The Way the Day Breaks

The Way the Day Breaks is a novel set in Yorkshire in the 1980s, exploring family, love, memory, and mental illness. The story follows a family as they discuss nature, speculate on the future, dream up get-rich schemes, laugh, quarrel, and try to hold together. However, the father, Sinclair, is approaching a manic episode, which strains life in the family and has a heartbreaking impact on the children, especially the youngest son, Michael. The novel is written in two modes: dialogue and poetic reflections of Michael, offering a moving and honest account of the way mental illness vibrates through the life of a family.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 206 pages
Publication date: 27 April 2023
Publisher: Weatherglass Books

In the heart of Yorkshire, during the vibrant 1980s, The Way the Day Breaks emerges as a captivating novel that delves into the intricate tapestry of family, love, memory, and mental illness. Through the lens of one family, primarily embarked on car journeys traversing the breathtaking dales, we witness their profound conversations, engaging in speculative musings about the future, conjuring up ingenious get-rich schemes, sharing laughter, engaging in spirited quarrels, and valiantly striving to maintain their unity. Yet, beneath the surface of this seemingly harmonious existence, a darker current flows, casting a shadow over the family's shared life. The father, Sinclair, teeters on the brink of a manic episode, exerting a profound strain on the family dynamic. The repercussions of his breakdown are devastating, resonating through the generations, particularly affecting the youngest son, Michael. This novel, as much as it is formally inventive, possesses an undeniable narrative richness. It unfolds in two distinct modes: dialogue, which allows us to intimately engage with the characters, and the poetic reflections of Michael, years after the events have unfolded. Through Michael's eyes, we gain a deeper understanding of the emotional toll of mental illness and its profound impact on a family. The Way the Day Breaks stands as a poignant and authentic portrayal of the way mental illness intertwines with the lives of a family, offering a heartfelt and empathetic exploration of the human experience.

Weight: 278g
Dimension: 131 x 197 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781739983390