What do you think?
Rate this book
Silent Child #1
Silent Child
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2017)In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son's red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year - a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned. His body was never recovered. Ten years later, Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She's married, pregnant, and in control again... ... until Aiden returns. Too traumatized to speak, he raises endless questions and answers none. Only his body tells the story of his decade-long disappearance. The historic broken bones and injuries cast a mere glimpse into the horrors Aiden has experienced. Aiden never drowned. Aiden was taken. As Emma attempts to reconnect with her now teenage son, she must unmask the monster who took him away from her. But who, in their tiny village, could be capable of such a crime? It's Aiden who has the answers, but he cannot tell the unspeakable. This dark and disturbing psychological novel will appeal to fans of The Widow and The Butterfly Garden.
413 pages, Paperback
First published January 22, 2017
14273 people are currently reading
68879 people want to read
About the author
Sarah A. Denzil
46 books2,496 followersSarah A. Denzil is a Wall Street Journal bestselling suspense writer. She is also known as young adult author Sarah Dalton.
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller SILENT CHILD, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read AIDEN'S STORY, a short story and sequel to SILENT CHILD. It's completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
Join the newsletter for updates: http://eepurl.com/cwAmZD
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahadenzil
Check out her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/sarahadenzil/
Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
Sarah lives in Yorkshire with her partner, enjoying the scenic countryside and rather unpredictable weather.
She is the author of international bestselling psychological thriller SILENT CHILD, which topped the bestseller lists on Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.
You can read now read AIDEN'S STORY, a short story and sequel to SILENT CHILD. It's completely free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/n7lb74chp3
Find out more at: http://www.sarahdenzil.com/
Join the newsletter for updates: http://eepurl.com/cwAmZD
Follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahadenzil
Check out her Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/sarahadenzil/
Email: sarah@sarahdenzil.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,188 reviews
June 19, 2017
I was beginning to believe that people were capable of anything. People are multi-layered. Anyone can have a private side that verges on the dark and dangerous. Your doctor could be a sadist. Your primary school teacher could be a paedophile. Your beauty therapist could be a murderer.
2 1/2 stars. Silent Child should have and could have been a new favourite of mine. It is compelling and eerie, set where I came from in the North of England, in a quiet (and fictional) little Yorkshire town where everyone knows everyone. The mystery interested me and the story had a very creepy vibe, which I personally liked.
Too bad everything - every twist, reveal and "surprise" - was completely transparent.
It is told from the perspective of Emma Price, who lost her six-year-old son, Aiden, in a flood ten years ago. When the police found his coat floating in the water, everyone assumed he had drowned. Now Emma is married to a new man, pregnant, and finally ready to move on with her life... until Aiden is found staggering out of the local woods, malnourished and mute. Where has Aiden been all these years? What kind of monster took him? These questions kept me turning the pages.
I think it must be very hard to write a mystery/thriller that is both realistic and surprising. The reader is working against you - trying their hardest to solve the mystery, but disappointed if they actually succeed. You need a cast of characters large enough to offer many possibilities (because it's a total cop-out if it's a random stranger who no one cares about) and you need to weave multiple mysteries and surprises together. This is so some of them are red herrings, and also so that if the reader figures out one mystery, they can still be surprised by another. Or, alternatively, make it so even if they work out the WHO, the WHY is mind-blowing enough to save them from disappointment.
This book kind of failed at all of that. One character will seem weird to most people almost immediately, so the reveals around them will probably come as no surprise. I know they didn't for me. The truth is so obvious that it is hardly even a twist, though I think we are supposed to view it as one. And anyone who pays close attention will notice some details that all point towards a certain individual - so much so that I was hoping it was a red herring.
Not only is it easy to guess who is responsible here, but it is also easy to work out the whys and details. There can only be so many characters in a book, so if you suspect them all, then you're going to be right with one of them. I get that. Which is why I think the detail of the mysteries is important. There are conversations in this book that reveal all the details fairly early on. And there was that one incident with the that was laughably easy to see through.
It was really difficult to get past the transparency of the plot. I'm no Sherlock Holmes. In fact, I'd say I'm a fairly oblivious mystery reader most of the time; everyone else usually works it out before me. So if I can see right through this, I imagine it must be really obvious.
Such a shame. It was almost a good book.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
February 17, 2017
SILENT CHILD by Sarah A. Denzil is a dark disturbing psychological tragic story of a mother, Emma Price whose little six-year-old boy, Aiden, who wandered away from school during a terrible flood and drowned. They never found the body. This was the day she lost Aiden, and the day she “lost control of her life”.
“We saw Aiden in each other and it drove us both mad. I felt like half a person after I thought Aiden had drowned in the flood, and I imagine Rob, his father, felt the same. We should have made each other whole by joining our broken selves together. But for whatever reason it didn’t work like that. We only reminded each other of what we had lost and eventually we had to part.”
