Wanda is feeling stressed. It looks like her contract teaching job at a college will be axed due to government budget cuts and her musician boyfriend may be canoodling with his old friend. When she stops in at the supermarket to buy some coconut milk for a Thai curry she has no idea that something will happen that will send her stress spiralling out of control. She does not anticipate a shooting incident in the St. John's, Newfoundland grocery store. She could not have foreseen that she would take down a mad gunman with her can of coconut milk or that a video of the event would go viral, making her a local, even national heroine. Bridget Canning's Wanda is touchingly vulnerable. In the digital era fame brings with it unbearable scrutiny and Wanda behaves as anyone might. She doesn't feel heroic; in fact she is crippled by anxiety. Is she paranoid or is someone out to get her? Canning's first novel is well-paced and witty. I look forward to reading more from her soon.
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