by Anthony_Conty: “Broken Country” by Claire Leslie Hall is obviously fiction, but the characters seem real. The murder of a dog sets events in motion, but another tragedy lurks around the corner. Since so much depends on “the twist,” book clubs across America will discuss how a romance faltered and altered the future for all involved. Do not limit this to one genre, though.
The 50s and 60s serve as the backdrop to love, loss, and death. A farming community in Great Britain provides all of the claustrophobia that you would expect. I personally connected with the complicated relationships within the family and their past. Learning about Beth and Gabriel, exes reunited, reminded me why my mental health would have faltered if I had stayed in my hometown.
Character Development is an easy target when critiquing a book, but it flows without notice when done correctly. Once the plot changes dramatically around the halfway point with adultery and death, I felt bad for everyone, even those who brought the conflict on themselves. The book’s structure helps with this, since the lack of a true genre ensures that you don’t know what to expect.
I am very anti-spoiler, so I will tread carefully. Hall has a big task here since I loathe any attempt to glorify adultery. It almost took me out of the novel. The twist was strong enough that I came back, as always, fooled by my expectations for similar stories.
The ending will sadden and satisfy you, and you will anticipate the resolution the way you would with any thriller worth its salt. It had just enough intrigue that I did not want to put it down. It has four confirmed curveballs for the read, but each one stayed true to who the people were and how they usually acted.
