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A Terrible Kindness

The Bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club Pick
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( 23,303 ratings, 2,080 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
A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe is a poignant historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of a real-world disaster. It follows a man named William Lavery who arrives at Aberfan after the tragic landslide in 1966. As he grapples with the haunting aftermath, William's personal journey explores themes of duty, compassion, and healing, ultimately offering a profound reflection on human resilience and kindness.
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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?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy historical fiction that delves into emotional and moral challenges. With a focus on human compassion set against a tragic historical backdrop, it offers a poignant exploration of how kindness can emerge from the darkest moments. You might appreciate the richly drawn characters and the depth of feeling portrayed in a compelling narrative.

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A celebration of the power of community, love forged in pain and the redemption that comes from deep kindness in the face of terrible loss.

"The profound tragedy of Aberfan is handled with such grace, the reader cannot help but respond to its underlying message of hope and redemption. Incredibly moving. Exquisitely crafted." Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry

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

Tonight nineteen-year-old William Lavery is dressed for success, his first black-tie do. It's the Midlands Chapter of the Institute of Embalmers Ladies' Night Dinner Dance, and William is taking Gloria in her sequined evening gown. He can barely believe his luck.

But as the guests sip their drinks and smoke their post-dinner cigarettes, a telegram delivers news of a tragedy. An event so terrible it will shake the nation. It is October 1966, and a landslide at a coal mine has buried a school: Aberfan. William decides he must act, so he stands and volunteers to attend. It will be his first job, and will beβ€”although he's yet to know itβ€”a choice that threatens to sacrifice his own happiness.

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

A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe is a poignant story of how unexpected circumstances can lead to profound personal transformation.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571368303

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 20 January 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Export - Airside ed

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 503g

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 Bridport Peggy Chapman-Andrews award. She has two adult daughters and lives with her husband in Cambridge.

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