Following a recent trip to Toronto, I've decided to read some novels by writers living and working in the city, and writing about the city. The two I've read so far are first novels and it shows. But are intriguing nonetheless, and do reinforce my impression of Toronto as a fantastically ethnically diverse city with a strong sense of its own identity.

Raymond and Hannah, by Stephen Marche, is about a young couple who have a mad fling a week before Hannah is due to go to Israel to attend yeshiva. It's interesting not only because of the subject matter - her impressions of Israel, her studies, Raymond's melancholia counterpointing her spiritual development - but also stylistically: Marche adds a commentary in the borders of the text which flustered me slightly ('oh, is that what i'm reading about') but added a neat extra narrative voice.

Norman Bray in the Performance of his Life by Trevor Cole is the story of an ageing, and not terribly successful act-or who bumbles along until forced to confront his own weaknesses. A very irritating character (the clue is in the name - he has a tendency to bray like a donkey at the perceived unfairness of his life) who somehow grew on me.