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what_heather_loves 's review for:
Broken Country
by Clare Leslie Hall
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Gabriel doesn't say what it is he realised and I am left watching him walk away, feeling my husband's eyes upon me, wondering how much longer the three of us can carry on like this before something catastrophic happens."
In late 1960s Dorset a doomed love affair starts between the boy at the manor house (Gabriel) and a local girl (Beth). How this impacts later life, following the sudden and tragic death of son Billy with husband Frank, is played out in this poignant, rural historical fiction about love and loss.
Beautifully written, character-driven whilst securely setting the narrative in place and time, it's emotional and heartfelt. However I felt frustrated about the literary potential and love of her life Beth missed out on thanks to a misunderstanding, her treatment of Frank (and his passive reaction to it) and the catastrophic impact on his beloved brother Jimmy and girlfriend Nina.
In late 1960s Dorset a doomed love affair starts between the boy at the manor house (Gabriel) and a local girl (Beth). How this impacts later life, following the sudden and tragic death of son Billy with husband Frank, is played out in this poignant, rural historical fiction about love and loss.
Beautifully written, character-driven whilst securely setting the narrative in place and time, it's emotional and heartfelt. However I felt frustrated about the literary potential and love of her life Beth missed out on thanks to a misunderstanding, her treatment of Frank (and his passive reaction to it) and the catastrophic impact on his beloved brother Jimmy and girlfriend Nina.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Gun violence