"Each of us is a seeker, walking along Eternity’s Road, which has no beginning and no end." — Sri Chinmoy
An apt quote to begin a review concerning a book that deals with aspects of eternity, and whatever your belief (or beliefs) are, you may have to suspend them temporarily to fully enjoy this new offering from Lisa de Nikolits, author of 2016's The Nearly Girl (Inanna) as well as the award-winning Between the Cracks She Fell (2015, Inanna).
Julia Redner gradually awakens to find herself in a nondescript airport with a bunch of people standing around. Did she fall asleep at the airport? No, for she is only dressed in her go-to couch potato outfit with nothing on her feet. Only those cannot be her feet, for they are in desperate need of a pedicure! She soon discovers that this is actually Purgatory, this isn't a dream! But how did she die?
Purgatory (in Ms. de Nikolits' view) is a large, impersonal space with unmarked doors leading into different rooms. Some are restrooms (for sleeping), rooms for activities like lawn bowling, knitting, exercise and so on. How one remembers all this is beyond Julia. Agnes, her multi-pierced Goth "Introducer" tells her: "I’m just here to give you the guided tour; How Purgatory Works 101, for Dummies.”
“This is Purgatory?”
“It’s no island cruise, I’ll tell you that much.”
Julia, a self-described "bitch" in her earthly existence (a la Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada") is compelled to associate and interact with her fellow "Purgatorians" in ways she would have considered beneath her in her daily life. Here in Purgatory, all are equal (since everyone is dead and doesn't own a thing, there is no materialism or wasteful consumerism), there are no class distinctions and it really is one large group therapy session. As each member of the group relates how they died (some are suicides, others are overdoses) and by listening and being supportive, Julia is slowly transformed into a more selfless individual, aided by various helpers such as the aged hippie Cedar Mountain Eagle and Über-dyke Beatrice with whom Julia strikes up a Scrabble-based friendship.
Julia's death (or, actually a near-death) experience came at the hands of her ex-lover Junior, the CEO of the company she has worked for for 17 years. One day, she finds her position is terminated and she is escorted out of the building. Assuming that Junior had a hand in all this and never even gave her a warning call, she retaliates by posting a naked picture of Junior, which goes viral, thus destroying him on several fronts with a click of a button. He retaliates by breaking into her apartment and beating her (with the sole intent of destroying her good looks) until she falls into a coma. It is in this state she arrives in Purgatory. Eventually, Julia is presented with a choice by the Helpers: she can go back and wake up from the coma, or stay in Purgatory. Julia opts to go back for several reasons, the two main ones being to get Junior incarcerated and to make amends with her young niece Emma, whom she spurned care of when her parents both died in a car accident.
To date, I have read three of Ms. de Nikolit's last four novels and it has been interesting to see her develop her serious-comedic style that really hit its stride in The Nearly Girl and has continued with No Fury Like That. As with the earlier novel, there are deeper undercurrents at play. In The Nearly Girl, we had a story about loveable, quirky characters in group therapy with various neuroses (led by a psychiatrist grappling with his own demons) trying to find and maintain love in a world that tries to suppress or compartmentalise them as crazy.
In No Fury Like That, we have a similar disparate cast of characters now united in the afterlife and who for the most part are attempting to make sense of their earthly lives in a "coffee klatch" type of atmosphere, gently guided along by the more experienced Helpers. It is this "stand-back-and-take-a-look-at-your-life" message that is the biggest takeaway from No Fury Like That. It is about realisations: how an altruistic life is better than a self-centered mean-spirited one, the struggle for recognition is often futile, your family does need you, even if they don't know it, one act of indiscretion can have fatal consequences and the list goes on.
Once each Purgatorian attains their personal realisation, they can move along to the next level, wherever that may be.
Bottom line: don't dismiss No Fury Like That as a light, entertaining read. There are nuances to Ms. de Nikolit's writing that could be missed with such a viewpoint. This book is really about second chances that we may never get the first time around on our trek along Eternity's Road.
Lisa’s serio-comedic interpretation of Purgatory, with a subplot of suspense and revenge make NFLT an intriguing novel and a fascinating read.
– James Fisher, The Miramichi Reader
Afraid to die? Worse is yet to come! Julia, a ruthless business woman, suddenly finds herself in a Purgatory not remembering if she has died,
or how. Left with no choice but to make friends with other lost souls, she never dreams she will become not only their saviour but also an avenger.
In this brilliantly written book you will hold your breath when Julia realises she should have make things right at the primary crime scene where it all started – Earth.
— Suzana Tratnik, author of Games with Greta
Presenting No Fury Like That at the OLA Superconference with the Crime Writers of Canada
Protecting my phone with my book cover!
