Brodeck - Philippe Claudel

Brodeck returns home from a POW camp, where he escaped death by pretending to be a dog, agreeing to be put on a collar and lead and be led around the camp on all fours, and to sleep with other dogs in the kennels at night.  He dreams of home, his village, and his beautiful wife, and at the end of the war he is able to leave the camp and start for home.

To a village he knows.  To a wife who does not speak.  To a daughter. And gradually we find out many things about Brodeck and his village, for he is asked to write a report for the mayor about a dreadful happening in the village.  He's writing the report, and he's telling his own story at the same time.  Gradually things are revealed;  things which were mentioned early on in his story but didn't make sense at first.  And we are witnessing the human race at it's worst, it's inhumanity to others when life should be so much better.  Gruelling and hard to read, nevertheless this beautifully written book may break your heart, and make you understand how easily bigotry and hatred can be conjured out of nowhere.