Full Fadom Five, 2023 QWF Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize, Finalist.
About Full Fadom Five, the jury wrote:
“Full Fadom Five is a confident, masterful first novel! Literary mysteries, family mysteries, parallels in family history, parallels in Shakespearean works, family dynamics and the dynamics of academia, David C.C. Bourgeois structures a rich, completely believable story. It’s a beautifully written page turner.
Bourgeois masterfully navigates shifts in time and place, effortlessly drawing readers into the parallel timelines that converge to unveil the secrets of Noah's family. As we delve into the world of Shakespearean scholarship and the tantalizing mystery of an ancient document, Bourgeois's prose shines, capturing the rhythms of his characters' speech with wit and precision.”
“True Love Never Did Run Smooth.” Review by David Venn. Literary Review of Canada. 8 August 2023.
“Full Fadom Five will remain in readers’ heads long after the final page has been turned—and the mystery has been solved.”
“Timely and Timeless, a review of Full Fadom Five,” by Ami Sands Brodoff. Montreal Review of Books. 16 March 2023.
“Bourgeois deftly handles shifts in time and place, straddling the turn of the millennium all the way back to the English Renaissance, spanning the shores of Cape Breton to the bustling streets of Toronto. He creates a compelling cast of characters and brings each of his settings to visceral life. Capturing the rhythms of his characters’ speech, the dialogue sings; it’s no wonder that this author is a playwright and poet.”
“Full Fadom Five, by David C.C. Bourgeois.” Review by Lori Green. The Miramichi Reader. 13 March 2023.
“David C.C. Bourgeois’s stunning debut novel Full Fadom Five is a seamless blend of multiple genres, a daring feat—not to mention a challenging feat to master—in today’s pool of literary fiction.”