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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The House of Broken Bricks is a captivating journey into the lives of the Hembry family, inviting readers to step into a world filled with heartache, resilience, and the search for belonging. The novel's structure, divided into seasons, mirrors the ebb and flow of the family's emotions. From the biting chill of winter to the vibrant blooms of spring, each season brings new challenges and opportunities for growth showing us the dynamics of the characters.
.
This book essentially is totally character focused, lyrical and has nature play a very vital character. As you follow Tess, Richard, and their twin sons, Max and Sonny, through the picturesque Somerset Levels, you can't help but be drawn into their struggles and triumphs. Tess, torn between her Jamaican heritage and her life in England, resonates with anyone who's ever felt torn between two worlds. Richard's silent strength as a market gardener hides the pain of his own grief, while Max's journey to find his place in a predominantly white community feels achingly real.
But it's Sonny, with his ethereal presence and unwavering hope, who truly steals your heart. Through Williams's evocative prose, you can almost feel the weight of the family's crumbling home and the healing power of the surrounding countryside.
.
Although the grief, the distance between the family is palpable, we never get to know of the actual event, but only the way it has affected the people. We can guess tho, the switch between the first and third person POV is quite distinct. I really could not decide who s I liked the best.
.
Throughout the narrative, Williams skillfully navigates themes of race, identity, and belonging, offering a nuanced exploration of the challenges faced by a bi-racial family in a predominantly white community. The family's journey for reconciliation and self-discovery is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, culminating in a deeply satisfying conclusion that celebrates the power of love and resilience.
.
Don't look for a story here, just revel in the characters and the language
.
This book essentially is totally character focused, lyrical and has nature play a very vital character. As you follow Tess, Richard, and their twin sons, Max and Sonny, through the picturesque Somerset Levels, you can't help but be drawn into their struggles and triumphs. Tess, torn between her Jamaican heritage and her life in England, resonates with anyone who's ever felt torn between two worlds. Richard's silent strength as a market gardener hides the pain of his own grief, while Max's journey to find his place in a predominantly white community feels achingly real.
But it's Sonny, with his ethereal presence and unwavering hope, who truly steals your heart. Through Williams's evocative prose, you can almost feel the weight of the family's crumbling home and the healing power of the surrounding countryside.
.
Although the grief, the distance between the family is palpable, we never get to know of the actual event, but only the way it has affected the people. We can guess tho, the switch between the first and third person POV is quite distinct. I really could not decide who s I liked the best.
.
Throughout the narrative, Williams skillfully navigates themes of race, identity, and belonging, offering a nuanced exploration of the challenges faced by a bi-racial family in a predominantly white community. The family's journey for reconciliation and self-discovery is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, culminating in a deeply satisfying conclusion that celebrates the power of love and resilience.
.
Don't look for a story here, just revel in the characters and the language
emotional
sad
slow-paced
challenging
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The twist in the middle got me, and then things began to make sense. I connected with Tess so much. My heart hurt for all of the characters throughout. I wanted a little more from the conclusion, but overall this was a solid, beautifully written, heart-wrenching story.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautiful written. But nothing was really happening and also could also see that it was going to be sad.
Grief is one of my favourite things to read about because it impacts everybody so differently and is yet equally profound in every way. This book highlights that perfectly. I especially enjoyed the lyrical writing of Sonny's sections, especially considering what he's going through and his unique perspective.
3.5 stars
thank you to @faberbooks and @nbmagazine for sending me a copy!
Fiona Williams channels both her love for nature and storytelling in this beautiful debut. This book is essentially a character-driven story that follows the family members through their evolving emotions, grief, and identity. without a linear arc, it’s a close insight into a family in a small town at a tough period, lush with beautiful writing and greenery; it’s a mosaic of family ties, broken marriages, acceptance, miscommunication, loss and grief. Williams does an incredible job at portraying each character’s voice, shifting tones as she goes from one point of view to another. There is a childhood innocence to the children’s chapters, an overriding feeling anxiety in Tessa’s chapters, and a sense of isolation in Richard’s chapters. This dimensionality of the characters fosters a connection between readers and the family, drawing us into their story.
From the first page, we are wrapped in tension and a gradually impending heaviness. We are not too sure what has happened, yet the words burrow deeper, signalling hidden dejection and escalating into weariness. The author throws a curveball at a later point in the book, which I didn’t anticipate, and it totally changes the reading experience as you start to understand where the cracks lie and begin to watch the light dimming. The backdrop of the different seasons reflects the cycle of life at the heart of the novel; the everyday rhythms ebbing and flowing while the unconditional familial love remains constant.
