Cataract City

Written by Craig Davidson

Narrated by James Colby and Graham Winton

***Shortlisted for 2013 Giller Prize*** Owen and Duncan are childhood friends who've grown up in picturesque Niagara Falls--known to them by the grittier name Cataract City. As the two know well, there's more to the bordertown than meets the eye: behind the gaudy storefronts and sidewalk vendors, past the hawkers of tourist T-shirts and cheap souvenirs live the real people who scrape together a living by toiling at the Bisk, the local cookie factory. And then there are the truly desperate, those who find themselves drawn to the borderline and a world of dog-racing, bare-knuckle fighting, and night-time smuggling. Owen and Duncan think they are different: both dream of escape, a longing made more urgent by a near-death incident in childhood that sealed their bond. But in adulthood their paths diverge, and as Duncan, the less privileged, falls deep into the town's underworld, he and Owen become reluctant adversaries at opposite ends of the law. At stake is not only survival and escape, but a lifelong friendship that can only be broken at an unthinkable price.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490618883

Craig Davidson

Craig Davidson was born in Toronto. He wrote Rust and Bone in 2005 and his debut novel, The Fighter, in 2007. His next novel is set in the Niagara Falls region and is titled Cataract City. It will be published by Atlantic UK in early 2014. Craig enjoys hearing from his readers, and encourages them to contact him through his website, www.craigdavidson.net.

Reviews for Cataract City

[paradiseporch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(Fiction, Contemporary, Suspense, Canadian)A short-list nominee for Canada’s 2013 Giller Prize, Cataract City is set in Niagara Falls Ontario, where the gorge into the Falls gives the city its nickname.Owen and Duncan are childhood friends who’ve grown up in Niagara Falls. As adults, the two men end up at opposite ends of the law: Dunc gets in involved in cross-border cigarette smuggling and Owen is a police officer.Although I’m not really a fan of suspense, this kept my interest throughout, perhaps because I’m personally familiar with the “Cataract City”.Notable quote: It boiled down to this: it’s a lot harder to love than to hate. Harder to be there for those you love—to see them get older, get sick, be taken from you in sudden awful ways. Hate’s dead simple. You can hate an utter stranger from a thousand miles away. It asks nothing of you. It eats you from the inside but it takes no effort or thought at all. (page 327)4 stars

[lorettar-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My reasons for choosing this book to read:1. Canadian author2. Set in a place I love and know well >> Niagara Falls aka "Cataract City"When I started reading this book, I thought Yikes! This is not what I was expecting, too masculine for my taste. However, I chose this book to read for our book club for the month of May AND I invited the author to join us via telephone (he kindly accepted) to discuss his novel during our monthly meet. Therefore, I had no choice but to read it to the end. VERY happy to say it turned out to be a brilliant idea (self pat on the back), because as I kept reading those cute little red rating stars kept multiplying.The name alone was intriguing, I looked it up, and to my surprise found out it is a true nickname for Niagara Falls. I never knew that and I love finding out new information about things/places I thought I knew everything (obviously not) about. In addition, I love learning about things I know nothing about. Well Craig is a good teacher, too good at times during certain brutal, graphic scenes in the novel! He taught me about dog racing, dog fighting, and men fighting to the point I said out loud >> TMI! Not sure that I really wanted to know ALL that! However, that is a good thing, because if a writer and his words do not evoke any emotions, good, or bad, he is not a writer worth reading.The heart of the story is about true friendship between two men, Duncan (blue collar) and Owen (white collar) and a female (strong, tough girl) character I loved, Edwina.Craig is a writer worth reading! His prose is genius, descriptive, and visual. He is a masterful storyteller that has the unique ability to put you right in the story ringside. (Pun intended)PS. Our book club truly enjoyed our chat with Craig. To quote one of our members: “Craig was so candid, entertaining, and generous with his time.”Thanks again Craig!

[maggieflo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a very well written story and I would probably give it a higher score if I were a male reader as I believe the story, violence, and life style would be more appealing to a guy. The story is told by two narrators, Owen Stuckey and Duncan Diggs, two kids growing up in Niagara Falls Ontario.They are best friends until they spend a couple of nights lost in the woods at the age of eleven and are forbidden from seeing each other by their parents. Owen is from a well educated family and Duncan's background is more working class. Years later their lives intersect again over greyhound dog racing and a girl named Edwina Murphy. Cataract city seems like the kind of place that is unkind to its younger generation. Those tho stay end up Working at the cookie factory or at the dock. Most with any ambition leave.The characters are really well described but I found the story went on too long in some parts, especially the first and last chapters when Owe and Dunc are lost in the woods. Several encounters various aspects of the law round out the tale.

[romonko · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is unlike any book I've ever read before. For one thing it is truly a masculine story with two childhood friends and their lives in Cataract City (Niagara Falls). The book is rough and tumble to say the least. It begins with two twelve year old boys (Duncan and Owen) who were taken out to the woods. The kidnapper died the night he stole the boys and the two boys were left to try to find their way out of the forest around Niagara Falls on their own. They got lost and wandered for three days, but their survival instinct was truly remarkable, and they managed to survive. Those boys grew up but the episode forever changed them. Owen managed to get out of Cataract City and he became a cop. Duncan never left and instead stayed and thoroughly explored the underworld of his city. We get first hand looks at greyhound racing, dog fights, bare-knuckle fighting, smuggling and a good look at the people who live in that underworld. Through it all Duncan remains remarkably grounded, but that doesn't prevent him from getting into serious trouble and being sent to prison. The book is so descriptive and so well-written, that it almost felt like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. It's difficult in spots because of the clairty and the "no-holds-barred" writing of Craig Davidson, but the tension remains throughout until the very end of the book. I really couldn't put it down. I feel like I really got to know Dunk and Owe and their city. In fact, Cataract City is so well-described that it actually felt like it was another character in this edgey, brilliant book. This is a wonderful, sprawling and gutsy book that I think should have won the Giller Prize. It's not an easy book to read. In fact, it is very difficult and graphic, but it's one that will stick with me for a long time.