Length: 373 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 26 September 2013
Finished: 28 September 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Heather Gudenkauf is a new author for me.
It happens quietly one August morning. As the sun rises, and dawn's shimmering light inundates the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to every parent's worst nightmare: their little girls have gone missing during the night.
Calli Clark is a sweet, gentle dreamer of seven who suffers from selective mutism - a condition brought on by a tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has ultimately cost her more than her daughter's voice.
Petra Gregory is also seven years old; Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his daughter, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he never even knew existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.
Now these families are tied together by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.
I found that this book was beautifully written, and the plot was convoluted enough to keep me intrigued throughout the story. I give this book an A+! and will certainly be keeping my eyes open for Heather Gudenkauf's next two books: These Things Hidden and One Breath Away. This was such a wonderful debut, that I'm immediately putting both books on my Wish List.
A+! - (96-100%)
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight
Funny that you reviewed this book because I have it in my reading cue. I really liked One Breath Away and I reviewed it not so long ago in my site. I like Gudenkauf's writing style.
ReplyDeleteHello Carmen,
ReplyDeleteYes, so do I - I think you'll really like The Weight of Silence: A Novel as well! :) This was actually the first book that I've read by Heather Gudenkauf. Thanks for visiting, Carmen! :)