Darlene Madott

This was an interesting but not consistently engaging collection of linked short stories, obviously informed by the author’s professional life as a Toronto litigation lawyer. The narratives aren’t presented chronologically—I’m not sure why—so I felt tossed about trying to get my bearings a good deal of the time. Add to this the fact that there’s a fair bit of legal jargon, insufficient detail about some of the cases, and occasional elliptical passages I couldn’t make sense of.

Throughout the collection, the central dilemma of the protagonist, Francesca, is raising her son as a single mother all while trying to meet the significant demands of her profession. The main character’s litigation work requires her to abandon some of her core values and ideals. She must take cases to serve the rich and greedy in order to put food on the table. Though there are a couple of stories that address her failed marriage to another lawyer, who’s ultimately shamefully disbarred, most of the pieces focus on her post-divorce experiences. However, the marriage can never entirely be left behind, not only because there’s a child, but also because Francesca is relentlessly pursued by her bankrupt ex’s creditors.

Most of us know the law doesn’t deliver justice and that no one is really interested in getting at the “truth”—should it even exist—so the book delivers no surprises on that front. What is underscored is how difficult it is to get the facts from clients and how messy human lives are—including the lives of those who work to get others out of legal trouble.… (meer)

Making Olives and Other Family Secrets showcases Darlene Madott’s mastery of the short story form. The eight stories in this collection, skilfully fashioned and dextrously conveyed, explore some of life’s universal truths. Madott also pays homage to her Italian-Canadian heritage, but never gratuitously. Instead, her complex storylines and flawed characters reveal a realism that will not leave readers unmoved.

Darlene Madott is a Toronto lawyer and writer. Prior to entering law school, she worked on the editorial staff of Saturday Night and Toronto Life magazines, and wrote book reviews for the Globe & Mail. Her publication of a collection of short stories, Bottled Roses, by Oberon Press in 1985, coincided with her call to the Ontario Bar. In 2002 she won the Paolucci prize from the Italian-American Writer's Association.… (meer)