B. M. Palmer relates a series of personal experiences bereaving a deceased child; how to come to terms with the loss, honor the memory of the departed, and rediscover meaning, hope and value in life.

The loss of one’s son or daughter is among the most soul-shattering experiences a parent can go through. Witnessing a loved one’s decline as illness takes hold, and having to make the experience of dying comfortable for them while dealing with the emotional impact, is a process defined by anguish and difficulty. The author lived at a time when child mortality was higher than in the modern day; experiencing loss successive times, it is only with sheer strength of will that the author was able to continue living.

Writing at the end of the 19th century, Palmer’s thesis is partially rooted in the values and precepts of Christianity rather than modern psychological and therapeutic approaches. However, the practical advice and philosophical reflections, plus the expressive verses, carry a certain spiritual gravitas that is useful yet uncommon in modern grief counseling. The Broken Home thus remains a unique, worthy and poignant read, having resulted from the experience of multiple family tragedies.