Book Review: The Break by Katherine Vermetta

Book: 122/150

Rating: 4/5

When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and sees someone in trouble on the Break - a barren field on an isolated strip of lake outside her house - she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime. In a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected with the violence, tell their personal stories leaving up to that fateful night.

The story is gripping; I loved the multiple points of views and the family tree at the beginning of the book was super helpful! All of their perspectives contributed to a more comprehensive story about the lives of those within the community and the after effects of trauma.

The writing in this book is beautiful, raw, and gritty. Vermette has done a great job of setting the scene; I feel like I can perfectly imagine the break and the setting. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.