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September 22, 2008 9:11 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Benedict's Brother by Tricia Walker

Reviewed by Sarah Hague

Despite having a boy's name, Benedict is a girl. She is left some money by her uncle - good! But with it comes a condition - bad! He asks her, in his will, to take his ashes and scatter them over the River Kwai, from the bridge. The bridge from the film. The bridge that cost hundreds of prisoners of war their lives.

It is with some trepidation then, that Benedict sets out. She knows that her uncle was a PoW, but he has never spoken of those times, and she is anxious at the thought of what she will meet when she gets there.

Like her brother, Anthony. He is out there having set off on a trip around the world some years previously, got as far as Thailand and became a monk, now known as Thanavaro.

Benedict's journey is one of discovery in more ways than one. Not only does she discover much about her uncle from his diary, but she is also forced to try and understand why her brother 'left her'.

Tricia Walker's debut is a beautifully written book, full of evocative descriptions not only of an exotic land, but of the allure of Buddhism. Although Benedict finds much of it incredibly frustrating, she recognises the peace it has brought to her brother, and learns to accept Thanavaro the monk.

Moving, heartfelt, and full of marvellous characters, this is a story that will not leave you indifferent.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

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Posted by Aigua Media on September 22, 2008 in British Authors, Debut Novels, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink

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