I cried from the very first page of Morning in this Broken World.
The more I read, the more I cried. In good and bad ways.
But, the important thing is that I kept reading. Because Morning in this Broken World is one of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time.
What’s Morning in this Broken World about?
Morning in this Broken World is about love. The power of love, and how it can be both healing and destructive all at once. It’s about overcoming adversity and it’s about the power of found family, which is always one of my favorite themes.
This novel gives off a lot of A Man Called Ove vibes. The two stories even start in the same way – we meet main character Vivian just as she’s about to commit suicide after the death of her beloved husband. Vivian’s dark plan is more or less interrupted by COVID, and a spur of the moment decision brings Vivian, a down-on-her-luck caretaker, and the caretaker’s two kids into quarantine together.
Hard topics and triggers in Morning in this Broken World
There are numerous plotlines woven into Morning in this Broken World that I typically stay away from: dementia, loss of a spouse, and breast cancer, to name a few. And, of course, there’s COVID, which is like a character unto itself in this story.
Unlike with Lockdown on London Lane, author Katrina Kittle’s story isn’t a humorous look at the pandemic. Sure, Morning in this Broken World has some funny moments, but overall it captures everything we dealt with during the pandemic — with deadly, pointed accuracy. There’s the fear of the disease itself, along with all negativity that sprang up with the virus. There’s the people who refused to wear masks and obey social distancing. The people who hoarded so many supplies that nothing was left for others, and the people who refused to believe that the virus was (is) a serious condition.
Kittle hits the nail on the head with all the pain points we’ve experienced over the past few years, and I absolutely love how she verbally skewers those who made a horrible situation that much more stressful and terrifying. Brava.
What I loved about Morning in this Broken World
Despite all of the darkness in Morning in a Broken World, there’s so much light and happiness and positivity. That’s because the amazing personalities of each character in this novel shine through. Kittle uses multiple character POVs to tell the story, and she nails writing in different voices across varying ages, which is a hard thing to do.
The main and supporting characters in this story are so realistic. There’s Vivian, who reminisces about her time with her husband and how much she misses him, and how, quite honestly, she doesn’t feel that life is really worth living now that he’s gone.
There’s Luna, the kind-hearted caretaker and mom who comes to live with Vivian. Her feelings of being overwhelmed as a working single mother are disturbingly relatable even if you’re not an overworked health care worker during a pandemic.
Then, there’s Luna’s kids: Cooper, a confused teenager pushed toward adulthood faster than he should be, and Wren, who doesn’t know how to deal with all her feelings because she’s only eleven, and that’s a confusing age no matter what chaos you have going on in your personal life.
All of these characters remind you that it’s okay to be human. It’s okay to feel and think things that may be uncomfortable, or unpopular, because we all have those intruding thoughts. Kittle’s characters are messy and honest, real and raw. They inhabit the parts of ourselves that we try to keep hidden, and that’s what makes you want to hug them all close and root for them.
Should you read Morning in this Broken World?
You should read Morning in this Broken World if you’re a fan of books like A Man Called Ove and The Midnight Library. This novel touts the same values of tolerance, understanding, and empathy. Even though it’s a difficult read, I love that Kittle doesn’t shy away from the dark parts of life and ultimately chooses to embrace light and love.
As one would expect from a story dealing with death, various illnesses, and troubled children, Morning in this Broken World does get heavy, particularly in the middle of the story. If you’re easily triggered by any of these topics, I advise you to wade in carefully. Kittle’s a beautiful, evocative writer, and her words bring everything in the story to life – both the good and the bad. I cried at the beginning of this book, at the very end of the book, and at many times in between.
For all you foodie fiction fans, take note: Cooper’s culinary adventures at Vivian’s will have you drooling when you’re not crying, and ready to throw your own supper party.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for Morning in this Broken World?
Morning in this Broken World offered many possibilities for book-inspired recipes, but I decided to make… Monster Cookies!
