The Break by Katherena Vermette. A community of First Nations people, mixed heritage, and settler-descended people in Canada, present day, is the setting for this book. An extended family tells the story; chapters highlight one person's story at a time. I was grateful for the family tree in the front of the book. I referred to it many times as I kept forgetting who was whose mother or sibling or child.
As the story weaves between participants, you learn more about the family and their past, joys and traumas that have affected the family, relationships as they ebb and flow, and most importantly, a current trauma which takes place and around which the family rallies. At times it is hard to read because of the trauma, but please persevere. The language is beautiful. Watch how love and/or the lack of love affects people. We all long for love and acceptance.
This book is powerful. Five of five stars.
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