Ten years later Emma Price-Hewitt has remarried, and Jake, 10 years her senior, is her new husband and father of her baby girl soon to be born. Now for the time being she has pushed the memory of Aiden out of her mind. A new baby and a new life.
But then the unspeakable happens… she receives a phone call telling her that Aiden is alive. Aiden never drowned. He was taken.
At the hospital, the doctor advises Emma and Jake that Aiden has been through some emotional trauma and remains mute and in shock.
“Her child has the answers, but he can’t tell her the unspeakable”
Emma tries desperately to reconnect with her son. She vows to find Aiden’s kidnappers…but who can she trust? What monster would do such a thing to her son and WHY?
Aiden has the answers…but will he talk?
I enjoyed reading this novel narrated in the first person. I definitely sympathized with Emma and could feel her grief and hardship she went through. No mother or parents should have to experience this pain. I wanted to somehow shake Aiden and get him to speak and tell his story, but I also acknowledged the psychological trauma that Aiden had gone through.
Thank you to TBC for a copy of Silent Child by Sarah A Denzil.
“We saw Aiden in each other and it drove us both mad. I felt like half a person after I thought Aiden had drowned in the flood, and I imagine Rob, his father, felt the same. We should have made each other whole by joining our broken selves together. But for whatever reason it didn’t work like that. We only reminded each other of what we had lost and eventually we had to part.”
Ten years later Emma Price-Hewitt has remarried, and Jake, 10 years her senior, is her new husband and father of her baby girl soon to be born. Now for the time being she has pushed the memory of Aiden out of her mind. A new baby and a new life.
But then the unspeakable happens… she receives a phone call telling her that Aiden is alive. Aiden never drowned. He was taken.
At the hospital, the doctor advises Emma and Jake that Aiden has been through some emotional trauma and remains mute and in shock.
“Her child has the answers, but he can’t tell her the unspeakable”
Emma tries desperately to reconnect with her son. She vows to find Aiden’s kidnappers…but who can she trust? What monster would do such a thing to her son and WHY?
Aiden has the answers…but will he talk?
I enjoyed reading this novel narrated in the first person. I definitely sympathized with Emma and could feel her grief and hardship she went through. No mother or parents should have to experience this pain. I wanted to somehow shake Aiden and get him to speak and tell his story, but I also acknowledged the psychological trauma that Aiden had gone through.
Thank you to TBC for a copy of Silent Child by Sarah A Denzil.
October 10, 2017
Buddy read with:- Abdullah, Elsa, Amna, Zarshal and Nigham.
(Spoilers are concealed. Feel free to read)
OVERVIEW
Emma has lost her six year old child, Aiden, in the flood. He appears after ten years when she has been married to Jake and she is pregnant with his child.
Where Aiden had been for ten years? And how he survived? These questions would have been easy to answer only if her traumatised Aiden could speak the unspeakable.
I was hooked by this book honestly. I didn't want to put it down. But when dark things were introduced, I cringed a lot! They were horrible! Anyway, let me try to pour out my feelings about this book.
=> Emma. One of the characters I liked. She was determined and I liked her relationship with Aiden.
=> Aiden. He experienced very bad things. He didn't speak much. I liked how he began to speak and improved his mental condition. I really sympathized with him.
Overall, I liked the story. I would highly recommend this book to those who are interested in dark genre.
October 9, 2017
(Spoilers are concealed. Feel free to read)
OVERVIEW
Emma has lost her six year old child, Aiden, in the flood. He appears after ten years when she has been married to Jake and she is pregnant with his child.
Where Aiden had been for ten years? And how he survived? These questions would have been easy to answer only if her traumatised Aiden could speak the unspeakable.
I was hooked by this book honestly. I didn't want to put it down. But when dark things were introduced, I cringed a lot! They were horrible! Anyway, let me try to pour out my feelings about this book.
=> Emma. One of the characters I liked. She was determined and I liked her relationship with Aiden.
=> Aiden. He experienced very bad things. He didn't speak much. I liked how he began to speak and improved his mental condition. I really sympathized with him.
Overall, I liked the story. I would highly recommend this book to those who are interested in dark genre.
October 9, 2017
February 17, 2017
A MUST READ for fans of dark psychological thrillers and suspense novels.
I have never read anything by Sarah A. Denzil before but after reading Silent Child, I know this won't be my last. I am fussy when it comes to my favourite genre but this hit the spot and then some.
I could tell you what this book is about but I am sure you can read the description, I prefer to tell you how absolutely awesome this book is! Yes, it truly left me in awe and it's not a book I will forget for a long time if ever.
This book grabbed me from the very start and it didn't let go until the final page. I do not begrudge not getting any sleep because of of how incredible it was, it was worth every missed second of sleep. I desperately needed to know what happened next. There was plenty of original twists and turns where nothing is what it seems.
The suspense was palpable and the full range of emotions I felt whilst reading this proved to me what a brilliantly talented writer Denzil is. The story was terrifyingly believable which had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck and more than once a tear to the eye. It was obvious that this was not the author's first book by her prose and her expertise in keeping the reader hooked!
