The Quiet is Loud

by Samantha Garner

The perfect marriage of literary and speculative fiction for readers of Kazuo Ishiguro and NK Jemisin.

When Freya Tanangco was ten, she dreamed of her mother's death ten days before it happened. That’s when she realized she was a veker, someone with enhanced mental abilities and who is scorned as a result. Freya's adult life has been spent in hiding: from the troubled literary legacy created by her author father, and from the scrutiny of a society in which vekers often meet with violence.

When her prophetic dreams take a dangerous turn, Freya finds herself increasingly forced to sacrifice her own anonymity—and the fragile safety that comes with it—in order to protect those around her.

Interwoven with themes of Filipino-Canadian and mixed-race identity, fantastical elements from Norse and Filipino mythology, and tarot card symbolism, The Quiet Is Loud is an intergenerational tale of familial love and betrayal, and what happens when we refuse to let others tell our stories for us.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Asian Literature, Adult, Literary Fiction, Tarot

322 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2021

About the author

Samantha Garner is a Canadian fantasy author whose outsider characters find self-definition through small rebellion. Her work draws from Filipino and Finnish history and folklore to explore belonging in the in-between. Her debut novel The Quiet is Loud (Invisible Publishing) was shortlisted for the 2022 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.

Find her at samanthagarner.ca or @SamanthaKGarner.

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE QUIET IS LOUD by Samantha Garner is a great own voices debut novel! This story is about Freya, a 28 year old Filipino Norwegian Canadian woman, who discovered at the age of ten that she had prophetic dreams and now has finally met some more people with abilities like her own. This is a multi layered story showcasing Freya dealing with issues of racial identity, how people regard the supernatural, and consent and privacy protection. I loved the Canadian setting and the dual timelines. The writing would switch back and forth between the past told in third person and Freya’s present day of 2015 told in first person. I liked how the change in narration reflected how the Freya in the past was a different character to Freya now. She definitely went through many big changes throughout her life and this story is about her most significant change. I really enjoyed the pacing as the chapters were all short however I would prefer to have the page numbers omitted on just the first page of each chapter and not on the adjoining pages too. I found I could easily connect to Freya as we share being mixed raced Canadians. I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of Can Lit or speculative fiction!
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Thank you to InvisiBooks for my gifted review copy!

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is told in first person (present timeline) and third person for the flashbacks. Time jumps were an interesting way to explain backstory. However, some of these were so brief, they felt incomplete. I wanted to spend more time with the ideas and digest them before jumping time periods again. I enjoyed the use of flashbacks throughout the book but feel telling them in larger chunks would have been more immersive for the reader. The flashbacks as they were made the pacing of the book feel awkward along with quick additions near the end that felt too late. Dream sequences based around Freya’s visions weren’t very well distinguished from the rest of the narration, I often didn’t realize they were happening until a few lines in and would have to restart reading the scenes with that in mind. Having more surreal visuals and narration would help.

Freya felt like the idea everything and everyone else was based around, rather than the driving force behind the story. I watched an interview with the author where she mentioned Javi, one of the members of the Paradextrous group, being her favourite character. He was mine as well, due to him being the most fleshed out and thoughtful character. I think Garner’s love and excitement for him explains why he is the most well-rounded character; it would have been great to see all the characters be this developed.

Tarot, Filipino and Norse mythology were big promises from the book and while they are sporadically placed throughout, I felt they were used to artificially advance the story instead of being fully woven in. It felt to me as if the narrator didn’t have a deep connection to the art of Tarot, which turned out to be true as the author admits this in the interview. Readers can sense this disconnection; I feel the author could have been better served using something she had a more personal connection with. It would have made things more believable and grounded. Regarding the mythology, there were so many interesting creatures mentioned, I would have loved to see them play a bigger role in the plot or used them to mirror characters.

The final thing I noticed about the writing style was that the dialogue felt a bit simplified. At times conversations or thoughts were even cut off by a character having to leave the scene or getting distracted. This made the dialogue feel a bit juvenile. More showing of feeling rather than telling would have really livened up these scenes. There were even some plans the reader wasn’t privy to because the dialogue wasn’t fully disclosed.

