Manfred Weiszl who lies dying of cancer in an upper room of a grand old Toronto house. The action of the novel is precipitated when Manfred wishes to see Rupert his son before he dies and Rupert refuses to cooperate. However, Moments of Joy, is a novel of character rather than plot. The intrigue and narrative is around how these characters, and in particular the three women central to Manfred's life, interact with each other, play off each other, and how an intervening fate operates in their lives as they discover that through (or in spite of ) the incredible antics of mankind, life can be salvaged, can be joyful and magical.
Cecelia Frey is the author of thirteen books of fiction and poetry as well as works of non-fiction and award-winning plays. Her reviews, essays and articles have appeared in publications as varied as The Globe and Mail and Canadian Literature. Her work has been broadcast on CBC Radio and performed on the Women’s Television Network.