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A review by caseys_chapters
A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella
emotional
hopeful
sad
4.5
Ethan Joella did it again with another moving, tender story. Thank you @scribnerbooks for the gifted copy of A Quiet Life.
Similar to Joella’s last novel (and @readwithjenna pick) A Little Hope, A Quiet Life rotates the POVs of intersecting characters. Both deliver on feels, but I enjoyed how A Quiet Life takes a closer look at fewer characters.
First there’s Chuck, an older man grieving the recent loss of his wife and debating if he will take their annual trip without her. Then there’s Ella, who is determined to find her missing daughter. Last but not least is Kristen, mourning the tragic loss of her father and hoping for clarity in her love life.
Grief and healing from painful experiences are the core of the story. More detailed content warnings are listed at the bottom.
I cried by page four (a personal record), over a moment that reminded me of my grandparents. Joella does a fantastic job showing the little moments of tremendous emotion that come with loss.
I wish the characters overlapped more substantively, but getting to know them separately first made their eventual connections more touching. I also wish we got to see further development of a specific relationship.
Please be mindful of the content, but I would recommend A Quiet Life if you’re looking for a deeply human tearjerker.
Similar to Joella’s last novel (and @readwithjenna pick) A Little Hope, A Quiet Life rotates the POVs of intersecting characters. Both deliver on feels, but I enjoyed how A Quiet Life takes a closer look at fewer characters.
First there’s Chuck, an older man grieving the recent loss of his wife and debating if he will take their annual trip without her. Then there’s Ella, who is determined to find her missing daughter. Last but not least is Kristen, mourning the tragic loss of her father and hoping for clarity in her love life.
Grief and healing from painful experiences are the core of the story. More detailed content warnings are listed at the bottom.
I cried by page four (a personal record), over a moment that reminded me of my grandparents. Joella does a fantastic job showing the little moments of tremendous emotion that come with loss.
I wish the characters overlapped more substantively, but getting to know them separately first made their eventual connections more touching. I also wish we got to see further development of a specific relationship.
Please be mindful of the content, but I would recommend A Quiet Life if you’re looking for a deeply human tearjerker.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Gun violence, and Kidnapping