Status
Available
Call number
Call number
FIC VER
Collection
Local notes
Shelved in Aboriginal Collection
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML: Winner of the Amazon.ca First Novel Award and a finalist for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award, The Break is a stunning and heartbreaking debut novel about a multigenerational Métis�??Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg's North End. When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break �?? a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house �?? she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime. In a series of shifting narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim �?? police, family, and friends �?? tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night. Lou, a social worker, grapples with the departure of her live-in boyfriend. Cheryl, an artist, mourns the premature death of her sister Rain. Paulina, a single mother, struggles to trust her new partner. Phoenix, a homeless teenager, is released from a youth detention centre. Officer Scott, a Métis policeman, feels caught between two worlds as he patrols the city. Through their various perspectives a larger, more comprehensive story about lives of the residents in Winnipeg's North End is exposed. A powerful intergenerational family saga, The Break showcases Vermette's abundant writing talent and positions her as an exciting new voice in Cana… (more)
Genres
Publication
[Toronto] : Anansi, 2016.
Original publication date
2016
User reviews
LibraryThing member lit_chick
Publisher's Summary: from Amazon.ca
When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break ― a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house ― she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime.
In a series of shifting
My Review:
"In her dream, the break is land like any other land, just a place covered with snow. The sky is clear, the stars are bright and blinking, and the moon is full and bright. She can see all its dents and curves, and the light that reflects back somehow feels as warm as fire. The wind is the winter kind, huge and overpowering and in her ears. It's all she hears but it doesn't make her cold ... So her dream self walks that way, all the way, and doesn't look back. (273)
Set in contemporary Winnipeg, The Break is a stark and shocking portrayal of the aboriginal residents of the city’s North End. Stock characters – the older and jaded cop Christie; and the useless, abusive Charlie, Kookom’s ex –portray the racial prejudices of police officers toward the aboriginal community and the violence perpetrated against women by their partners. This latter revelation, not new by any means, renders the crime against Emily – unthinkable violence against women by women – the more disturbing.
In turn, Emily’s tragedy makes the strength of the female characters – Lou, Stella, Paulina, Cheryl, Kookum – the more palpable: enormous cultural and emotional strength that has prevailed in the face of abuse, violence, degradation, addiction, alcoholism – generation after generation.
Vermette takes her place among Canada’s best with The Break. I’d be pleased (and not surprised) to see her take 2016’s Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction. Most highly recommended, to those interested in Canadian literature, and in the experience of aboriginals living in Canada’s more Northern communities.
When Stella, a young Métis mother, looks out her window one evening and spots someone in trouble on the Break ― a barren field on an isolated strip of land outside her house ― she calls the police to alert them to a possible crime.
In a series of shifting
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narratives, people who are connected, both directly and indirectly, with the victim ― police, family, and friends ― tell their personal stories leading up to that fateful night.My Review:
"In her dream, the break is land like any other land, just a place covered with snow. The sky is clear, the stars are bright and blinking, and the moon is full and bright. She can see all its dents and curves, and the light that reflects back somehow feels as warm as fire. The wind is the winter kind, huge and overpowering and in her ears. It's all she hears but it doesn't make her cold ... So her dream self walks that way, all the way, and doesn't look back. (273)
Set in contemporary Winnipeg, The Break is a stark and shocking portrayal of the aboriginal residents of the city’s North End. Stock characters – the older and jaded cop Christie; and the useless, abusive Charlie, Kookom’s ex –portray the racial prejudices of police officers toward the aboriginal community and the violence perpetrated against women by their partners. This latter revelation, not new by any means, renders the crime against Emily – unthinkable violence against women by women – the more disturbing.
In turn, Emily’s tragedy makes the strength of the female characters – Lou, Stella, Paulina, Cheryl, Kookum – the more palpable: enormous cultural and emotional strength that has prevailed in the face of abuse, violence, degradation, addiction, alcoholism – generation after generation.
Vermette takes her place among Canada’s best with The Break. I’d be pleased (and not surprised) to see her take 2016’s Governor General’s Literary Award for fiction. Most highly recommended, to those interested in Canadian literature, and in the experience of aboriginals living in Canada’s more Northern communities.
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LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
A fabulous read about First Nations people living in the present in the North End of Winnipeg. It was short listed for both the Governor General's Prize and the Roger's Literary Prize here in Canada.
