2021:
1. The Strangers by Katherena Vermette
2. Unreconciled by Jesse Wente
3. Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
4. The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield
5. Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens
6. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
7. Call Me Indian by Fred Sasakamoose
8. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
9. The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
10. Bewilderment by Richard Powers
The full Best Books of 2021 list as well as the Best Teen Books, Best Kids Books and Best French Books lists are online at indigo.ca and in stores.
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