Review: The Break

The Break by Katherena Vermette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another one of our Indigenous Book Club choices and I definitely see why. It is really well written, the characters are compelling and it is, ultimately, a hopeful book. It is also painful and difficult in its telling of trauma, both individual and multi-generational. Set in the North End of Winnipeg, we get a glimpse of ordinary people, struggling to navigate a world steeped in racism and violence. It mirrors the experience of Indigenous peoples in Winnipeg and the struggle of a family to support each other in the face of an appalling assault. Healing, or at least, the hope of it lingers at the end of the story, but not in a saccharine or easy way.

As I said above, this is not an easy book and please really be careful if you have any history of sexual assault. And even if you don't, take this book slow, you'll need breaks. That isn't to say, don't read it. I think you should because it is really good.

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