Susan Becraft's Reviews > House Broken
House Broken
by
by
What a stunning debut by Sonja Yoerg!
As a dog lover, I was quickly drawn to House Broken by the picture on the cover and the book's title. It quickly became apparent that I was not going to read a story about funny puppies after I read the first few pages.
Although dogs played an important role, this was the story of a of a seemingly typical family in Southern California. Geneva and Tom, with Ella and Charlie, were my dream of the perfect neighbors - fun-loving, kind and ordinary. The lid popped off the top when Geneva's alcoholic mother was seriously injured in a car accident and moved in with Geneva's family until she recovered.
Told by Geneva, Ella and Helen, the story was a compendium of Helen's marriage at seventeen to a prominent older man, who came from the right side of the tracks, her four children, each named after a European city; Geneva's confusing childhood, her subsequent marriage to Tom and their relationship with their children; and Ella's view of her family.
This story had everything necessary to comprise a terrific book, and each character was developed magnificently. Just when I wanted to grab Helen and shake some sense into her, she would revert to her roots and toss out a colorful expression favored by those in the South. No "bless her hearts", but who would not laugh at "hotter than a billy goat in a chili patch?" I loved Ella and her teenage angst. She evoked memories of every high school girl with a pesky brother.
Most of all, I connected with Geneva on many levels. I know first-hand what havoc an alcoholic can wreak on a family. I can only imagine the effect this had on a woman who was overlooked as a child. Mother-daughter relationships are tricky, and Geneva had to be a mother not only to HER mother, but also to her children. She found solace as a veterinarian, in part because of the unconditional love all animal lovers experience. And she could control the behavior of her dog and her patients, while unable to control the lives of her family.
Books can be a great escape, but House Broken made me reflect on my life with my family. It was a story told with humor and poignancy. Writing a book that made me think and also taught me much about forgiveness was no small feat, but Sonja Yoerg did all that and more. She is a force to be reckoned with in the literary world. I will impatiently await her next book.
As a dog lover, I was quickly drawn to House Broken by the picture on the cover and the book's title. It quickly became apparent that I was not going to read a story about funny puppies after I read the first few pages.
Although dogs played an important role, this was the story of a of a seemingly typical family in Southern California. Geneva and Tom, with Ella and Charlie, were my dream of the perfect neighbors - fun-loving, kind and ordinary. The lid popped off the top when Geneva's alcoholic mother was seriously injured in a car accident and moved in with Geneva's family until she recovered.
Told by Geneva, Ella and Helen, the story was a compendium of Helen's marriage at seventeen to a prominent older man, who came from the right side of the tracks, her four children, each named after a European city; Geneva's confusing childhood, her subsequent marriage to Tom and their relationship with their children; and Ella's view of her family.
This story had everything necessary to comprise a terrific book, and each character was developed magnificently. Just when I wanted to grab Helen and shake some sense into her, she would revert to her roots and toss out a colorful expression favored by those in the South. No "bless her hearts", but who would not laugh at "hotter than a billy goat in a chili patch?" I loved Ella and her teenage angst. She evoked memories of every high school girl with a pesky brother.
Most of all, I connected with Geneva on many levels. I know first-hand what havoc an alcoholic can wreak on a family. I can only imagine the effect this had on a woman who was overlooked as a child. Mother-daughter relationships are tricky, and Geneva had to be a mother not only to HER mother, but also to her children. She found solace as a veterinarian, in part because of the unconditional love all animal lovers experience. And she could control the behavior of her dog and her patients, while unable to control the lives of her family.
Books can be a great escape, but House Broken made me reflect on my life with my family. It was a story told with humor and poignancy. Writing a book that made me think and also taught me much about forgiveness was no small feat, but Sonja Yoerg did all that and more. She is a force to be reckoned with in the literary world. I will impatiently await her next book.
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Reading Progress
January 7, 2015
–
Started Reading
January 7, 2015
– Shelved
January 9, 2015
–
Finished Reading