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The Quiet Whispers Never Stop
In 1982, Nuala Malin struggles to stay connected, to her husband, to motherhood, to the smallness of her life in the belly of a place that is built on hate and stagnation. Her daughter Sam and baby son PJ keep her tethered to this life she doesn't want. She finds unexpected refuge with a seventeen-year-old boy, but this relationship is only temporary, a sticking plaster on a festering wound. It cannot last and when her chance to leave Northern Ireland comes, Nuala takes it.
In 1994, Sam Malin plans escape. She longs for a life outside her dysfunctional family, far away from the North and all its troubles, free from her quiet brooding father Patsy, who never talks about her mother, Nuala; a woman Sam barely knew, who abandoned them twelve years ago. She finds solace in music, drugs and her best friend Becca, but most of all in an illicit relationship with a jagged, magnetic older man.
She is drawn to him, and he to her, in a way she can't yet comprehend.
Sam is more like her mother than she knows.
In 1994, Sam Malin plans escape. She longs for a life outside her dysfunctional family, far away from the North and all its troubles, free from her quiet brooding father Patsy, who never talks about her mother, Nuala; a woman Sam barely knew, who abandoned them twelve years ago. She finds solace in music, drugs and her best friend Becca, but most of all in an illicit relationship with a jagged, magnetic older man.
She is drawn to him, and he to her, in a way she can't yet comprehend.
Sam is more like her mother than she knows.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published April 14, 2022
26 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Fitzsimons
2 books26 followersOlivia Fitzsimons writing can be found at The Stinging Fly, Banshee, The Irish Times and BBC Radio 4.
The Quiet Whispers Never Stop is her debut novel and was shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien and Butler Literary Awards.
She works as a Contributing Editor for The Stinging Fly and is a resident of the DEAN Arts Studio in Dublin.
The Quiet Whispers Never Stop is her debut novel and was shortlisted for the Kate O'Brien and Butler Literary Awards.
She works as a Contributing Editor for The Stinging Fly and is a resident of the DEAN Arts Studio in Dublin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 9, 2022
4.5 rounded up because of the quality of the writing.
We start with Sam in 1994, is she as difficult as her da Patsy says? She plans her escape from Patsy‘s side of the mountain. Does she find it in Naoise (pronounced Nee-Sha) who is over 10 years older than her? Then attention switches to Patsy in 1982 with a day that does not start well for him and his two young children when it becomes clear that his wife (Fion)Nuala has gone. Switch back to 1981 and Nuala, tired and exhausted from the demands of motherhood and of Patsy who doesn’t ‘see’ her anymore but the young stranger at the door clearly does. Sex (maybe, maybe not, after all Sam is educated at the Sister of Perpetual Succour Grammar School in Newcastle, Northern Ireland), drugs (yes, also cigs and alcohol) and rock ‘n’ roll (substitute Nirvana), looming A-level exams, UCAS entry, love for a bad boy, The Troubles, a mother who walks out when she’s a little girl and a very messed up dysfunctional family life. This is a coming-of-age story of Sam Malin with the story of Nuala which is woven together as they make decisions that denote their futures.
The novel captures all the characters so well especially Sam, her feelings about Nuala, her obsession with Naoise, her youth, her friendships and lusts. She’s definitely challenging and complex but also contradiction, tough and angry but not always confident and at times needy. The intertwined story is tense, sad, despondent, at times depressing, honest and very raw. The damage, guilt and fall out of Nuala‘s actions are harsh and the reality contrasts with Sam’s daydreams.
The smalltown views, the quiet whispers that never stop, twisted thoughts and blame allocated rightly and wrongly are done exceptionally well. Some of the dialogue is absolutely brilliant, Sam can be extremely darkly funny and very wise. She makes some great analogies with key political figures of Northern Ireland at the time which makes me laugh out loud . Some of her diatribes on the peace process are genius as she wraps some up with the death of Kurt Cobain.
The historical context is used extremely effectively showing the divisions of Northern Ireland society with the shock and horror of some events with one touching especially close to Sam‘s home, these events will live forever in memories. Sam reminds me to have some of the ridiculous things I’d forgotten such as actors dubbing voices but we can still hear the words…
There’s a bit of a dip in the storytelling in the middle when it gets a bit repetitive but it soon picks up again. I enjoy the way the truth semi emerges (it’s easy to guess part) and it builds dramatically and at times quite shockingly .
