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A review by busyreading
Bereft by Chris Womersley
4.0
In 1909 twelve year old Sarah Walker is found brutally raped and murdered in a shed in a small town of Flint in New South Wales. Standing over her with the bloodied knife in his hand is her sixteen year old brother Quinn. Their father Nathaniel and uncle Robert are the first ones to discover what has just happened. Quinn immediately runs off and and no one hears from him until years later when his mother receives a telegram telling her that Quinn was killed in the war.
Ten years later Quinn returns to his hometown of Flint which is in the grip of a flu epidemic and his mother is amongst those dying from the epidemic. Carrying the physical and mental scars of the war Quinn, has returned to try and find answers and to clear his name from what happened to his sister. He hides out in the hills as he knows if someone was to recognise him his life could be in danger. Whilst hiding out he comes across a young girl named Sadie Fox. Sadie is also hiding out in the hills as she awaits the return of her brother who is returning from the war. In some ways Sadie appears to be a mystical character and Quinn sees her as the sister he was unable to protect all those years ago.
I quite enjoyed this book although I did feel the ending was a bit rushed as it seemed to be tied up neatly in the last few pages which I felt left the reader wanting just a bit more. A well written story of murder, mystery, love, loss, and survival and one in which I would recommend.
Ten years later Quinn returns to his hometown of Flint which is in the grip of a flu epidemic and his mother is amongst those dying from the epidemic. Carrying the physical and mental scars of the war Quinn, has returned to try and find answers and to clear his name from what happened to his sister. He hides out in the hills as he knows if someone was to recognise him his life could be in danger. Whilst hiding out he comes across a young girl named Sadie Fox. Sadie is also hiding out in the hills as she awaits the return of her brother who is returning from the war. In some ways Sadie appears to be a mystical character and Quinn sees her as the sister he was unable to protect all those years ago.
I quite enjoyed this book although I did feel the ending was a bit rushed as it seemed to be tied up neatly in the last few pages which I felt left the reader wanting just a bit more. A well written story of murder, mystery, love, loss, and survival and one in which I would recommend.