Review of Rough - A Novel

Rough is a book that completely captivated me! It is a fictional story told around a devastating flood of the Bow River that occurred in 2013. I live in the city where the flood took place so I well remember how it devastated so many communities and the city as a whole. Homeless people or people sleeping rough make their nightly homes along the riverbank that winds through the cosmopolitan downtown. Many of these people generally avoid shelters so they are an unknown number when disasters like this strike. This is the story of Kendra and her estranged father, Shermeto. Shermeto has been living on the streets for years and when the flood comes Kendra makes a desperate attempt to find him. She has recently found out her father is suffering from cancer so she is determined to find him and help him with his living situation and medical issues. This book is beautifully written. The style of writing flows so well. I am amazed that this is a debut novel. Between the descriptions of life on the streets to the ramifications of the flood and the issues between Kendra and her father I was fully invested in this book. Kendra and Shermento have known a lot of heartache in their lives. I have always had so much empathy for homeless people and the author has done an amazing job detailing the problems and issues surrounding their daily lives. This book will definitely stay with me!