I did not expect to enjoy the story , and began reading it out of a sense of responsibility to read
What follows is what led up to the attack and what happens afterwards. The story is told from many different points of view through shifting narrators. The story very much humanizes the troubled First Nations people in the North End of Winnipeg and I suppose First Nations people in general. This is not a story about resentment from living in a residential school, or coming from a Reserve, but rather focuses on the hardship of life for the disadvantaged First Nations people living in the city.
This book gave me great empathy and insight into what living as a First Nation person might be like . Instead of reading with a sense of duty, I found this a compelling and fascinating read. There is a bit of a mystery about what happened in Stella's front yard - the blood left behind - was it just a couple of drunks? A bit of a gang fight, or was there more to it? But what drives the book is the characters, who are not necessarily that likeable, but are sympathetic and behave in understandable ways.
I had a difficult time getting into the first couple of chapters, but I quickly could not put it down. First nation gangs, poverty, dysfunctional families and the prejudice and the weariness of the police that deal with this group of people really show through in this novel.
I did not expect to enjoy the story , and began reading it out of a sense of responsibility to read
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Can Lit and potential prize winners. Instead I was surprised by the most insightful and engaging read about First Nations people living in Winnipeg. Initially , Stella, who has married a man who is not First Nations, witnesses some sort of disturbance in her front yard and calls the police. She and her husband live just a few blocks from the very rough area of the North End of Winnipeg. Two policeman arrive to take her statement. One of the policeman is an older fellow and very jaded about First Nations people , or as he is calls them - Natives. The younger and more junior policeman is Metis and takes the case much more to heart.What follows is what led up to the attack and what happens afterwards. The story is told from many different points of view through shifting narrators. The story very much humanizes the troubled First Nations people in the North End of Winnipeg and I suppose First Nations people in general. This is not a story about resentment from living in a residential school, or coming from a Reserve, but rather focuses on the hardship of life for the disadvantaged First Nations people living in the city.
This book gave me great empathy and insight into what living as a First Nation person might be like . Instead of reading with a sense of duty, I found this a compelling and fascinating read. There is a bit of a mystery about what happened in Stella's front yard - the blood left behind - was it just a couple of drunks? A bit of a gang fight, or was there more to it? But what drives the book is the characters, who are not necessarily that likeable, but are sympathetic and behave in understandable ways.
I had a difficult time getting into the first couple of chapters, but I quickly could not put it down. First nation gangs, poverty, dysfunctional families and the prejudice and the weariness of the police that deal with this group of people really show through in this novel.
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LibraryThing member gypsysmom
I love the picture on the cover of this book. The woman looks fierce, like no-one should mess with her, and that's pretty much the way the women in this book are portrayed.
This book takes place in the North End of Winnipeg, an area that is plagued with gang problems and violence, but an area that
I thought Vermette structured this story very well and I loved all the main characters even when I didn't always approve of them. If Vermette choses to follow up this book with a sequel I would certainly read it. The only thing that kept me from giving it full marks were the occasional typo and misspelling. That's probably mostly Anansi's fault but an author has a responsibility for the final draft too.
This book takes place in the North End of Winnipeg, an area that is plagued with gang problems and violence, but an area that
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has also given rise to many talented individuals. The author, Katherena Vermette, can certainly take her place among that group. She won the Governor General's Award in 2013 for Poetry for her book "North End Love Songs" and with this book she has shown she can write brilliant prose too. On a winter night a young mother looks out her window and sees an assault taking place in the vacant land next door. She is torn between going to help and staying inside with her children. She ends up calling 911 and reporting the assault. Hours later a squad car comes by and checks the area but, of course, the people involved in the assault are long gone. They do see a copious amount of blood in the snow and agree that "something" went on. The older cop denies that it could have been a sexual assault because this is winter. The younger cop, still a rookie, is bothered by the incident and keeps monitoring the hospital reports. When 13 year old Emily is brought into the Children's Hospital bleeding profusely from her genital area the younger cop jumps on the call. Glass was found in Emily's vagina and her hymen was recently ruptured. She is reluctant to cooperate with the police and her family (mother, aunts, grandmother and Kookum) protect her. This family of strong, independent women have been through a lot but have always survived and Emily will survive too her Kookum predicts. They have mostly made do without men but a few men have managed to make their way into their lives and their beds. However, it is the women who support each other in times of trouble for the most part. I thought Vermette structured this story very well and I loved all the main characters even when I didn't always approve of them. If Vermette choses to follow up this book with a sequel I would certainly read it. The only thing that kept me from giving it full marks were the occasional typo and misspelling. That's probably mostly Anansi's fault but an author has a responsibility for the final draft too.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
I was astonished by Katherena Vermette's novel, The Break. I picked it up solely because it's one of the Canada Reads contestants this year and I happened to find a copy, and going in with no expectations left me open to being swept away by this small book about an extended First Nations family
The Break refers to an open swath of land running between houses that holds the hydro-electric pylons. Left untouched in winter, it's where, in the early hours one morning, a woman holding a restless infant sees a group attacking a woman. She calls the police, but by the time they arrive, the only thing left is a disturbance in the snow and a pool of frozen blood. The cops don't entirely believe that she saw a woman being attacked, reasoning that she isn't exactly coherent.
While the crime does form a significant part of the book, the real focus is on the families involved, mostly headed by women, and even when there's a man in the picture, there's a real sense of a community of strong, strong women, who are used to facing both poverty and discrimination and to marching on regardless. Which is not to say they aren't often tired, or struggling along the way, but Vermette here has drawn a vivid picture of how these women relate to their communities, to each other and to themselves. She's also done a wonderful job of evoking life in winter in a northern city. I grew up in Edmonton, some distance away, but she really nailed the descriptions of what it was to walk home on a winter afternoon, or climb the porch steps when they're covered in packed snow. I'll be looking for more by this author.
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living in Winnipeg, Manitoba and what a sudden act of violence does to them. The Break refers to an open swath of land running between houses that holds the hydro-electric pylons. Left untouched in winter, it's where, in the early hours one morning, a woman holding a restless infant sees a group attacking a woman. She calls the police, but by the time they arrive, the only thing left is a disturbance in the snow and a pool of frozen blood. The cops don't entirely believe that she saw a woman being attacked, reasoning that she isn't exactly coherent.
While the crime does form a significant part of the book, the real focus is on the families involved, mostly headed by women, and even when there's a man in the picture, there's a real sense of a community of strong, strong women, who are used to facing both poverty and discrimination and to marching on regardless. Which is not to say they aren't often tired, or struggling along the way, but Vermette here has drawn a vivid picture of how these women relate to their communities, to each other and to themselves. She's also done a wonderful job of evoking life in winter in a northern city. I grew up in Edmonton, some distance away, but she really nailed the descriptions of what it was to walk home on a winter afternoon, or climb the porch steps when they're covered in packed snow. I'll be looking for more by this author.
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LibraryThing member SheilaCornelisse
When 13-year-old Emily is brutally attacked on her way home from a gang party, the woman in her life gather around for support and to solve the mystery of who attacked her. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the female characters or the young Metis police officer assigned to the
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case. A perfect read to understand the struggles faced by Indigenous women. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member LynnB
I recommend this book. It is a story of a family -- a "Native" family living in the North End of Winnipeg. The women in the family experience poverty, abuse, racism, abandonment, but remain a source of strength and support for each other, which is inspiring and gives the novel a sense of hope,
Stella is a young mother who witnesses an assault across from her home. She wonders about trying to help, but her baby is crying and her toddler wakes up, so she calls 911. It takes several hours for the police to arrive, and Stella senses that at least one of them doubts her story. As the narrative voice of the novel shifts among those connected, by their relationships or their actions, to crime, we learn the story of this family of women. Excellent writing and strong characters who are life-like if not always likable. I will be watching for future novels by the author.
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despite the circumstances it portrays.Stella is a young mother who witnesses an assault across from her home. She wonders about trying to help, but her baby is crying and her toddler wakes up, so she calls 911. It takes several hours for the police to arrive, and Stella senses that at least one of them doubts her story. As the narrative voice of the novel shifts among those connected, by their relationships or their actions, to crime, we learn the story of this family of women. Excellent writing and strong characters who are life-like if not always likable. I will be watching for future novels by the author.
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LibraryThing member MaggieFlo
An indigenous teenage girl is brutally raped on a cold winter night near hydro tower in north Winnipeg. The towers are called the break. One witness, Stella calls the police to investigate.
There isn't a lot that happens in this book but there is a lot of very good dialogue and flashbacks . The
Grandmother Kookum is a central character and she has witnessed much hardship and happiness and is a comfort to all the women. She is highly regarded and loved by all and well cared for.
The perpetrators of the crime are not the usual suspects but they do represent the children of adults who have been abused or addicted or removed by child welfare. The only strong male character is the police officer who investigates the rape.
Fo me the story represents love and hope overcoming tragedy and strong family bonds of love and forgiveness.
Really good book worth reading.
There isn't a lot that happens in this book but there is a lot of very good dialogue and flashbacks . The
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narrative unfolds with each character telling their part of the story per chapter which makes for an interesting approach. The main characters are sisters or aunts of the injured teenager and they are all very strong characters. Their support and love for each other and their grandmother is heartwarming and very strong. They have all faced abandonment, addictions, abuse and racism but provide great support to each other. The men in their lives have either left or are leaving and the women are working hard at supporting a variety of children.Grandmother Kookum is a central character and she has witnessed much hardship and happiness and is a comfort to all the women. She is highly regarded and loved by all and well cared for.
The perpetrators of the crime are not the usual suspects but they do represent the children of adults who have been abused or addicted or removed by child welfare. The only strong male character is the police officer who investigates the rape.
Fo me the story represents love and hope overcoming tragedy and strong family bonds of love and forgiveness.
Really good book worth reading.
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LibraryThing member Romonko
This was a tough book to read, but it was well worth the effort. Katherine Vermette has creaated quite a story here with this, her first novel. This book will forever change you, and you will come to appreciate the challenges and heartache experienced by aboriginal women in this so-called civilized
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country that we call Canada. The characters in the book are heartbreakingly real. The story of their lives is so touching and tragic But even with all the sadness and the difficult realism, the strength and courage of these formidable women is incredible. I highly recommend this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member bucketofrhymes
Every once in awhile, I come across a book that ruins all other books for me, in the best way possible. I love it so much, I wish there was more to read, and it's hard for me to move on to another story. The Break was one such book.
This is a beautifully-written book that somehow manages to be bleak
Canada needs to do better -- and I mean that both towards the government and towards all of us who are on occupied land.
And I highly recommend that you read this book.
This is a beautifully-written book that somehow manages to be bleak
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(almost overwhelmingly, at times) and optimistic in equal measure. This book highlights the strength of communities, family, and First Nations and Metis women and girls... but through racism, intergenerational trauma, and a horrifying crime, this strength is tested in ways that should never happen.Canada needs to do better -- and I mean that both towards the government and towards all of us who are on occupied land.
And I highly recommend that you read this book.
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LibraryThing member froxgirl
My first literary encounter with Metis (half Native Canadian, half "settler") characters is a profound study of a few terrible, turbulent days in the life of a family where the men retreat and take to the bush (North) and the women stay to raise the children. The police investigator of a horrible
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crime is a Metis himself, and his encounter with the survivor and her grandmother, aunts, cousins, and sisters sends him back to his own Native mother, who, for the first time, and in the most moving passage in a narrative chock full of them, tells her son of her own struggles. The reader becomes co-joined with the multiple narrators, especially Kookom, the matriarch. There's a helpful family tree chart too. This is an eye-opening education for those readers with little or no knowledge of the First Nations. Show Less
LibraryThing member munchie13
I believe this was the most well written book I've ever read. Usually I have one criticism or another but I can't think of a single thing. Also I loved the trigger warning at the start of the book - it helped me to prepare and therefore cope with the traumatic events that take place in this book.
LibraryThing member Lindsay_W
Four generations of Indigenous women are living trauma-filled lives where sorrow and pain are just below the surface. The violent attack of a teenager is the catalyst for them to confront the source of this pain. Some of the women have tried to harden themselves against the pain or escape from it,
“She was silent for as long as he could be. She thought she could heal there, but she was only resting, she was only standing still waiting for the real work to being. Waiting until she found the words.” (Stella pg. 273)
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but, ultimately their healing comes from speaking up, not closing up. In the end we are left with hope for these women’s healing journeys. “She was silent for as long as he could be. She thought she could heal there, but she was only resting, she was only standing still waiting for the real work to being. Waiting until she found the words.” (Stella pg. 273)
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LibraryThing member cathishaw
The Break is Katherena Vermette’s debut novel. This book was a 2016 Governor General’s Literary Prize Finalist, and won or was a finalist for a multitude of other awards. I was keen to read what this MFA graduate from UBC’s creative writing program had produced and I wasn’t disappointed.
