Skip to main content
The Weight of SilenceThe Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: It happens one August morning. As dawn's light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing.


Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy as a toddler. Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to do the best she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay has cost more than her daughter's voice.

Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend and voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual demeanor. Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of family secrets.


Favorite Quote: Having a little girl has been like following an old treasure map with the important paths torn away.


My Thoughts: The one thing that struck me most about 'The Weight of Silence' was how strong Callie's voice comes across even when she wasn't present. Gudenkauf has a wonderful way of playing with narrative voice, the subtle shift in tense, characters speaking for others, instead of themselves, in spite of themselves.

Looking back on the book I was shocked to realize that Petra had narrated a section toward the beginning. Despite so much of the book being about Petra, she's surprisingly absent. It's this absence that most capitvated me as the piece of the mystery came together. It's what drew me forward through to the end.  Ouside of this, the book is predictable in a good way, a solid read. The epilogue, while somewhat necessary, was depressing. The hope that had built in the last several sections of the books where left tainted with a bitter aftertaste once I finished the epilogue.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teaser Tuesday - April 14th

"My mother would never let the hearth die in her home," Margret said. She felt Agnes turn to look at her, but didn't meet her gaze. "She believed that as long as a light burned in the house, the Devil couldn't get in. Not even during the witching hour." Agnes was quiet. "What do you believe?" she asked eventually. Margret extended her hands towards the flames. "I think a fire is a useful thing to keep a body warm," she said. - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading . For other contributions click here .
8 comments
Read more

Teaser Tuesday - July 29th

Lack of perspective in literature (or in readers) often causes a contemporary condition I've heard referred to as "presentism"; that is, a disposition to judge all literature by the narrow standards of present time and present culture.  This leads to the phenomena such as the denunciation of classic novels such as Huckleberry Finn , on grounds that they deal with issues such as slavery, women's civil rights, ect., in a way not consistent with the notion of present-day political correctness. - "Presentism" The Outlandish Companion by Diana Gabaldon Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading . For other contributions click here .
8 comments
Read more

Vancouver 2014: Camping!

Camping is one of those things that's hard to share via picture, moving or still.  It's so much about the experience, the stars overhead, the springy soft ground underfoot, the wind on your face, that first pure hint of morning light, meals cooked by fire and ember. Sure there are the stories you tell, the ones around the campfire and down at the lake, and the ones you tell after, but it's not the same.  Stories can conjure memories and emotions but they can't make the sun shine or moths fall from overhead lights.  Okay, maybe the last one, moths are sneaky, but the rest, these personal moments and experiences, they're a lot harder to convey.  I'll leave it at I had an absolutely amazing time, despite the lack of nonrock based floors and comfortable chairs, I would have turned right around and done it again.  The lack of technology was restful and the presence of that much nature was restorative.  We mostly relaxed but I did get to see some amazing sights...
3 comments
Read more