In her best-loved novel, The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence introduces Hagar Shipley, one of the most memorable characters in Canadian fiction. Stubborn, querulous, self-reliant – and, at ninety, with her life nearly behind her – Hagar Shipley makes a bold last step towards freedom and independence.

As her story unfolds, we are drawn into her past. We meet Hagar as a young girl growing up in a black prairie town; as the wife of a virile but unsuccessful farmer with whom her marriage was stormy; as a mother who dominates her younger son; and, finally, as an old woman isolated by an uncompromising pride and by the stern virtues she has inherited from her pioneer ancestors.

Vivid, evocative, moving, The Stone Angel celebrates the triumph of the spirit, and reveals Margaret Laurence at the height of her powers as a writer of extraordinary craft and profound insight into the workings of the human heart.


My thoughts : This is one of a series of novels featuring women’s lives in the fictional province of Manawaka Canada. This is said to be her most loved novel about feisty Hagar Shipley who is nearing the end of her long life. Her son and daughter in law think it is time for a nursing home but Hagar thinks not and escapes in one last effort to hold onto independence. It is here that she reflects back on her unhappy marriage, as a domineering parent to her youngest son and then as an isolated middle aged woman with stern principles. This was such a beautiful read and I look forward to the other four books in the sequence

Granting a wish to a very kind and thoughtful bookcrosser.

What a delightful surprise to find a book on my doorstep yesterday! Thank you so much jeniwren, you are the thoughtful bookcrosser, I was just the messenger for the labels you had ordered.
This book has been on my Wishlist for 12 years; wow!
I look forward to reading it.

I have just discovered that I failed to journal this book! I read it just before my Mum unexpectedly passed away in May.

I enjoyed the portrayal of Hagar, a very feisty ninety year old woman who was having to deal with no longer being able to care for herself. As her son and daughter-in law worked towards putting her in care, the author led us through her past life. We saw her strengths but we also felt sad for Hagar who was struggling to deal with old age.

I liked the Dylan Thomas extract at the front of the book which I thought well described the author’s development of Hagar -
“Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

To the finder of this book -
If you've found this book, you are invited to join its story through bookcrossing, a random community of book lovers. Bookcrossing has been arbitrarily distributing stray books all over the world for over 20 years (as at August 2021). These pages contain the right read for someone--or perhaps many people. The bookcrossing ID (BCID), which you entered in the "Enter a BCID" box on the website, is unique to this copy of this book. If you make a journal entry (either anonymously, or as a bookcrossing member) all previous readers of this actual book will be notified by email, and can follow the book as it travels. Bookcrossing is free to join and completely confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address). Come join the story of this book.