In conclusion, would have liked to see more from this story. Overall, the core idea was an interesting and unique one, but I feel it wasn’t fleshed out to its full potential.

[Tyler Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed following Freya on her journey to self acceptance, and the relationships that take shape along the way. The interweaving of Filipino, Norse, and Okanagan mythologies, and the symbolism of the Tarot add elements of intrigue to Freya’s story, which is exciting and suspenseful. The novel alternates between Freya’s childhood experiences of learning about her mysterious and frightening “paradextrous” skill, and her life as an introverted adult, and I found myself becoming equally invested in both worlds (which are enriched and informed by each other), and in all of the complex and likeable characters. Also, all of the food in this book made me hungry—and I love the cover design!

[Zana]

DNF @ 55%

There were a couple of reviewers that described this novel as "mundane" and "navel-gazing." They were 100% correct.

For a book about people with extraordinary powers, this was one of the most boring things I've read lately. There was nothing to keep me going. The characters were boring. The prose was boring. While I liked the mixed Filipino rep, it wasn't enough to really draw me in.

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Der Anfang war vielversprechend und unterhaltsam, aber leider enttäuschte mich das Buch dann indem die Geschichte nicht in Schwung kam.
Die Beweggründe der Charaktere sind nicht klar und der große Plan den sie umsetzen ergibt für mich auch nicht viel Sinn. Das Einflechten von nordischer und philippinischer Mythologie war so oberflächlich, dass es nicht wirklich die Geschichte unterstützt hat und man auch nicht viel davon mitnehmen konnte. Die Beschreibung der Tarotkarten und Fähigkeiten gefiel mir.

[Linda in Utopia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Das Cover ist wunderschön und ich war sehr neugierig auf das Buch.
Alles was Träume und Träumen angeht interessiert mich sehr und Tarot ist auch spannend in dem Zusammenhang.
Es war kein Buch, das ich nach 100 Seiten aufgehört habe, aber trotzdem fand ich nichts daran auch nur irgendwie... eindrucksvoll.

Freya lebt in Kanada und ist eine Veker, eine Person mit besonderen mentalen Fähigkeiten (sie hat prophetische Träumen und manchmal Wach-Halluzinationen). Leider werden sie von der Gesellschaft ausgegrenzt und als Freaks gesehen, weil ein Ereignis in den 70ern die Menschen aufgewühlt hat. (Leider wird dieses Ereignis kaum richtig beschrieben, weshalb ich diese tiefe Abneigung gegen Veker nie ganz nachvollziehen könnt. Irgendwie wurden Menschen dabei verletzt oder sind umgekommen? Aber es wird nur am Rande erwähnt.) Freya lebt sehr zurückgezogen und arbeitet von Zuhause aus. Eines Tages trifft sie im Chatroom jemanden, der die Energie von anderen Vekern "fühlen" kann und lädt sie zu einer Selbsthilfegruppe ein, die sich wöchentlich trifft.
Freya überwindet sich, kriegt noch einen Arschtritt von ihrer Cousine Mary (die einzige, die ihr Geheimnis kennt) und geht hin. Dort trifft sie Javi, Shaun und noch die Leiterin der Gruppe. (der Namen ich schon wieder vergessen habe....)
Sie soll ihr helfen, die komischen neuen Tag-Halluzinationen unter Kontrolle zu bringen.
Aber was genau dann das Buch vorantreibt, ist mir nach wie vor schleierhaft.

