Breath in the Dark

“From the first lines of Breath in the Dark, there is a powerful sense that this is special. The simplicity of Jane’s style, the clarity of the child’s voice and the intensity of emotion fired in those few words had me hooked from the start. [...] Jane expresses the beautiful mix of confusion, faith and fear that characterises her childhood effortlessly... There is so much I could say about Breath in the Dark, it’s excellent narrative, incredible intensity and the unfakeable ring of truth it carries. [...] Every part of it is an extremely powerful reading experience: it is heartbreaking and fascinating in equal amounts.” - Review by Harper Collins

Jane Hersey’s biography is told through the thoughts and voice of a traumatised, isolated child, enduring the stresses and strains of daily life in 1960s Manchester. At just six years old, and responsible for a mother suffering from clinical depression, diabetes, and eating disorders, Jane becomes ostracised both by the Jewish community and by society at large.

Breath in the Dark is a heart-rending account of a girl who is socially isolated, neglected, and subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, all while living in poverty.