The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron’s own blog.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is one of the most captivating works of fiction I’ve read in a long time. (I thank my reliable source Beth G. for the recommendation.)  Set in rural England, this is a story of youthful passion,  class differences, family loyalty, secrets, crime, coverups, abiding love, wrong decisions, their consequences, guilt, and ultimately redemption. The story starts with a trial, which hooks the reader from the beginning.

A key question is: can a woman love two men simultaneously? What are the consequences if she does? The story is told from the perspective of fictional “Beth Johnson,” a teenager and aspiring poet. Her first love, Gabriel Wolfe, who shares her literary interests, comes from an affluent family living at Meadowlands, an estate in Hempton, England. His mother makes it clear that Beth is not deemed a suitable match for Gabriel.

The story goes back and forth largely between two time periods, around 1955 at the time of their summertime involvement, and, more pivotally, 1968, when major life-changing events take place. A later period, toward the end of the book, brings the reader to 1975 and still more revelations. Using the time periods as chapter titles helps the reader navigate.

There’s a teenage pregnancy, miscommunication between the two teenagers and malicious interference by Gabriel’s mother.  But Broken Country is definitely not chick lit. Young farmer Frank enters the picture. Clue: he’s a mensch. There’s a much beloved child and a terrible tragedy.  There’s a deeply troubled, alcoholic brother given to acting out as a youngster and violence as an adult with issues unresolved since his mother’s untimely death.  There’s a returned lover, an affair, guilt, rage and a killing.

Beth Johnson herself raises the most probing questions: How does someone tremulously cross the line into infidelity? And how does that infidelity become daily routine? How can she continue hurting her husband, whom she also loves? To what extent is the scandalous affair rooted in nostalgia for the past? How can her husband look away?   We know from the beginning that there is a trial, but who exactly is on trial, and who was the victim? Who lies under oath, and why? Who will emerge from the love triangle, and who gets hurt from it?  How do marriages and lives get mended?

The story lines here are quite messy, but life isn’t tidy, and Hall dives deep into her characters’ humanity. She includes a poem at the end, proving, I suppose, that she does finally get back to her writing, but the poem, written to her husband, is somewhat perplexing. I’d welcome readers’ reactions to it.  (It didn’t add much for me.)

The bottom line, however, is the following: Set against the well-described natural beauties of the landscape and the arduous daily work of farm life, Hall’s debut novel presents a blend of story telling and setting that is riveting. A reader can easily succumb to the lure of a compelling narrative that will stay with you throughout and beyond the quickly-consumed 304 pages.