There is no question that Joanna Cockerline’s new book “STILL” deserves to be longlisted for the prestigious 2025 Giller Prize Award.
Told with empathy and an intimate knowledge of the streets, “STILL” is the story of Kayla, a sex worker who lives and works on the streets of Kelowna, B. C., and her much cherished friend, Little Zoe, who has gone missing. Although it is not unusual for Little Zoe to be absent for periods of time, this absence feels different. And while the homeless, the sex workers and missing women from the streets have been covered often in the media, Cockerline’s compassion, knowledge and ability to drop readers into her characters’ emotions, addictions and day-to-day struggles and joys, along with their community loyalty and affections for each other, is masterful.
Like an artist piecing together a mosaic, Cockerline paints street life and the people in them in multicolour hues that are vibrant, kind and hopeful. No one lives outside of the shadows of her empathy, nor is there judgement of the “what is.” Indeed, Cockerline is a master animator who brings every person to life, foibles and all.
The minute descriptions that encapsulate sense of place also thrive under Cockerline’s pen, such as: “…the bus continued through misty, pine-cloaked mountains and frozen waterfalls, all under a pale winter sky.”
Survival is tantamount, and the “unhoused” come together to help and protect. Any judgement is negated by the inclusion of details about some of the “John’s,” and the behind-the-scenes lives of one or two of the support workers who roam the streets adds poignancy to the story. The inclusion of Livia, a kind and caring social worker whose alcohol addiction gives her context for her “clients,” deepens the narrative, making it that much more real for Kayla, who intuits what is going on. It allows for a common point of understanding to flourish between two people who are really not that different, even though one lives on the street and one lives in a beautiful suburban home.
“STILL” is a must read for anyone interested in what is a seismic and concerning trigger point in our current culture. @mosaic_books #gillerprize #canlit #porcupinebooks