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A Terrible Kindness

The Bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club Pick
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( 23,375 ratings, 2,085 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, a young embalmer named William Lavery is thrust into the aftermath of a tragic event, reshaping how he views life and death. Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, the novel delves into themes of humanity, compassion, and resilience as William confronts challenging moral dilemmas, drawing on his past and contemplating his future. This poignant narrative explores the transformative power of kindness amidst adversity.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate deeply moving historical fiction that weaves real-life events with compelling personal stories. Set against the backdrop of a poignant historical tragedy, it explores themes of empathy, healing, and the human spirit's resilience. This narrative may appeal to readers who are drawn to emotionally rich tales that offer both heartache and hope.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

An incredibly moving story of hope and redemption.

An incredibly moving story of hope and redemption - 'Incredibly moving. Exquisitely crafted' Bonnie Garmus. An instant Sunday Times Bestseller.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

It is October 1966 and William Lavery is having the night of his life at his first black-tie do. But, as the evening unfolds, news hits of a landslide at a coal mine. It has buried a school: Aberfan.

William decides he must act, so he stands and volunteers to attend. It will be his first job as an embalmer, and it will be one he never forgets.

His work that night will force him to think about the little boy he was, and the losses he has worked so hard to forget. But compassion can have surprising consequences, becauseโ€”as William discoversโ€”giving so much to others can sometimes help us heal ourselves.

'Incredibly moving. Exquisitely crafted.' - BONNIE GARMUS, Lessons in Chemistry

'I LOVE IT! Utterly and completely brilliant.' - JOANNA CANNON

'Extraordinary.' - SOPHIE HANNAH

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571368310

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 08 December 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main - Re-issue

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 332g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Jo Browning Wroe grew up in a crematorium in Birmingham. She has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and is now Creative Writing Supervisor at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge. Her debut novel, A Terrible Kindness, was shortlisted for the Peggy Chapman-Andrews First Novel Award. She has two adult daughters and lives with her husband in Cambridge.

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