Breaking Faith [NOOK Book]

A story that stays with you

I have to applaud Stuart Aken for a memorable story that inhabits your mind long after you’ve clicked that last page. It starts with a ‘broken’ Faith, a young woman abominably treated by her bully of a father, a puritanical hypocrite. When she eventually manages to flee from her hell, she is taken in by a successful photographer, Leigh, who is loved, adored and revered by women. The idolatry he receives from thousands of women is reciprocated with sex; lots and lots and lots of it, shamelessly and flagrantly. Faith’s upbringing has, remarkably and against all odds, produced an innocent, direct, honest and extraordinarily beautiful woman – inside and out - and Leigh is smitten in a way he never imagined possible. They are irresistibly drawn to each other, but Faith has ultimata and the road to their nirvana is eventful, sad, tragic, and inevitable. I did enjoy the book but…there are some ‘buts’. What did I enjoy? It is very well written, it’s compelling and it’s intelligent. The story was written in the first person from both Leigh’s and Faith’s POV in alternating chapters. I was intrigued by this, and it worked well. It’s a good story with some very likeable characters, some of them funny, and some not so likeable; Leigh, in particular, is someone you love to hate. He’s handsome, he’s kind, he’s generous – totally immoral – but charismatic. The setting of the novel is in the beautiful Yorkshire dales and the locals’ dialect and character add authentic flavour. My ‘buts’? Despite the 1976 setting, I felt uneasy with the promiscuity and the acceptability of it. Faith’s character developed rather quickly – for 20 years she was isolated with nothing but a bible, an atlas, a history of the world, and a censored encyclopaedia and dictionary for company – she was disproportionately worldly. There was an uncharacteristic neglect of her quadriplegic sister, for whom she had cared tenderly for many years, after she was taken into social care in very distressing circumstances. Unfortunately, I have to say, too, that there were many editorial oversights (missing, misplaced, incorrect punctuation and spelling errors) which jarred just a little. However, the story and Faith stay with you. I am glad I read it and would recommend it.

A triumph of good over evil and an enthralling read

"Breaking Faith" is the story of Faith, ignorant, naive and completely overshadowed by the sadistic bully Heacham. Faith struggles to nurse her brain-damaged younger sister, skivvy for Heacham and be the family's total financial support.

Awakening comes as she gets a job with Leighton, the local glamour photographer and she falls in love with him, despite the terrifying threats from Leighton's assistant, the disgusting Mervyn.

I read this book in one sitting, unwilling to put it down, immersed in the Yorkshire of the sweltering English summer of 1976 and Faith's journey from darkness to self-knowledge. Her sometimes frightening honesty wash all hypocrisy away, for she is a girl who sees things as they are and tells it the way it is. The book is written from the alternating perspective of Faith and Leighton, giving the reader a greater understanding of their interactions with each other and those around them. The characters are drawn with a fine brush, especially Faith's mother and father. The denouement is sudden, violent and completely satisfying.

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