Genevieve Graham, the #1 bestselling author often heralded as the queen of Canadian historical fiction, returns with another remarkable addition to her bibliography in On Isabella Street. Known for breathing life into forgotten pockets of Canada’s past through rich characters and emotionally textured storytelling (The Forgotten Home Child, Bluebird, Letters Across the Sea), Graham once again crafts an immersive, thought-provoking narrative—this time set against the backdrop of the turbulent 1960s, threading the threads of Toronto’s social upheaval with the global ripples of the Vietnam War.
Her latest novel, released in April 2025, is a poignant reflection on the power of female friendship, the haunting aftershocks of war, and the human fallout of political policies like deinstitutionalization. And while it may not be Graham’s most plot-driven work, it’s certainly among her most contemplative.
Story Overview: Two Women, One Building, Infinite Change
Set in 1967, On Isabella Street follows two women—Marion Hart and Susan “Sassy” Rankin—who come from opposite worlds but find themselves living side by side in a downtown Toronto apartment building. Marion, a pragmatic and compassionate psychiatrist, is entrenched in the flawed mental health system and skeptical of the movement to close psychiatric institutions. Sassy, a free-spirited folk singer from a wealthy family, spends her days protesting the Vietnam War and grappling with her own hypocrisies—especially when her activism clashes with her father’s real estate empire.
Their lives intersect not just physically, through the walls of 105 Isabella Street, but emotionally and morally, as each is forced to reckon with personal loss, political awakening, and the price of staying silent. As the Vietnam War casts its long shadow and Toronto begins to transform under the pressures of gentrification and social change, the friendship between these women becomes a lifeline in a world that is unraveling.
Core Themes Explored with Depth and Compassion
1. The Cost of War—Public and Private
The Vietnam War’s direct and indirect consequences are central to the novel. Though Canada didn’t officially participate, Graham spotlights how Canadians became embroiled in the conflict, especially those like Sassy’s brother Joey who enlisted with the US Marines. The trauma of war is portrayed through characters like Daniel, a wounded veteran who becomes Marion’s patient. His voicelessness on the page reflects the silenced trauma many veterans bore, giving the story a quiet resonance that lingers long after it ends.
2. Deinstitutionalization and Mental Health
One of the novel’s most ambitious threads is its examination of deinstitutionalization in Canada. Through Marion’s work and inner conflict, Graham highlights how well-meaning policies, without proper infrastructure, can leave society’s most vulnerable adrift. Marion is portrayed as a character ahead of her time—empathetic but paralyzed by bureaucracy and fear of reprisal. The novel forces readers to question: what happens when care becomes convenience?
3. Class, Privilege, and Hypocrisy
Sassy’s journey from privileged dilettante to socially conscious woman is compelling, though at times uneven. Her internal tug-of-war between rebelling against her father’s capitalist ambitions and benefiting from his wealth underscores the contradictions of protest culture. Her eventual awakening isn’t instant or perfectly redemptive—which is precisely what makes it believable.
4. Female Friendship as Resistance
The emotional heart of On Isabella Street is the friendship between Marion and Sassy. Their relationship is refreshingly complex—shaped by shared compassion, stark differences, and unspoken wounds. It’s not a “love saves all” friendship, but rather one built on truth-telling, challenge, and eventual mutual growth. Their bond serves as both anchor and catalyst, helping each woman confront the roles they’ve been assigned by society, family, and history.
Character Analysis: Flawed, Fierce, and Fully Human
- Marion Hart: A study in restraint and intellect, Marion’s arc is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Her experiences working in mental health offer a window into the ethical dilemmas of psychiatric care during a time of political transition. Her scenes with Daniel are among the most emotionally charged in the novel.
- Sassy Rankin: Vivacious, naïve, and ultimately brave, Sassy’s transformation from a folk-singing idealist to a woman who acts on her convictions is one of the novel’s strongest storylines. Her complicated family dynamics, especially with her father Jim Rankin and her Vietnam-bound brother Joey, add richness and realism to her journey.
- Daniel: Though he never narrates his perspective, his quiet presence casts a long shadow. Graham wisely allows his trauma to unfold through action and memory rather than exposition, making him a powerful symbol of the silent wounds of war.
- Jim Rankin: Sassy’s father is perhaps the most conflicted character—harsh yet protective, wealthy yet morally conflicted. The secret he carries adds surprising emotional weight to the story’s final chapters.
Writing Style and Research: Graham at Her Most Immersive
Graham’s writing remains consistent with her established literary signature: atmospheric, empathetic, and richly layered with historical detail. Whether describing a protest in Yorkville, the cramped hallways of 105 Isabella Street, or the stifling corridors of a psychiatric hospital, she evokes setting with cinematic clarity. The alternating chapters between Marion and Sassy allow for a rhythmic interplay of perspectives that rarely feels jarring.
The historical research, as always, is top-tier. Graham references real events and institutions—Toronto’s deinstitutionalization process, Canadian involvement in the Vietnam War, the Parkdale housing crisis—with both precision and passion. In true Genevieve Graham fashion, even the building itself—105 Isabella Street—is given a kind of narrative personality, representing both a physical and metaphorical intersection of lives.
Strengths
- Authentic Historical Detail: The novel brings 1960s Toronto to life—from its music scene to its political unrest.
- Nuanced Female Leads: Marion and Sassy offer contrasting but equally compelling portraits of womanhood.
- Topical Relevance: Themes like housing inequality, mental health, and veteran care still echo today.
- Emotional Resonance: Quiet moments, especially between Marion and Daniel, hit hard.
Weaknesses
- Pacing in Mid-Sections: The second act drags slightly, especially as the narrative shifts heavily into exposition around policy and backstory.
- Underused Characters: Some characters (e.g., Sassy’s early love interest Davey) feel introduced more for thematic purposes than character-driven payoff.
- Occasional Moralizing: At times, the dialogue leans into didacticism, particularly when political ideologies are discussed without sufficient narrative tension.
Similar Reads
Readers drawn to On Isabella Street will likely enjoy:
- The Women by Kristin Hannah – For its shared focus on women and the Vietnam War.
- The Secret Keeper and Bluebird by Genevieve Graham – Both explore Canadian history with emotional weight and layered storytelling.
- The Dutch Orphan by Ellen Keith – Another historical fiction with powerful female leads and overlooked Canadian perspectives.
- The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly – For fans of alternating timelines and female-centered historical drama.
Final Verdict: A Quiet Triumph of Emotional and Historical Storytelling
On Isabella Street may not be Graham’s most explosive novel, but it is among her most thoughtful and socially urgent. It’s a story that insists on empathy—toward those damaged by war, those failed by systems, and those forced to navigate a world that refuses to make space for their contradictions.
It’s not flawless, but it’s deeply affecting. And perhaps more than anything, On Isabella Street reminds readers that history isn’t always made in parliament or battlefields—it’s just as often made in small apartments, over coffee and hard questions, between unlikely friends.
