Breaker

by N.A. Perez

Set in northeastern Pennsylvania, Breaker is the story of fourteen-year-old Pat McFarlane, his rebellious older brother Cal, his ambitious sister Annie, and of Mam, whose fierce pride holds the family together. Most of all, it is the story of the mine, which rules their days, attempts to rob their pride, and takes the life of Pat’s father.

216 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 1988

About the author

N. A. Perez was born in Haileybury, Ontario, Canada. The idea for The Slopes of War took shape after a family visit to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Touched by the terrible and significant battle that had been fought there, the author felt that although much had been written about the event itself, little had ever captured what was going on in the hearts and minds of the residents when the war rumbled to their doorsteps in July 1863.

Reviews

[Stacey Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Pat lives in a small mining town where the breaker sits tall and everyone relies on the coal to survive. The life is terribly hard. Pat and most of the young boys have to leave school to work as breakers as most families need the extra money the boys bring in. This story chronicles Pat and his family as he grows up learning what it really means to work in the mines. His mam tries to hold the family together but life has taken its toll on her leaving her bitter and negative. His older brother silently works and hides away keeping to himself brooding and holding everything inside. His younger sister wants an education but has to clean houses instead.
The author researched mining in the early 1900's making us feel like we're there. I didn't know much about that work but I enjoyed learning about it through Pat. Being dropped into Pat's world was an eye opener as well as a good read. He's a lad you can get behind and root for as he struggles through life.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book about the miners coal strike in Pennsylvania in the early 1900’s. Told from a breaker boy’s point of view.

[Christen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a stellar read. Sometimes this read like the author was glancing over at an article on child labor in the mines while typing up the manuscript. Info dumps (lazy world-building), uneven pacing and POV jumping made many passages boring, contrived or confusing. I finished because the characters had endeared themselves to me.