Es gibt diese vage Bedrohung, von Seiten Freyas Vater, der nicht weiss, dass sie diese Fähigkeiten hat. Er ist Schriftsteller und hat vor Jahren einen Bestseller geschrieben, das lose auf seiner Kindheit als Sohn philippinischer Einwanderereltern basiert. Ein wichtiger Teil ist wohl seine alkoholsüchtige Schwester. Und er hat eine Abneigung, gegen Veker, aber die Gründe dafür haben sich mir nicht erschlossen. Wenn er persönlich davon betroffen gewesen wäre, was weiss ich, weil er bei dem Ereignis in den 70ern dabei gewesen ist, oder weil dadurch seine Mutter ums Leben kam, oder oder oder. Irgendwas. Aber stattdessen war es so, dass er wohl die Berichte im Fernsehen gesehen hat und dadurch dann so eine Art Anti-Veker Haltung angenommen hat.
Natürlich ist das nicht unmöglich, siehe Afd-Wähler und ihre harte Meinung über Flüchtlinge aus einer art "sicheren Distanz" heraus. Aber in diesem Buch war mir die ganze Thematik zu wenig präsent, entweder hätte Freyas Dad mehr drüber reden sollen oder sich tatsächlich auch einschneidend verhalten sollen, z.B. auf eine Demo gehen oder... einen Artikel drüber schreiben oder so. Als Schriftsteller hätte er ja sicher alle Möglichkeiten, dass das dann auch veröffentlicht wird.
Es gab für mich einfach keine Verbindung zwischen Freyas Angst vor der Welt und der Reaktion ihres Vaters und dem was wir tatsächlich in Rückblicken lesen über ihre Kindheit und Jugend.
Jedenfalls war das wahrscheinlich der einzige Grund, warum ich das Buch weiter gelesen habe, weil ich mir erhofft habe, dass wir irgendwann erfahren, was in diesem Buch von Freyas Dad steht, warum es so kontrovers diskutiert wurde und warum daran die Beziehung zu seiner Schwester zerbrochen ist.
Auch das wird nur angeschnitten und ich kann NICHT verstehen, warum diese Sache das ganze Buch über so aufgebauscht wurde...
Eigenartig fand ich auch, dass nie thematisiert wurde, wie jener Dad sich nach dem Tod seiner Frau gefühlt hat. Das war für Freya ein einschneidendes Erlebnis, denn sie hat den Tod ihrer Mutter quasi im Traum vorher gesehen. Die Beziehung ihrer Eltern wurde immer sehr liebevoll beschrieben, ich verstehe nicht wieso nicht mehr auf die Empfindungen ihres Vaters eingegangen wird. Irgendwie haben Vater und Tochter einfach aufgehört miteinander zu sprechen und den Tod der Mutter/Frau von daher nie gemeinsam verarbeitet.

Sehr komisch war auch diese Sache mit Shaun. Freya findet ihn irgendwie heiss und errötet bei der ersten Begegnung und dann haben sie eine Art Date und dann noch eins und dann liest er ihre Gefühle (das ist seine Fähigkeit), dazu muss er sie anfassen. Angeblich eine total intensive Sache. Sie küssen sich und alles und irgendwie dachte ich die ganze Zeit, wie unecht sich das alles anfühlt, eigentlich hat sie doch zu Javier die viel tiefere Verbindung. Aber Javier ist dann am Ende doch nur ein Freund der plötzlich ne andere Frau datet, obwohl er und Freya über das gesamte Buch so ne krasse connection haben. Das hat mich sehr gestört.
Überhaupt ist Javier als Figur viel ausgereifter und "verständlicher" als Freya. Ich weiß nicht was es ist, aber es ist schwer zu ihr irgendeine Verbindung aufzubauen oder sie sich gut vorzustellen.


Viele Szenen im Buch verlaufen sich irgendwie im Nichts, sie werden in ihrer Summe an Chitchat und banalem kochen und Spaziergehen bedeutungslos. Ich kann manchmal gar nicht folgen, was Freya tut, weil es so belanglos ist. Auch die Dialoge sind eigenartig starr und oft absolut irrelevant. Weder für das Voranschreiten der Story, noch für irgendwas anderes... Character development oder so.

Bspw. gibt es eine Szene, in der Freya grade langweilig ist und über Shaun nachdenkt, darüber, dass sie ihn womöglich zu schnell in ihr kleines Leben gelassen hat (Ähm... Jaaaahha!) und womöglich ist ihre Zeit mit STEP (das ist Name der Selbsthilfegruppe) dem Ende nahe, da sie ja das Gefühl hat ihre Halluzinationen in den Griff zu bekommen, es wäre wohl an der Zeit, STEP loszulassen. Nach 3 Treffen! Sie redet so als hätte sie 3 Jahre mit der Gruppe verbracht, aber nach nur 3 Wochen hat sie schon diese Erkenntnis? Was?

