In the Absence of Miracles

Once in a while a book comes along that affects you emotionally, and you need a little bit of time to think about what you just read, and how you are going to review it. In the Absence of Miracles is just such a book.
Michael J Malone has written a book that is equal parts dark, disturbing and heartbreaking. What started out as a simple tale of a missing brother, morphed into a story of abuse; the revelations of said abuse make for uncomfortable reading.
At the start of the book I didn't like the protagonist, John Docherty. As the story unfolded, I felt a deep sadness for him and the child he once was.
This is the second book this year, that has had me cry for the protagonist, and both books shared the same dark theme.
The fact that this book got under my skin is testament to Michael J Malone's skills as an emotive writer.

The theme of this book is dark, uncomfortable and often upsetting, unfortunately some of the dialogue between the characters is toe curlingly awful, especially in the first half of the book. 2 stars, just ok.