The Broken Places

Twelve-year-old Paul has a heroic fireman called Sonny for a father. After rescuing scruffy Ian, a ruffian with a Nazi tattoo on his back, from a collapsing house, Sonny achieves TV fame and starts to give advice in Hollywood. But then Sonny starts drinking too much, smoking for the first time and hanging out with Ian, and it is obvious to his family that something is not right. As the true story of the night of the rescue comes out, Paul begins to realise that perhaps his father is...
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Twelve-year-old Paul has a heroic fireman called Sonny for a father. After rescuing scruffy Ian, a ruffian with a Nazi tattoo on his back, from a collapsing house, Sonny achieves TV fame and starts to give advice in Hollywood. But then Sonny starts drinking too much, smoking for the first time and hanging out with Ian, and it is obvious to his family that something is not right. As the true story of the night of the rescue comes out, Paul begins to realise that perhaps his father is not the hero he seems to be.

The Broken Places is a brilliant meditation on the psychology of heroism, the definition of family and the ture meaning of honor. With pitch perfect dialogue, subtle yet stunning insights, and a dazzling ability to uncork the quiet power of each charater, Susan Perabo uncovers and celebrates the unsettling truths of human nature.