The Broken Word by Adam Foulds

The Broken Word

Adam Foulds

A poetic meditation on the descent into barbarity, on how easy it is to become inhuman and how difficult it is to gain redemption. Not an easy read, but not one to be shunned. It shines a light into the dark recesses of the human soul.

Extract
A Home Guard pulled him to his feet
and Tom quickly drew his pistol,
Like slapping a toy from his hands
he shot him through the head.
The wetted Home Guard, mouth open,
terrified, checked from side to side.
He looked like a startled dog.

Sorry, Tom laughed, raising his hand,
waving his gun, I'm sorry.

Compound Nine
Parallels
  • The Memory of Stones by Mandla Langa
  • The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas LLosa
  • The Siege of Krishnapur by J G Farrell
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Violence

A terrible beauty