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The House of Broken Bricks
- Narrated by: Ben Allen, Jessica Hayles, Lee Braithwaite
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
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The House of Broken Bricks
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Summary
'An almanac for the heart.' EVIE WOODS, author of The Lost Bookshop
'Haunting prose that cracks the English pastoral novel and lets the darkness in. A pleasure to read.' SARAH MOSS, author of Ghost Wall
'A clever, heartbreaking, heartwarming depiction of family love, grief and the possibility of hope.' JO BROWNING WROE, author of A Terrible Kindness
'Poignant and unexpected . . . brave and subtle.' EMMA HEALEY, author of Elizabeth is Missing
'Wonderful . . . brave in its deep truths about loss and love.' INGRID PERSAUD, author of Love After Love
Ain't nothing wrong with being broken. Nothing at all. You're like these houses, not a whole brick in em and look how strong they are.
As Tess traces the sunrise over the floodplains, light that paints the house a startling crimson, she yearns for the comforting chaos of life as it once was. Instead of Max and Sonny tracking dirt through the kitchen - Tess and Richard's 'rainbow twins' - Tess absorbs the quiet. The nights draw in, the soil cools and Richard fights to get his winter crops planted rather than deal with the discussion he cannot bear to have.
Secrets and vines clamber over the broken red bricks and although its inhabitants seem to be withering, in the damp, crumbling soil Sonny knows that something is stirring . . . As the seasons change, and the cracks let in more light, the family might just be able to start to heal.
This is the story of a broken family, what they see and what they cannot say laid bare in their overlapping perspectives. It is a tale of life in the cracks, because in the space for acceptance, of passing and of laying to rest, the possibilities of new energy, light and love, are seeded.
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What listeners say about The House of Broken Bricks
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Susan Morris
- 02-02-24
loved the narrators
I loved the story and the vivid descriptons that made me feel I was there with them. very evocative.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chip
- 26-02-24
Engaging story and performance
The performances take a simply tale of a small family struggling with life in a rural town and allow you to immerse yourself in the experience of each character from their point of view. It’s beautifully emotive and within giving anything away, the story of the past unfolds just a little with the present story without any clumsy twists or tacky drama that might spoil an unusually thoughtfully and well constructed immersive read. Get the kettle on and prepare to listen and focus on the detail the author adds throughout the book to connect with the characteristics experiences.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 08-03-24
Warmth & characters
I liked how the characters came to life & listening to their voices made them so real. I could imagine the house & garden quite easily. Tess's mum & sister were a joy to listen to & gave the listener a true image of their family way of life. I didn't want the story to end....
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andy, West Sussex
- 27-03-24
Sweet nature
I listened. The performances by the kids especially were very, very good. The trouble is I listened in bed so a complex story, including marital and race issues, was made more so by my continually falling asleep and having to rewind. Even as I write this, I am not clear whether one of the twins drowned or not. I must rewind yet again. There is no denying the quality of the writing though. Only my receptivity is in question. As a writer myself, so-called, I know I will never succeed the way Fiona Williams has here. And what an ending.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Caroline Hancock
- 25-02-24
This book is wonderful
I wasn’t sure to begin with but then quite quickly I ( much to the annoyance of my husband ) I couldn’t stop listening to it. It is such a sad but uplifting book. Showing the raw side of grief and guilt. Also pointing out the underlying racism and the loneliness of being a woman whose roots are from Jamaica while living in the countryside where people have known each other for generations was so beautifully written. The marsh came to life and you feel that you are there. Listen to this book I urge you!!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- nina jarvis
- 01-02-24
A must listen!
What an incredibly beautifully written book.
Bittersweet at times, thought provoking and immersive I loved all the characters the sense of place and how eloquently the natural world is woven throughout.
Perfectly narrated, I would highly recommend, hope it gets all the publicity and praise it deserves, will definitely look out for further writing from Fiona Williams!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 23-01-24
Excellent Audio Book
I thought the Audio book was great and the narration was excellent. The use of different voices for each character in the Audio Book was a fantastic idea as it was very easy to identify who was speaking, which is often difficult in an Audio Book or in a Radio 4 play when all have similar accents. And it gave a much more authentic perspective of a group of people explaining their thoughts. Very enjoyable and emotional.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 16-02-24
I loved this from beginning to end
I loved this book despite the fact it was very sad! It had a happy ending which was perfect!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 23-04-24
simple and engaging
Loved the narrative and narration. The storyline is charming and uplifting. You kind of know it will have a happy ending.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Alfred
- 04-02-24
beautifully written story with depth & warmth
Covering many issues including unconscious bias, cultural norms, internal dialogue, fear, sadness, generosity, kindness and different perspectives on the same situation. I loved this book. Give it a go!
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1 person found this helpful