The Distance: Dreams and Despair is a first novel for Judy Pollard from Nelson.
Before becoming an author, Pollard was an early childcare instructor at the Castlegar Campus of Selkirk College. Upon retirement, she took up writing. Inspired by her deceased husband Ted’s stories about local characters and an interest in Kootenay history, Pollard created a novel of pioneering life in the early 20th Century.
In terms of following the storyline, Pollard’s novel is a pleasant read, nothing too complicated beyond the rifts of the characters. She handles the landscape well, outlining the magnificence of the mountains, the lake, and the rivers near the community of Argenta. She also gives us specific details of the various characters so that we’re able to differentiate their behaviour as we read.
It’s a harsh pioneering life Pollard outlines with the forests to be cleared, cabins to be built, and odd jobs to be worked to bring in enough money to live on. It’s a tough and rough life she depicts, one of long days of heavy toil and the tragedies of death, a house burning, and rancour arising within the main partnership.
The novel’s focus is on three young Swiss men (Wilbert, his brother Hubert, and Thomas) who set out to British Columbia for adventure and to start a new life. They have claimed an exemption of land near Argenta and Mount Willet in a far corner of Kootenay Lake. This was an area that could only be reached by the Moyie paddle-wheeler and various other smaller boats.
What Pollard documents is the dream these men have, their enthusiasm for proving up the land and clearing the woods. One man, Wilbert, is a quiet and steady soul, while his main partner, Thomas, is a stubborn person who becomes more and more obnoxious as the narrative progresses. Eventually, the third pioneer, Hubert, drowns during the process of recovering logs, and Wilbert blames Thomas. From that point on, the animosity heightens between the two of them and the author sets up the increased tensions quite effectively.
Somewhere during the early days, Wilbert returns to Switzerland and courts Lisa who comes to Canada to be his wife. Not to be outdone,Thomas takes up with Wilbert’s sister and marries her, which should have made things better.
However, the bad feeling between the two partners is compounded when Thomas takes liberties with Wilbert’s wife Lisa, and Wilbert finds out.
The quiet and gentle Wilbert decides to “defend” his honour and that of his wife, and Pollard describes in precise detail the explosive event which follows. She also details what happens to Wilbert and his subsequent confessions about the event.
What follows is a carefully documented court case outlining the evidence of the crime and the community’s emotions. From my experience of court proceedings, things have changed dramatically since then. However, Pollard’s narrative rings true for the times.
Pollard’s novel is available online and at various outlets and libraries.
