Sarah Sweet is a watcher. She sees the way the smoke rises from the sulphide works to wreath the little Australian town of Boolaroo; she watches Dad, when he’s not being a policeman, breaking horses in the back paddock behind the house. Sarah has learnt to observe, to be quiet, to avoid notice, filled with a fury so intense it threatens to overwhelm her.

The Breaking is the story of a family tainted by the force of rage, of a young life haunted by it, but also of the strength it gives to fight back. In its evocation of the parched landscape of rural Australia, the strange cadences of the language and the filmic vividness of its characters, The Breaking is a unique, lyrical testament to the power of the human spirit.

‘The Breaking is a book of opposites: rural heat, city rain; male power and female powerlessness; paternal tenderness and a lover’s violence; silences and singing. This strong first novel is remarkable for its depiction of a family drama played out in an arid small town, with the local lock-up in the backyard, and Sarah Sweet’s slow education in love and change, courtesy of a glowing, nail-biting taxi driver. Scottish Writer of the Year Judging Committee

'Powerful and accomplished … Heyman reveals her pedigree as a playwright and poet in stunning language and original imagery … profoundly moving.’ The Scotsman

‘Haunting … compelling … the magnetism of a violent man is made palpable.’ The Times

‘Fizzes with childhood energy, frustration and hilarity… Heyman’s words and style leap at you with real punch.’ Scotsman Weekend

‘Astounding … a writer of immense promise.’ Sunday Tribune

‘A pleasure … this is a novel which never betrays its promise. The rawness of the emotion and the beauty of its conveyance into words is a potent combination which will not easily be forgotten.’ Australian Book Review

‘Gripping … Heyman’s poetic style adds an extra dimension to this gripping tale.’ Belfast Telegraph