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Book Review / "Bereft" by M.A. Quigley
Bereft: A Story about Love, Loss, and Family by M. A. QuigleyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
"Why couldn’t we be like the string
And the kite
Roaming around carefree?"
Reading "Bereft: A Story about Love, Loss, and Family" by M. A. Quigley, this question echoed in my heart and didn’t let go. Why do people keep pushing themselves inside a box? Aren’t we already like a kite on the string, inevitably tethered to something, not completely free? Why should we invent new ties to keep us restrained – and unhappy?
Two people fall in love. The feelings are strong, fuelling young bodies and ardent souls. A girl and a boy want to be together, and nothing should have stopped them. Still, every generation invents new limits to be put on the most intimate of spheres of life – relationships.
These two, who might have been meant to be together on some level above human control and understanding, aren’t supposed to form a beautiful union called family in the society of Australia back in the 70s. His and her families are against their relationship and will not stop until the love they consider wrong is destroyed.
"Beliefs floated above his head
Like grey clouds threatening rain"
He turns out to be weaker than she. She persists in fighting for their love despite the ominous clouds her parents have turned her life into. He is less resilient. When he sees her, he can’t resist the pull of love. Alas, when they are apart, he falls under the influence of those who tell him their love cannot be.
"We communicated in silence
Even when we were alone
We starred in our own motion-picture show"
This tragic story, told in a mesmerising, poetic language, captivated me. It drew me into the life of struggle – unfair and useless, and because of this, even more piercing – two people in love had to live instead of a life full of joy, hope, and light. It could have turned out differently as well. But the love that hasn’t been given a chance to be tested is always incomparably sadder than the love tested and failed.
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Bereft: A Story about Love, Loss, and Family
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