Sufferance is a historical fiction novel that will take readers back to an era of war, terror, and unrelenting tension. Author Charles Palliser weaves a story about a family who takes on a commitment that they believe will pay off in the end. Instead, what they experience over the days, weeks, and months to come will keep you glued to the pages to learn how it all ends.
The cover of Sufferance sets the stage for readers with a building facade in black and white. Readers will see the facade of an apartment building which set the imagination stirring to imagining the family of this story living in it. An arch leading to a set of stairs that leads into the building. Tall windows give limited peeks into the interior hiding whatever secrets it may hold inside. The building appears to be set on the edge of a body of water. This small detail is an unknown clue of a darker theme to come.
Sufferance is an interesting historical fiction novel that unfolds in a time period that many readers will find familiar. The era? The unfolding of World War II. This book is told from the perspective of the father as he reflects on the situations that unfolded concerning his family taking in a schoolmate of his youngest daughter’s.
It will be easy to piece together the country in Eastern Europe that author Palliser describes in this book. The Enemy occupation and the splitting of the country. Piece by piece the unfolding of the persecution of the specific community will take root little by little. While the family, initially will be dismissive of the mounting danger, the child, the girl in question, will be completely oblivious to it.
Sufferance is a well-written depiction of the term “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” The father may have initially had “good intentions” when he and his wife made the decision to take the schoolmate of his daughter’s in. It was meant to be just for a few days. However, a few days turned into a few weeks, and a few weeks turned into a few months.
The suffering that the family in Sufferance struggled through with this girl will blow your mind. Her family is missing after the invasion of the Enemy and the splitting of the country. She was on one side, while they were on another. The expectation was that soon they would be reunited and that the girl would be able to go home. What no one has any way of knowing is the restrictions that will begin to rain down on them all and the chaos that will follow.
Sufferance is told from the perspective of the father and through the first-person perspective. This book is told in a vague form not giving readers any specifics concerning the exact country, the exact heritage of the girl and the community that she belongs to, or even the girl’s name. We are given the barest facts and this story is taking place in the era of the Second World War.
In the beginning, readers will want to know these details of Sufferance. However, as the story progresses, those details will become less and less of an issue. Why? The answer is simple – the psychological aspect of this story will take hold. Readers will feel a myriad of emotions when it comes to the young girl the family has chosen to take in, and then will shift to the family themselves and back again.
Sufferance is a psychological story that delves deep into the mindset of the characters. Their decision to “help” out this young girl initially sounds like a good idea. Doing something good, right? Helping a young girl who appears to be alone in the world other than a servant who allegedly treats her badly. Besides, once the fighting and chaos settle down, the girl’s family will surely return or at the least send instructions on what she should do – either wait for them or come join them.
However, things are far from what they appear on the surface. The father isn’t taking this course of action out of the “goodness of his heart.” No, he had his own agenda and it is a constant focus as the story progresses…until it’s not. On the one hand, readers will understand the father’s initial thought process, to an extent, but you’re also going to get the feeling that – this isn’t going to go how he hopes it will.
Little by little as Sufferance progresses readers will witness the shift in attitude towards the young girl that this family has taken in. A wealthy young girl, from a specific community – certain things are to be expected – primarily diet restrictions. However, you’d think that this same young girl would have some consideration and appreciation for the people who have generously taken her in. Or are we just being naive about this? LOL!
Well, in Sufferance you will find very little gratitude and a whole lot of suffering on the part of many. It’s rather frustrating how ungrateful the girl is, but that is how author Palliser has written her. Honestly, the attitudes of many of the characters in this book are truly believable. The stress and tension that their “house guest” begins to put on the family is palatable. It’s like an emotional roller coaster. Things are fine one minute, and then chaos breaks out. The drama dies down, and issues get ironed out only for more or the same to reemerge at a later time.
Now, throw in the restrictions that the new regime begins to implement and how it all becomes a vice that is slowly killing this family, and the tension mounts for us readers. You can’t help but wonder – “How is this all going to shake out?” Will the family be exposed for “harboring” this girl? Will they survive the war itself as things become increasingly and increasingly more dangerous? The questions will mount as the dangers will as well, but it’s the ending that you will never see coming.
Sufferance is a historical fiction novel that will twist you up with the psychological drama that it will dribble upon you a little at a time. You will feel for the family as they give up so much for someone who seems to appreciate so little. You will feel empathy for the young girl, but those feelings will come and go.
Sufferance is a truly interesting psychological page-turner of a novel. When you initially pick this book up you will think “historical fiction” but then the psychological aspect will not just sneak up on you, but shock you with how twisted it becomes.
Sufferance takes a page out of a truly horrific moment in human history and puts one particular family under a microscope. This book zeroes in on the struggles of a father trying to get ahead and take better care of his family, but slowly seeing that his plans…are slowly crumbling before his eyes.
Readers who enjoy psychological novels and historical fiction will not want to pass up on Sufferance. This book will grip you and pull you to the edge of your seat. While this book does have a slower beginning than most readers would prefer, it will hold you to its pages to an ending that will break your heart. Sufferance is one of those books that even after you’ve finished it – will stick with you.
Pros:
- Engaging storyline
- Realistic
- Interesting characters
- Page-turner
Cons:
- Slow beginning
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