"The Cement Garden" by Ian McEwan

This 1978 novella by McEwan is disturbing, but I won't tell you why. If you feel like being disturbed, you can read for yourself. Julie, Jack, Sue and Tom's parents pass away leaving the children alone in the family home to fend for themselves. The novella narrates (from the point of view of Jack) their summer spent together after their mother's death and the children's dream-like, drifting newfound liberty as they attempt to come to terms with the deaths and take care of each other. The cement motif is very important to the story and acts like a framing device. On the first page we read: "I am only including the little story of [father's] death to explain how my sisters and I came to have such a large quantity of cement at our disposal." And on the second to last page: "'He's smashing it up,' she said at last, 'he found that sledgehammer and he's smashing it up.'" ("He" is Julie's boyfriend, Derek.) Recommended, but not for light reading ("A Year In The Merde" would be better for that!)