A Thirst for Destruction

Thetford Mines is a blunt name for a town, perhaps the bluntest in Quebec now that its economic twin, Asbestos, has been renamed Val‑des‑Sources. Once dubbed the City of White Gold, Thetford Mines had seven asbestos developments in its vicinity; after the mineral was identified as a carcinogen in the 1980s, they began shutting down, with the last closing in 2012. Sébastien Dulude’s first novel, Amiante (Asbestos), provides an intimate account of growing up in the city during its period of decline, when the ordinary dramas of childhood and adolescence clash against the backdrop of a dying industry.

The first half of this coming-of-age story follows the passionate friendship between the nine-year-old protagonist, Steve, and his classmate Charlélie. The two decorate a makeshift cabin in the woods and read The Adventures of Tintin, while Steve discovers his first pornographic magazine and experiments with masturbation. Such common experiences are...