My favourite psychological thriller so far for 2017!
Well done Sarah Denzil! You have a new fan!
An easy 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A warning … this is a psychological thriller and suspense novel of a very dark nature. I would recommend it for 18+.
Not for the faint-hearted.
I have never read anything by Sarah A. Denzil before but after reading Silent Child, I know this won't be my last. I am fussy when it comes to my favourite genre but this hit the spot and then some.
I could tell you what this book is about but I am sure you can read the description, I prefer to tell you how absolutely awesome this book is! Yes, it truly left me in awe and it's not a book I will forget for a long time if ever.
This book grabbed me from the very start and it didn't let go until the final page. I do not begrudge not getting any sleep because of of how incredible it was, it was worth every missed second of sleep. I desperately needed to know what happened next. There was plenty of original twists and turns where nothing is what it seems.
The suspense was palpable and the full range of emotions I felt whilst reading this proved to me what a brilliantly talented writer Denzil is. The story was terrifyingly believable which had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck and more than once a tear to the eye. It was obvious that this was not the author's first book by her prose and her expertise in keeping the reader hooked!
My favourite psychological thriller so far for 2017!
Well done Sarah Denzil! You have a new fan!
An easy 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A warning … this is a psychological thriller and suspense novel of a very dark nature. I would recommend it for 18+.
Not for the faint-hearted.
April 11, 2018
Audiobook rating: ★★★★½
Story rating: ★
Ok, the fact that there was a mention of Downton Abbey in Silent Child was really amusing! Since the only reason I listened to this audiobook at all was because it has Joanne Froggatt (who played Anna Bates in the show) as narrator. So that nugget is something extra and earned a good chuckle during a miserable stretch of chapters.
Every facade of the revelation was some implausible scenario after another. When you think about it, it’s just too much to beg to be believed. I mean if the book doesn’t hold up pass 5 minuets after it ends, obviously it fails, no? Because that was how long it took for me to reach the ‘no way’ and ‘why?’ point.
This is like if the whole universe, and I literally mean that, conspired against our heroine on the sole purpose of making her life a living hell. Which after spending almost 10 hours with her, I’d say it’s something she would wholeheartedly believe too! She was just that whinny and full of oh-poor-me attitude to glob that right up. Like the whole village she’s been living in her entire life, the people she see on daily basis and oh what do you know, the damn weather too!
She was too naive for her age and her life experiences to feel like a real person at all to me.
The fact that at the very end she actually just a good cherry on top of a collapsed cake for me.
I will glady listen to other books Joanne Froggatt narrate though because she is such a great reader/voice performer. So at least there’s something good came out of this!
Story rating: ★
Ok, the fact that there was a mention of Downton Abbey in Silent Child was really amusing! Since the only reason I listened to this audiobook at all was because it has Joanne Froggatt (who played Anna Bates in the show) as narrator. So that nugget is something extra and earned a good chuckle during a miserable stretch of chapters.
Every facade of the revelation was some implausible scenario after another. When you think about it, it’s just too much to beg to be believed. I mean if the book doesn’t hold up pass 5 minuets after it ends, obviously it fails, no? Because that was how long it took for me to reach the ‘no way’ and ‘why?’ point.
This is like if the whole universe, and I literally mean that, conspired against our heroine on the sole purpose of making her life a living hell. Which after spending almost 10 hours with her, I’d say it’s something she would wholeheartedly believe too! She was just that whinny and full of oh-poor-me attitude to glob that right up. Like the whole village she’s been living in her entire life, the people she see on daily basis and oh what do you know, the damn weather too!
She was too naive for her age and her life experiences to feel like a real person at all to me.
The fact that at the very end she actually just a good cherry on top of a collapsed cake for me.
I will glady listen to other books Joanne Froggatt narrate though because she is such a great reader/voice performer. So at least there’s something good came out of this!
November 28, 2018
One of the best books of 2017 for me.
March 23, 2017
This book is a prime example of why a good editor is so important. While reading (struggling) through the first two thirds of the story I was forced to endure the worst "poor me" attitude by the main character, even though her son has just returned after 10 years. The author managed to create so much negativity, more so than was necessary. This was mostly portrayed by the main character's CONSTANT whining, her complete lack of concern for her unborn child and her lack of concern for everyone but herself (and occasionally her son).
I figured out the "whodunnit" secret as soon as the character was introduced. In my mind it was the only thing which made sense and made the rest of the book a solid chore to get through.
I was more than ready to give this just one star but the final third of the story picked up somewhat, but I still feel very generous giving it two stars.
One of my biggest issues were the spelling and grammatical errors. I found them on almost EVERY single page and some words were obviously supposed to be replaced but were not and so you had to figure out what word it was supposed to be. This was so incredibly lazy. I felt like I was reading a crappy second draft written by someone using predictive text: "cartoon of chinese food" will still remain my favourite blunder.
The prose was nonexistent. Even my diary entries have more creative thought put in them. This was just overall filled with little emotion, too much whinging and not enough guessing.
