Book Review: Midwinter Break

Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty is a book I purchased while in the UK. I started reading it right away, and when I got home, I misplaced it. I have a knack for doing that! It's so frustrating. I still have not found it... it's probably under some fabric pile. I wanted to keep reading it, so I finally bought a Kindle version so I could finish the book.

I backtracked and re-read a bit, and I'm glad I did, because I hadn't fully appreciated the quality writing on the first go-around. I was less distracted on the second read and really absorbed it.

A retired couple goes on a short vacation from Scotland to Amsterdam. She is privately considering a big change in her life. Religion is a big part of her life. He is a heavy drinker who spends his days trying to stock up for his next drinks and trying to hide it from her. He has rejected religion. She is fed up with his drinking; he is so sweetly in love with her. There's not a whole lot of action other than where they go and the walks they take in Amsterdam. I loved the beautiful writing, and the quiet reflections of them both. It's both a history of their relationship and a pondering and mending of rifts that can happen. I give it 4 of 5 stars.