A Terrible Kindness

[shivbo2014]

A recommendation for this book by Jo Browning Wroe. I absolutely loved it! Has anyone else read it?

Am around half way through and absolutely loving it. It’s a book that oddly makes me feel really cosy reading it.

Just finished it.

I'm from South Wales and Aberfan happened before I was born, but my mother and aunties/uncles helped with the rescue and recovery effort (they lived in the next village). The parts about the disaster chimed absolutely with what they told me about it, when they were able to talk about it at all - it was so traumatic for them. The Welshness is very authentic full stop.

It's a lovely book, despite the harrowing subject matter in places. No spoilers but I was delighted with the ending, beautifully done with not a hint of mawkishness. Redemptive and affecting.

I just finished it - I was worried it might be too harrowing, but the way it moves between different parts of his life means that the toughest parts don't become oppressive.

Also, as a choir singer and sometime soloist, she really captures something about what it feels like to sing a big solo!

• I mean, as a choir singer and sometime solist myself - but maybe she is as well, given how well she writes about it.

Glad others enjoyed it too! I had never heard of the Aberfan disaster before this book. Totally heartbreaking.

Yes I’ve just finished it as well. I thought it was absolutely extraordinary- really enjoyed it.

I am hoping to resurrect this thread . SPOILER ALERT

I am about to finish it on Audible, and have also really enjoyed it. The narrator is brilliant IMO.

However, I wanted to ask what others thought of William? I was really shocked when he basically encouraged the other boys at the school to think that Martin had sexually assaulted him! Surely that's bloody awful! And yet Martin seems to forgive him quite easily . William may have only been 13/14 but that's a pretty big fuck up?!!

Also, when William and Gloria are skirting around each other they are presumably only 18/19 but seem terribly mature - I don't think the dialogue is very convincing considering their ages.

Sorry to be negative, I did really enjoy the book but was irked by some of it.