The Imperialist Book

The tone of this book is like L.M. Montgomery's writing voice, only with jarring throwaway racist and ableist comments on the part of both characters and narrator. The rest is bad politics with some amusing social commentary that doesn't achieve enough distance from its subject to really work for me as satire. You're not always quite sure if you're supposed to agree with what's going on.
The main character, Lorne Murchison, isn't nearly as interesting as his sister Advena, whose story is given less page time though it's much more riveting. I found it difficult to care about yet another white guy who's totally blind to his privilege. I'd be happy to be friends with Advena. I'd be bored to talk to Lorne.
Duncan's writing style is excellent, despite the problems one finds as a 21st-century reader. She has a wonderful vocabulary and a gift for wry phrasing and funny similes.