The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams
This novel is set in a village reminiscent of the deepest darkest Somerset levels and follows a family reeling from an unspoken tragedy. Tess grew up in London, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. Her husband Richard has three generations of ancestors in the local graveyard. Their twin boys Max and
Sonny are best friends, alike in many ways, different in others. There’s an uncanny feel about the book, often reflected in descriptions of the landscape and seasons. The characters all feel increasingly alone and out of place, and as a reader you just want to reach in and give them all a hug. When the unspoken tragedy is eventually named, it challenges your perception of all that you’ve read and are reading. There are some particularly beautiful moments that really capture how grief can feel like it reaches out and touches you.
Blog by Chrissey Harrison, Trustee
Fiona Williams will introduce her debut novel The House of Broken Bricks at 12.30pm on Sunday 14 June at The Riff Corner. Find out more and book tickets for just £6.