• Reading age: 16 to 18

Sensitive and enlightening, Cibou is set in 17th-century Mi’kma’ki, territory of the Mi’kmaq of Maritime Canada. The story is that of a young Mi’kmaw woman and her relationship with Jesuit missionary Antoine Daniel – a historical figure who was stationed in Cape Breton – and his brother, Captain Charles Daniel who had established a French fishing and trading post there. (The priest Daniel was later posted to Huronia where he later met a violent end and martyrdom as Saint Anthony Daniel.) Susan Biagi has woven a marvelously intuitive tale … at once beautiful and harsh, observing the simple and dangerous lives of cultures interacting on the threshold of new world history.

Susan is originally from Cape Breton and has written or co-written several books as well as for multimedia and newspapers. She holds a master's degree in history from the University of New Brunswick. Susan and her family live in Powell River, British Columbia. This is her first novel.

Susan Young de Biagi's profile page

• Short-listed, Atlantic Book Award