The End of Prim
By Michelle Tocher
Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong
Freed from the constraints imposed upon her by herself and a youth-centred society, Prim embraces carpe diem at the world’s end to experience for the first time who she truly is under her tidy, flat-brimmed hat. Expect to laugh and cry through this poignant novella, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong.
~ The Reviews Are In! ~
“Michelle Tocher’s touching account of an older woman’s existential crisis is alternately heartbreaking, funny, tender, and life-affirming. Its straightforward, simple style makes it all the more profound and affecting.”
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— Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader
“Loved it! A whimsical meditation on identity and what it means to live constrained by roles, labels and masks.”
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— Abha S. for Reedsy
“The End of Prim is a beautiful, whimsical book that will stay with you. Michelle Tocher’s writing is original, perceptive, delightful and will bring you to tears and laughter, sometimes in the same moment. A book that I would highly recommend.”
— Ines Colabrese, CBC Producer
“The End of Prim is a journey tale that takes the most delightful detours into the feminine imagination. Too familiar is Prim’s lifelong struggle to remove the layers of family sadness and societal expectations to get at the core of the self and on with the business of truly living. Tocher’s approach to the attempt is humorous, leaving us reassured that even if our true face never meets the light of day, we can still have a good bit of fun along the way.”
— Suzanne Desrochers, Author, Bride of New France
“With wit, warmth, and wonderful humour, Michelle Tocher gives us an intimate look at the slow death of outgrown roles, patterns and beliefs that coincide with wisdom and age. As Prim discovers new truths about herself and her family history, our own origin stories are illuminated; as Prim casts off her protective layers, our own self-limiting beliefs are cast off. Prim’s transformation is touching, hilarious and contagious – you’ll joyously follow her on the journey home.”
— Kristen Roderick, Ceremonialist and Fiber Artist
“I really loved the book. Prim is so fully drawn as a character that she jumps off the page and into your heart. The whimsical illustrations and humour give the book a light tone, even though it deals with pretty serious subject matter. The juxtaposition of lightness and seriousness works, and makes for a very inspiring story.”
— Becky Shaw, Playwright, The Wild Guys