This is not an easy read at times but the way it’s written is superb, this author sure can write well. She gets to the heart of the characters, their issues and conveys the story in a variety of ways which works really well and you do feel some of what they feel. You certainly sense Sam's youth and her conflicted feelings.I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially John Murray Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
We start with Sam in 1994, is she as difficult as her da Patsy says? She plans her escape from Patsy‘s side of the mountain. Does she find it in Naoise (pronounced Nee-Sha) who is over 10 years older than her? Then attention switches to Patsy in 1982 with a day that does not start well for him and his two young children when it becomes clear that his wife (Fion)Nuala has gone. Switch back to 1981 and Nuala, tired and exhausted from the demands of motherhood and of Patsy who doesn’t ‘see’ her anymore but the young stranger at the door clearly does. Sex (maybe, maybe not, after all Sam is educated at the Sister of Perpetual Succour Grammar School in Newcastle, Northern Ireland), drugs (yes, also cigs and alcohol) and rock ‘n’ roll (substitute Nirvana), looming A-level exams, UCAS entry, love for a bad boy, The Troubles, a mother who walks out when she’s a little girl and a very messed up dysfunctional family life. This is a coming-of-age story of Sam Malin with the story of Nuala which is woven together as they make decisions that denote their futures.
The novel captures all the characters so well especially Sam, her feelings about Nuala, her obsession with Naoise, her youth, her friendships and lusts. She’s definitely challenging and complex but also contradiction, tough and angry but not always confident and at times needy. The intertwined story is tense, sad, despondent, at times depressing, honest and very raw. The damage, guilt and fall out of Nuala‘s actions are harsh and the reality contrasts with Sam’s daydreams.
The smalltown views, the quiet whispers that never stop, twisted thoughts and blame allocated rightly and wrongly are done exceptionally well. Some of the dialogue is absolutely brilliant, Sam can be extremely darkly funny and very wise. She makes some great analogies with key political figures of Northern Ireland at the time which makes me laugh out loud . Some of her diatribes on the peace process are genius as she wraps some up with the death of Kurt Cobain.
The historical context is used extremely effectively showing the divisions of Northern Ireland society with the shock and horror of some events with one touching especially close to Sam‘s home, these events will live forever in memories. Sam reminds me to have some of the ridiculous things I’d forgotten such as actors dubbing voices but we can still hear the words…
There’s a bit of a dip in the storytelling in the middle when it gets a bit repetitive but it soon picks up again. I enjoy the way the truth semi emerges (it’s easy to guess part) and it builds dramatically and at times quite shockingly .
This is not an easy read at times but the way it’s written is superb, this author sure can write well. She gets to the heart of the characters, their issues and conveys the story in a variety of ways which works really well and you do feel some of what they feel. You certainly sense Sam's youth and her conflicted feelings.I look forward to seeing what the author writes next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially John Murray Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 22, 2022
It´s difficult to write a review worthy of this book. Exquisite writing,a heartbreaking story,complex characters,and one of the best coming of age stories I´ve read,though "coming of age" is too narrow a phrase to describe this.
While tackling thorny subjects,it´s also a poignant,hopeful,beautiful tale.
While tackling thorny subjects,it´s also a poignant,hopeful,beautiful tale.
January 10, 2022
This novel is a tour de force, so beautifully structured - it's a hell of a compulsive, sensual, and sometimes raw page turner. So honest and refreshing in the way it explores female desire, and motherhood. (We need more honest, angry and complicated depictions of motherhood!) The Quiet Whispers Never Stop pulses with unfiltered desire, unfiltered anger and uncompromising honesty. The novel is an incisive investigation of sexuality and power- especially of what it's like to be a teenage girl - to desire and be desired, to be too much, and not enough...
The North in the 90s has been brought back to life from the point of view of those who never had much of a say in the narrative in the first place – witty, rolling in black humour, Fitzsimons has a poet’s control of language, and a vivid, cinematic eye. The Gary Oldman of nuns is a standout for me... 'the holy one beckons Sam inside and naturally like any good virgin, her blood runs cold.'
