Susan Glickman, in her novel The Tale-Teller, offers us a glimpse of Esther in a snapshot of the months following her discovery in New France. We are led through beautifully crafted pages of the gruelling interrogations, the religious and cultural pressures, but the unrelenting nature of this enigmatic woman who would not surrender the essential components of her identity because of the fear of deportation and alienation provides a characterization of Brandeau of depth and honour. Susan gives Esther the most critical characteristic of survival in the face of adversity- storytelling. When interrogated, Esther relates magnificent stories of an outlandish experience that inspires her listeners that they can also believe of a world unfettered by limitations. Slowly, Esther inspires those who are also suppressed within her vicinities to take stands for their own existences. Finally, a narrative that breathes air into Esther’s lungs and gives her a vocabulary as rich and inspiring as the memory of the historical figure herself.”
— Sara Hailstone, http://sara-hailstone.blogspot.ca/2013/07/booktalk-susan-glickmans-tale-teller.html
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