{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6087d3aca4a81031ba098a59/69a9ce14f6d1583bb885741c?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Broken Country: Claire Leslie Hall on the Story Everyone Is Talking About","description":"<p>In this episode of&nbsp;<em>Quick Book Reviews</em>, Philippa talks to author&nbsp;<strong>Claire Leslie Hall</strong>&nbsp;about her extraordinary novel&nbsp;<strong>Broken Country</strong>&nbsp;— a story of love, grief, longing, and the choices that shape our lives.</p><p>Set against the backdrop of the English countryside,&nbsp;<em>Broken Country</em>&nbsp;begins with a shocking line:&nbsp;<em>a man is dead — but who is he, and why?</em>&nbsp;From there unfolds a deeply emotional story of a marriage under strain, a first love that returns, and a community divided.</p><p>Claire shares the fascinating journey behind the book — from the moment of inspiration during lambing season in rural Dorset to the four-year writing process that included rewrites, abandoned drafts, and even stepping away to write another novel before returning to the story.</p><p>Philippa and Claire discuss:</p><ul><li>The real-life moment that sparked the opening scene</li><li>Why the novel took&nbsp;<strong>four years</strong>&nbsp;to write and dramatically changed along the way</li><li>How the book blends genres — love story, mystery, and courtroom drama</li><li>Watching a murder trial at the Old Bailey for research</li><li>The meaning behind the title&nbsp;<em>Broken Country</em></li><li>The evolution of the book’s cover design</li><li>The surreal moment the novel was chosen for&nbsp;<strong>Reese’s Book Club</strong>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<strong>Reese Witherspoon</strong></li><li>Claire’s background as a journalist and how it shaped her writing style</li><li>What readers might expect from her next novel</li></ul><p>Plus: dream writing sheds, nightmare writing locations, the joy (and terror) of editorial notes, and the all-important&nbsp;<strong>biscuit question</strong>.</p><p>If you love character-driven fiction with emotional depth and a touch of suspense, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.</p><p><strong>Books Mentioned</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Broken Country</strong>&nbsp;— Claire Leslie Hall</li><li><strong>Pictures of Him</strong>&nbsp;— Claire Leslie Hall</li><li><strong>Days You Were Mine</strong>&nbsp;— Claire Leslie Hall</li><li><strong>To Kill a Mockingbird</strong>&nbsp;— by&nbsp;Harper Lee</li><li><strong>The Amateur&nbsp;</strong>by Chris Bohjalian </li><li><strong>Odette Rising </strong>by Julianne Edwards</li></ul><p><em>Quick Book Reviews</em>&nbsp;features author interviews and book reviews with&nbsp;<strong>no spoilers</strong>.</p><p>Follow Quick Book Reviews for book recommendations, author interviews, and weekly podcast episodes.</p><p>📧 Email: quickbookreviews@outlook.com</p><p>📸 Instagram &amp; Threads:</p><p>@quick_book_reviews</p><p>🎵 TikTok: @quickbookreviews</p><p>🐦 X: @quickbookrevie3</p><p>🦋 Bluesky: quickbookreviews</p>","author_name":"Philippa Hall"}