Olivia Fitzsimons has created an electric, compulsive read about women pushing back against the restrictions of society and family in the 1990s, a book about being a difficult woman, a difficulat daughter - about courage.
Highly recommended!
The North in the 90s has been brought back to life from the point of view of those who never had much of a say in the narrative in the first place – witty, rolling in black humour, Fitzsimons has a poet’s control of language, and a vivid, cinematic eye. The Gary Oldman of nuns is a standout for me... 'the holy one beckons Sam inside and naturally like any good virgin, her blood runs cold.'
Olivia Fitzsimons has created an electric, compulsive read about women pushing back against the restrictions of society and family in the 1990s, a book about being a difficult woman, a difficulat daughter - about courage.
Highly recommended!
December 28, 2021
A lyrical literary novel with wit and beautiful observations. The Quiet Whispers Never Stop is a coming of age story for Sam as she gets enchanted by the charms of an older man, Naoise, but it also tells the story of her absent mother Nuala, who battles overwhelming feelings of dissatisfaction, entrapment and claustrophobia in her small town life and makes plans to leave everything behind. The rhythm of the novel's smart dialogue drew me into these character's lives immediately and despite the central women sometimes making destructive choices, they are written with such empathy and vivacity you always wish for better for them. The Northern Irish setting made for an interesting and tension filled backdrop and the inclusion of historical context was subtly and skilfully done. Despite a sadness at the heart of the novel, I was left with a feeling of hope that Sam would manage to escape and live her life in a way her mother had not managed to. An incredibly strong debut. I can't wait to see what Olivia Fitzsimons writes next.
Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press for this ARC in exchange for a review.
Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press for this ARC in exchange for a review.
July 9, 2024
4.5 stars
Genuinely don’t have the words for this. Such a beautiful, raw, powerful book. Loved the depiction of motherhood as being complicated and messy, despite all her flaws, you sincerely rooted for Nuala. The men in this book are all god awful but, screw the lot of them. Also idc if this is pedantic but there was quite a few spelling errors in this and it hefty bugged me.
Genuinely don’t have the words for this. Such a beautiful, raw, powerful book. Loved the depiction of motherhood as being complicated and messy, despite all her flaws, you sincerely rooted for Nuala. The men in this book are all god awful but, screw the lot of them. Also idc if this is pedantic but there was quite a few spelling errors in this and it hefty bugged me.
June 16, 2022
Seventeen-year-old Sam lives near Downpatrick. This is her last year at school and she can’t wait to get away, she just hasn’t worked out how. Twelve years earlier, Sam’s mum Nuala made her own escape, her desperate search for freedom conquering her devastion at leaving her children behind.
When Sam starts seeing Naoise, an unsuitable older guy, a looker, beautiful in fact, her life becomes focused entirely on him, as it does when you are seventeen.
The voices of Sam and Nuala narrate this wonderful debut novel. They speak and roar and cry and claw and kick and scream with frustration as they work their way through love and no love.
Olivia Fitzsimons characters are electric, especially Sam who flashes through each page leaving a trail of victims in her wake; dad, boyfriends, nuns and teachers. The intensity and complexity of Sam’s relationship with Naoise is riveting. She carries on, not fully understanding why she is begging for more from this man whom she starts to see in a different light from time to time but continues to be besotted by. The study of poor damaged Naoise too is considered and sympathetic.
The County Down is a watercolour setting, a finely balanced backdrop for a captivating novel.
There were times when I thought this was too much, but like Sam, I mostly wanted more.
When Sam starts seeing Naoise, an unsuitable older guy, a looker, beautiful in fact, her life becomes focused entirely on him, as it does when you are seventeen.
The voices of Sam and Nuala narrate this wonderful debut novel. They speak and roar and cry and claw and kick and scream with frustration as they work their way through love and no love.
Olivia Fitzsimons characters are electric, especially Sam who flashes through each page leaving a trail of victims in her wake; dad, boyfriends, nuns and teachers. The intensity and complexity of Sam’s relationship with Naoise is riveting. She carries on, not fully understanding why she is begging for more from this man whom she starts to see in a different light from time to time but continues to be besotted by. The study of poor damaged Naoise too is considered and sympathetic.
