Super Short Summary

The Break by Katherena Vermette, published in Canada in 2016 and the United States in 2018, centers around a multigenerational family grappling with their past while dealing with the fallout of a crime against one of their youngest members. Set in Winnipeg, the novel explores themes of intergenerational trauma, justice, and systemic oppression faced by Indigenous communities, utilizing multiple perspectives through third-person and first-person narration. The book contains graphic scenes of sexual and physical violence, as well as depictions of addiction, self-harm, and racist language directed at Indigenous people.