Natalie Zina Walschots asks 'Who decides who's the good guy and the bad guy?' in Canada Reads novel Hench
Actor and comedian Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is championing Hench on Canada Reads 2021
Natalie Zina Walschots is a writer and journalist from Toronto. She is also the author of the poetry collections DOOM: Love Poems for Supervillains and Thumbscrews. Hench is her first novel.
Hench is a novel about Anna, a woman who pays the bills by doing administrative work for villains. But when an incident involving the world's most popular superhero leaves her injured and gets her fired, Anna realizes what happened to her isn't unique — and she might have the means to take down the so-called hero who hurt her.
How? With every office worker's secret weapon: data.
Actor and comedian Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is championing Hench on Canada Reads 2021.
Canada Reads will take place March 8-11. The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem and on CBC Books.
Walschots spoke to Chris dela Torre on CBC Radio's Afternoon Drive in London.
Can you give us a sense of what Hench is about?
Hench is about a young henchwoman. Her name is Anna. She does a lot of boring administrative work for terrible people, something I certainly could relate to in my 20s. Except Anna does it for actual supervillains, instead of the people who act like them. She has recently got a job where she feels like she could have some security, maybe at least some extended drug coverage, something like that. Instead, in a run-in with a high profile superhero, she's very badly injured. During her extended convalescence, she uses research, math and a bunch of resentment to come to the conclusion that heroes are actually bad.
It sounds amusing and fun, but I know that you also tackle some heavier themes here. Could you tell us a bit more about those and why you chose to tell the story in this way?
I do want to emphasize that before I say this, I promise the book is funny. But it does wrestle a lot with questions about authority and heroism — and who gets to decide who is a good guy and who is a bad guy.
I promise the book is funny. But it does wrestle a lot with questions about authority and heroism and who gets to decide who is a good guy and who is a bad guy.
Calling somebody a hero, or the veneer of heroism, can excuse or cover up some pretty horrific things. It's very much about power and authority and who gets to decide what justice means. All of that is bound up with a lot of orbital lasers and lava guns.
That brings me to the theme of Canada Reads this year, which is the one book to transport us. Why does Hench fall into that category?
I hope the place that Hench transports readers to is pretty recognizable. Obviously there are superpowers and things are weird and the costumes are at least as ridiculous as ours are. But it should feel weirdly familiar. It should feel like a very gritty and lived-in universe, one that's adjacent to the reality in which we live.
The Canada Reads debates are just a few weeks away, but the process has essentially started already. You've met your book's defender, the actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. What was that like?
He is a sheer delight. I am overjoyed he's the person who's going to be championing Hench. He is so eloquent and enthusiastic and got what I was trying to do with the book. I can't imagine a better champion. He's also a gigantic nerd like me. Being able to meet him and find a kindred spirit has been super wonderful.
I've definitely seen him at the Calgary Comic Expo for a number of years. I know the superhero culture is right up his alley.
On the first video call we were on together, I immediately spotted a Ghostbusters proton pack in his background. I'm like, this is going to be fine. We're fine.
What has this been like for you, in terms of being involved with Canada Reads? How does it feel to have Hench chosen for this?
It doesn't feel super real, to be honest. I keep feeling like I need to pinch myself. It's been extraordinary to be on this platform.
These books are so good. I feel really privileged to be a part of a cohort that is this strong.
The thing that's the most wild to me is how many people are already reading the book and engaging with it. I think folks that might not have read it otherwise. I get messages every day that is some version of 'I never would have picked this up and I'm so glad that I did.'
I imagine it's a really great experience so far. But you'll get to the point where you'll hear people debating about whether your piece of work is better or worse than someone else's. How are you feeling about possibly tuning in and listening?
I'm definitely going to tune in and listen. My feelings have been long deadened to any sort of critique. I'm not worried about that. These books are so good. I feel really privileged to be a part of a cohort that is this strong. I'm really looking forward to it, to be perfectly honest.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
The Canada Reads 2021 contenders
- Rosey Edeh champions The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk
- Scott Helman champions Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee
- Devery Jacobs champions Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
- Paul Sun-Hyung Lee champions Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots
- Roger Mooking champions Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
