A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe
I bought A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe in Sainsbury’s because it was cheap and I liked the title and the cover.
I often cry at the end of books. I actually quite like crying at the end of books. I don’t cry at the start of books.
A Terrible Kindness broke me within a few pages.
In 1966, William is 19 and has just qualified as an embalmer. He is celebrating his success at his first ever black tie dinner. During the dinner, the call comes through. Embalmers, equipment and small coffins are urgently needed in the Welsh mining village of Aberfan.
William loads up his car and drives through the night to Aberfan and works round the clock on the small bodies there. It is an experience which will change him forever.
The story then goes back in time to William’s unusual childhood and his relationship with his widowed mother. As the story jumps from his childhood to his training as an embalmer, we gradually find out how William lost touch with the two most important people in his world. We also read about his beautiful relationship with his Uncle Robert, who he wants to stay in touch with for the exact reason his mother wants to keep her distance from him.
William’s childhood experiences have taken their toll on him. He is already vulnerable when he goes to Aberfan. Aberfan is an experience he can’t leave behind.
William isn’t perfect. Sometimes he’s quite frustrating and you want to shout at him, but he always does what he thinks is right.
Having cried a lot right at the start of the book, it wasn’t at all surprising that I cried a lot at the end too.
A Terrible Kindness is a book about trauma and grief, love and friendship. It is the most beautiful, most moving book I’ve read in a very long time.
If you don’t mind crying as you read, I can’t recommend A Terrible Kindness highly enough. But in places it can be a tough read. If you have lost a child or a parent or you find it hard to read about those things, I would suggest giving it a miss!
As soon as you said Aberfan in 1966 I could understand why it was so sad. I do like books that stir the emotions but I guess this is one to avoid reading while in hospital.
It is such an incredible book, but definitely one to avoid if you’re going through any sort of tough time I think.
A brilliantly written book, I couldn’t put it down. I am old enough to remember my school friend returning from lunch at home to tell me abt this disaster. Since then my husband has worked as a bearer and I as a recorder of names of mourners for our local funeral company. Extremely interesting and rewarding employment.
It is such a brilliant and beautiful books. It must have been horrible to hear about the disaster. You must understand the book on a deeper level, having worked for a funeral company.