As
There are many strengths in Vermette’s novel. Her clear and true voice, her depictions of the heartbreaks and tragedies that shadow her characters’ lives, and the ultimate strength of family bonds that tie these imperfect people to each other, their heritage and their land. Katherena Vermette’s gift of story telling is profound. Her characters are all imperfect and real. As she takes the reader through each of their lives, one can’t help developing sympathy, understanding, and fondness for them. In addition, the unfairness and struggle the women (and men, too) in her novel face is difficult to read. The female characters are imperfect, strong, and beautiful. It doesn’t take long for the reader to develop a kinship with them.
While it is difficult to find a weakness in this magnificent novel, I have talked to some people who found it difficult to keep up with the leaps between characters. At first this was a challenge for me as well. At one point early on in my reading I became confused as to which character was which. But the large cast of characters is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand the ultimate message in Vermette’s work. And as one continues reading, the confusion evaporates as each character develops into a complete person, distinguishable and important to the overall story.
This is not an easy book to read and that is what makes it so powerful. The truth and honesty in Vermette’s words is soul shattering. I highly recommend you add this to your reading list.
As
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the book blurb indicates, Vermette’s novel takes the reader into the lives and hearts of group of family and friends. Through a shifting narrative, the reader soon realizes that the characters and their actions are woven in an intricate tapestry. As two young family members are brutally attacked, the history of this group of family and friends and their complex lives begins to unravel. When the multiple truths are finally revealed, the reader is left feeling raw and oddly at peace.There are many strengths in Vermette’s novel. Her clear and true voice, her depictions of the heartbreaks and tragedies that shadow her characters’ lives, and the ultimate strength of family bonds that tie these imperfect people to each other, their heritage and their land. Katherena Vermette’s gift of story telling is profound. Her characters are all imperfect and real. As she takes the reader through each of their lives, one can’t help developing sympathy, understanding, and fondness for them. In addition, the unfairness and struggle the women (and men, too) in her novel face is difficult to read. The female characters are imperfect, strong, and beautiful. It doesn’t take long for the reader to develop a kinship with them.
While it is difficult to find a weakness in this magnificent novel, I have talked to some people who found it difficult to keep up with the leaps between characters. At first this was a challenge for me as well. At one point early on in my reading I became confused as to which character was which. But the large cast of characters is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand the ultimate message in Vermette’s work. And as one continues reading, the confusion evaporates as each character develops into a complete person, distinguishable and important to the overall story.
This is not an easy book to read and that is what makes it so powerful. The truth and honesty in Vermette’s words is soul shattering. I highly recommend you add this to your reading list.
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LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
The Break by Author Katherena Vermette opens with a young mother, Stella, witnessing what she believes is a violent sexual assault. It is happening near her home in an area known as 'The Break', a stretch of land owned by the hydro company. She wants to do something to stop it but her baby is
We learn about what happened that night on the break through the voices of four generations of First Nations women. They have lived hard lives full of loss as well as betrayal by their husbands, by other men, both First Nations and white, not infrequently by other women, and by a system that doesn't value them. Despite all this, they are strong resilient women who rely on their own strength and on the support and strength of the other women in their family to deal with this just as they have always done.
This is also a story about how poverty, homelessness, cultural loss, and prejudice can lead to despair which, in turn, can lead to violence even across generations. This is made clear especially in the actions of the main perpetrator who is one of the few voices from outside the family. Although Vermette doesn't excuse her actions, she also shows how they are connected to her background of poverty, abandonment, and years left in the care of people who cared nothing for her.
Among all the voices, there is only one male - a young Metis police officer, one of the officers who investigates the crime. He is married to a white woman who sees his Metis status as simply a boon to be used to get ahead. He does it but he hates that others know he is Metis. He feels he lives in two world, First Nations and white, but isn't welcome in either. The only place he does feel at home is when he visits his Indigenous mother.
The Break is a beautifully written, compelling, and powerful story about the issues First Nations, especially women, are forced to face. It is heartbreaking at times but surprisingly hopeful at the end and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ and House of Anansi Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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crying, it is dark, and there are several assailants. She calls the police but by the time they arrive, the attackers have left and, a few minutes after, she saw a small figure stand up, pull up their pants, and walk unsteadily away. The police investigate but are convinced it was a gang-related beating and clearly aren't interested. Even her husband suspects she is wrong but she cannot shake her conviction or her guilt that she could have done more.We learn about what happened that night on the break through the voices of four generations of First Nations women. They have lived hard lives full of loss as well as betrayal by their husbands, by other men, both First Nations and white, not infrequently by other women, and by a system that doesn't value them. Despite all this, they are strong resilient women who rely on their own strength and on the support and strength of the other women in their family to deal with this just as they have always done.
