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antjerook's review against another edition
4.0
Well... I gave this book 4 stars, because I really, really liked reading it, I liked the characters, I liked the thrill, I liked the unusual environment and subject, I love the fact, that I learned some pretty interesting things, like I said, I really, really liked it....despite I find the whole story hugely unlikely and far fetched. But sometimes good books are like that :-) Read it and form your own opinion !
megancrusante's review against another edition
3.0
I did enjoy this very much, but can only recommend it to readers who are willing to suspend disbelief THE ENTIRE TIME. Every moment implausible.
iesq's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. The plot is a tad unbelievable, and it takes a long time before the story gets interesting. The long roadtrip was thrilling and the suspense of who their stalker was, nearly killed me. But then everything got revealed and i've never been more disappointed my life. Horrible ending to an okay book.
andintothetrees's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't enjoy this much at all - the plot was way too far-fetched, full of holes and ultimately relied on a massive coincidence. I didn't like most of the characters or the way the narrative constantly switched between them. I did like the Alaskan setting though, and the insight into Deaf culture.
jenjende's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
portybelle's review against another edition
3.0
I have always been fascinated by how people survive in seriously cold climates. I love snow and the way it transforms a landscape but we hardly ever get any here by the sea. I enjoy reading stories of people living in icy places and finding out how they cope in such extreme conditions. I had read both Rosamund Lupton's previous novels which I had enjoyed. So I was really keen to read this, her latest novel, following a mother and daughter travelling across the ice roads of Alaska to try to find their husband/father who is believed to have been killed in a fire, along with the entire population of a small village.
So I'll start by saying that Rosamund Lupton's writing is as beautiful and atmospheric as always. Her descriptions of the cold, bleak landscape made me shiver. The cold was almost a character in itself, creeping up menacingly. As Yasmin, with her deaf daughter Ruby, drive a huge truck north over an ice-road through a storm, I got a real sense of the isolation and challenges they faced. The ice truckers must have a real respect for the weather and physical landscape to survive such conditions. I had to suspend disbelief a bit here as I thought it unlikely that Yasmin would attempt such a perilous journey. Setting that aside though, Lupton's writing made me understand just how extreme the temperatures were and the dangers faced by Yasmin and Ruby, not least from whoever appears to be following them.
However, the ending of this novel fell a bit flat for me. I thought it was a bit preachy against oil companies, pushing an agenda. The twist didn't ring true to me. It just all seemed a bit unlikely and a disappointment after what had been an excellent read up to then. There were just a few too many coincidences and unlikely scenarios. I'd give this 3.5/5 stars. Better than just an okay read, but not up to the standards of her previous books.
I was given an advance copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So I'll start by saying that Rosamund Lupton's writing is as beautiful and atmospheric as always. Her descriptions of the cold, bleak landscape made me shiver. The cold was almost a character in itself, creeping up menacingly. As Yasmin, with her deaf daughter Ruby, drive a huge truck north over an ice-road through a storm, I got a real sense of the isolation and challenges they faced. The ice truckers must have a real respect for the weather and physical landscape to survive such conditions. I had to suspend disbelief a bit here as I thought it unlikely that Yasmin would attempt such a perilous journey. Setting that aside though, Lupton's writing made me understand just how extreme the temperatures were and the dangers faced by Yasmin and Ruby, not least from whoever appears to be following them.
However, the ending of this novel fell a bit flat for me. I thought it was a bit preachy against oil companies, pushing an agenda. The twist didn't ring true to me. It just all seemed a bit unlikely and a disappointment after what had been an excellent read up to then. There were just a few too many coincidences and unlikely scenarios. I'd give this 3.5/5 stars. Better than just an okay read, but not up to the standards of her previous books.
I was given an advance copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
smashingreads's review against another edition
3.0
BLUF: Well written story that is more about the journey than the destination.
**I was provided a copy of this book from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review**
Plot: The Quality of Silence follows a woman and a daughter who travel to Alaska, with the hopes of persuading her husband to come home. These hopes are soon shattered when she is solemnly informed that the village her husband was staying in was burnt in an accident, with no survivors and all bodies (including her husband) accounted for. Undeterred and hopeful, the woman and he daughter embrace on a trip through Alaska, to the burnt village in search of her husband.
POV: I was terrified when I started this book because the first perspective we are introduced to is the daughter. I can‰ЫЄt remember the last time I read a book from a child‰ЫЄs point of view, especially one where the child actually speaks from their age, rather than from the POV of an adult. But it was good. Really good. Granted, I may be blinded from the fact that she is deaf ‰ЫТ which is another POV I have never read from, but quite appreciated. There are other POVs, but I found the daughter to be the most enjoyable.
Attention to Detail:I‰ЫЄm not knowledgeable on Alaska, sign language, or any of the other concepts in the book, but reading this, it felt as if the author put in the extra effort to make this story as honest as possible. I‰ЫЄm sure I will find out if my feelings on this are true or not, but the effort showed and added to the story.
Plot: I wasn‰ЫЄt thrilled for the plot. I was hoping for a murder mystery, but this book was more about the journey across Alaska above everything else. I should have expected this, but, for whatever reason, I didn‰ЫЄt. I‰ЫЄm sure this isn‰ЫЄt a problem for most of you because you likely read the book‰ЫЄs plot synopsis thoroughly, unlike me‰Ы_
**I was provided a copy of this book from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review**
Plot: The Quality of Silence follows a woman and a daughter who travel to Alaska, with the hopes of persuading her husband to come home. These hopes are soon shattered when she is solemnly informed that the village her husband was staying in was burnt in an accident, with no survivors and all bodies (including her husband) accounted for. Undeterred and hopeful, the woman and he daughter embrace on a trip through Alaska, to the burnt village in search of her husband.
POV: I was terrified when I started this book because the first perspective we are introduced to is the daughter. I can‰ЫЄt remember the last time I read a book from a child‰ЫЄs point of view, especially one where the child actually speaks from their age, rather than from the POV of an adult. But it was good. Really good. Granted, I may be blinded from the fact that she is deaf ‰ЫТ which is another POV I have never read from, but quite appreciated. There are other POVs, but I found the daughter to be the most enjoyable.
Attention to Detail:I‰ЫЄm not knowledgeable on Alaska, sign language, or any of the other concepts in the book, but reading this, it felt as if the author put in the extra effort to make this story as honest as possible. I‰ЫЄm sure I will find out if my feelings on this are true or not, but the effort showed and added to the story.
Plot: I wasn‰ЫЄt thrilled for the plot. I was hoping for a murder mystery, but this book was more about the journey across Alaska above everything else. I should have expected this, but, for whatever reason, I didn‰ЫЄt. I‰ЫЄm sure this isn‰ЫЄt a problem for most of you because you likely read the book‰ЫЄs plot synopsis thoroughly, unlike me‰Ы_
Spoiler
The end is neat and tightly pulled together, but rather abrupt. It‰ЫЄs not necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted a little more.snd1101's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0