Summary
Miriam Toews’s critically acclaimed novel All My Puny Sorrows delves into the complex relationship between two sisters grappling with love, loss, and the weight of familial responsibility. Published in 2014, this heart-wrenching yet darkly humorous work draws inspiration from Toews's personal experiences with her sister's suicide.
Plot
All My Puny Sorrows tells the story of two sisters, Elfrieda and Yolandi Von Riesen. Elfrieda, a successful concert pianist, struggles with depression and a desire to end her life. Yolandi, the narrator, is a struggling writer and single mother who becomes determined to keep her sister alive.
The novel begins with Elfrieda's second suicide attempt, which occurs just before she is set to embark on an international tour. This event forces Yolandi to confront the complex dynamics of their relationship and shared history, including the suicide of their father years earlier. As Yolandi grapples with her sister's wish to die, she must also navigate her own personal challenges, including financial struggles and raising her teenage children.
Throughout the story, Yolandi tries various methods to convince her sister to choose life, even as Elfrieda begs for her help in ending it. The story explores the sisters' bond, their Mennonite upbringing, and the impact of mental illness on their family. As Elfrieda's condition worsens, Yolandi faces an impossible decision. Should she honor her sister's wishes or continue fighting to keep her alive?
Themes
Sisterhood and family bonds
Depression and mental illness
Suicide and the right to die
Love and its limitations
Art and creative expression
Religious upbringing and its effects
Coping with grief and loss
Setting
All My Puny Sorrows is set in contemporary Canada, primarily in the provinces of Manitoba and Ontario. The story unfolds against the backdrop of modern urban life, contrasting with the characters' Mennonite upbringing in rural Manitoba.
While specific dates are not mentioned, the novel takes place in the early 21st century. This setting allows Miriam Toews to explore the complexities of mental health, family dynamics, and personal identity in a world where traditional values often clash with modern realities.
The narrative moves between various locations, including hospitals, concert halls, and family homes. These diverse settings reflect the characters' journey from their conservative Mennonite roots to their current lives in Canada's multicultural cities, providing a rich tapestry of experiences that shape the sisters' relationship and individual struggles.
Characters
Yolandi (Yoli) Von Riesen: The narrator and protagonist. A struggling writer and divorced mother of two trying to prevent her sister's suicide.
Elfrieda (Elf) Von Riesen: Yoli's older sister. A successful concert pianist battling depression and suicidal tendencies.
Lottie: Yoli and Elf's mother. A strong-willed and supportive Mennonite woman dealing with the loss of her husband and her daughter's mental illness.
Nic: Elfrieda's loving and patient husband, who supports her through her struggles.
Nora: Yoli's teenage daughter, navigating adolescence while dealing with family turmoil.
Will: Yoli's son, younger than Nora, also affected by the family's struggles.
Dan: Yoli's ex-husband and the father of her children.
Finbar: Yoli's on-again, off-again love interest.
Aunt Tina: Lottie's sister, who provides support to the family.
Quick facts
As Miriam Toews has shared, All My Puny Sorrows draws heavily on the events leading up to her sister's suicide in 2010.
The main characters, Elf and Yoli, are loosely based on Toews and her late sister.
The novel explores themes of depression, suicide, and familial bonds within a Mennonite community.
The title comes from a line in Samuel Coleridge's poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
All My Puny Sorrows won the 2014 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize in Canada.
The novel was shortlisted for the prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Folio Prize in 2014.
It was also longlisted for the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the 2016 International Dublin Literary Award.
Margaret Atwood praised All My Puny Sorrows as a “high-wire act” for its balance of humor and tragedy.
The French translation won an award at the 2019 of Le Combat des livres in Quebec.
All My Puny Sorrows was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by Michael McGowan and starring Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021.
About the Author
Miriam Toews is a celebrated Canadian author of contemporary fiction exploring themes of family, mental health, and the tensions between individualism and community. Her literary breakthrough came with her 2004 novel A Complicated Kindness, which won the Governor General's Award for Fiction and spent more than a year on Canadian bestseller lists. Her subsequent novels, including All My Puny Sorrows (2014) and Women Talking (2018), have further cemented her reputation.
Born in 1964 in Steinbach, Manitoba, Toews grew up in a small Mennonite community that would inform much of her writing. She studied at the University of Manitoba and the University of King's College in Halifax before embarking on a career as a journalist and novelist. In addition to her literary career, Toews has ventured into film. She had a leading role in the 2007 movie Silent Light, directed by Carlos Reygadas, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. This experience inspired her 2011 novel Irma Voth. Her works have been adapted for the screen as well, including the 2021 film version of All My Puny Sorrows and the critically acclaimed 2022 adaptation of Women Talking, directed by Sarah Polley.
Throughout her career, Toews has received numerous accolades, including the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, the Writers' Trust Engel/Findley Award, and the Order of Manitoba. She has been a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize multiple times. She currently lives in Toronto and is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