Pic by Bradford Dunlop
A fabulous event at the Ontario Librarian's Superconference! With Pam Mountain, Head Librarian, Annette Street Branch.
Pic by Tal Ben- Izak, partypix.ca
Lisa de Nikolits is the perfect travel companion we all search for; she is funny without being mean, wise without being boring, and so good at getting both into and out of trouble. I have let her lead me onto a coach bus heading West of Wawa, I have stolen away with her to an abandoned school when Between the Cracks She Fell, and now I know I will follow her even to Purgatory where there is No Fury Like That of her betrayed but unsurmounted protagonist, Julia Redner. If you can, I recommend seizing this chance to take a trip with Lisa de Nikolits.
— Jade Wallace, contributing author to PAC ’N HEAT, a Ms PacMan Noir Anthology
An intriguing and edgy idea where Purgatory is re-imagined as a pleasant spot where souls progress toward redemption through lattes, friendship and therapy. The book engages us from the first page when we meet Julia struggling to explore the strange airport where she has landed through her fight to solve the mystery of her own life and death. A beautifully written exploration of the metaphysical and of the many serious social issues faced by today’s women.
— M.H. Callway, award-winning author of Arthur Ellis Best First Novel finalist, Windigo Fire
Julia Redner seemed to have it all: stunning good looks, a fantastic job, and enough money and perks to live in the style she’d grown accustomed to. But after it all went down and she finds herself in the afterlife, Julia realizes that she didn’t have a single friend and now has a whack of unfinished business to settle. No Fury Like That is a cautionary tale about the perils of rising to the top at any cost. It’s also a smart, satisfying read that’s laced with humour, peopled with quirky characters and moves along at a fast clip. Readers will root for its plucky heroine, hoping she’ll get a shot at a second chance. Another spellbinder from Lisa de Nikolits!
— Rosemary McCracken, author of the Pat Tierney mysteries.
Suspenseful, surprising, thrilling and at times laugh-out-loud funny, No Fury Like That takes you on page-turning ride into another world — with Lisa de Nikolits’s skillful writing keeping you belted in. — Jacqueline Kovacs, Magazine Editor, Metroland Media
Imagine if characters from The Devil Wears Prada got trapped in Sartre’s play No Exit, where “hell is other people.” No Fury Like That uses the lens of female souls stuck in purgatory to examine loss, love, rage, angst, and what there really is to live for. Alternately funny, melancholy, philosophical, and raunchy, it’s a wild ride and another gutsy novel from de Nikolits. — John Oughton, author of Death by Triangulation.
Lisa de Nikolits is one of my most fascinating discoveries of Canadian literature. Her writing is fresh and attractive, but deep in ideas and thoughtful provoking.
No Fury Like That is an example of this duality: under the appearance of a paranormal story set in the Purgatory we face a brilliant psychological exploration of human soul questioning our certitudes about the world: Who we really are? How to find a responsibility about our past? What are the implications of our acts? Big questions presented through a captivating prose displayed in a perfect plot that catch the reader from the very beginning.
De Nikolits knows how to combine the oppressive atmosphere of Beckett or Kafka with the contemporaneous forms of thriller-narrative, always with a touch of humor and sensibility. And of course, with an extraordinary capacity to capture the essence of human emotions.
— Miguel Angel Hernandez, author of Escape Attempt
No Fury Like That is de Nikolits at her best. She has taken the question, “What if you had a second chance?” and has given her imagination free rein to answer it. The result is a novel full of colourful characters who grapple with their lives, their deaths, and what it is to be human. By the final page the reader has not only witnessed Julia Redner’s metamorphic journey, but has also taken a personal step forward.
— Liz Bugg, author of the Calli Barnow Mystery Series
A great launch! A fantastic turnout!
A wonderful, hugely attended launch at The Women's Art Association in Toronto. The room filled so there was not even standing space available!
Greatly honoured to be part of this event by St. Aidan's, with international bestselling author, Peter Robinson
As always, Word on The Street was a fantastic, if somewhat overheated, day!
It was such a wonderful evening – I was so honoured to be part of this event! We raised quite a bit of money too! AND I got to meet Peter Robinson – such a lovely guy and such a great writer!
I think this hat saved my life! It was forty degrees in the shade! I hung out with the Crime Writers of Canada, The Sisters in Crime, The Mesdames of Mayhem and of course, my beloved Inanna Publications and we sold a lot of books!
Spotted as a hot new book on the Crime Writers of Canada post!
Bouchercon 2017! What a book conference!
Bellie was as happy as I was, to get the book!
Reviews of the book have been fantastic!
