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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Stunning slivers of life sometimes enter the mind like this: a novel that, in a compressed vision of a community, presents its reader with something more real than the daily grind, more keen-sighted than reality permits. Here's what happens: a community of women sustain each other through the ravages that societal disrepair entail. Here, too: a small girl falls victim, and in her distress the women see themselves just as clearly as they see her own pain's differences and similarities.
The Break is an apt name, as apt as Middlemarch was for George Eliot's vision of progress, liberal politics, and a community in which she envisioned history happening and being made. Like Eliot, Vermette recreates an entire culture, a community and a politics and a history. But here, societal progress is frustrated, broken up against its ongoing colonial violence and patriarchal malaise. What's left is The Break: resilient women, quickening children, and distant men.
This is a beautiful, wounded novel. I could hardly put it down; it was unflinching, at times hard to read.
It is absolutely something that you need.
The Break is an apt name, as apt as Middlemarch was for George Eliot's vision of progress, liberal politics, and a community in which she envisioned history happening and being made. Like Eliot, Vermette recreates an entire culture, a community and a politics and a history. But here, societal progress is frustrated, broken up against its ongoing colonial violence and patriarchal malaise. What's left is The Break: resilient women, quickening children, and distant men.
This is a beautiful, wounded novel. I could hardly put it down; it was unflinching, at times hard to read.
It is absolutely something that you need.
Well done read on topics needing more exposure - native culture, women's roles, victims and gangs, etc. Was pretty good for providing insight through various storylines, but didn't really feel it came out with a good ending (at least for a book, in real life of course there's no easy ending)...
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This book was incredible. The subject matter was heartbreaking but it was so well written I couldn't put in down. I loved how the stories came together. Haunting, sad, beautiful. Loved it and can't wait to read more of her work.
i read this for class but i really enjoyed it in a deep personal way simply cuz it’s set in my city (+ indigenous families, i felt so connected to them)
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a beautiful story about family. Although there’s a tragedy that occurs, it’s not the focal point of the story. The family relationships were a little confusing at first, but I was grateful to be able to reference the family tree. I enjoyed the changing POVs in each chapter!
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really powerful look at the effects of intergenerational family trauma and continuing impacts of colonialism in a Canadian setting. It was heartbreaking, dark and at times hard to keep reading, but I always felt drawn back in to see where it would go.
