Here the Dark

Here the Dark combines a novella and seven short stories from acclaimed Canadian author David Bergen, marking his return to short fiction after years of novel writing. The collection earned a spot on the 2020 Giller Prize shortlist and won the 2021 McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. The stories follow characters facing pivotal moments and moral choices across varied settings and circumstances. The titular novella focuses on a young Mennonite woman in a religious community who must navigate between faith, duty, and personal desire. Each narrative explores human nature through characters who grapple with their beliefs, relationships, and place in the world. The collection demonstrates Bergen's ability to capture complex emotional and spiritual struggles within contained narratives. The work examines themes of faith, morality, and human connection, asking questions about how people find meaning and make choices in challenging circumstances. Through these interconnected yet distinct stories, Bergen creates a meditation on the darkness and light within human experience.

Readers describe this short story collection as contemplative and focused on moral dilemmas, with particular emphasis on faith, desire, and isolation in rural settings. Readers appreciated: - The nuanced exploration of Mennonite communities - Clean, precise prose style - Strong sense of place in Manitoba settings - Complex character relationships - The title novella's emotional depth Common criticisms: - Some stories feel unresolved - Pacing described as slow by multiple readers - Religious themes can be heavy-handed - Characters' motivations sometimes unclear Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (144 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comments: "The writing is beautiful but the stories left me wanting more closure" - Goodreads reviewer "Bergen captures small-town Prairie life perfectly" - Amazon reviewer "Too much religious symbolism overshadows the actual narratives" - LibraryThing reviewer

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields Chronicles the life of a Canadian woman through interconnected narratives that examine faith, belonging, and personal choice in ways that echo Bergen's exploration of morality and meaning.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid Follows characters navigating between tradition and change through a lens of magical realism, mirroring the tension between duty and desire found in Bergen's stories.

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews Centers on a young woman in a Mennonite community wrestling with faith and independence, sharing thematic DNA with Bergen's exploration of religious constraints.

What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad Weaves together multiple perspectives in examining moral choices and human connection across cultural boundaries, similar to Bergen's approach to character complexity.

Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese Depicts characters confronting personal histories and spiritual beliefs in rural Canadian settings, reflecting Bergen's focus on faith and human nature.

🔸 David Bergen grew up in a Mennonite community in Manitoba, Canada, which directly influences the authentic portrayal of Mennonite life and faith struggles in his writing. 🔸 The book won the 2020 Patterson Literary Prize, adding to Bergen's impressive list of accolades, including the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his 2005 novel "The Time in Between." 🔸 Mennonite literature, which this collection partly represents, emerged as a distinct literary genre in North America during the 1970s, giving voice to a previously underrepresented religious and cultural group. 🔸 The title "Here the Dark" draws inspiration from a line in John 12:35: "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you," reflecting the collection's central themes of spiritual struggle. 🔸 Bergen taught Creative Writing at the University of Manitoba and Red River College, helping shape a new generation of Canadian writers while developing his own distinct literary voice.