Broken People

Broken People embark the debut of Scott Hildreth, but while reading the book I could not make out that it was his maiden attempt. The narration was very mature and almost flawless. I was going through from one chapter to another without realizing the passage of time.
This is not a book about just one character; instead the narration has been shifted from one chapter to another. Usually, it is very hard to justify with the flow of any novel while changing the narration between chapters, but the Author has done a remarkable job in narrating the storyline from different perceptions in a single book.
The storyline revolves around a “Fat-Kid”, who runs an internet blog, helping troubled people (read Broken People), suffering from depression, peer pressure, parental problems, sexuality, eating disorders and suicidal tendencies. He started the blog after losing his girlfriend and another “incident” which happened in his life. His girlfriend committed suicide and left a letter for him, which he carried throughout his life, and with that letter he carried guilt, resentment, and the weight of this entire world. If you want to know about the other “incident”, then you have to read the book!
But his life was changed when he met another broken soul like him, who changed his life entirely. The book does not entirely revolve around just these two people; it elucidates struggles, failures, and hardships that are faced by people like us every day. It is an amalgamation of stories of broken people, not one or two, but a lot – which I believe is the best part about this book.
The author is a brilliant storyteller, a wordsmith, and the way with which he has interwoven these people together is absolutely above my comprehension. I was able to relate with almost each and every character, but it was one specific character which reflected me entirely and I cried while reading all of its narration.
It is written with utmost thoughtfulness and will leave a deep impression on your mind after a read, because of its depth. It has some hauntingly beautiful descriptions and metaphors, and is filled with breathtaking quotes. There are numerous quotes in this book which broke my heart and created a space for them inside of my soul, but this one quote stood out for me from the entire text -
“I wondered what was behind the suicide. There is always a reason, something, an event that takes them over the edge, making the pain unbearable. Sometimes it may be a combination of items that the person just can't comprehend living with, but it's always one thing that takes them over the edge. It's not that they actually want to die. Generally, they just want the pain to stop.”

I admit in this review that all my life I have felt broken. Well, not entirely, but a part of me was always broken. And after reading this book I realized that I was not alone. There are people like me – damaged, broken, shattered, who are waiting for someone to heal them, for someone to put them back at their place.
I have to admit that this book broke my heart while reading. I cried so many times while reading it, that I lost the count. But it also inspired me to wipe my tears away, and to put a smile on my face. This book inspired me to look at my scars – my battle wounds, and the broken piece of my soul with my eyes full of empathy and heal them. It is one of the first times in my life when I found solace in words that are written by someone else. It was like, as if his words were healing my soul. I never felt that way before.
I can clearly admit that this is a life changing book. You may ask me now, how am I so certain about it? The reason is pretty simple. It changed my life, and that is more than enough to prove my beliefs right.
This is not just a piece of fiction, this is more than that. These are stories which will tear you apart, and heal your heart – surprisingly both at the same time. It is a kind of those “self-help” books that makes you a better person after a read. It doesn't matter if you are a teenager, or a single parent, an Egyptian or an Indian (like me), a research scholar or a teacher – but this is a book which everyone should read, regardless of their age and the genres which they prefer to read.
I will cherish this book for the rest of my life, and I express my gratitude to the Author for writing such an honest and heart-wrenching tale. You certainly changed my life. I might be broken, but I think, I will find peace with that. And someday, one day, I won't be this broken. No more.