This is also a story about how poverty, homelessness, cultural loss, and prejudice can lead to despair which, in turn, can lead to violence even across generations. This is made clear especially in the actions of the main perpetrator who is one of the few voices from outside the family. Although Vermette doesn't excuse her actions, she also shows how they are connected to her background of poverty, abandonment, and years left in the care of people who cared nothing for her.
Among all the voices, there is only one male - a young Metis police officer, one of the officers who investigates the crime. He is married to a white woman who sees his Metis status as simply a boon to be used to get ahead. He does it but he hates that others know he is Metis. He feels he lives in two world, First Nations and white, but isn't welcome in either. The only place he does feel at home is when he visits his Indigenous mother.
The Break is a beautifully written, compelling, and powerful story about the issues First Nations, especially women, are forced to face. It is heartbreaking at times but surprisingly hopeful at the end and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ and House of Anansi Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member Dreesie
On the surface this novel is about the rape of the young teen Emily, her recovery, and the police case. On a deeper level this book is about Native women and their relationships. It is about the importance of family and long-time friends, of culture, and of the land. Vermette touches on many
Coco (spelling? I listened on Hoopla) is the matriarch of this family, Emily is her great-granddaughter. Coco has seen a lot and been through a lot (including the beating death of a daughter), but she has kept this family together in Winnipeg. Even when one strays, she returns home. Widowhood saved her from her abusive husband, and her surviving daughter and granddaughter have made better choices in their men. They all have each others' backs.
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I listened on Hoopla audio, and the narrator was fantastic. The perfect accent to go with this book.
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Indigenous and Metis issues: family breakdown, loss of culture, the need to be on the land (and the confusion and frustration some people in particular have in the city), discrimination, and violence toward women. These issues all play into each other, and make the others worse as people feel lost and hated.Coco (spelling? I listened on Hoopla) is the matriarch of this family, Emily is her great-granddaughter. Coco has seen a lot and been through a lot (including the beating death of a daughter), but she has kept this family together in Winnipeg. Even when one strays, she returns home. Widowhood saved her from her abusive husband, and her surviving daughter and granddaughter have made better choices in their men. They all have each others' backs.
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I listened on Hoopla audio, and the narrator was fantastic. The perfect accent to go with this book.
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LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
This is a very raw novel that explores the themes of resilience, sexual trauma, violence, racism, and more. Through fur generations of women, the reader discovers a tight-knit family and the implicit bond between women, broken by a terrible event.
The relationship with the police - and men more
I would have liked to see the characters better developed but, as it is, the rhythm is perfect and the reader easily becomes absorbed by the little-known, unique world.
The relationship with the police - and men more
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generally - is at the forefront, showing the divide between the sexes. It is a rich tapestry with a deceivingly simple style: there is definitely more than meets the eye.I would have liked to see the characters better developed but, as it is, the rhythm is perfect and the reader easily becomes absorbed by the little-known, unique world.
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LibraryThing member tinkerbellkk
A sad story of a multi generational Indigenous family who struggles with a rape in their family. This is mostly about the bonds between the women in this family who come together even when they all have their own individual struggles.
LibraryThing member oldblack
Gritty story about tough lives of indigenous Canadians. Depressing.
LibraryThing member ozzer
THE BREAK is a literary whodunit set in the north end of Winnipeg. Vermette uses ten first person narratives, most of which are from related Metis women, to explore broader themes than the rape of a 13 year-old girl on a cold and snowy night on an isolated piece of land known as “the break.”
Stella observes the crime, only later to learn that the victim was her niece, Emily. Stella’s backstory involves a childhood being cared for by her grandmother, Kookom, following the addiction and murder of her mother, Lorraine. Stella’s white husband, suspicious of where Kookom lives, has isolated her from her family. Kookom’s other daughter, Cheryl, is a functioning alcoholic who works at an art gallery. She has two daughters of her own, Lou and Paulina, but still has lingering regrets arising from the murder of her sister. Paulina, the single mother of the rape victim, is struggling with her new male partner. Lou is a social worker and, like her sister, is has a dysfunctional relationship with her male partner. Each of these women exhibits considerable strength in coping with the "big and small half-stories that make up a life," including substance abuse, domestic violence and separation from family.
Vermette depicts the community’s more severe issues of drugs, crime, and violence with Phoenix. She is an addicted homeless teenager, recently released from juvenile detention, who seeks to reconnect with her gang leader uncle. Phoenix is indeed not a likeable character. However, she is counterbalanced somewhat by Zegwan, Emily’s best friend and self-proclaimed geek. She seeks to convince Emily that her childish crush might be dangerous.
The police investigating the rape evince the racism and classism that are prevalent in Winnipeg law enforcement. Despite being Metis himself, Officer Tommy Scott works the case while struggling with his own identity. "In his head, he thinks, all those women blend into one…same long dark hair, straight and shiny, same almond eyes, almost.” His partner, Officer Christie, is an overt racist. He represents the prevailing opinions of the police when it comes to serving and protecting native people. He displays an utter lack of interest in solving the crime, referring to the women as “a dime a dozen.”
Vermette demonstrates remarkable control in using a single crime as well as shifting perspectives and timelines to give the reader a compelling narrative on the broad issues facing native people living in urban environments like Winnipeg. She refrains from preaching; instead, lets the facts speak for themselves. The novel has a couple of minor flaws, however, but neither detracts significantly from its impact. With the exception of Tommy Scott, Vermette provides no nuanced male characters. Instead they all seem to blend into one absent macho stereotype. Also, her parsimonious narrative can leave the reader with the need for a more information.
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She uses this “Greek Chorus” approach to explore the importance for native people of maintaining connections with family, culture, history, and the land when coping with the challenges of urban life. She asks what happens when these connections are strained to and beyond the breaking point. Thus, her title carries two meanings: the site of the crime and the break with their heritage that native people experience living in modern urban environments.Stella observes the crime, only later to learn that the victim was her niece, Emily. Stella’s backstory involves a childhood being cared for by her grandmother, Kookom, following the addiction and murder of her mother, Lorraine. Stella’s white husband, suspicious of where Kookom lives, has isolated her from her family. Kookom’s other daughter, Cheryl, is a functioning alcoholic who works at an art gallery. She has two daughters of her own, Lou and Paulina, but still has lingering regrets arising from the murder of her sister. Paulina, the single mother of the rape victim, is struggling with her new male partner. Lou is a social worker and, like her sister, is has a dysfunctional relationship with her male partner. Each of these women exhibits considerable strength in coping with the "big and small half-stories that make up a life," including substance abuse, domestic violence and separation from family.
Vermette depicts the community’s more severe issues of drugs, crime, and violence with Phoenix. She is an addicted homeless teenager, recently released from juvenile detention, who seeks to reconnect with her gang leader uncle. Phoenix is indeed not a likeable character. However, she is counterbalanced somewhat by Zegwan, Emily’s best friend and self-proclaimed geek. She seeks to convince Emily that her childish crush might be dangerous.
The police investigating the rape evince the racism and classism that are prevalent in Winnipeg law enforcement. Despite being Metis himself, Officer Tommy Scott works the case while struggling with his own identity. "In his head, he thinks, all those women blend into one…same long dark hair, straight and shiny, same almond eyes, almost.” His partner, Officer Christie, is an overt racist. He represents the prevailing opinions of the police when it comes to serving and protecting native people. He displays an utter lack of interest in solving the crime, referring to the women as “a dime a dozen.”
Vermette demonstrates remarkable control in using a single crime as well as shifting perspectives and timelines to give the reader a compelling narrative on the broad issues facing native people living in urban environments like Winnipeg. She refrains from preaching; instead, lets the facts speak for themselves. The novel has a couple of minor flaws, however, but neither detracts significantly from its impact. With the exception of Tommy Scott, Vermette provides no nuanced male characters. Instead they all seem to blend into one absent macho stereotype. Also, her parsimonious narrative can leave the reader with the need for a more information.
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A 13 year old is assaulted, the attack witnessed through a window by a young mother up tending her baby boy and young daughter who can't do anything beyond calling the police who come hours later after the victim has fled. This is a story of the extended and close family of the victim, generations
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of women with breaks in their lives and of the young woman who initiated the violence, even more broken and bound to a shattered future. Most of the characters identify as Métis, living in a Canadian city. Show Less
ISBN
9781487001117