What a panel! From left: Cathy Ace, Ruth Ware, Craig Robertson and Marsali Taylor. Right: I helped out with registration - we had a mountain of bags, all of which found a home!
Above: the speed dating ballroom before... right: the speed dating ballroom in action! Below: the book room – a place of sheer madness!
It wouldn't be Canada without the RCMP! Above right: the marvellous Sara Paretsky, left: Louise Penny. Below: Linwood Barclay
Far left: at the Sisters in Crime table. Left: just some of the bookmarks left by authors!@ Bottom left: with Marsali Taylor. Below middle: the panel was a great hit! People kept coming up to me and saying what a great panel it was! Fantastic! Below right: with my speed dating partner, Ivy Pochoda
A fantastic review in Hello! Canada!
I know Amazon is the old familiar but please take a moment to support the efforts of independent publishers.
Thank you very much!
This was still one of the coolest things of my life!
Reader Reviews & Comments
Lisa de Nikolits is the author of an impressive seven novels, each of them marked by her wild creativity and memorable characters. Her latest offering is No Fury Like That (Inanna Publications), a genre bending literary thriller that explores the possibility of second chances. Julia, the main character, is getting the ultimate second chance, as it appears that she might be, well, dead. As Julia rethinks her life and works to solve the puzzle of a string of murders, the question arises of whether she is in fact dead or whether there is something even stranger at work. John Oughton praised No Fury Like That's wickedly fun and brainy narrative, saying "Imagine if characters from The Devil Wears Prada got trapped in Sartre's play No Exit". – Open Book Toronto
No Fury Like That is a rich written and fascinating narrative; highly imaginative, thoughtful and provocative. I enjoyed it immensely. – John Moss
No Fury Like That is delightful! I actually looked forward to going to bed so I could read it! I've read three books by Lisa de Nikolits and this one is my favourite so far. Lisa’s got a real gift, her dialogue is fabulous. So believable, so engaging. The book’s not just a page turner, it's the kind of book you race, no gallop along, to see what happens. – Myna Wallin
And without gushing too much, I found No Fury Like That absolutely “divine” (pun intended)! The characters became very real and I wanted to know more… more… till it was… done. – Valear Howsam.
I loved this book! I thought it was so clever and playful, with just the right amount of sass and comeuppance. A very hard balance to strike, I imagine. – Ava Baccari
Lisa de Nikolits certainly dos come up with some interesting scenarios. I wonder where this one came from? I definitely enjoyed spending this time with No Fury Like That on my river! – Jon Gasco
Writer-in-Residence, Open Book Toronto, November 2017
Lisa de Nikolits novel, No Fury Like That (Inanna Publications, 2017), is an imaginative, witty, humorous romp through Purgatory, endings of lives, discoveries and recollections in the near afterlife, a redemption novel where vengeance is the redeemer. Other reviewers give synopsis' of the plot, so I won't, but I am intrigued by the architectonics of the structure she creates for her Purgatory, a 3-dimensional maze, a cubist emporium where rooms appear and disappear according to 4-hour windows, and the Viewing Room where virtual reality comes to life. There is a coffee klatch mostly of women trapped in Purgatory not quite sure of how to achieve realizations to get privileges and perhaps promoted to Heaven. There is an entangled mess of relationships on earth that those in Purgatory must work their way through. The number of characters de Nikolits creates and maintains consistency with throughout the story is quite a technical feat in itself.