Ich glaube ich habe noch nie so ein eigenartiges Buch gelesen. Es ist fade, der Plot ist sehr langsam und... "ungefährlich". Es passiert einfach nichts wirklich einschneidendes. Klar, für Freya mag das alles heftig sein, aber da wir nie so ganz lernen, was eigentlich los ist und sich selbst die Rückblicke wie durch ein dickes Milchglas lesen, die uns immer auf Armlänge vom eigentlichen Geschehen weghalten, dringt nichts von dieser Verzweiflung und Angst der Hauptfigur zu mir durch.
Es ist nicht langweilig, aber auch nicht Ereignisreich, es nicht total mies geschrieben, aber auch nicht so, dass man fesselnd jedes Wort aufsaugt. (ich habe viele Stellen quergelesen, weil die Szenen oft so festgetreten waren.)

Vielleicht empfindet jemand dieses Buch total anders als ich, für mich war es leider eine große Enttäuschung. Die Figuren sind allesamt zu unausgereift und die Zusammenhänge zu vage und undurchsichtig. Schade, der Klappentext war so vielversprechend.

Danke an den Verlag für das Leseexemplar!

[Anders Aaslund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply personal and yet universal story about finding family, decked with magical realism and a vulnerability that saturates every sentence. I particularly enjoyed the masterful way in which Garner sucks the reader into this deceptively calm drama (the quiet is loud, indeed), and how she doesn't over-explain how her world works: she trusts the reader enough to throw them into a ready-made world not very far from our own, and lets us figure things out on our own. What seems like a backdrop at first - the main character's Filipino-Norwegian heritage - grows into something much bigger than the character herself, and it's masterfully done.

[Greta Valentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freya Tanangco is a veker, someone with enhanced mental abilities that are both feared and frowned upon by much of society. At ten, Freya had a dream that predicted her mother's death. She has spent years dealing with the complexity of her "gift", largely keeping it hidden from even those closest to her. As Freya steps out of her comfort zone and befriends others like her, she finds true friends, truths about her own family, and those who would exploit her story for their own gain. The Quiet is Loud interweaves threads of tarot symbolism, Filipino and Norse mythology in a beautiful story about telling your own story on your own terms.
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Reading this book felt so comforting. I was rooting for Freya every step of the way, and loved reading a story that dealt with the complexity of trust and vulnerability among friends and family. I also wanted to eat all the Filipino food Samantha described! I definitely recommend getting comfortable with this book, a favorite snack, and immersing yourself in it. I loved every minute of this experience.

[Leah Capodagli · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a little too much going on resulting in the interesting parts getting brushed over.

[Perrin Leung · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting use of a super hero premise but falls short as I sadly found the story very mundane. I also thought the characters were really confusing and boring and did things that didn't make sense. The flashback sequences were cool and I like how the author wrote about the MCs visions and dreams. However, I found the ending to be extremely lackluster and didn't properly wrap up the story.

[Rhoddi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it. The Quiet is Loud has a easy going writing style with a diverse bunch of characters that makes it compelling to read. Oh, and it has Kelowna in it.

And right now it's so hot here, SIGH.

[Caitlin Wahrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight from my reading journal: "I loved this quiet, cozy, magical-realism / science-fiction story of tarot cards, Filipino food, prophetic and lucid dreams, family books, and best friend cousins. I'm so happy I finally took the time to read it. I'll read her next one in a heartbeat."

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so unique and I loved it. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next. A great new voice on the Canadian literary landscape.