The County Down is a watercolour setting, a finely balanced backdrop for a captivating novel.
There were times when I thought this was too much, but like Sam, I mostly wanted more.
March 5, 2024
Barely have words to describe the extraordinary skill of writing. Terrific read, diving deeply into the dark sides of human interaction and the destructive force that comes from abusive love, cruel mothers, and traumatised sons and daughters. Moral grey areas explored with precise ambiguity.
January 2, 2022
A stunning début, written with a deep sense of the patriarchal claustrophobia that pervaded the north of Ireland across two generations in the Troubles.
I loved the dark, literary style and also the astute observations and humour that brought back memories of that era: ‘White sauce as the Axis of Evil’, the ‘hive mind of virgin-blue-soaked uniforms’, ‘Peace is great and all, but lots of hot boys is a much more realistic prospect’, ‘Decided truths doled out by those in charge’.
This book will go far.
I loved the dark, literary style and also the astute observations and humour that brought back memories of that era: ‘White sauce as the Axis of Evil’, the ‘hive mind of virgin-blue-soaked uniforms’, ‘Peace is great and all, but lots of hot boys is a much more realistic prospect’, ‘Decided truths doled out by those in charge’.
This book will go far.
December 4, 2022
Dark. Brilliant.
TW: Sexual violence. Abusive relationships
TW: Sexual violence. Abusive relationships
January 19, 2022
An exemplary debut from Olivia Fitzsimons! What a writer! "The Quiet Whispers Never Stop" is simply stunning. It's beautifully written, moving, raw and real. It's about mothers and daughters, and how alike they can be, despite years of separation. Also, fathers and daughters who struggle to relate to one another. "The Quiet Whispers Never Stop'' reverberates with unfulfilled dreams and ennui, shot through with tiny slivers of hope and a whole lot of longing. Fitzsimons relays the horrors of the Troubles in Northern Ireland with stark honesty. She shows us how it feels to live in a community permanently steeped in fear. The central theme is an exploration of the old adage "every girl loves a bad boy". I felt so much compassion for both Sam and her mother - a testament to the skill of the author, as she strips back the layers of a character who isn't, on the surface, very sympathetic. I really loved everything about this book and can't wait to see what this author does next. An absolute belter of a debut and surely an award-winner.
April 27, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
August 4, 2022
A 4 for just how beautifully this was written. Such a rich descriptive flow to the story, it was well paced and well structured. At times I found the plot.. a bit odd (I feel most people who've read it might agree). Bit of a plot twist too, which I always enjoy
January 2, 2023
This was my final book of ‘22 and I sobbed my way through it. Arguably the best book I’ve read this year. It is painfully compulsive and totally shattering. The characters will stay with me for a long time. I miss them already.
Olivia Fitzsimmons so perfectly & devastatingly depicts patriarchal claustrophobia, the agony of all-consuming love and Northern Ireland in the 80s/90s. This book absolutely wrecked my heart but I adored it & feel empty now that it’s over.
Olivia Fitzsimmons so perfectly & devastatingly depicts patriarchal claustrophobia, the agony of all-consuming love and Northern Ireland in the 80s/90s. This book absolutely wrecked my heart but I adored it & feel empty now that it’s over.
January 3, 2025
one of my favorite reads this year: a compelling descent into the morally gray areas of human relationships and their complexities. all of the characters are so tragically flawed, yet easy to relate to. additionally, the author's prose is nothing short of breathtaking. if 'language so beautiful it hurts' were a piece of writing, it would literally be this book. i wish i could read this for the first time again!
April 25, 2022
Not always an easy read especially for those of us who grew up in NI and know only too well the claustrophobia she presents so authentically. The story was gripping, following Sam and hoping that she would be ok. The characters especially Patsy her father, and Becca her friend are exceedingly well portrayed and described. Sam is full of wit and wisdom about living in such a small place and the tension between north and south in Ireland. Evocative writing - powerful!
With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
November 26, 2022
Gritty, raw and true to the emotions and actions of both a mother trapped in a life she cannot bear and the impact her actions have on her daughter. Olivia Fitzsimons gets under the skin of her characters. We watch as Sam spins out of orbit, let down very badly by the adults in her life, and root for her as she finds a way through towards saving herself. A beautifully written novel.
