The Whipping Club

The Whipping Club by Deborah Henry – 307 pages

Book Blurb:

The Whipping Club explores the sacrificial secrets we keep to protect our loved ones and the impact that uncovered secrets have on marriage, family and society. Both a wrenching family drama and a harrowing suspense story, it chronicles an interfaith couple’s attempt in 1960’s Ireland to save their son from corrupt institutions.

My Review: 4 stars

Wow. This book is one of a kind. Don’t pick up if you can’t handle the darkness that comes along with it. Darkness in humanity vs. the fight for good. Seriously, this book is a classic example of good vs. evil. It’s the marrying (figuratively and literally) of religion and faith. It’s the cruelty of the truth. It’s fairness and fault. It’s a heavy amount of guilt with a spoonful of hope. This may be one of the hardest books to review as so much is dependent on spoilers which I won’t include. I disliked the title but overall, well written, well researched and would make an excellent book to discuss.

Quotes I liked:

Memory is selective, Beva. You said too much, but we only seem to remember our best selves.”

“ Ah, no. The stronger the wind, the stronger the tree – all right now, you’ll be.”

“Sensuality left the room like an embarrassed eavesdropper.”

“And there was a feeling, somewhere floating between them in their counterfeit smiles, that this was more than likely goodbye.”

“…no one knows the condition of another’s heart…”