The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1 to 19 - by Jocelyn Brown (Paperback)

About the Book

The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1 to 19 is a wry, adventurous, unflinching look at the trials of teenage life.

Book Synopsis

Biology is not Dree's thing. Equally heinous are English, Social Studies, her sister and mother, not to mention Edmonton in general. Toronto is where she belongs - specifically the upcoming Renegade Craft Fair where, finally, her crafts will be appreciated.

Escape is imminent: on her 15th birthday, she will get the special fund her father promised, and the day after that she'll be on Westjet Flight 233 to Toronto. Instead, her dad has a fatal heart attack, and all she finds are clues leading to the ominous Alberta Psychiatric Hospital where her parents once worked. As Dree tries to unearth a mystery, and to knit herself a passing mark in science, she keeps searching for the money, and for a way to grieve her father.

Told in a fresh, frank voice, The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1 to 19 is a wry, adventurous, unflinching look at the trials of teenage life.

Instructions for renegade crafts included.

Review Quotes

'Every now and then, a novel that is as solid as steel lands in readers' hands. A novel that needs the right proportion of its own hardening agents to deliver on the page. The Mitochondrial Curiosities of Marcels 1-19 is such a book ... Brown's prose is astonishing.' Vancouver Sun

'In this debut ... Jocelyn Brown transcends ... genre with a novel of depth and texture, rich with incident and very contemporary dialogue. She takes her readers deep into the complicated psyche of her narrator and heroine (yes, that's the right word), which is, as it turns out, exactly where her readers will want to be, richocheting from one OMG to another.' - Globe and Mail

'This novel is about as strangely and intricately knotted as one of Dree's craft creations, and as hilariously fascinating. -Quill and Quire

'Brown's complex characters, unusual narrative style and fabulously quirky dialogue make this a fun book with layer after layer to uncover.' - Geist Magazine

About the Author

Jocelyn Brown is the author of "One Good Outfit" and several short stories, including "Miss Canada," which won the Journey Prize. Formerly a costume maker and crafts instructor, she occasionally hosts free DIY workshops in Edmonton.