I strongly suggest the author finds a good editor as well. One capable of reading.
I figured out the "whodunnit" secret as soon as the character was introduced. In my mind it was the only thing which made sense and made the rest of the book a solid chore to get through.
I was more than ready to give this just one star but the final third of the story picked up somewhat, but I still feel very generous giving it two stars.
One of my biggest issues were the spelling and grammatical errors. I found them on almost EVERY single page and some words were obviously supposed to be replaced but were not and so you had to figure out what word it was supposed to be. This was so incredibly lazy. I felt like I was reading a crappy second draft written by someone using predictive text: "cartoon of chinese food" will still remain my favourite blunder.
The prose was nonexistent. Even my diary entries have more creative thought put in them. This was just overall filled with little emotion, too much whinging and not enough guessing.
I strongly suggest the author finds a good editor as well. One capable of reading.
March 21, 2017
Dark, haunting story.
If you're in bad place, this isn't the book for you to read. Tense fantastic psychological suspense from the beginning. Emma lost her son ten years ago in the flood, only people she can lean on was her parents. Car accident killed them, she had nobody, completely fall apart. She fall in love with the man, who pulled her out of this dark place. They're married and she is about to have a little girl. Everything going somewhat okay but she can't stop thinking about her little boy. Phone call changed everything, her son is found, but her real nightmare just just started. Make sure you have one of those cozy mysteries to read after reading this book.
If you're in bad place, this isn't the book for you to read. Tense fantastic psychological suspense from the beginning. Emma lost her son ten years ago in the flood, only people she can lean on was her parents. Car accident killed them, she had nobody, completely fall apart. She fall in love with the man, who pulled her out of this dark place. They're married and she is about to have a little girl. Everything going somewhat okay but she can't stop thinking about her little boy. Phone call changed everything, her son is found, but her real nightmare just just started. Make sure you have one of those cozy mysteries to read after reading this book.
September 17, 2017
I am still pondering on my review for Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil just let me say that it was a powerful heartbreaking read, the first half was strong & was a page turner but after that I found it a bit draining, I thought the author had overdone Emma's grief it was just a bit much over the topto believe & the way Aiden was put in cotton wool (not to be touched by anyone) annoyed me, although I understand the feelings of Emma wanting to protect her child. there was a lot going on with the characters which I thought were plausible but again were irritating any way that is my spin on this book take it or leave it. DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE!!
January 8, 2023
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2017
Has the plot of a missing child been done? Yes. Has the plot of said child coming back into the parents lives been done? Yes.
Has it ever been written so beautifully. Probably not.
I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book after reading, This dark and disturbing psychological novel will appeal to fans of The Widow and The Butterfly Garden. Now assuming the blurb was mentioning THIS Butterfly Garden ( The Butterfly Garden ) I had to read it.
Emma was a young mom when she faced seeing her son's coat dragged out of the river after a flood. She lost her son, her ex, and everything else.
Ten years later Emma is ready to pop with a new baby. All is going swimmingly well until the police make the call. Aiden is alive. Now 16 years old, Aiden has suffered a traumatic decade that has rendered him mute. Emma, along with Aiden's father Rob, and her husband Jake, work to unlock the boys secrets. Who took Aiden all those years ago?
This book had me questioning EVERYONE...even that unborn baby girl. About 60% of the way I figured out where it was going. Then came a twist. And then another twist. I forgot to eat dinner...and pee....and basically breathe during the last chapters waiting to see if Aiden would talk and divulge what happened to him.
I read a lot of psychological thrillers and honestly, most go on to be just a book I read. The ones I remember and haunt me are ones that automatically go on my favorites. Just like The Butterfly Garden, this took a harrowing and sometimes overdone plot, and made it into a beautifully written novel. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Has it ever been written so beautifully. Probably not.
I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book after reading, This dark and disturbing psychological novel will appeal to fans of The Widow and The Butterfly Garden. Now assuming the blurb was mentioning THIS Butterfly Garden ( The Butterfly Garden ) I had to read it.
Emma was a young mom when she faced seeing her son's coat dragged out of the river after a flood. She lost her son, her ex, and everything else.
Ten years later Emma is ready to pop with a new baby. All is going swimmingly well until the police make the call. Aiden is alive. Now 16 years old, Aiden has suffered a traumatic decade that has rendered him mute. Emma, along with Aiden's father Rob, and her husband Jake, work to unlock the boys secrets. Who took Aiden all those years ago?
This book had me questioning EVERYONE...even that unborn baby girl. About 60% of the way I figured out where it was going. Then came a twist. And then another twist. I forgot to eat dinner...and pee....and basically breathe during the last chapters waiting to see if Aiden would talk and divulge what happened to him.
I read a lot of psychological thrillers and honestly, most go on to be just a book I read. The ones I remember and haunt me are ones that automatically go on my favorites. Just like The Butterfly Garden, this took a harrowing and sometimes overdone plot, and made it into a beautifully written novel. I can't wait to read more from this author!
