ARC Review: The Way It Breaks

You won’t find reviews of adult contemporary novels very often on this blog, but both me and Charlotte like to venture out of our comfort zones every once in a while. And whenever we do, we’re lucky enough to come across something we enjoy.

Which is why we are all here today. I already mentioned The Way It Breaks on my post about ownvoices achillean books, and I was actually able to read it a bit early. So read on to find out why you should pre-order this book, and in the meantime, follow Polis on twitter!

Orestis is a young man who refuses to accept his lot in life. He wants a better job, a toned body, his own place, a brighter future. On a night out, he bumps into an old school friend who lands him an interview at her father’s five-star hotel. Orestis feels he is finally on the path to success. That is, until he becomes acquainted with a high-end gigolo who draws him onto a different path – one that takes him to a wealthy Belarusian trophy wife named Darya. Before long, Orestis’ destiny drifts even further out of his control.

Set in Cyprus, The Way It Breaks is a modern tale about fate and free will; love and boundaries; and the value of a human being. 

The Way It Breaks

Polis Loizou

Goodreads

Published: 24th June 2021
Rep: bi mc, bi character, gay character
TW: fatphobia, internalised fatphobia, xenophobia

5 Reasons to Read This Book

One: The book might be taking place (mostly) on Cyprus, but there are characters there from all over Europe. You don’t even realise how much you’re missing something in books until you finally encounter it. And that diversity wasn’t just empty words, either. It was actually used to talk about xenophobia in Europe, doesn’t shy away from it for a moment. But also talks about history of other countries, about relations between the countries, about how people’s views on them change depending on their own background, upbringing.

Two: A big theme in the novel is body image. It’s not always presented in a positive way, in the sense that the main character Orestis struggles with how his body looks ever since he put on weight. But once again, it’s a smart commentary on the subject. The Way It Breaks talks pretty openly on the relationship between how you see your body and your self-worth; about the way your self-esteem levels rise the more in tune you are with your body. And sure, in case of Orestis being in tune with your body means being muscular with no visible fat, but he’s actively trying to achieve his goal. And the way he carries himself changes alongside his body.

Three: The interpersonal relationships are probably the most interesting part of the novel. The familial ones, of course; how just because you share blood with someone, doesn’t necessarily mean they know how to love you & how their lack of love or their broken way of loving you, can shape your whole life. But also the relationships we shape with others on our own, the ones we choose; how they’re almost never as easy as we imagine them to be at first & how keeping them all in balance can be the most tricky thing in life.

Four: Religion. Pretty much every character has different approach to god, looks for something divine in different places. Or doesn’t look for it at all for different reasons. There’s even a conversation about actual differences between ways people from various countries practice the same religion, in this case Orthodox Catholic Church. And like everything else in the book, the characters’ feelings about religion or lack thereof run deeper than simply a characteristic. They shape their lives, while also being shaped by their lives in turn.

Five: Kind of tied with the first point, but – language. Because the characters come from so many places, naturally they speak different languages. And The Way It Breaks understands what a giant role in one’s life plays being able to explain oneself properly to others. There are countless conversations where a character knows exactly what they wish to say, but lacks words for that in a certain language; the way that can almost change how others perceive you. Then there’s a second side of the coin: people learning your mother tongue because they care about you, because you’re important enough for them to try.

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