April 12, 2022
This is a heart breaking yet ultimately hopeful book, following the life of Sam, the protagonist, though her late teens and giving us a glimpse of her missing mother Nuala, and her life in the same small town after just having Sam. It’s a confronting read, which challenges just about every expectation in women, particularly then, and in doing so creates two exceptional characters, bit of whom I adored. Sam’s journey of self discovery/coming of age is fraught with difficulty, but she emerges, and she is wonderful! The writing is beautiful too. A real triumph of a novel.
March 29, 2023
Tough read with very extreme damaged characters. The story is set against the backdrop of the Troubles in Down in Northern Ireland.
Sam, headstrong 18 year old daughter of the disappeared Nuala and her husband farmer Patsy, Sam’s brother P.J. and Naoise Sam’s on-off boyfriend, Sam’s friend Becca, and Margaret ,
Sam’s kind neighbour and somewhat of a mother figure to Sam but was also Nuala’s friend. Didn’t quite get why Sam didn’t just ask Margaret more questions about her Mum. Nuns and male teachers also feature.
Brilliant twist which I didn’t see coming at all.
No resolution to main mystery either!
Scene with the old lady in the nursing home will stay with me for a long time.
Loved the chapter names.
Looking forward to more from this author.
Loved these quotes:
Matt is wry, lopsided-smile funny with doctor parents, posh, the kind who sing in choirs and do house visits where they mostly drink tea and sympathise. The decent kind, who have money but not through any fault of their own.
Nuala
I blush everywhere, aware of the queue forming behind me, and move away, I’m so grateful for the moment. The acknowledgement. The flimsy interaction. I’m so enamoured with the possible, fantastical. With patterns of behaviour I’d forgotten about. What may be, what will never be, what has been. Between us. When really it’s nothing at all. When everything that is happening is happening inside me.
Sam
Becca had, of course, got every flippin one of those encyclopaedias. Cost her parents a fortune. Enough to ensure she went along to college just to pay that back. Sam used to wonder how Becca managed with all that stuff sometimes, the expectations it brought. Bought. Be good, besmartbekindbebeautifulbecareful. But not anymore because one day, not so long ago, Sam realised she expected to be al those things too but there is no one on her side keeping’s core in a positive way. Maybe they are keeping score in a negative way. There should not be anyone keeping score at all, but they are teenage girls and all anyone does is keep a silent scorecard on their lives, the comings and goings and subtle shifts that a hair style, colour, hormonal development could make.
Nuala
My hair is dragged back from my face and I know I could be looking at my grandmother.
Time stops here, catches you in it and you become buried in it, heartsore like this landscape.
The truth is I need anywhere but here.
Sam, headstrong 18 year old daughter of the disappeared Nuala and her husband farmer Patsy, Sam’s brother P.J. and Naoise Sam’s on-off boyfriend, Sam’s friend Becca, and Margaret ,
Sam’s kind neighbour and somewhat of a mother figure to Sam but was also Nuala’s friend. Didn’t quite get why Sam didn’t just ask Margaret more questions about her Mum. Nuns and male teachers also feature.
Brilliant twist which I didn’t see coming at all.
No resolution to main mystery either!
Scene with the old lady in the nursing home will stay with me for a long time.
Loved the chapter names.
Looking forward to more from this author.
Loved these quotes:
Matt is wry, lopsided-smile funny with doctor parents, posh, the kind who sing in choirs and do house visits where they mostly drink tea and sympathise. The decent kind, who have money but not through any fault of their own.
Nuala
I blush everywhere, aware of the queue forming behind me, and move away, I’m so grateful for the moment. The acknowledgement. The flimsy interaction. I’m so enamoured with the possible, fantastical. With patterns of behaviour I’d forgotten about. What may be, what will never be, what has been. Between us. When really it’s nothing at all. When everything that is happening is happening inside me.
