Reviews

The Break by Katherena Vermette

melanied01's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

allthereads_neverthetime's review

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

onemamareads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Read my full review here: https://onemamassummer.weebly.com/book-reviews/the-break

beefmaster's review against another edition

4.0

As others have pointed out, Vermette is a bit too ambitious with the amount of characters. There are just a smidge too many, which means, in a novel of >300 pages, somebody is going to suffer in characterization. 'The Break' does have some thinner characterization here and there, but, on the whole, when the novel works, it works extremely well. Not a perfect novel, but now I'm guaranteed to read her next one.

zmj's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

gaylebn's review against another edition

4.0

The Break is a difficult novel about the lives of Native Canadian women, set in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At the heart of the story is an attack on two young girls in a strip of land known as The Break. It is set in mid through late winter. Most of the women in the story were related and I had difficulty keeping track of who was whose daughter, granddaughter, and cousin. It is told alternatively from each woman’s/girl’s perspective. It is sad but not without hope.

Warning: there is frequent use of the “F word”, so if you cannot overlook it, you probably don’t want to read this. It’s pretty prolific.

I’ve heard of the disappearance of Native women in Canada and would like to read more. If you can suggest a book, please comment.

janetroper's review against another edition

Difficult to read, will try later

alexefontaine's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Drug use, Violence, Sexual violence, and Alcohol

riverdale's review against another edition

Excellent.

alliemackie's review against another edition

5.0

Read as part of One Eread Canada, a very emotional and very touching generational story. CW for violence, including sexual assault of a minor.