In the two decades since Calgary singer-songwriter Jann Arden began writing her debut novel, The Bittlemores, she came up with various fates for the titular characters who make up the dark heart of the story. That would be Harp Bittlemore and Mrs. Bittlemore, or Mrs. B. Arden didn’t think the latter was worthy of a first name. They are easily two of the most loathsome characters put to paper in recent memory. They are hate-filled, delusional, violent and selfish.
Harp is particularly mean when hopped up on homemade booze, which is almost always. Their actions early in the novel destroy a family and ruin at least two childhoods. They are particularly cruel to the animals that suffer on their farm, which is presumably somewhere in rural Alberta although that is never made clear