Silence

by William Carpenter

This dynamic novel from William Carpenter examines the legacy of war and destruction through the eyes of a returning Iraq war veteran, Nick Colonna, a young Maine native who enlisted after 9/11. Home finally, after an attack that has killed his entire unit and left him deaf, Nick struggles to reenter life in his quiet childhood town on the coast of Maine. His disability further isolates him inside the clanging memories in his head, and post-traumatic stress threatens to derail his sanity. He finds solace in memories of better times on Amber Island, a private, undeveloped sanctuary owned for decades by the Fletcher family and protected by the illustrious patriarch, Marsden Fletcher. In a twist of fate (and persuasion), Nick escapes to the solitude of Amber Island and is hired as a caretaker. There he stumbles upon two valuable surprises––an ancient burial mound and the lovely, fragile Julia Fletcher, who pierces his defenses and gives him something to live for, at least for the near future. As Amber Island is threatened by development and Julia and her girlfriend Vira attempt to catalog the destruction of the natural environment, Nick flickers between sanity and madness on a collision course that will leave no one––or the island––the same. In this edgy and ambitious novel, Carpenter asks important questions about how we can best value our past, our friends, and our families and whether or not truth can only ever be found by embracing deep wells of silence.

Genres: Fiction

300 pages, Paperback

Published June 22, 2021

About the author

William Carpenter is the author of three books of poetry, and two novels.

Born and raised in New England, he earned his B.A. from Dartmouth and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He began publishing poetry in 1976, and won the Associated Writing Program’s Contemporary Poetry Award in 1980. In 1985 he received the Samuel French Morse Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts grant.

Reviews

[Lindsay Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the story more than the execution, if that makes sense. The postmodern blending of realities made sense for a solider experiencing PTSD, but the language didn’t really hit. And I struggled to bond with any of the characters. I liked Julia, to an extant, but even she didn’t feel complex enough to be convincing.

Overall, I respect what the book was trying to do and the story behind it. The way it was written didn’t resonate with me too much though.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to try this one after reading a review in a Maine newspaper. I'm very glad I did. It isn't your usual war veteran story, although the elements regarding Nick's physical and emotional damage after his vehicle was blown up in Iraq, leaving him the sole survivor and unable to hear, ring true. It's how Amber Island, owned by a wealthy Massachusetts family becomes his refuge, leading him to a duality regarding its purpose. On the one hand, most of the family, still grieving the death of the patriarch, an architect who refused to let anything modern be built on the island, are determined that building an eco-resort, complete with helipad and swimming pool in the old granite quarry, will somehow bring about healing (and money). On the other is the youngest daughter, Julia, emotionally damaged in ways Nick senses are akin to his, who is determined to stop any development as she feels her father wanted things to remain unspoiled.
Nick's retreat from society to the island where he fixes up a decrepit sheepherder's hut and ekes out a survival through the winter, allows him to slow some of the insane memories in his head while discovering secrets about the island. Despite working for the family members as the resort goes forth, his final act, though unexpected, makes perfect sense in terms of what he experienced prior to coming to the island. It's an intriguing and excellent read.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I felt about this story. Ultra-rich island owners and the now deaf veteran who joined up out of a sense of duty when the twin towers fell. I felt for the veteran's need to live alone on an island and process what had happened to him. The ultrarich family seeking to develop the island in what seems to be an ultragarish display of their wealth and privilege. And then the ending...a little too cinematic for my taste.

[Kartika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult bits and pieces, overall I enjoyed it. Local, service-related, and surprising.

[Susan Daignault · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! The author leads you into the dark, silent place and keeps you wondering what’s going to happen!

[Karen E. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intriguing story about a man returning from Iraq, deaf and mute with PTSD. He seeks escape on a secluded family island that is earmarked for development. The story involves the family with vastly differing views about preservation of the island and what they all do to help or hinder the island’s development. It is an unusual but excellent read.