The BIPOC representation here was well done, and I enjoyed learning about Jess, who is native to London but of Jamaican descent. The alternating perspectives lent depth to the story and the author did a nice job exploring the complexness of heritage, culture and race in a sensitive manner. Overall this was a captivating read, and the way the author wove the scenery was superb.

Honestly the cover drew me to this book and I am soooo glad! A powerful story of family and grief, I really enjoyed this character driven story. This book made me so emotional and I don’t usually get that way reading books. I loved this beautiful story and highly recommend!

This book was an interesting choice for me. It was about the family of Tess and Richard. Tess was a city girl who marries a farmer and her life changes drastically to say the least. The rstory is really about the character growth of these two and how they deal with life’s obstacles. It was my first read by the author.

The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams is a poignant exploration of loss and resilience. The novel follows a broken family living in a crumbling house, each member grappling with their own grief and searching for a way forward. While emotionally resonant, the story's strength lies in its ability to weave personal struggles with broader social themes. This creates a rich tapestry that's both engaging and thought-provoking.

The narrative unfolds slowly, offering multiple perspectives from each family member. While this technique allows for a deeper understanding of their individual journeys, the frequent viewpoint shifts can be jarring at times. Some chapter endings may leave you feeling disoriented before jumping to another character's scene.

Despite the occasional pacing challenges, Williams' raw and emotional writing style effectively conveys the raw pain and vulnerability each character experiences. It's a story about facing hardship, rebuilding lives, and ultimately finding hope within the cracks.

A slow beautiful burn of a story. A set if twins is burn to a family--oddly, two very different slin colors. The marriage is slowly falling apart as Tess dreams of life back in the Carribean. Wonderfully written prose that draws you in.

A slow burn story about a family. There are 4 POV and each painted a very bleak future. It was hard to read, at times, but I did like the ending. It's an interesting family study and I liked the bi-racial themes. It was just a tough read.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

The story was beautifully written and lyrical. I just found it jumped around a bit. A little extra time to fully develop the characters and chapters would take this from good to great. The ending was a bit of a let down.

First of all the cover of this book 😍⁣
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Second, this one being literary fiction I think might just not be my fav to read. Sometimes I like them and sometimes I don’t. ⁣
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Blurb: ⁣
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 it - 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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⭐️⭐️.5 stars, this could be partly me, I just had a hard time getting into this one, sometimes I had to flip back and see what I felt like I missed.⁣
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This is a very raw and emotionally written book. You definitely could “feel” the emotion in this one. It felt sad and broken. But the author does a beautiful job weaving the story and picture. ⁣
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Each chapter moves to a different character so you have to remember what was going on with each one. I was slightly disappointed with the ending, it didn’t tie things up or deal with anything that happened.

"The House of Broken Bricks" by Fiona Williams is a haunting exploration of family secrets and the lingering effects of trauma. Set against the backdrop of a crumbling mansion, the story unfolds through the perspectives of two sisters grappling with their dark past. Williams' atmospheric writing vividly portrays the eerie ambiance of the house, drawing readers into its mysterious depths.

However, the pacing at times felt uneven, with slow moments that detracted from the overall suspense. The characters are well-developed, each harboring secrets that slowly unravel throughout the narrative. Despite its flaws, the novel's atmospheric setting and psychological depth make it a compelling read for fans of gothic fiction. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book, allowing me to delve into its intriguing tale of family dynamics and hidden truths.

The only thing I didnt like is that this books is narrated in different points of views between family members , however rte story is really nice and will definitely break your heart! It’s imposible to not fall in love with characters and love story.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

I loved The House of Broken Bricks. I loved the family story and the exploration of race. The writing was excellent.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A broken family lived in a broken house. They are struggling with loss and trying to rebuild themselves, each other, and their house and gardens.

3.5 stars. There were so many elements I loved about this book- it truly is a beautiful read. The lyrical prose style and the use of multiple POVs really works in this story. I found myself feeling extremely emotional on Tess' behalf on multiple occasions.

I did find myself getting repeatedly distracted by the fact that the dad's chapters are the only ones written in third person; everyone else's chapter's are first person. Now having finished the story I can understand the justification for this choice, but I did find it grating.
Sonny's chapters brought a different challenge: word soup. The writing style itself is stunning, however in Sonny's chapters (with a couple of exceptions) it felt like next to nothing was being said. It was pretty to read, but didn't add anything to the overall story. A lot of times his chapters felt very disjointed.

The themes in this book are intriguing and are explored in a really unique way, I just personally didn't love the execution 100% or the way the story was wrapped up.

Suggested Book that’s about Family Dynamics. What’s not to be invested in here? I’ve never heard of the author, the book, and can’t cave in due to the cover, so this is really a blind shot in the dark.

So: I am so glad I picked this book. Fiona Williams is an extremely talented writer and this is her debut novel. This is about a Family that is struggling. There is Tess and Richard, who are married and live in the English Countyside. Tess had lived in London and has a Jamaican Heritage, while Richard is from England. They have twins, Max and Sonny. They are called The Rainbow Twins since Max looks White and Sonny looks black. The book is done from the perspectives of each character, so you get how each person is experiencing what is happening. It covers a year in their life. Tess struggles with being away from London and her Jamaican Family. Richard is a Professional Gardener and has to constantly work to get things done, yet he is drinking at the Pub much more. So, you know something is wrong in their marriage and the kids describe this as well. You are not certain what is bringing so much heartache, yet I did care about this family.

