Lavender Spike
By Rachel Tremblay
Published 2026 by ECW Press
On a typical day, I read for an hour in bed while listening to a randomly chosen CD. Then the light goes out, and I tend to reflect on what I have read as I drift off to sleep.
Lavender Spike had my mind racing off in helter-skelter directions every night. It was a bumpy read—full of highs and lows as I worked my way through it, and even now as I think back on it for this review.
The first quarter of the book is jarring because everything feels off-kilter from what you know. Most of the world is supposedly gone, though there is not a lot of explanation as to how or why. That became a recurring theme for me. It feels as though the book needed another 50 pages to fill in some of the blanks. For example, one city exists partially protected by a dome, which is easy enough to accept, but the surrounding slums somehow survived without that protection. It left me with questions.
Then there is the “big baddie,” who has somehow managed to eliminate all religions—something that seems nearly impossible, even if it was done in the name of “protecting” humanity.
With religion gone, a void is left behind, and art fills that void. However, art has become addictive. People essentially trip out while viewing the works of a select group of artists, whom the big baddie uses to keep the population sedated and content.
The book’s main character, Isobel “Izzy” Ker, lives in the outer slums and eventually becomes one of those artists. Her work has unexpected consequences.
By the middle of the book, I had accepted the world and found the story increasingly intriguing. I became invested in both the setting and the characters.
Then, boom—a rebellion erupts, lasts a single night, and seems to have little plan for what comes next. Once again, it felt somewhat abrupt and underdeveloped. This is another place where some of those aforementioned extra pages would have been welcome.
Written by Canadian author Rachel Tremblay, Lavender Spike fits comfortably within what is generally considered cyberpunk fiction. It is certainly different, and that alone makes it worth a look for readers seeking fresh voices and new ideas within the genre.
About Author
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
Lavender Spike
By Rachel Tremblay
Published 2026 by ECW Press
On a typical day, I read for an hour in bed while listening to a randomly chosen CD. Then the light goes out, and I tend to reflect on what I have read as I drift off to sleep.
Lavender Spike had my mind racing off in helter-skelter directions every night. It was a bumpy read—full of highs and lows as I worked my way through it, and even now as I think back on it for this review.
The first quarter of the book is jarring because everything feels off-kilter from what you know. Most of the world is supposedly gone, though there is not a lot of explanation as to how or why. That became a recurring theme for me. It feels as though the book needed another 50 pages to fill in some of the blanks. For example, one city exists partially protected by a dome, which is easy enough to accept, but the surrounding slums somehow survived without that protection. It left me with questions.
Then there is the “big baddie,” who has somehow managed to eliminate all religions—something that seems nearly impossible, even if it was done in the name of “protecting” humanity.
With religion gone, a void is left behind, and art fills that void. However, art has become addictive. People essentially trip out while viewing the works of a select group of artists, whom the big baddie uses to keep the population sedated and content.
The book’s main character, Isobel “Izzy” Ker, lives in the outer slums and eventually becomes one of those artists. Her work has unexpected consequences.
By the middle of the book, I had accepted the world and found the story increasingly intriguing. I became invested in both the setting and the characters.
Then, boom—a rebellion erupts, lasts a single night, and seems to have little plan for what comes next. Once again, it felt somewhat abrupt and underdeveloped. This is another place where some of those aforementioned extra pages would have been welcome.
Written by Canadian author Rachel Tremblay, Lavender Spike fits comfortably within what is generally considered cyberpunk fiction. It is certainly different, and that alone makes it worth a look for readers seeking fresh voices and new ideas within the genre.
About Author
Calvin Daniels
Calvin Daniels is a Saskatchewan-born, self-taught journalist. He is currently Editor of Yorkton This Week, with 35-years in the newspaper business.
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