Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 1/4/2016 + 2309 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Having read and loved Lupton's previous books, Sister and Afterwards (both of which I rated A+/five stars), I looked forward to The Quality of Silence with a great deal of anticipation. I am sorry to say that, although parts of Lupton's third book shine, it was a bit of a disappointment.

First and foremost, it seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a thriller, or is it a character study? Lupton's writing of driving an eighteen-wheeler through Alaska's endless night in blizzard conditions while being followed by some maniac is not up to her best, but it is good. What spoils the thriller aspect of her book for me is the character study part. Quite frankly, I wanted to lock Yasmin up and throw away the key. Anyone, man or woman, who would put their ten-year-old deaf child in the kind of danger that Yasmin does... well, it just beggars belief. I disliked Yasmin so much that I had an extremely difficult time buying into the story.

Lupton has some very important and interesting things to say about fracking, which plays a large role in the book. but for me the only time The Quality of Silence truly shines is when we listen to ten-year-old Ruby. Ruby is the true star of this book, and any time I was allowed to read this child's unique take on the world around her was a treat. Lupton has an interesting premise for this book, but her execution is uneven. If you want to read some truly beautiful writing, I would suggest her previous books, Sister and Afterwards.

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