Tegan and Sara’s Tegan Quin champions a period piece with a queer love triangle on Canada Reads
Tegan and Sara Quin, the celebrated pop-indie duo, have expanded their creative reach beyond music and into the literary world. Known for their ten studio albums and hits like “Closer,” the twins are now deeply engaged with the power of books, both as readers and as advocates for literacy and representation.
A Storied Career Evolves
Tegan and Sara have achieved significant success throughout their music career, selling over a million records and receiving accolades including Juno and GLAAD awards, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and nominations for the Polaris Music Prize and the Grammys. Their foray into writing began in 2019 with the joint memoir, High School, followed by the middle-grade graphic novel duology Tegan & Sara: Junior High, illustrated by Tillie Walden. This expansion reflects a long-held passion for literature, cultivated through a book blog that began on their website and continues today on Substack.
Championing Untold Stories
Tegan Quin, based in Vancouver, is an avid reader who consistently makes time for books, often reading before bed. Her recent selection for a book club is Loghan Paylor’s historical fiction novel, The Cure For Drowning. The novel, set in 1939, centers on Kit McNair, born Kathleen, and explores themes of identity, romance, and sibling relationships against the backdrop of a changing world.
Quin was drawn to The Cure for Drowning specifically because of its portrayal of sibling bonds, noting that “The sibling relationship can be so tiresome and difficult and arduous, but…you would do anything for your sibling.” She also highlighted the novel’s importance in representing queer stories from a period where such narratives were largely absent from mainstream literature. Paylor, a queer trans author, wrote the novel partly to provide representation for their younger self and for queer forebears.
A Novel’s Impact
The Cure for Drowning follows Kit McNair as they navigate societal expectations and a complex love triangle with Rebekah, a German Canadian doctor’s daughter, and Kit’s brother, Landon. The characters’ paths diverge as they enter different war efforts, and their eventual return home necessitates confronting their past. Quin believes the novel’s relatability extends beyond its historical setting, stating, “You don’t have to be from 1939 to relate to not being seen.”
Paylor’s work has already garnered recognition, being longlisted for both the 2024 Giller Prize and the 2025 CBC Nonfiction Prize. The author aimed to create a story where queer and transgender identities are portrayed as sources of strength and courage, rather than tragedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the theme of Tegan and Sara’s book club?
The theme is “one book to build bridges.”
What inspired Loghan Paylor to write The Cure for Drowning?
Paylor wanted to create a story with queer and transgender characters who get to live and thrive, and to fill a gap in historical representation.
What kind of books does Tegan Quin enjoy reading?
Quin reads widely and often, enjoying fiction, nonfiction, and everything in between.
As Tegan and Sara continue to champion literature and diverse storytelling, it’s possible their influence will encourage further exploration of underrepresented voices and narratives. Their advocacy could also inspire other artists to expand their creative endeavors beyond their primary mediums. Will this increased focus on literary engagement lead to further projects from the duo in the future?