The Great Quiet

by Bekkah Frisch

"Over the course of this novel, Frisch delivers a braided story of home and family that features complex and evolving but navigable relationships... An ambitious, moving saga that connects the personal and the global, illustrating how a youthful friendship can have tender, lasting effects." —Kirkus Reviews

From 1966 to 1996, France conducted 193 nuclear weapons tests in the Polynesian islands of the South Pacific, only ending the tests after particularly fierce protests from the locals. The full impact of radioactive fallout in the region is still being uncovered after decades of military and political subterfuge. Within this backdrop of colonization and fallout, the personal is inextricable from the political.
Manu is a widower who enters local politics to deal with the loss of his oldest son in a plane crash, only to be sent reeling when his teenage daughter Ari is diagnosed with the rare blood cancer myeloma. Angela, a single mother whose health and six-bed pension are both failing, keeps her son Natua close and her secrets even closer.
After Ari's illness takes a turn for the worse, she sneaks away to Paris to seek treatment, Natua by her side. While there, the pair must look within to discover what they're truly made of.
This haunting, lyrical work plumbs the depths of family and loyalty while illuminating the poorly understood nuclear catastrophe still impacting Ma'ohi families today.

296 pages, Paperback

Published August 29, 2023

About the author

Bekkah believes in the power of bravery and authenticity to make the world a better place. She invites readers on a journey to discover radical empathy through her medically-focused fiction.

Bekkah Frisch holds a BA in English from Wells College. Her debut, The Great Quiet, won the 2024 Silver IPPY Award for regional fiction set in the Pacific Rim.

Outside of writing, Bekkah enjoys swimming, traveling, and memes; she is also an outspoken advocate for mental health. Bekkah lives in Fulton, NY with her husband, daughter, and their two lovable, untrainable dogs.

Reviews

[Abigail McKalsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just cried. so much. god. beautiful

[jordan kauffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 but rounded up. this book was heartbreaking. really so so sad. i really loved the plot and the characters but i felt like there was one too many plot lines. i think everything tied together nicely but i think we didn’t get enough focus on natua’s mom and that whole situation. it was also so long and certain sentences/structures were repetitive. truly made me tear up at the end and was a very interesting world event to learn about

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex and interesting story about how the characters must fight and get their loved ones to help they need from fallout that the nuclear testing did to their Island. Hard to put this down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[S.D.G. S.D.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt story about dealing with grief and finding healing. Multiple story lines weave in this book with real characters and almost travelogue location descriptions. Overall, it’s a touching read that makes you think about life's twists and turns and a world larger than your own backyard.

[Kaitlyn Marquart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and engaging!

[Jackie Monsour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Heartwarming while including intricate details of the fallout of nuclear testing in Polynesia. Beautiful story of some of those affected by this tragedy.