Book Review: The Broken Fife

Reviewed by Elizabeth Zender

From music to morality, The Broken Fife explores the importance of resilience in an America on the brink of change.

In pre-Civil War Alabama, Junius Hart’s life is about to change. When a job opportunity comes his father’s way, Junius, his family, and their two slaves, Jim and his daughter Ruby, begin to make their way to California. 

However, the Mississippi River is no gentle road, and their trip, along with the job opportunity, are derailed. As they settle down in a town called Harrisonville, Junius spends his days avoiding his stepmother, thinking about his feelings for Ruby, and wishing he could practice his fife.

Like many teenagers, Junius is dissatisfied with the pace of his life. School offers him little, as his education is leagues beyond his peers since he’s been in school for years, and his teacher speaks to them as young children, despite how close to adulthood they are. Junius’s respite comes in the form of music, both of his own creation and that of hymns sung by the slaves. The latter of the two he encounters on an excursion with Jim, who means to teach Junius to swim. Junius is enthralled by the cacophony of voices, wondering how he might aid the singers in their creation.

After becoming aware of a kidnapping plot involving Ruby, Junius tries to take her to a location on the Underground Railroad so she can be free. But things go awry; Jayhawkers attack the pair, taking Ruby away, and Junius returns home heartbroken. Junius does not give up hope though, even when it may be in his best interest. 

In The Broken Fife, Gary C. Demack tells an intricate tale of love, music, and morality. He paints a picture of family life in the South and depicts the inherent struggle of humanity in Junius, who must battle with himself to decide the difference between right, wrong, and getting through it. Throughout his early life, Junius reckons with the South’s relationship with slavery and Christianity, while being raised by a Jewish father whose politics align with that of the North. 

Demack’s writing adeptly portrays the devastation of war and the complexities of the human spirit. Demack reminds readers of the importance of the American Civil War, however tragic it is. Through Junius’s struggles, readers can see what young men have done to survive and how they remain true to themselves. Through Junius’s successes, readers can see how having hope can keep a person going, even when things seem insurmountable. Demack’s story is one of timeless lessons and optimism in the face of an unknowable future.

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