No Fury Like That is a bustling, busy novel that spins and grabs you in all your corners and assumptions as it focuses on the corporate life vs the family life, success in the business world vs loving relationships. The main character, Julia, gets to have her cake and eat it too - she gets a second chance to make pay backs and revitalize her life, to balance it, to find love and family and happiness as well as a solid career. This is not to say that the novel isn't a passionate explosion of pain and anger and vengeance - it moves from a kind of 'Orange is the New Black' to 'Kill Bill' in a dizzying kaleidoscope of different kinds of violence, sharings, realizations and furies. Julia responds to the brutality that she suffered with a brutality that is as fierce and takes no reprieve. And then she shifts her life. I would say that No Fury Like That is about a new era where power relations between the sexes can become more balanced, where success in the world and fulfillment of the heart are eminently possible in a way that is brand new in our world. —Brenda Clews
Lisa de Nikolits wrote in her acknowledgements for "No Fury Like That" that she penned her 7th novel after being laid off by her soulless media company of an employer -- what a great writer's prompt that turned out to be! A hard-bitten young businesswoman finds herself in Purgatory (which appropriately feels like an airport lounge) with no idea how she died so suddenly. Slowly her fellow Purgatorians, caught between heaven and hell, tell their stories and help her recall her own. Turns out, she isn't *quite* dead -- to quote "The Princess Bride" -- and can choose to stay or return to earth. This is a revenge novel which is also about second chances: fast paced, funny, sexy, violent and full of surprises. An entertaining read that raises questions about how to live one's life after you've had the stuffing knocked out of you –– literally, in the case of the novel's anti-heroin, and figuratively, in the case of the author in the throes of post-sacking. A furious delight. –Terri Favro
No Fury Like That nails it! What a GREAT READ. AMAZING!!!!! EXCELLENT on all fronts — plot, narrative, characters, EVERYTHING!!! I think this is Lisa de Nikolits' best novel yet. —Kristin Jenkins
No Fury Like That is a wild ride with many twists, much humour from a range of characters, many who just want that second chance. Readers get many instances of cheering when characters return to earth and get some justice or a better life. After reading No Fury Like That, readers may add Purgatory as a place they want to visit – whether in this life or the next. Five stars! —Sharon Crawford
Julia Redner wakes up through a haze of pain to find herself in an airport. She's dead, and the hangar-type structure is purgatory. It's a nice idea-the airport as waiting room. Julia's waiting room is about as fun as an actual airport too; with a maze of doorways, never-ending hallways, and a maniacal buggy driver.
Julia hasn't been the est person during her time on Earth and is in a holding pattern in purgatory while she figures out how to navigate her new way of being. While there, she's shuttled through the ins-and-outs by her "Introducer" Agnes, and meets a diverse group of women who become her "New Crew." The coffee klatch acts as a support system for Julia as she works through her emotional pain via the discovery and telling of each woman's origin story.
It's a capricious whodunit as Julia attempts to discover why she's there and if there is any point in trying to get out.
We're supposed to dislike Julia (for her beauty, her height, her overwhelming selfishness) but I find it hard not to like her. She gets all the best lines. And while she does get penalized for swearing in front of her therapist (yes, purgatory has counselling), Julia doesn't really do anything so bad-ass to warrant true feelings of enmity from the reader. The lightness of Julia's character makes it too easy to empathize with her and ultimately undermines her transformation from a hated Devil Wears Prada to Kill Bill's The Bride, making her journey feel less momentous than it needs to be.
Despite the soft-pedalling of Julia's character, the story runs at an action-packed pace that is enjoyable to read with compelling secondary characters (I want to know more about credibility-challenged Fat Tracey), and a satisfying ending-I'm not sure if we should be cheering for Julia, but I do know that at least her actions are unambiguous.
I had to Google "purgatory." Not because I don't know what it is but because I wanted a bigger picture of what my lapsed Catholic upbringing has given me. For example, I remember as a small child learning more about limbo than purgatory, but maybe limbo is an easier concept to understand than the state of purgatory? But then again, I always think of Hieronymus Bosch's painting "The Garden of Earthly Delights" as being an excellent example of purgatory, and one that is a highly symbolic triptych. In No Fury Like That, Lisa de Nikolits gives us a version of purgatory that, while a little less grievous than Bosch's work is no less captivating.
-Gerrilee McBride, SubTerrain Magazine
Fantastic new review for No Fury Like That in the latest issue of SubTerrain magazine!
Translation rights acquired by Edizione le Assassine
A wonderful first reading of 2018 at Tom Gannon's Folk Art Salon at the Mount Pleasant Library.
Book Review from An Avid Reader
What an unusual novel. Purgatory, where people get to understand and deal with their actions before death. It was interesting to follow the purgatory experiences of Julia as realization dawns on her. She is able to really see what she did in life and how her actions affected others. After a particularly shocking understanding of her previous actions, "...it's like cannonballs of reality keep blasting you," she says. (156) I'm a Protestant and do not believe in purgatory but de Nikolits has presented the concept in an entertaining and insightful way.
Reading this book gave me much to think about. If I could somehow objectively observe my actions, would I behave differently? If I had the chance, would I go back and right some wrongs? Are there lessons I am supposed to learn in life and if I don't learn them, will I get another chance?
While I found the novel very entertaining and thought provoking, I must warn potential readers that it contains lots of crude talk and foul language. It fit the character but I did find it a bit unsettling. Nonetheless, this novel is well written and I really enjoyed it. - Joan Nienhuis
Wall-to-Wall Books
This book was freaking brilliant! I read it once way back in the early fall - I loved it then. I just re-read it and I think I loved it even more this time!
This is one of those books that starts out like "Whaaaaat?" and you are not sure you want to continue, but wait!... Keep reading! You have to read this book all the way through before judging it, because you won't get it unless you do. If you quit in the beginning because you think you won't like it - you are really missing out!
