Quebec Author Revives Lost Voices of Labor in New Work
Montreal, QC – Author Marie-Hélène Voyer’s latest collection, Precious Blood, gives voice to the often-silenced stories of working-class individuals, resurrecting forgotten histories and honoring real victims of harsh labor conditions. The work, lauded for its narrative strength and poetic language, arrives at a moment of renewed focus on worker rights and historical accountability.
Voyer’s “workers’ songs” weave together historical figures and compelling narratives, utilizing the vibrant, often inventive language of a bygone era.The book isn’t simply a historical exercise; it’s a deliberate act of preservation, safeguarding a linguistic heritage and ensuring these stories aren’t lost to time. ”Literature is always an empathy exercise,” Voyer explains. “When you write, you put yourself in someone else’s shoes and, when you read, you can discover other destinies.”
The collection draws heavily from Voyer’s childhood memories and the oral traditions of her upbringing. She describes her early exposure to language as her “first poetry,” stemming from the speech of elders in her community. however, her approach isn’t rooted in nostalgia, but rather a commitment to preserving words and expressions that are fading from use.
“These are words that I like,that I find stunning and that I do not want to see disappear,” Voyer stated,adding,”I think there is a real poetry,a popular inventiveness in the language that must be saved and repatriate on the side of literature.” Voyer received double honors at the 2023 booksellers’ awards for her work.
Precious Blood is now available in bookstores.