Unrest

by Gwen Tuinman

Historical fiction isn't usually my thing, yet Tuinman’s novel, set in 19th-century Ottawa, is a ripping adventure with emotional depth that’s also about politics, women’s rights, inequality, justice, sibling rivalry and the longing for love. The novel’s pacing never falters: street-level skirmishes collide with whispered betrayals behind closed doors, resulting in a well written, edge-of-your-seat thriller that leaves you breathless as you anticipate the next revelation.

Beyond its page-turning plot, Unrest immerses you in a fascinating chapter of Canadian history. Tuinman paints 19th-century Ottawa with vivid authenticity, presumably the result of a lot of impressive research. Through the eyes of working-class laborers and embittered aristocrats alike, you learn how people lived, loved, and struggled under rigid social hierarchies. At the heart of this wild adventure is a hard-done-by brave female protagonist pushed into situations and actions she never believed herself capable of. As each character grapples with choices that blur ethical lines, the novel poses unsettling questions about agency, loyalty, and the cost of resistance.