Sam
Becca had, of course, got every flippin one of those encyclopaedias. Cost her parents a fortune. Enough to ensure she went along to college just to pay that back. Sam used to wonder how Becca managed with all that stuff sometimes, the expectations it brought. Bought. Be good, besmartbekindbebeautifulbecareful. But not anymore because one day, not so long ago, Sam realised she expected to be al those things too but there is no one on her side keeping’s core in a positive way. Maybe they are keeping score in a negative way. There should not be anyone keeping score at all, but they are teenage girls and all anyone does is keep a silent scorecard on their lives, the comings and goings and subtle shifts that a hair style, colour, hormonal development could make.
Nuala
My hair is dragged back from my face and I know I could be looking at my grandmother.
Time stops here, catches you in it and you become buried in it, heartsore like this landscape.
The truth is I need anywhere but here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2022
It's 1994 and Sam Malin is in her final year at a small school in the north of Ireland and is determined to escape her life in whatever way she can - via music, drugs, and a dysfunctional relationship with Naoise, ten years her senior. Her life is chaotic, and not helped with a distant father at home, and memories of a mother who mysteriously walked out on them.
I could also relate to the small town in the book - everyone knowing your business, escaping the mundanity of it in whichever way you could, especially through drink and music. The claustrophobia and the sense that ‘the quiet whispers would never stop’ because people have long memories in small towns. There’s such a strong sense of place in it and that’s down to the strength of the writing.
Olivia Fitzsimmons definately has a way with the vernacular - the book couldn’t be anywhere else but the north. Nuala, the absent mother, is the other voice in the story - a woman who Sam barely remembers, as she walked out on them when she was only five. The book is quite cleverly constructed, with sometimes alternating chapters between mother and daughter, who are more alike than Sam realises. Nuala was also desperate for freedom, and she also found escapism in a similar way.
Full review here
I could also relate to the small town in the book - everyone knowing your business, escaping the mundanity of it in whichever way you could, especially through drink and music. The claustrophobia and the sense that ‘the quiet whispers would never stop’ because people have long memories in small towns. There’s such a strong sense of place in it and that’s down to the strength of the writing.
Olivia Fitzsimmons definately has a way with the vernacular - the book couldn’t be anywhere else but the north. Nuala, the absent mother, is the other voice in the story - a woman who Sam barely remembers, as she walked out on them when she was only five. The book is quite cleverly constructed, with sometimes alternating chapters between mother and daughter, who are more alike than Sam realises. Nuala was also desperate for freedom, and she also found escapism in a similar way.
Full review here
October 10, 2023
It's really great to see another female writer from Northern Ireland get published and this is a fantastic debut novel. Sixth former, Sam Malin lives on a farm near Newcastle with her younger brother and father. Her mother, Nuala, is presumed dead having disappeared when Sam was 4 years old and her brother just a toddler. Sam is constantly being told she "is just like her mother." She is oppositional and defiant and feels suffocated by small town life. One day she spies the handsome, but 10 years older local "bad boy", Naiose and feels drawn to him. He is a drug dealer and user, he cheats on Sam and they have a toxic, push me, pull me relationship. Sam starts to stay out late, plays up at school and then her "mother" figure dies and she starts to spiral out of control.
I enjoyed the book overall but I preferred the first third when there were alternating chapters from Sam's point of view in 1994 and then her mother's in 1981. The narrative felt really well balanced and engrossing. Increasingly the story became about Sam and some of her behaviour and thoughts became a bit "ranty" and repetitive and I felt the book lost some momentum and focus. It was still well worth reading and I'll look out for future books from Olivia Fitzsimmons.
I enjoyed the book overall but I preferred the first third when there were alternating chapters from Sam's point of view in 1994 and then her mother's in 1981. The narrative felt really well balanced and engrossing. Increasingly the story became about Sam and some of her behaviour and thoughts became a bit "ranty" and repetitive and I felt the book lost some momentum and focus. It was still well worth reading and I'll look out for future books from Olivia Fitzsimmons.
April 18, 2022
The Quiet Whispers Never Stop by Olivia Fitzsimons is the traumatic story of a girl's turbulent final year in convent secondary school and her difficult relations with her family, boyfriends, exams and school authorities.
Samantha does not remember her mother, who left home mysteriously when she was only 5 years old. Her father was barely able to cope and nowadays prioritises the farm animals ahead of his children. Sam goes off the rails to a degree and finds herself conflicted particularly in her on/off relationship with Naoise but also with the school authorities.