[Marlies · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! I really enjoyed the characters and the world that Garner creates.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Freya Tanangco prefers her solitude. As a paradexterous Filipino-Norwegian Canadian tied to her father's scandalous book, she values her quiet un-social life. Her primary links to the world are her Tarot readings through the online platform Oneira, and her loyal and fierce cousin Mary. With a chance meeting on the one, and with a push from the other, Freya has the chance to find other people with mental skills through a support group. And she needs it, for her prophetic dreams have started to appear while awake. Garner flips back and forth between Freya's youth in the 90's, and her current circumstances in 2015, deftly showing in parallel her gradual decline into her shell, and ascent out of it. Family, friends, and society at large are both the problem and the solution, and most are given some nuance, including the two potential love interests. While the story centres on Freya and her perspective, their are larger issues around the paradextrous and their treatment at play too. Like Garner notes, the real world is not like that of stories. People with powers are generally not revered, they are looked at with skepticism, fear, and hate, before, awareness, understanding, and acceptance set in. For the book's Canadian paradextrous, they are in the cusp between the two. It is a time where stories need to come out. But the author also asks readers to consider who owns the rights to one's story? Who has the right to tell it? Even if it's for the greater good, should an "author" make someone else a martyr? This theme pervades The Quiet Is Loud in several ways, and Freya's answers provide a satisfying, idealistic conclusion.

[Heidi Bevington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garner's debut novel is remarkably well written. The plot is engaging and original. However, I was most impressed by the characters and the prose.
Garner is an elegant writer, with a good balance of description and dialogue. The chapters alternate between the present and the past; most of the chapters are from the main character, Freya's, perspective. Freya narrates her experience of being a 'veker', a person with paranormal powers who hides in plain site from a society that does not accept people like her.
I was impressed by the number of secondary characters Garner introduces, and by how well she handles the various personalities that Freya interacts with.
You will likely find this book in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the bookstore, but it is a character driven story that would appeal to people who do not normally read genre fiction. I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to young adults struggling to find acceptance in their community. I also think it would be a good choice for book clubs because it would appeal to a wide range of people, but might not be found by those who don't typically read books in this genre.

[piscesonpluto · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Quiet is Loud by Samantha Garner centres around Freya Tanangco, a 28 year old Filipino-Norwegian Canadian who can predict the future with visions or trances and discovered this when she predicted her mother’s own death at the age of ten. However, Freya hides her identity due to the widespread hatred - including her father’s - of “vekers” or the paradextrous: those with special abilities. This is until Freya is contacted by a fellow paradextrous named Javi during one of her online tarot readings. After this meeting and her cousin Mary’s concern about her intensifying and unpredictable episodes, Freya joins S.T.E.P, a small group of paradextrous aiming to help their peers gain control of their abilities and find support in an otherwise prejudiced society.

The novel is told in a dual timeline, one in a third-person perspective of Freya’s childhood up to her early adulthood, and the other told in the first person in Freya’s point of view set in 2015. These timelines allow for the reader to better understand Freya’s life and how she has dealt with and considered the hidden part of herself. I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed this dual timeline despite that being something I don’t usually love in books, which was a great surprise! I would say that at times it becomes a bit like a slice-of-life, but I think that how the story is written accommodates this nicely and is quite enjoyable and easy to follow.

The main themes and topics of self-acceptance, identity, agency, family, and friendship were well fleshed out. Freya’s journey of self-discovery transitions to one of self-acceptance in a realistic and beautiful way; things are imperfect and bumpy and the reader is able to see her traverse through life in a way that makes the story feel so real. The novel also shows elements of both found family and blood-related family. I loved seeing Freya considering not only her paradextrous identity but also her cultural and ethnic identity through recounting family members’ stories, food, and her own experiences. Freya’s determination to remain in control of her own story and narrative is demonstrated throughout, making the ending - though ambiguous in many ways - come together well.

In terms of characters, I really liked the characterization of Cassandra, Javi and Shaun, but at first I felt that their relationship with each other and Freya seemed flat at times which made it hard for me to be invested. Their relationships between one another unfortunately remained a bit murky for me, but over the course of the story their connection to Freya developed well. However, I much preferred Freya and her family members and found them to be a lot more well-rounded. Both Freya and Mary were very relatable characters to me, especially when it came to their familial situations. Building off of this, I think that the more action-focused first person timeline and the more character-focused third-person perspective of Freya’s earlier life made for a good balance in this novel overall.