November 5, 2017
Though this was not as exciting as I expected, it was a pretty solid mystery. It's quite atmospheric and the main character is well sketched out. However, I did guess the resolution about half-way through, hence the three stars. To me, the villain always seemed so obvious I kept thinking there had to be another answer, but no, I was right, though I didn't want to be. Overall, not a bad book, but nowhere near as gripping as I had expected.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
February 18, 2017
Very disappointing! Unfortunately everything about this book was immature to me, the characters, the dialogue and the writing style. Add to that all the spelling errors and I just couldn't give it more than two stars.
August 28, 2018
My biggest problem with this book ( and there are several) is how badly it was written, not least appalling grammar. ‘ I tried to find my breath, soaked down to my bra’. What?? I did a double take! That is just one example amongst many. The book opened with the flooding of the Ouse, a frequent occurrence in these here parts. This should have been a cracking opening, pardoned the pun since the bridge does exactly that. However, it was like the literary equivalent of painting by numbers. Yawn. The storyline was repetitive, dull, melodramatic and implausible. Some of the dialogue produced several eye rolling movements they were so bad. None of the characters felt real - cardboard cut outs spring to mind and the main character of Emma was self absorbed and one deluded woman. As for the ending -OMG. It was too ridiculous for words. So why the two stars instead of one? There was a point in the final third where it seemed to improve then the author shot herself in the foot with the ending! Not for me, sorry!
June 8, 2020
In this book we learn about a mom named Emma and her six-year-old son Aiden, who was said to have drowned in a flood. But a decade later Aiden stumbles out of the woods alive, but to traumatized to speak and raises many unanswered questions about where hes been and what happened to him. His body shows signs of some of what's happened and that's when it's discovered that Aiden never drowned, he was kidnapped. Emma wants to know the whole story and who the monster was that took him in the first place.
For starters I'll say that this book was interesting, and I was intrigued to know what happened. But if I'm being honest I was really bored through most of it. It's not a fast paced read, or at least I didn't think so. I personally thought it was a slow burn but it did gradually get more interesting at the last hundred pages. I give it a 3 stars because as I did think it was interesting and an okay read it bored me to much through most of it for it to be a 4 stars. Then again I went into this book thinking it was going to be a shocking thriller when it was more of a tame one.
For starters I'll say that this book was interesting, and I was intrigued to know what happened. But if I'm being honest I was really bored through most of it. It's not a fast paced read, or at least I didn't think so. I personally thought it was a slow burn but it did gradually get more interesting at the last hundred pages. I give it a 3 stars because as I did think it was interesting and an okay read it bored me to much through most of it for it to be a 4 stars. Then again I went into this book thinking it was going to be a shocking thriller when it was more of a tame one.
July 3, 2017
Do Not Believe The Hype.
I held off on reviewing this book because I didn't want to be angry and write a review I didn't feel good about. Two days later I am still peeved at the time I spent reading this. I know it takes a lot to write novel, I know it is hard work but I just did not like this and with all the hype around it, everything fell flat for me.
The characters were one dimensional, predictable and borderline clichés. The plot was entirely predictable and idiot proof to say the least. There are certain revelations that I honestly felt was common sense. How do you not know exactly where your husband is at every Tuesdays and Thursdays for the last three years? How blindly trusting do you have to be?
This is the thing, when a book gets high ratings and keeps showing up on my timeline I expect a lot and I was very disappointed. Last, as on Reviewer puts it, a lot of the scenes in the book were ridiculous, here you have a fully pregnant woman fighting off her attacker and going through the most stressful pregnancy. Why was she even pregnant to begin with? That added nothing to the overall story/plot progression. A lot of things didn't make sense for me and I cant say I care enough to make sense of it all.
I held off on reviewing this book because I didn't want to be angry and write a review I didn't feel good about. Two days later I am still peeved at the time I spent reading this. I know it takes a lot to write novel, I know it is hard work but I just did not like this and with all the hype around it, everything fell flat for me.
The characters were one dimensional, predictable and borderline clichés. The plot was entirely predictable and idiot proof to say the least. There are certain revelations that I honestly felt was common sense. How do you not know exactly where your husband is at every Tuesdays and Thursdays for the last three years? How blindly trusting do you have to be?
This is the thing, when a book gets high ratings and keeps showing up on my timeline I expect a lot and I was very disappointed. Last, as on Reviewer puts it, a lot of the scenes in the book were ridiculous, here you have a fully pregnant woman fighting off her attacker and going through the most stressful pregnancy. Why was she even pregnant to begin with? That added nothing to the overall story/plot progression. A lot of things didn't make sense for me and I cant say I care enough to make sense of it all.
September 14, 2017
It's been ten years since Emma's young son Aiden disappeared during a flood. She's since married and is pregnant with her husband, Jake's, child. She was forced to declare Aiden dead because she needed closure. Then, out of nowhere, Aiden wanders out of the woods. Someone must have taken him, only Aiden is to traumatized to say what happened. Emma struggles to try and find out who took her son, but suspicion and paranoia soon take over. The plot was a tad predictable, but I was still on the edge of my seat the whole time and it wrapped up with a happy ending.