The beauty of the book is its lush descriptions and emotions. When the countryside is described, you feel all the beauty around, the garden growing fresh vegetables, the rich soil, foliage and the animals. I almost felt I was there with them. Scenes where Tess goes back to London and her Mom is cooking authentic Jamaican Food felt such a family bond. The book creates such an emotional attachment to the land, nature, and the characters that was unique to this author. She does a wonderful job. Loved so many descriptions and felt the longing for hope and light in a dark time in their lives.

Since each person has a chapter, sometimes I did wish they were a bit longer. I was a bit confused since the chapter felt incomplete and then jump to another seen with a new person. That would be my only critique.

When I finished this book, I went back and read passages again. There was a reason to do this. It made me realize again how poignant, lyrical, and magical Fiona Williams words are. I do recommend this book. It is wonderful, unique, and done differently, but it will make you want to go back and read it again. I think I would love listening to this on Audio as well.

Thank you NetGalley, Fiona Williams, and Henry Holt & Company for providing me a copy of this book. I always write reviews of books I read.

One of very interesting book because it talks about different relationships in this book. Triss is a black woman and she married a man named richard. Her family was originally from jamaica and they settled him london and she met richard at college. She had two children max and sunny. One of the twins was like white and the other one was like black. MAK had a hard time with it because he was black like his mother. And sunny it was like his father. These two boys were opposite in direction. Sunny was the one who got all the good grades and max struggled in school. It find out how this book was because a different times of the year they would talk about it. Trish went up to London with max to visit her mother and her sister named penny.. Her mother did not like her marrying rich because they moved to the suburbs and it was very hard for her because they didn't have blocked stores for her hair and the food was very different for her.. She would cook jamaican food at home and this really helped her to settle in because she was always upset about something. She ran into her old boyfriend up in London.And she realized this is the one she should have married but she married richard instead. She takes off for a while to go visit.Her mother and her husband Richard said.I did not know what was going on.But he felt comfortable with the situation because she knew she What's very unhappy in the suburbs. This book also has different hidden meetings as well. And you'll find out how sunny plays a really important part in this book and how the mother was trying to cope with something. Very interesting book.Everybody had something to say

What an impressive debut! This was such a poet, lyrical, and lush story of a family in the English countryside. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Tess, Richard, and their twin sons Sonny and Max, which I really enjoyed. The writing was so impressive and I was particularly drawn in my the descriptions of nature and the changing of seasons. The slow reveal of what’s causing strife in this family was done so well, I didn’t see it coming. I look forward to see what comes from Williams in the future!

Book Review: "The House of Broken Bricks" by Fiona Williams

In "The House of Broken Bricks," Fiona Williams delivers a poignant narrative that delves deep into the complexities of family, identity, and acceptance. Set amidst the serene backdrop of the English countryside, the story follows Tess, a Londoner of Jamaican descent, who finds herself grappling with feelings of isolation and displacement after moving with her partner Richard and their twins to a rural village.

Williams expertly crafts a character-driven tale, allowing readers to intimately connect with Tess, Richard, and their sons, Sonny and Max. Through alternating perspectives and lyrical prose, the author explores themes of race, belonging, and the intricate dynamics of familial relationships.

The novel is divided into four parts, each representing a different season, providing a rich tapestry of emotions and experiences as the family navigates through a year of growth and transformation. While Tess longs for the familiarity of city life and struggles to find her place in the countryside, Richard embraces his connection to nature, leading to tension and conflict within their relationship.

One of the book's strengths lies in its vivid setting descriptions, which transport readers to the rural landscape, allowing them to experience the sights, sounds, and sensations alongside the characters. Williams' evocative imagery adds depth and atmosphere to the narrative, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Despite its beauty, the novel is not without its flaws. There are frequent shifts in perspective and narrative style , while others may feel that certain chapters lack cohesion and resolution. Additionally, the pacing of the story may feel uneven at times, with abrupt transitions and unresolved plot threads.

However, despite these shortcomings, "The House of Broken Bricks" remains a compelling and thought-provoking read. Williams' skillful storytelling and keen insight into the human experience shine through, offering readers a poignant exploration of love, loss, and resilience. With its beautifully rendered characters and immersive setting, this novel lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned, making it a worthy addition to any reader's bookshelf.

This was a beautifully written book centered around a couple and their children. I don't want to say much more than that because this is one that you really just need to dive into. The prose is lyrical and I finished it quickly wanting to see how it ended. While I enjoyed the ending it felt a bit rushed and left a few loose ends. It wasn't quite satisfying enough for me personally.

I’ve read many reviews praising the way this book is written. I can’t agree. It’s pretentious. It is disjointed. I can’t find anything to like or be interested in any of the characters. It’s simply boring with lyrical sentence structure. I tried.