: In summation, The Quiet is Loud is a wonderful speculative fiction story of self-discovery and acceptance with interesting magical realism and a great representation of familial relationships. Following of Freya throughout her life was rewarding, moving and realistic. Her character development and the expansion of her world was well-written and made me want to continue on with her story past the ending. I would recommend this to those who like magical realism and are looking for a transition from YA to Adult as this is written in an accessible way while also bringing a more mature literary experience. I look forward to Samantha Garner’s future releases!

4/5 stars!

[Brina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Erster Eindruck:
Das Cover hat mich sofort an eine Tarotkarte erinnert und spiegelt den Klappentext deutlich wieder. Die Kapitel zeigen die Vergangenheit und Gegenwart.

Protagonisten:
Nicht nur wegen ihren Fähigkeiten umgibt Freya etwas geheimnisvolles. Ihre Sorgen waren jene die ich selbst empfinden kann. Sich selbst herauszufordern aus der Komfortzone zu kommen, fällt nicht jedem leicht. Nach und nach lüftet sich die Mauer etwas und Freya stellt sich mehr der Welt da draussen. Sie findet ihren Weg auf ihre ganz eigene Art und Weise, in dem Tempo das sich für sich richtig anfühlt.
Ich muss zugeben das ich Javi, Shaun und Cassandra anfangs skeptisch gegenüber war, beim Lesen sagte mir mein Bauchgefühl, das sie sich zu gut anhören und es einen Haken geben muss. Was sich stellenweise auch bestätigt hat. Doch so ist es immer im Leben, es gibt Menschen die Gutes im Sinn haben und jene die nur ihr eigenes Vorteil aus Situationen ziehen wollen.

Meine Meinung:
Der Klappentext verrät das es nicht nur um eine normale Urbanfantasygeschichte geht, sondern Identität, Selbstbestimmung und Akzeptanz. Die Themen waren für mich in den leisen Tönen der Geschichte vorhanden und floßen wie selbstverständlich in die Handlung ein. Es war ein gutes Buch in der die Protagonistin tolle Unterstützung erfahren hat. Mich konnte es nicht ganz abholen und durch die kleinen Lücken in den zeitlichen Abständen geriet mein Lesefluss in stocken. Deutlich ist mir das bei den Gegenwartskapiteln aufgefallen. Genau wie der Titel sagt, kann die Stille manchmal am lautesten sein. Also macht euch gerne eine eigene Meinung.

[Joy]

DNF at 40%. I was intrigued by the mixed Filipino Norwegian heritage of Freya as well as the associated mythology. And the Toronto setting! However, the alternating chapters of Freya as a kid growing into a tween and her current closed off existence as a young adult are clunky. This world has those with special abilities/powers feared and despised by the general public, giving off a Mutant X vibe. There's quite a few plot inconsistencies; such as, if Freya is so afraid of being found out, why does she let members of this secret society take her to a fast food restaurant where they proceed to talk about her 'prophetic dreams' ability loudly so people in neighbouring tables can and do overhear? Lastly, a lot of the medical details don't make any sense eg. the pulmonary embolus.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Garner is a local author so I was really excited to pick up her book! Thanks to my local indie @thebookwardrobe for getting it into my hands!

This is a book about accepting oneself, family love and betrayal and telling your own story. This book touches upon Filipino and Norse mythology, mystical and fantastical elements and tarot card symbolism.

Freya was ten when she first realized she might be a veker. Someone with special mental abilities such as predicting the future. Unfortunately it was her own mothers death she predicted ten days before it occurred. Freya and other people like her have been scorned and have been forced to live in hiding. When Freya meets a group of people with similar talents and when her powers become stronger she realizes something needs to change. Freya wants to be open about who she is but what are the costs?

