franksbooks reviewed This House of Grief by Helen Garner
Review of 'This House of Grief' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Garner's personal quest to understand why a man would kill his own children through the lens of the trial and appeals process of the Victorian Justice system provides Balance for our usual instant, outraged, condemnation of the terrible acts others perform. Never once did I consider that Farqhuarson was anything but guilty, but neither do I care a jot for his motivations. Garner's insight instead helped make my outrage more considered and allowed me to focus my empathy for the victims. Her prose and choice of narrative structure made this challenging subject a joy to read.
Garner's personal quest to understand why a man would kill his own children through the lens of the trial and appeals process of the Victorian Justice system provides Balance for our usual instant, outraged, condemnation of the terrible acts others perform. Never once did I consider that Farqhuarson was anything but guilty, but neither do I care a jot for his motivations. Garner's insight instead helped make my outrage more considered and allowed me to focus my empathy for the victims. Her prose and choice of narrative structure made this challenging subject a joy to read.
