My book review of 'Breaking and Mending' by Joanna Cannon

by Joanna Cannon
Breaking and Mending
by Joanna Cannon

This is a beautifully written book which holds you close as you share in this intimate outpouring.

There are moments of anger, of grief and frustration as the author concedes how she was unable to pursue her calling. But it is also poignant and uplifting book as the reader is encouraged to recognise the dedication of medical staff, the kindnesses they show, and the lives they touch.

It's sparsely written, and this left me at times with questions I would have liked to have answered. But perhaps these details would have proved a distraction from the author's emotional responses.

There were powerful lessons for us all to heed. I came away pondering the following:

"...each word we give to someone else carries its own burden, and one person's light-as-air is another person's unbearable cargo. We each measure words with different scales."

"The more you listen, the more you hear."

It's moving and enlightening, and a very personal account. It is a very readable book, which is worth keeping safe in order to reread.

Date of this review: May 2020
Book publication date: 26th September 2019