November 27, 2017
This year I'm doing a Reading Challenge; so I have 26 books with specific subjects that I need to read.
Book 26:A self-published book
I have started quite a few self-published books before settling on actually finishing Silent Child. My problem with self-published books is the lack of proper editing. Stupid things drives me nuts and I just quit them.
One thing Sarah A. Denzil is extremely good at is suspense.
She knows just what buttons so push to keep you going. Even with the lack of proper editing, this was the thing that got me through the book.
There were still things that drove me nuts, like the repetitiveness of repetitive things. The silliness of calling someone by the wrong last name. And spoiling the plot by adding in unnecessary details, with which the book could have worked without.
That being said, I think Sarah have great potential with a proper team backing her up. Her story was spellbinding and on edge. For that alone I'm adding a star. (upped my original 2star rating to 3stars)
Self-Published Thriller 'Silent Child' Created Noise
January 17, 2021
This is a story about a mother’s worst nightmare. Emma’s son Aiden tragically has been missing for ten years. When he miraculously reappears, she feels as if all of her prayers have been answered. She soon finds that happiness comes at a high price. Paranoia runs high as Emma struggles to unlock the mystery of Aiden’s missing years. Who took her son? Who can be trusted? Is a deranged psycho responsible for her son’s disappearance, or is the answer more sinister. Longing for Aiden to speak the truth of his kidnapping, Emma is at the mercy of those closest to her. Tension builds as the mystery slowly unravels. This is a devastating tale of suspense with a gut wrenching conclusion.
November 18, 2017
3.5 Predictable Stars
In a rainy day, Emma had a call from Aiden’s school (her six-year-old boy) to get him from school but when she went to school they said he slipped away. Apparently, he was curios about the rain so he has left the school!
On that day, when I lost Aiden, I lost all control of my life, and with him gone, I would never get it back.
After some searches and proof, it turned out that he was dead. Ten years after his death, Emma is married and pregnant.
They say that time is a healer, but I never believed them. I considered myself irrevocably broken after the flood. But it seemed that at last, those pieces were binding together. Or so I thought.
And now after ten years a miracle happens. They found Aiden, alive! But he has been through some trauma, he is in shock and he is mute. He was an energetic boy but now he is in complete silence!
I buried you, I thought, with my gaze holding my son’s. In my heart I put you to rest. Can you ever forgive me?
They want to know where he’s been for the last ten years and who he’s been with! What did they want from him? What’s happened to him? So what do you think?
Aiden had been born. He had existed. He was still here. And he had a story deep down inside that deserved to be heard and processed by his mother.
Well, it was a little predictable for me and a little unrealistic. Most of the characters involved. I mean when you met with them you knew something was off about them and they were into something! The first 60% of the story was really slow and after that it got better. It wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t really amazing either. But at some point I enjoyed it but not as much as I expected! The story is told from Emma’s POV, 1st person. But we have one chapter from Aiden’s POV and that was really painful. I hope you enjoy this story so much!
In a rainy day, Emma had a call from Aiden’s school (her six-year-old boy) to get him from school but when she went to school they said he slipped away. Apparently, he was curios about the rain so he has left the school!
On that day, when I lost Aiden, I lost all control of my life, and with him gone, I would never get it back.
After some searches and proof, it turned out that he was dead. Ten years after his death, Emma is married and pregnant.
They say that time is a healer, but I never believed them. I considered myself irrevocably broken after the flood. But it seemed that at last, those pieces were binding together. Or so I thought.
And now after ten years a miracle happens. They found Aiden, alive! But he has been through some trauma, he is in shock and he is mute. He was an energetic boy but now he is in complete silence!
I buried you, I thought, with my gaze holding my son’s. In my heart I put you to rest. Can you ever forgive me?
They want to know where he’s been for the last ten years and who he’s been with! What did they want from him? What’s happened to him? So what do you think?
Aiden had been born. He had existed. He was still here. And he had a story deep down inside that deserved to be heard and processed by his mother.
Well, it was a little predictable for me and a little unrealistic. Most of the characters involved. I mean when you met with them you knew something was off about them and they were into something! The first 60% of the story was really slow and after that it got better. It wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t really amazing either. But at some point I enjoyed it but not as much as I expected! The story is told from Emma’s POV, 1st person. But we have one chapter from Aiden’s POV and that was really painful. I hope you enjoy this story so much!
July 15, 2020
داستان از جایی شروع میشه که به خاطر یه سیل وحشتناک، یه پسر بچه رو آب میبره و این تازه آغاز یه سلسله اتفاق و ماجراست.
روند پیشبرد داستان اصلا یکنواخت نیست و نوع روایت برای من خیلی زیاد جذاب بود. تعلیقی که توی فضای داستان وجود داشت مخاطب رو به دنبال خودش میکشید.
شخصیتپردازی نسبتا خوب بود. تحلیلهای ریز روانشناختی که در مورد شخصیتها ارائه میشد برام جذابیت زیادی داشت. فضای داستان قابل تجسم و راضیکننده ست. اتفاقات غافلگیر کننده بودند و جز یکی دو مورد برای من قابل حدس نبود. ترجمه میتونست بهتر باشه به نظرم چون بعضی جاها متوجه منظورش نمیشدم اما اوکی بود.
میشه گفت تنها مشکلم با کتاب، نوع پایانبندی بود. به نظرم یه مقدار سریع و سرسری تموم شد و یه جاهایی حالت اغراق شده داشت و میتونست پرداخت بهتری داشته باشه.
در مجموع دوستش داشتم. امتیازم ۴.۵ ه که به پایین گردش میکنم. به نظرم داستان سرگرمکننده و هیجانانگیزیه. توصیهش میکنم.
----------------------
یادگاری از کتاب:
گفت: بین اینکه از پس یه چیزی بربیای تا اینکه یه چیزی خوب باشه فرق بزرگی هست.
...
هیچوقت نمیتوانستم به گذشته برگردم و آن روز را دوباره زندگی کنم.
...
هیچ چیز در زندگی شیرینتر از این نیست که حق انتخاب داشته باشید.
روند پیشبرد داستان اصلا یکنواخت نیست و نوع روایت برای من خیلی زیاد جذاب بود. تعلیقی که توی فضای داستان وجود داشت مخاطب رو به دنبال خودش میکشید.
شخصیتپردازی نسبتا خوب بود. تحلیلهای ریز روانشناختی که در مورد شخصیتها ارائه میشد برام جذابیت زیادی داشت. فضای داستان قابل تجسم و راضیکننده ست. اتفاقات غافلگیر کننده بودند و جز یکی دو مورد برای من قابل حدس نبود. ترجمه میتونست بهتر باشه به نظرم چون بعضی جاها متوجه منظورش نمیشدم اما اوکی بود.
میشه گفت تنها مشکلم با کتاب، نوع پایانبندی بود. به نظرم یه مقدار سریع و سرسری تموم شد و یه جاهایی حالت اغراق شده داشت و میتونست پرداخت بهتری داشته باشه.
در مجموع دوستش داشتم. امتیازم ۴.۵ ه که به پایین گردش میکنم. به نظرم داستان سرگرمکننده و هیجانانگیزیه. توصیهش میکنم.
----------------------
یادگاری از کتاب:
گفت: بین اینکه از پس یه چیزی بربیای تا اینکه یه چیزی خوب باشه فرق بزرگی هست.
...
هیچوقت نمیتوانستم به گذشته برگردم و آن روز را دوباره زندگی کنم.
...
هیچ چیز در زندگی شیرینتر از این نیست که حق انتخاب داشته باشید.
August 28, 2018
Da fuk did I just read? Both stars are for length... Imagine, if you will, that two favorite novels Room and The Lovely Bones got fed into a shredder along with a pile of Harlequin romances from a yard sale, then pieced back together with scotch tape by Dan Brown's cocker spaniel. The hell, you say? Well it happened, and the result somehow became an Audible "Thriller of the Year" narrated with breathless disbelief by talented Joanne Froggatt of Downton Abbey fame. My nostalgic affection for Anna Bates is one reason I finished Silent Child; the other was sheer astonishment. BTW, the child is silent because his mother never shuts up.
August 15, 2018
Se ve lo consiglio? Assolutamente no.
È della Newton Compton e sta spesso a 99 cent me comprateci altro. Risparmiateli.
Due stelle di voto e credetemi sono molto generosa in questi caso. Mi vorrebbe da dare uno che equivale a carta igienica dal mio punto di vista. Ma quel voto non lo do mai.
È della Newton Compton e sta spesso a 99 cent me comprateci altro. Risparmiateli.
Due stelle di voto e credetemi sono molto generosa in questi caso. Mi vorrebbe da dare uno che equivale a carta igienica dal mio punto di vista. Ma quel voto non lo do mai.
March 2, 2017
Disappointing, dull, repetitive, not believable
October 3, 2017
Bravo! Such a great mystery and thriller! Check out my full review on my booktube channel at http://youtube.com/peterlikesbooks
October 16, 2017
A fantastic book! And I highly recommend the audible version read by Joanne Froggett from Downton Abbey... amazing!
April 3, 2018
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!!! Kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and left me dying to know what will happen next. Some great twists and turns that had me shouting 'OH MY GOD!!!'.
It would make one hell of a movie that's for sure.
It would make one hell of a movie that's for sure.
November 14, 2017
It’s hardly untempting to agree with the reader who objected she didn’t want stories about children being abused. I’d not want them either. Abuse of children & domestic violence are two of my triggers. But that is not what this story is about, tho’ what happened to Aiden & who might have been responsible is never out of our minds. While child abuse is something no decent person could enjoy watching, as Aristotle explained long ago, we are pleased by artistic representations of actions we’d abhor in real life. Here the artistic representation is not of child abuse. The focus rather is on the boy’s mum Emma, who gave birth to Aiden when she was a teenager, was estranged from the boy’s father, & is now pregnant with a dtr by her current husband Jake. Ten years ago the 6 y/o Aiden vanished from his primary school & was believed drowned in the Ouse; now he’s found wandering in the woods, undersized, malnourished, & clearly a victim of sexual & other physical mistreatment, but incapable or unwilling to speak a word of his ordeal or anything else. The press descend on Emma, & when she doesn’t co-operate with them, portray her using old social media posts as a slapper & a drunk & a thoroughly unfit mum. Emma also faces a very tense relationship with the boy’s natural father - now an officer RN - as well as his mother who is eager to play the intrusive gran - & her current husband Jake, who seems both to overdo & to resent the role of step-father to Aiden as well as doting on his unborn dtr whom Emma is on the verge of delivering.
Why should we enjoy artistic portrayals of extreme situations? By vicariously sharing every parent’s nightmare, we are relieved of some of our worst fears. Aristotle called that feeling of relief ‘catharsis’. I found the denouement a little too complex with too many villains to be quite believable in real life. But whilst a bit overtopped, the author’s skill in making so many plot elements & characters combine was admirable. The pleasure in a good ‘reveal’ lies in seeing all the parts join together harmoniously & here they do.
I was also attracted to Silent Child from extraneous impulses. The book is apparently self-published, one of those Amazon two-quid specials that Kindle Unlimited members read for free. And as I’m frankly considering going the self-publishing route myself, I wanted to find out if the lack of support a trade publisher should provide detracts from Sarah Denzil’s artistry. I’m sure it doesn’t, except that Silent Child is nearly 100 pages longer than I expect most trade publishers regard as appropriate for “genre fiction.” Tho’ Silent Child sagged a bit in the middle, I’d not have wanted any cuts were I the editor. We need to experience Emma’s stress & grief fully, especially with the vampire tabloid press. Best portrayal of media feeding frenzy since Alex Marwood’s The Wicked Girls.The pictures from old social media posts they printed were perfectly genuine - their stories were ‘sourced’ (including from a frenemy of Emma’s). But the tale they told of an alcoholic, uncaring & slaggish mum was totally false. Made me reflect.
Why should we enjoy artistic portrayals of extreme situations? By vicariously sharing every parent’s nightmare, we are relieved of some of our worst fears. Aristotle called that feeling of relief ‘catharsis’. I found the denouement a little too complex with too many villains to be quite believable in real life. But whilst a bit overtopped, the author’s skill in making so many plot elements & characters combine was admirable. The pleasure in a good ‘reveal’ lies in seeing all the parts join together harmoniously & here they do.
I was also attracted to Silent Child from extraneous impulses. The book is apparently self-published, one of those Amazon two-quid specials that Kindle Unlimited members read for free. And as I’m frankly considering going the self-publishing route myself, I wanted to find out if the lack of support a trade publisher should provide detracts from Sarah Denzil’s artistry. I’m sure it doesn’t, except that Silent Child is nearly 100 pages longer than I expect most trade publishers regard as appropriate for “genre fiction.” Tho’ Silent Child sagged a bit in the middle, I’d not have wanted any cuts were I the editor. We need to experience Emma’s stress & grief fully, especially with the vampire tabloid press. Best portrayal of media feeding frenzy since Alex Marwood’s The Wicked Girls.The pictures from old social media posts they printed were perfectly genuine - their stories were ‘sourced’ (including from a frenemy of Emma’s). But the tale they told of an alcoholic, uncaring & slaggish mum was totally false. Made me reflect.
December 21, 2017
3.5 stars. As I’ve mentioned before, 2017 has been my year of reading more mystery titles, and this book has been one of my favorites – very much unexpectedly so! I must start by saying that I listened to this on audible, and the narrator – Joanne Froggatt – was amazing. It really felt like she was living, and not reading, the story. I liked that the story is not about dealing with the abduction of a child, but rather on what happens when a son presumed dead returns ten years later. Apparently I was one of the few people who could not guess the kidnapper straight off, but I thought the author was brilliant with her red herrings. My first guess probably a quarter way into the book was correct, but then she would show something new and I would very much doubt my initial suspicions. The only reason this does not get more stars is that I thought the ending was a bit far-fetched, and that it could have been toned down to a much more believable wrap-up.
June 9, 2017
Loved this read
This book started with a bang. There was consistent mystery, thrill and the 'who done it ' factor. I couldn't put it down! I finished this book in about a day. Now at some point the constant description of adrenaline would have me pumped as well and I needed a break but that would be my only complaint.
This book started with a bang. There was consistent mystery, thrill and the 'who done it ' factor. I couldn't put it down! I finished this book in about a day. Now at some point the constant description of adrenaline would have me pumped as well and I needed a break but that would be my only complaint.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,188 reviews