This story-line is different, very different, but that's what I loved about it. I get tired of reading the "same ol' same ol'" So bravo to Lisa for her bravery in bringing us this incredible book. This was just as much fun as it was creepy. And the characters! Oh my word! don't even get me started on the characters! Holy crap! Excellent character development - even in the secondary ones. Each one was so different and unique. Quite a few of them - snarky and quirky (my favorite type!). Agnes was my favorite, but honestly I just loved them all!
Warning - there is quite a bit of swearing - but... it works! I can't imagine this book without it.
I guarantee this will be one of my favorite books of the year! I was just telling my husband about it tonight at dinner. How there are so many spider webs in the plot and so many characters and how they are all connected in some way and how the author ties it all together in the end. I told him I could picture Lisa, the author, sitting with 3X5 cards with notes all over the table LOL. My husband said it sounds like it would make a great movie. YES! I'm actually hoping it comes out in audible - I would love to listen to it!
So if you are looking for something that dares to be different and you don't mind a roller coaster ride - hold on and go for it!
Quiet Fury Books
No Fury Like That is a fun read that sneaks up on you with surprising moments of profound insight and tender emotion.
We slip into the supernatural realm, but for the most part this story feels completely plausible. The author's depiction of the setting is so thorough and vivid that I could see it as if I was standing beside the characters. I wanted to visit and explore for myself! I especially enjoyed the originality of it all.
Characterization, for me, is central to any story. I have to feel the emotion and believe the characters. Here, de Nikolits excels. These characters burst off the pages with colorful, fully developed personalities. At the beginning of this story, I didn't particularly like Julia, who is the main character. Yet she still managed to intrigue me, and soon, despite myself, I realized I cared about what happened to her.
The witty dialogue and quirky humor are offset by the serious undertone questioning life, death, our relationships, and what it all means. This is definitely one of those stories that will stick with me for a long time. - Darcia Helle
When was the last time you looked deep inside yourself and saw the real person that hides behind your countenance? Recognizing the real you is not what everyone admits to seeing. Instead, you see the person that you want others to think you are even if it’s someone that is not what hidden deep within the depths of your soul because you are afraid to show the world that there is more to you than your face, clothes, wealth, position in life and superficial accessories. Julia Redner is beautiful, merciless in her critiques of others, unfeeling, rude at times and altogether self-absorbed, overrates her worth and thinks the world and others need to bow to her every wish until! Until she wakes up in another realm or world one that will alter her perspective of others, herself and life until the final realization or her final destination is revealed.
The ending is startling and what Julia does is outside the realm of law but will anyone stop her and when all is said and done you won’t believe the surprise ending that author Lisa De Nikolits created that will leave you asking these questions: Justice how would you define it? Julia guilty or innocent? Choices are made, destinations finalized: Who remains in purgatory? Who moves on? Who gets one more chance? Who finds out the true meaning of Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Josh, Richard, Junior, an unpunished killer, Mr. Healey, and anyone else that crossed the Samir, Isabelle, Julia, Agnes, Grace, Fat Tracy and those to come nothing is as powerful as friendship, loyalty, trust and an unbreakable bond formed in a place between heaven and hell : Purgatory! Julia learns why material things, vanity, money and power over others is nothing compared to unconditional love. Julia: Look in the mirror: Whom do you see? – Fran Lewis, BlogTalk Radio
Such a fun evening with my Sisters in Crime!
Once again, OLA rocked!
A wonderful signing at the Ontario Publishers Pavilion and Inanna Publications, then a reading with the Crime Writers of Canada! So much fun!
I was thrilled and honoured to host and moderate this event at the International Festival of Authors, as part of their IFOA Weekly Series. A packed room, a fantastic reception to the panel and so much online love afterwards! One couldn't ask for more!
Hosting and moderating this fab event for the International Festival of Authors!
No Fury Like That
Published in Fall 2017
No Fury Like That and I have been gallivanting around and about and having a lot of fun!
Thank you for stopping by to check out our latest adventures!
Enjoying Limestone Genre Expo in beautiful Kingston, Ontario.
The Republic of Inanna had a fab evening at Famous Last Words!
Here's how to mix up a No Fury Like That:
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz ginger syrup
2 dashes Bittermen's Hellfire Bitters
2-3 oz ginger beer
1.5 oz Gosling's Rum
Garnish with mint
They are utterly delicious!
Kudos to All Lit Up for this and to the Toronto Star for embracing the story!
BlogTO also jumped onboard!
Awesome banner ad at the airport! First a suitcase rolls across the screen, no book inside- and then a book is added... and that book is No Fury Like That!
