The World is But a Broken Heart by Michael Maitland

It is a grey morning with the slightest hint of peach dancing on the edges of the passing clouds, the dry leaves of the oak tree whip in the wind. A morning for reflection. Dale, Kenny, Patrick – three names that sit with me as my heart bleeds. The unfairness of life baffles me. Success and grandeur for some, broken backs, and worn-out boots for others. How can there be such a divide? A divide that has children growing up in run-down homes with run-down parents just trying to scrape by when every day is as dull and pointless as the last while others have success handed to them. I have seen the pain life’s unjust hand can cause. What Michael Maitland has given us in his collection of short stories, The World is But a Broken Heart is real, and it is raw. It will make you think of that family you went to school with, the ones that always had trouble following them, the ones with holes in their shoes, the ones with no food to eat at lunch.

The World is But a Broken Heart follows the Fitzpatrick family as they attempt a normal family life. Henry is a loud, obnoxious man who is too rough on his wife and children especially when he drinks which is every day. Maureen is the woman of the house just trying to keep her boys fed and happy, always dreaming of giving them a better life. Dale is the oldest son who is sometimes as rough as his father and always in trouble. Kenny is the loveable, curious middle boy who dreams of working for Parks Canada. Patrick, the youngest, is more of an academic. These five people make up the Fitzpatrick household with all its dysfunction and chaos. Their lives are filled with one wrong turn after another. Tough times and tragedy follow them like a curse, but they keep going because they must because there is no one to pull them from the rut. When the unthinkable happens, the family unit starts to crumble, and their lives are forever changed. The story follows the boys into adulthood, documenting how they made it through and how strong the bonds of brotherhood can be.

The characters in these stories could have been people plucked from my past. I instantly knew the Fitzpatricks because I knew two families just like them when I was growing up. Oddly enough, they were both households full of boys, so Dale, Kenny and Patrick were all familiar people to me, and it was so very easy to feel their pain. Some of the boys I knew went to prison and had addiction problems, and some are now dead. Reading this book was like seeing everything through their eyes.

“Maitland wrote these stories perfectly…every bit of pain the characters in this story feel instantly bleeds off the page and into you.”

Maitland wrote these stories perfectly and was able to harness the rawness of the Fitzpatricks’ situation. Every bit of pain the characters in this story feel instantly bleeds off the page and into you. I felt so angry, sad, and frustrated as I read this book because everything that happened was so unfair and I kept asking myself why, why can’t they have a win, just one win? The ending was beautiful even though the events that led up to it were so terrible. I can’t say anything more without giving it away, but I guarantee this book will destroy you.

I have been searching for a book like this for a while now, something with weight, something that will move me to silence and reflection. The World is But a Broken Heart is beautiful but ugly and has brought back a lot of emotion that I had locked away inside me. May this book serve as a staunch reminder that there are people out there who have never had a chance at success, let it be a reminder that there are others out there in worse situations than we find ourselves in, let it encourage us to be more empathetic towards our neighbors. I hope this book settles in your heart and breaks it a little, as it did mine, so that this story, so raw and true, will not be forgotten. The World is But a Broken Heart is the best book I have read in a very long time, and I highly recommend you read it.

This is a TMR Starred Review!

Michael Maitland is a versatile writer, producer and director who began his career in Canada’s Arctic, producing television programming and videos for Television North Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the private sector. He currently works for the Ministry of Attorney General and when he is not writing he can be found riding his bike, swimming, or singing baritone with the Victoria Choral Choir. The World Is But a Broken Heart is his first book.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Signature Editions; 1st edition (Sept. 1 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 177324129X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1773241296

Laura Patterson

Laura Patterson is a Registered Acupuncturist and a QA Lab Technician from rural New Brunswick where she lives with her husband and twin boys. She has a BSc in Biology and a Diploma in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. When she's not working in the lab or in her clinic, she enjoys camping and adventuring with her family, reading many books, and writing book reviews.