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Sound + Noise
There's a heartbreak between sound and noise, the place where we are our only audience. Jackie and Tom are ordinary people living parallel lives. When their paths finally intersect, the background hum of their longings, hopes, and disappointments builds into something that neither of them could have anticipated. With deft, musical prose, Smith draws the reader into a heartbreakingly familiar story of family, community, and the accidental connections woven in between. In Sound + Noise, Curtis Smith applies the classic philosophical question "If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one to hear, does it make a sound?" to the human condition. By turns thoughtful, funny, and bittersweet, Smith's second novel is a remarkable exploration of the resilience and complexities of the human spirit, and the liberating power of love.
164 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
125 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 18, 2010
Well, this is a sad day for me, because I won't have the characters in this book to curl up with at night anymore. Unless, of course, I reread this book, which I most likely will do again in the future to learn how to improve my own writing. I LOVED this novel about a man and woman whose paths have run parallel to each other in college town PA, but intersect only at this time, for a reason. There isn't a false note in this book (I kept expecting at least one), the characters are perfectly wrought, the dialog is spot on, and every paragraph is masterfully written. I sopped up every word. I can't even quote much, every page had something quotable on it. But here goes, just a tiny sample:
"There's heartbreak between sound and noise, the place where we are our only audience. The canvas we paint, the songs we sing, the ways we try to love one another--our days are full of the sounds we make."
This is the heart of the novel, and Smith is a wise being, capable of expressing some very deep thoughts in understandable ways. I don't want to give too much away about the plot, as it drives the story forward, but what I also appreciated were the lack of gimmicks. No bizarre fetishes, no heinous crimes, just pure human tragedy and triumph on a daily basis, and a carefully crafted plot. But I do want to reprint this description of the wife of Tom. She's suffering from a debilitating car crash:
"Already her shoulders are beginning to hunch, a backward blooming, as if in her wasting away she is trying to reduce herself to the smallest point possible--the last luminescent blip on a TV screen before it goes dark."
If you like writing like this, you'll love every page. And I have to mention the cover. As someone who loves design, I couldn't stop looking at the cover. It is perfect for the story, and it becomes apparent why as you read. Perfect package. Highly recommended.
"There's heartbreak between sound and noise, the place where we are our only audience. The canvas we paint, the songs we sing, the ways we try to love one another--our days are full of the sounds we make."
This is the heart of the novel, and Smith is a wise being, capable of expressing some very deep thoughts in understandable ways. I don't want to give too much away about the plot, as it drives the story forward, but what I also appreciated were the lack of gimmicks. No bizarre fetishes, no heinous crimes, just pure human tragedy and triumph on a daily basis, and a carefully crafted plot. But I do want to reprint this description of the wife of Tom. She's suffering from a debilitating car crash:
"Already her shoulders are beginning to hunch, a backward blooming, as if in her wasting away she is trying to reduce herself to the smallest point possible--the last luminescent blip on a TV screen before it goes dark."
If you like writing like this, you'll love every page. And I have to mention the cover. As someone who loves design, I couldn't stop looking at the cover. It is perfect for the story, and it becomes apparent why as you read. Perfect package. Highly recommended.
January 29, 2011
This is a wonderful little novel. It started off slow for me (not really an issue) but I was rewarded with beautiful writing and characters that live on and off the page. The two prevailing metaphors (a high-diver caught in mid-air and the relationship between sound and noise) is so well done that I am extremely envious of this writer's talents! I will read more by him one day. I don't know him, but it is obvious that he is a person forgiving and loving of humanity, even with all its pettiness and foibles.
September 30, 2008
Curtis Smith’s "Sound and Noise" is a fascinating portrayal of two people trapped in lives of stagnant frustration. When she was younger, and felt she had everything ahead of her, Jackie used to sing backing vocals in a big rock band. Now she’s middle-aged, single, and running her own bar, with only a crazy selection of locals to hear her new songs – a far cry from where she saw herself headed all those years ago. Tom is an art teacher at the local university, a married man, but one whose wife lives in a residential home, knowing little to nothing of the world around her. Her tragic accident has left Tom unable to move forward with his life, and forced him to examine his relationship with religion.
Jackie and Tom meet in a supermarket and strike up a friendship – one Jackie thinks will turn into just another affair, until she finds out the truth about his wife. Throughout their relationship, they both begin to work out their problems and look at what the future may hold.
"Sound + Noise" is a will-they-won’t-they romance, with an undercurrent of philosophical introspection on the part of both major characters running throughout. This angle gives it one up on the average romance, and Curtis Smith hits on the doubts and regrets many people have in common, but can’t always share. Because of this, the story is very accessible.
The characters are drawn from backgrounds that aren’t privileged and much of the interest lies in what they choose to do with the natural talents they have. Despite their struggles, their story doesn’t come across as whiney and they don’t suffer from self-pity for too long.
The usual limitations of romance novels are predictable plots and unbelievable characters. The characterisation in "Sound + Noise" is realistic for the most part, with some occasional dreamy, but not sickly-sweet, observations. The plot is predictable and the ending exactly as expected, but this doesn’t diminish the quality of the story, as the anticipated ending is a satisfactory one. Smith's prose is full of quirky, occasionally beautiful, passages that I found absorbing and evocative – a good example is the pair’s first meeting:
"Jackie holds up an avocado between them, and sees another picture—the same one she used to stare at when Sunday school got boring: the unsuspecting Adam and the naked, foolish Eve, her apple replaced by that mysterious and suddenly erotic fruit, the avocado." (p.12)
This strange and awkward moment is turned into a grand event for Jackie, who has been single for far too long.
