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Books that break your heart

146 replies

Moominfan · 04/12/2019 20:52

Colson whitehead under ground railroad. He brought out another book knickel boys and I just can't bring myself to read it.

Room- I started it and just knew I'd be thoroughly depressed by this book so shelved it.

OP posts:
BadSpellaSpellaSpella · 07/01/2020 16:29

Very rare for me to cry at a book but alot of the ones already mentioned have either made me cry or made me feel very emotional are mentioned, not mentioned so far, what I loved by Siri Hustvedt Sad

DuchessAnnogovia · 07/01/2020 20:06

There are a couple of books by Doreen Tovey that have had me sobbing. She wrote about life with her Siamese cats. Black Beauty has me crying every time when Ginger dies.

Chrissysouth · 07/01/2020 21:14

Quite a few of the books mentioned had me sobbing, especially, Room, A Thousand Splendid Suns, P. S. I love you and Lovely Bones.

The most heartbreaking book I've read has to be Not Without My Daughter. I cried the whole way through :(

Papergirl1968 · 07/01/2020 23:22

Ohhh, Chrissy, I love Not Without My Daughter. Have read it several times.

Chrissysouth · 08/01/2020 08:10

@Papergirl1968 it is one of my favourite books. Not sure I'd be able to read it again though, it had me in a mess.

Papergirl1968 · 08/01/2020 08:26

I googled last night and discovered the husband and daughter had written their own books too. Might have to get the daughter’s.

Chrissysouth · 08/01/2020 09:30

I knew the daughter had one, I think Betty does too, but it's not based on her life. I'll have a look later and put them all on my wishlist.

HappydaysArehere · 09/01/2020 11:02

Bridge of Clay captivated me.
Loved Eleanor Oliphont.

HappydaysArehere · 09/01/2020 11:03

Spelt Eleanor’s name incorrectly - sorry.

numberonecook · 09/01/2020 12:26

Goodbye mog always gets me, everytime lol.

The notebook by Nicholas Sparks. It’s gets me crying that deep crying from your gut where you can’t breathe.

I’m sure there are a few more that I can’t think of

BaconAndAvocado · 10/01/2020 22:56

A Little Life for me too.

I've got 100 pages left to read and it's been heart breaking. 😓

Utterly unputdownable and unforgettable.

carrie74 · 15/01/2020 20:26

As soon as I saw the thread title, I thought of Jude the Obscure. Oh God, that book 😢.

Never Let Me Go - yup.

One Day - yup, and an audible gasp.

I'm currently listening to Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, and had to do a lot of blinking while walking through the centre of town and hearing a sad bit 😂.

Chrissysouth · 19/01/2020 19:21

I've recently finished Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay and it definitely broke my heart on a few occasions.

MummytoGrace2012 · 19/01/2020 19:32

Light between the Oceans, The Nightingale, The Winter Garden and The Silent Hours all of these books left me an emotional wreck, definitely recommend them all Smile

Sicario · 19/01/2020 19:34

"Under The Jewelled Sky" by Alison McQueen. Beautiful and utterly heartbreaking.

RedRec · 19/01/2020 19:49

The Bridges of Madison County.
I was sitting on a park bench when I finished it and couldn't stop blubbing for about half an hour.

beanaseireann · 20/01/2020 19:15

Gone With the Wind.

OutOntheTilez · 20/01/2020 19:21

"Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson. I read it in fifth grade and still think about it to this day.

Teabay · 20/01/2020 19:38

Oh my, this lovely Michael Foreman book about a girl who helps a gardener, until one day he isn't there anymore - I can't get to the end. My DC choose it on purpose to watch the results!

The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
The Lovely Bones - Alice S

Books that break your heart
LifeInAHamsterWheel · 21/01/2020 15:41

oh I'd forgotten about The Bridges of Madison County, what a beautiful story and so well written.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Light Between Oceans, All The Light We Cannot See, The Heart's Invisible Furies and Blackbird (by Jennifer Lauck) - all made me cry.

ruthieness · 24/01/2020 23:19

Dragon Seed by Pearl Buck - a fictional account of the Japanese in China - so moving. She is famous for "The Good Earth" but her biography of her father "fighting Angel" is also extraordinary.

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