I found this a really entertaining read. Since it takes place locally I enjoyed picturing the places the characters were at. I myself enjoy tarot cards so that element really appealed to me. I enjoyed it overall.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this. Similar to X-Men, this story features an Earth where people with special powers exist, and are greatly discriminated against. The main character Freya has the power of prophetic dreams, which she has hidden from the world, including her own father. Unlike X-Men, this is not an action/adventure, but a young woman's journey to embrace her identity. By connecting with others that are also "paradextrous" she comes to realize the power of connection with friends and ultimately her own family. Her Filipino/Norwegian background also made for really interesting cultural references.

[Amy Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samantha Garner's debut novel The Quiet is Loud--fusing tarot symbolism, Filipino / Norwegian mythology, and supernatural abilities--is a fresh take on the concept of people with powers. A multi-layered reckoning with family tensions, the pressure and vulnerability around disclosing identity, and the anxiety created by lifelong guilt, this story is so much richer than its thrilling initial concept. I loved the off-balance exploration of curse vs. blessing and the realistic portrayal of how grief impacts our relationships. (Also, the many descriptions of food are omnipresent and so, SO good.)

[Shelby Muschler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admittedly thought it was going to lean into the sci-fi element a bit more than it did, so ended up being initially rather disappointed that it felt more like realistic fiction. However, I was pleasantly surprised at my reverence toward Freya near the end despite feeling the opposite forward the beginning of the novel.

Overall, it’s a fine story. The author did a great job at connecting the chapter POVs the more the story unfolded, but I wish I’d been let into Freya’s mind juuuust a bit more. Also, I hate Shaun (I don’t even remember if that’s his name or not tbh…) and am obsessed with Javi.

[Renard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certain stories can only be appreciated when your mind is ready to receive them. The Quiet is Loud sat on my shelf for a couple years, but every attempt I made to read it left me frustrated & confused. I’m glad I persevered, because this time everything clicked. There was so much to love in this book.

I found myself craving someone I could discuss this book with & recommended it to various friends who share an interest in similar themes… I’m really hoping they read it.

full review on my reading blog:)

[Ula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, I really liked how Tarot, Filipino and Norse mythology were interwoven throughout the book, and I always like reading 'own voices' books. I felt the dialogue was a little juvenile maybe at times though. I didn't really like how the ending felt a bit rushed either or maybe a bit too neat and tidy. I think I'd rate this more as a 3.5. However, overall I enjoyed the book and would definitely read another by the same author, and if they wrote another one based on the same world I would read that too.

[Regan Sanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Quiet is loud has a few poignant moments that, if given ample time and space to develop, really could've been something remarkable. As is, I really like the characters, but just would've like a little bit more time to get to know rather than a lot of exposition that took me out of the moment. The pacing was just a bit too off for me. However, I did love Mary, Javi, and Elliot! Just wanted a bit more depth.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Quiet is Loud" was an easy read. I enjoyed the writing style, which actually reminded me a bit of some YA fiction I've read, and the world building. Unfortunately, while I was invested in the characters, the story arc ended up falling flat - there was not enough tension, and the conflict and resolution didn't really make sense to me.

I'd be interested to read more of Garner's work - I just hope to see better plot-writing in future novels.

[alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strikingly familiar, comforting yet obscure—Garner’s ‘The Quiet Is Loud’ was an enjoyable read for me! I liked the switch from first to third person, alternating chapters between Freya’s childhood and the current timeline were interesting and engaging. Her writing is effective in its simplicity. Where it fell flat for me was the structure. The ending felt underwhelming, though I understand what she was trying to do. It felt unfinished, in a way. Still, I had a good time with this one.

[Kelly N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was great, and the potential for something amazing was probably there, but enough fell short that I was left disappointed. I kept wondering what the main conflict was going to be, and when the story got there it felt forced, as did the "solution" Freya came up with. And the haphazard insertion facts or information that felt superficial persisted throughout. Bits of it were intriguing, but the lack of follow-through for the spark of intrigue was frustrating.

[Katarina Gligorijević · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about Philipino-Canadian identity and tarot cards and special powers. Very relatable family dynamics and an easy, smooth read!




(One minorly spoiler-y note: I wish that we'd gotten to find out where the term Veker originates from and why it's used in the way that it is.)