At times, I felt that Smith was grasping for something just out of reach. Tom and Jackie’s relationship could have been as touching, and even as harrowing, as the relationships portrayed in Ian McEwan’s work, which I find stylistically comparable. But although the characters have depth, Smith doesn’t push them as far as he could to let the reader see what they are really made of. It would be nice also to see more made of the supporting characters, as they are a bit too shallow for my taste.
Overall, though, "Sound + Noise" is thought-provoking and well written.
Jackie and Tom meet in a supermarket and strike up a friendship – one Jackie thinks will turn into just another affair, until she finds out the truth about his wife. Throughout their relationship, they both begin to work out their problems and look at what the future may hold.
"Sound + Noise" is a will-they-won’t-they romance, with an undercurrent of philosophical introspection on the part of both major characters running throughout. This angle gives it one up on the average romance, and Curtis Smith hits on the doubts and regrets many people have in common, but can’t always share. Because of this, the story is very accessible.
The characters are drawn from backgrounds that aren’t privileged and much of the interest lies in what they choose to do with the natural talents they have. Despite their struggles, their story doesn’t come across as whiney and they don’t suffer from self-pity for too long.
The usual limitations of romance novels are predictable plots and unbelievable characters. The characterisation in "Sound + Noise" is realistic for the most part, with some occasional dreamy, but not sickly-sweet, observations. The plot is predictable and the ending exactly as expected, but this doesn’t diminish the quality of the story, as the anticipated ending is a satisfactory one. Smith's prose is full of quirky, occasionally beautiful, passages that I found absorbing and evocative – a good example is the pair’s first meeting:
"Jackie holds up an avocado between them, and sees another picture—the same one she used to stare at when Sunday school got boring: the unsuspecting Adam and the naked, foolish Eve, her apple replaced by that mysterious and suddenly erotic fruit, the avocado." (p.12)
This strange and awkward moment is turned into a grand event for Jackie, who has been single for far too long.
At times, I felt that Smith was grasping for something just out of reach. Tom and Jackie’s relationship could have been as touching, and even as harrowing, as the relationships portrayed in Ian McEwan’s work, which I find stylistically comparable. But although the characters have depth, Smith doesn’t push them as far as he could to let the reader see what they are really made of. It would be nice also to see more made of the supporting characters, as they are a bit too shallow for my taste.
Overall, though, "Sound + Noise" is thought-provoking and well written.
October 1, 2009
There is something to be said about Casperian Books' authors. They always strike chords in me with their unique and witty similes and metaphors. Curtis Smith has written a beautiful book about love, loss, and the ties that forge relationships together. I especially enjoyed following Jackie's story about her past and present life as a musician. Beautifully written, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
August 10, 2008
Though the author of this very book only gave it four stars, I'm afraid he's being far too modest. Sound and Noise is a beautifully written novel by one of my favorite storytellers. Curtis Smith's gift for character and setting is surpassed in this novel only by his ability to tackle the most heartrending of issues with a gentle, heart-warming touch. A great read!
October 23, 2008
My book club in Harrisburg chose this book for our October read. I was unable to attend because my hubby was out of town and no babysitter for the kids. It would have been interesting to go though, because the author was going to be at our meeting for the discussion. Darn!!!! I do have an autographed copy of the book though!
The book was good - very sad. Easy read. Not a book I'll remember forever, but enjoyable while I was reading it. The title was a bit overdone throughout the book. I guess the author didn't want the reader to miss it. I would recommend it to others.
The book was good - very sad. Easy read. Not a book I'll remember forever, but enjoyable while I was reading it. The title was a bit overdone throughout the book. I guess the author didn't want the reader to miss it. I would recommend it to others.
May 8, 2009
More people should know about Curtis Smith. He is such a wonderful writer, and these characters are so vividly portrayed, that I wouldn't be surprised to find them in the next room. I appreciate that Curtis writes about the not-so-glamorous - middle-aged people stumbling toward love, families with disabilities. I also love the cover of this book.
February 18, 2010
Gorgeous and very moving. A quiet book that feels like meeting people.
October 13, 2012
This is a bittersweet look at the lives of two lonely people - Tom, the husband of a woman who has been in a coma for years, and Jackie, an erstwhile singer in a rock band. In a college town where Tom is a professor in the art department and Jackie owns and operates a bar, their common ground is unlikely; however, a connection is orchestrated by Jackie and a relationship begins to develop between these two disparate individuals. Curtis Smith deftly allows the reader to glimpse their individual heartbreaks, disappointments and dreams through the memories of their yesterdays and tentative hopes for their futures in haunting prose.
August 15, 2009
Interesting story from a unique mind. Provides a good sense of the characters which are easily related. His other books are fun reads, especially Species Crown and An Unadorned Life.
Well worth the read, and he has a new book due out this September!!
Well worth the read, and he has a new book due out this September!!
August 6, 2008
beautiful - I'm beyond words! Best contemporary romance ever.
January 5, 2011
I couldn't put this book down. It's on my "keeper" shelf.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews