The Breaking

by Kathryn Heyman

Sarah Sweet is a watcher. She sees the way the smoke rises from the sulphide works to wreath the little Australian town of Boolaroo; she watches Dad, when he's not being a policeman, breaking horses in the back paddock behind the house. Sarah has learnt to observe, to be quiet, to avoid notice, filled with a fury so intense it threatens to overwhelm her.The Breaking is the story of a family tainted by the force of rage, of a young life haunted by it, but also of the strength it gives to fight back. In its evocation of the parched landscape of rural Australia, the strange cadences of the language and the filmic vividness of its characters, The Breaking is a unique, lyrical testament to the power of the human spirit.'The Breaking is a book of rural heat, city rain; male power and female powerlessness; paternal tenderness and a lover's violence; silences and singing. This strong first novel is remarkable for its depiction of a family drama played out in an arid small town, with the local lock-up in the backyard, and Sarah Sweet's slow education in love and change, courtesy of a glowing, nail-biting taxi driver." Scottish Writer of the Year Judging Committee'Powerful and accomplished ... Heyman reveals her pedigree as a playwright and poet in stunning language and original imagery ... profoundly moving.' The Scotsman 'Haunting ... compelling ... the magnetism of a violent man is made palpable.' The Times 'Fizzes with childhood energy, frustration and hilarity... Heyman's words and style leap at you with real punch.' Scotsman Weekend 'Astounding ... a writer of immense promise.' Sunday Tribune 'A pleasure ... this is a novel which never betrays its promise. The rawness of the emotion and the beauty of its conveyance into words is a potent combination which will not easily be forgotten.' Australian Book Review 'Gripping ... Heyman's poetic style adds an extra dimension to this gripping tale.' Belfast Telegraph

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Kathryn Heyman is the author of six novels including the forthcoming Storm and Grace (Allen and Unwin, Feb 2017), described by British writer Jill Dawson as "Dark, sexy, haunting...timely and important.." Her earlier works are The Breaking ( Orion, London, 1997), Keep Your Hands on the Wheel (Orion, 1999), The Accomplice (Hodder, London, 2003), Captain Starlight's Apprentice (Hodder, 2006) and Floodline (Allen and Unwin, 2013). She is also a playwright for theatre and radio and director of the Australian Writers Mentoring Program. Her short stories have appeared in a number of collections and also on radio. Heyman's writing has been compared with that of Joseph Conrad, Angela Carter, Peter Carey and Kate Grenville.

Kathryn's first novel, The Breaking was shortlisted for the Stakis Award for the Scottish Writer of the Year and longlisted for the Orange Prize. Other awards include an Arts Council of England Writers Award, the Wingate and the Southern Arts Awards, and nominations for the Edinburgh Fringe Critics’ Awards, the Kibble Prize, and the West Australian Premier’s Book Awards.

Kathryn Heyman’s several plays for BBC radio include Far Country and Moonlite’s Boy , inspired by the life of bushranger Captain Moonlite. Two of her novels have been adapted for BBC radio: Keep Your Hands on the Wheel as a play and ,Captain Starlight’s Apprentice as a five part dramatic serial.

Reviews

[Mew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving and real. I wanted to finish just so it could be over and I could escape the stifling misery. And then I didn't want it to end because I enjoyed the stifling misery.

[Meg Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. I liked how Australian it was and how the writer stayed true to this writing style. It was heartbreaking and the domestic violence and sexual assault was portrayed in ways that made you feel the trauma, specifically page 32. The interactions between the family members was raw and I did find this book moving.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Grim; domestic violence and horse bashing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read - a very powerful story.

[sisterimapoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great book. Just my kind of thing. Dark, well written, a central character you care about despite all her flaws. This felt like one of those little gems you stumble across and can't believe the author isn't more well known. I will be tracking down more books by Heyman and I urge other readers to do the same.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good read but not a lot of laughs. Well written and quite thoughtful. Felt like a first novel. I hope it was not autobiograhical. The main character did not have a lot going for her.