Shadows on the Rock

First published in 1931, 'Shadows on the Rock' is a quietly powerful historical novel set in 17th-century Quebec. The story centers on young Cécile Auclair and her father, Euclide, an apothecary serving the remote French colonial town. As the long, harsh Canadian winter descends, Cécile tends to her household with devotion, preserving the customs and faith of her French heritage in a distant and often unforgiving land.

Through a series of intimate, reflective episodes, the novel captures the...