The House of Broken Bricks follows the story of the Hembry family - a biracial family living in rural England. Following the perspective of each of the family members, you gain an insight into their struggles and how they are all dealing with their own grief. This story was beautifully written, especially Sonny’s pieces.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC

I wanted to like this book but it was just so hard to get through because it was a slower pace book. I felt it accurately depicted human life and struggles from everyone’s perspective in the family.

Thank you Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. Publisher for providing me with an ARC ♥️

"The House of Broken Bricks" by Fiona Williams is a heart-rendering tale that splashed a kaleidoscope of emotions across my soul - euphoric highs, gut-wrenching lows, and every shade of feeling in between. The narrative's quartet of voices harmonized like a symphony, each one casting a spell of empathy and understanding. A delicate filigree of mystery traced the edges of the story, tantalizing me with whispers and hints that culminated in a heart-stopping finale. This book shattered my expectations, leaving me awestruck and introspective.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams. This was a beautifully written family drama with beautiful descriptive language. It is character driven as well as the imagery is the focus of the writing.

The story is about Tess and Richard, a biracial couple and the seasons of their marriage. They have twins, Sonny and Max, one is black presenting and the other white. Tess and Richard’s marriage is cracking and Sonny and Max have their own trials. As the seasons change, the family dynamics change as well.

This wonderful novel is heartbreaking and lyrical. The descriptions of the natural flora and fauna in the English countryside is poetic and spectacular. The title is subtle but important to the essence of the narrative. I won’t give it away. I am so enamored I am using it in one of my book clubs. It is always so rewarding to pick up an unknown author and title and fall in love. I have never appreciated book reviews that give away the plot details. Discover the wonderful family you are going to meet on your own and cry but delight at the same time.

The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams was an extremely emotional book. I felt almost every possible emotion while reading it; joy sadness, sorrow. I liked that the book was told through the lense of the 4 main characters. This gave me a deeper insight into each character and made them more relatable. There is a slight mystery throughout the book, that leaves you guessing until the last few chapters.

I cannot wait for more books from Fiona Williams, She has definitely left a fantastic impression with A House of Broken Bricks.

What makes a life worth living is asked in this story about family and home. One family's unique journey gives us all a chance to look into the windows of someone's else life. The story shows what sometimes can be broken to being fixed in time. This rich tapestry gives whole new meaning to life and family. Go on this journey of discovery for yourself and see what you find.

I'd like to thank Henry Holt for this ARC via Netgalley for an honest review.

Strange family dynamics but this is truly Contemporary fiction to me. This book comes with some strong feelings!

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. for making this ARC available. The House of Broken Bricks portrays a biracial marriage in the midst of collapse, twin boys who could not be more different in both personality and looks and takes place in the English countryside by a river in the current era. The story is told from the multiple points of view of the parents —Tess and Richard, and the twins— Sonny and Max. The prose describing scenery and setting is lovely and delicate, stirring vivid images. The parents have reached the point of being unable to hide their disagreements from the children, and Tess's sadness overflows into their daily lives. The light-skinned skinned child, Max, is less popular at school and suffers from night terrors. Tess has given up a career for Richard to move to this country town where he sells home-grown vegetables. There are interesting neighbors, weather extremes to deal with, and a house that mirrors the disintegration of the marriage. Tess has strong ties to her mother's Jamaican heritage and the dishes of her childhood and escapes into cooking, while Richard exits to his garden. The story seems to float along the flood plains of the area, and the parents do the same, each hiding in their separate domains. The author’s ability to describe a scene is well honed. There is an occasional head hop but, overall, this multiple point of view novel is told with insights into each character though I did not find the voice individual enough to bring the reader in tight with them. Ultimately this is a nice story, with excellent prose and an evocative topic.

Thank you Net Galley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
While the writing was really beautiful, I felt like there were some things that just didn’t connect.
I think the author does an especially good job of having the reader delve into complex trauma. Realistic portrayals can sometimes leave us with a sense of both fulfillment and a desire for more closure or detail.
Overall this story didn’t grip me, but the writing was lovely. If you like taking on the feeling of more grief, you may enjoy this. I really didn’t.

In the English countryside, there's this mixed family dealing with the loss of Sonny. Max and Sonny are twins, but one's got Mom's dark skin, and the other's got Dad's light skin. The story flips between different folks' views, but Richard, the dad, is talked about like he's in a movie, which kinda shows how he's distanced from the fam after Sonny's death. Mom Tessa's in a routine, battling some heavy depression. Max clings to his twin's memory, and they somehow manage to keep the family together, even after this massive loss. And then, there's Sonny, who's not with them anymore but still watches his family grieving and finding life again in their home.

This story's real pretty in how it's written, and it shows how everyone deals with grief in their own way. The tricky part, though, is that it's not clear that Sonny's gone until you're halfway in. It threw me off and made it tough to get back into the story.

As much as the story was moving and the complexity of the emotions was very compelling, I can't help but feel that it was lacking a kind of glue. Yes, I enjoyed the story for the most part but felt that there was so much left out. But I guess that's life. And if there was ever a book that captured more real life emotions, it's this one.

Thank you for the advance copy of The House of Broken Bricks by Fiona Williams. A story about love, loss and interracial marriage with twin boys. This book is beautifully written. Tess marries and moves far away to a new style of life in the countryside. Richard and her have twin boys. The book follows their lives through love, loss, grief and then new beginnings. I really loved this book. It did take me longer to read than normal. I felt maybe I was just cherishing the words and the poetic nature of it all. Each chapter is written in that characters perspective which I absolutely loved.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I've never read Fiona Williams' works, but was attracted to The House of Broken Bricks first from the beautiful cover, and second from the novel's description. Once I started reading, I found the writing to lean toward the poetic, and very heavy in detail. I like the varied POVs, and understand the metaphor of the house crumbling as they family tries to survive and heal, but the book just didn't work for me.

This book was just not for me. I had a hard time getting into the writing style and the central themes. I think it would be deeply enjoyed by people who like novels about complicated family dynamics and tragedy.

The House of Broken Bricks
Thank you to#HenryHolt&Company and #NetGalley for providing me the ARC of #FionaWilliams #HouseofBrokenBricks. House of Broken bricks is a lovely story of the many faces of love and loss, as a family comes to terms with the tragic death of a child, a twin at that. Each broken in a different way, the family trudges on, trying to forge a life together without their beloved Sonny. What unfolds is a story of the things we can’t talk about but should, the things seen, but unseen, and the love that never wavers. The story was a bit long, but still intriguing and enjoyable.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the e-arc! The writing is really beautiful and lyrical, but it was very difficult for me to get engaged with the story. I think those who are into lyrical writing and a slow plot will love this, but this was not for me. There were times when I had to put the book down and wait to pick it up again. I think this book will find its way to the right audience who will love the writing style.

Thank you net galley for this advanced copy. Although the story line was intriguing the writing style was not to my taste. That being said, I know people who love it. Just not what I like. Somewhat overwrought and wordy.

Not my cup of tea. Just the start of the book through me off and I couldn’t get into it. The writing style is not my favorite either but it may be others. Give it a try! I do appreciate the opportunity to read this.

I could not get into this book. It felt like it moved too slow.
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.