A main driving force behind the story is nature. Williams paints visceral images of natural elements, which are weaved into every part of the story, often representing moments of inner conflict. The landscape is alive in every word; the slither of vines and run of the river transcend the pages and serve as a pillar of beauty.
Alongside the character’s inner lives, we encounter themes of racism, colourism, and belonging. As a daughter to Jamaican immigrants and the only black person in a small town, Tessa is subjected to a wariness and close inspection by everyone around her. This surveillance suffocates her, and she deftly expresses the loneliness involved in being the sole carrier of her appearance and heritage. There’s also the fact that her twins are different in colour: Sonny is black like his mother, while Max is white presenting. This, of course, raises further questions and intensifies the struggle of prejudice that coloured people often confront. Through the eyes of Max, we see an attempt to come to terms with his identity as a multi-ethnic individual who seems to never be fully accepted by both sides.
The story’s only weak point is that it becomes a little too repetitive, as the reader becomes the onlooker of a growing rift in Tessa and Richard’s marriage and parenthood. Although we root for some productive communication and intimacy between the married couple, the placid hum of their detachment continues. Nonetheless, we close the last page with a sense of relief and bittersweet contentment for this family tale.
thank you to @faberbooks and @nbmagazine for sending me a copy!
Fiona Williams channels both her love for nature and storytelling in this beautiful debut. This book is essentially a character-driven story that follows the family members through their evolving emotions, grief, and identity. without a linear arc, it’s a close insight into a family in a small town at a tough period, lush with beautiful writing and greenery; it’s a mosaic of family ties, broken marriages, acceptance, miscommunication, loss and grief. Williams does an incredible job at portraying each character’s voice, shifting tones as she goes from one point of view to another. There is a childhood innocence to the children’s chapters, an overriding feeling anxiety in Tessa’s chapters, and a sense of isolation in Richard’s chapters. This dimensionality of the characters fosters a connection between readers and the family, drawing us into their story.
From the first page, we are wrapped in tension and a gradually impending heaviness. We are not too sure what has happened, yet the words burrow deeper, signalling hidden dejection and escalating into weariness. The author throws a curveball at a later point in the book, which I didn’t anticipate, and it totally changes the reading experience as you start to understand where the cracks lie and begin to watch the light dimming. The backdrop of the different seasons reflects the cycle of life at the heart of the novel; the everyday rhythms ebbing and flowing while the unconditional familial love remains constant.
A main driving force behind the story is nature. Williams paints visceral images of natural elements, which are weaved into every part of the story, often representing moments of inner conflict. The landscape is alive in every word; the slither of vines and run of the river transcend the pages and serve as a pillar of beauty.
Alongside the character’s inner lives, we encounter themes of racism, colourism, and belonging. As a daughter to Jamaican immigrants and the only black person in a small town, Tessa is subjected to a wariness and close inspection by everyone around her. This surveillance suffocates her, and she deftly expresses the loneliness involved in being the sole carrier of her appearance and heritage. There’s also the fact that her twins are different in colour: Sonny is black like his mother, while Max is white presenting. This, of course, raises further questions and intensifies the struggle of prejudice that coloured people often confront. Through the eyes of Max, we see an attempt to come to terms with his identity as a multi-ethnic individual who seems to never be fully accepted by both sides.
The story’s only weak point is that it becomes a little too repetitive, as the reader becomes the onlooker of a growing rift in Tessa and Richard’s marriage and parenthood. Although we root for some productive communication and intimacy between the married couple, the placid hum of their detachment continues. Nonetheless, we close the last page with a sense of relief and bittersweet contentment for this family tale.
I did the audiobook version of this title.
Grief can do terrible things to a family.
This is exactly what you see happening with Tess and Richard.
Part of their deep dark secret is easy to figure out part way through the story, but it is closer to 3/4 of the way in that you learn the truth. Then you see how broken the survivors are and how they need to lean into each other if the family is going to survive. You can also see how someone's upbringing can influence how they handle life after a loved one's death.
I appreciated that they had a different narrator for each family member (Tess, Richard, Sonny, and Max.)
Grief can do terrible things to a family.
This is exactly what you see happening with Tess and Richard.
Part of their deep dark secret is easy to figure out part way through the story, but it is closer to 3/4 of the way in that you learn the truth. Then you see how broken the survivors are and how they need to lean into each other if the family is going to survive. You can also see how someone's upbringing can influence how they handle life after a loved one's death.
I appreciated that they had a different narrator for each family member (Tess, Richard, Sonny, and Max.)