Valentine in Montreal: A Novel

A Montreal adventure comes to life when a lonely girl at the metro station convenience store spots her mysterious doppelganger, in this playful and surprising novel by the inimitable Heather O’Neill, beautifully illustrated by Arizona O’Neill

In the tradition of the serialized novels of Charles Dickens, Heather O’Neill brings us Valentine in Montreal. Originally published in weekly instalments in the Montreal Gazette, this is the unforgettable story of Valentine, a lonely orphan working in a depanneur at a Montreal metro station, who spots her look-alike. As Valentine follows this seeming twin onto the subway and out into the city, her world is changed—she meets gangsters, composers, ballet dancers, and a cricket playing a mournful tune, and she experiences the city in all its teeming energy.

Valentine in Montreal is the playful, moving, and surprising story of a young woman who finds connection and the courage to break free of what has been holding her back. It’s also a celebration of Montreal and its artistry and vibrancy, both above and below ground. Illustrations by graphic artist Arizona O’Neill run throughout.