A Terrible Kindness: The Bestselling Richard and Judy Book Club Pick

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William is a complicated character whose life has been shaped by some difficult events, despite this, I found it hard to like William's character though. A Terrible Kindness is not an easy read, by the nature of where the beginning is set amongst the tragedy of Aberfan, it was never going to be, of course. Horizons were broadened when I learnt about the 1966 Aberfan tragedy which resulted in the deaths of 116 children and 28 adults. So we are aware that he has a difficult relationship with his mother, for example, but are unaware until later why this is. I was probably in primary school myself when we were first told of this all-to-recent local history, and so I will undoubtedly have had a different experience to a lot of my reading buddies during those chapters, the site of Pantglas Junior School just 5.

Much of the story has little to do with Aberfan, but then perhaps that’s true of lots of wider events that can affect a character, like war for instance. For William his resentment is focused on his mother due to a traumatic event which occurred in the College Chapel culmination of his Cantabrigian choral career – a solo performance of Miserere. Some episodes from his time as a chorister resulted in major upheaval and to some extent altered the course of his adult life and indirectly led to his becoming an embalmer.He’s a freshly-qualified embalmer – a preserver of the bodies of the recently departed – and is in full evening dress at the Institute of Embalmers’ Ladies Night Dinner Dance. When one of the mothers speaks of hearing Myfanwy sung from the mountains I real ugly cried but also felt so full of hope and love for this books incredible characters.

A Terrible Kindness has polarised reviewers, particularly the way the Aberfan disaster is employed as a device to change a character, suggesting this is a little insensitive.A Terrible Kindness is among the best books I have read this year and I can recommend it very warmly indeed.

Most will know the blurb about this one: It’s October 1966 and William Lavery is interrupted at a black tie do with news of a tragedy.He’s just nineteen and has a bright future with Lavery and Sons, the business run by his uncle Robert, and he’s come top of his class in embalming. I felt it was sensitively and respectfully done - but it happened before I was born and was not something I remember hearing about growing up. A horrific mine collapse in the Welsh town of Aberfan has taken an awful toll, with many children amongst the dead. Finally, the last thing I’ll say about this book is that I’ll never forget sitting by the pool in Fuerteventura this afternoon, reading the last few chapters with tears STREAMING down my face! The book itself was well written with interesting characters having to handle difficult situations and I was super impressed to learn this was a debut novel.

But I do not feel the Aberfan disaster was essential to telling this story, which was about a young embalmer William. Homophobia is rampant in the 1960s and it is evident that this must be the main reason why Evelyn (William’s mother) dislikes Robert and Howard and is afraid of their influence on her son. Just hours after the multiple waves of black sludge engulf Aberfan’s primary school, 19-year-old William Lavery is enjoying his first proper grown-up night out.Faber Members get access to live and online author events and receive regular e-newsletters with book previews, promotional offers, articles and quizzes. This is the story of a man who has been profoundly affected by the death of his father and who, as a result, acts with extreme selfishness towards everyone in his life.