At times, I found this a difficult read as Sam was consistently faced with tough personal decisions though considering all that she had been through it is hardly surprising. I think it is a measure of how well written this book is that I felt so emotionally connected to the characters.
Samantha does not remember her mother, who left home mysteriously when she was only 5 years old. Her father was barely able to cope and nowadays prioritises the farm animals ahead of his children. Sam goes off the rails to a degree and finds herself conflicted particularly in her on/off relationship with Naoise but also with the school authorities.
At times, I found this a difficult read as Sam was consistently faced with tough personal decisions though considering all that she had been through it is hardly surprising. I think it is a measure of how well written this book is that I felt so emotionally connected to the characters.
March 1, 2022
Thanks to John Murray and Netgalley for the ARC.
I found this a difficult read. It was hard to warm to the majority of the characters, other than Margaret.
The book jumps between different years and characters in Ireland between the 1980s (Nuala) and 1990s (Sam), which ultimately makes sense as the book progresses but it made it challenging to follow the narrative initially.
The relationship between Naoise and Sam is extremely problematic, for many reasons that become apparent. Without giving too much away, he seems manipulative and predatory, and she comes across as troubled and naive. The relationship between Sam and her dad, Patsy, is fraught. Some of the writing made me feel really uncomfortable. It’s not an easy read - it covers some really heavy topics.
I found this a difficult read. It was hard to warm to the majority of the characters, other than Margaret.
The book jumps between different years and characters in Ireland between the 1980s (Nuala) and 1990s (Sam), which ultimately makes sense as the book progresses but it made it challenging to follow the narrative initially.
The relationship between Naoise and Sam is extremely problematic, for many reasons that become apparent. Without giving too much away, he seems manipulative and predatory, and she comes across as troubled and naive. The relationship between Sam and her dad, Patsy, is fraught. Some of the writing made me feel really uncomfortable. It’s not an easy read - it covers some really heavy topics.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2022
What an amazing debut from a fabulous new Irish author! The writing is beautiful, yet gritty and raw. The author brilliantly conveys what it was like for a teenager to live in a small town in Northern Ireland during the 90s, with a particularly powerful chapter on the IRA ceasefire of 1994.
The author explores the confines of motherhood in Nuala’s chapters alongside her daughter Sam’s story of rejection, anger and passion with startling similarities between the two.
The dysfunctional relationship between Sam and Naoise is such an addictive storyline that I was compelled to read it quickly, so I can see myself wanting to re-read this one in the future because it’s the type of book you’ll get even more out of second time around because of the gorgeous lyrical writing. I loved it!
The author explores the confines of motherhood in Nuala’s chapters alongside her daughter Sam’s story of rejection, anger and passion with startling similarities between the two.
The dysfunctional relationship between Sam and Naoise is such an addictive storyline that I was compelled to read it quickly, so I can see myself wanting to re-read this one in the future because it’s the type of book you’ll get even more out of second time around because of the gorgeous lyrical writing. I loved it!
July 13, 2022
The Quiet Whispers Never Stop is yet another star in the growing firmament of novels based in Northern Ireland written by Northern Irish, female writers.
The novel addresses the troubles in Northern Ireland as well as other universal themes such as feminism, abuse, misogyny, control, religion, depression and love without ever preaching at her reader. The author examines the 'messiness' of life with frankness accompanied by compassion through the medium of a compelling story.
She uses varying writing styles, almost poetic in places, which are highly effective in stimulating the reader and changing the pace of the novel.
This is an author in command of her language, her themes, her characters and ultimately her readers! I highly recommend The Quiet Whispers Never Stop.
The novel addresses the troubles in Northern Ireland as well as other universal themes such as feminism, abuse, misogyny, control, religion, depression and love without ever preaching at her reader. The author examines the 'messiness' of life with frankness accompanied by compassion through the medium of a compelling story.
She uses varying writing styles, almost poetic in places, which are highly effective in stimulating the reader and changing the pace of the novel.
This is an author in command of her language, her themes, her characters and ultimately her readers! I highly recommend The Quiet Whispers Never Stop.
February 25, 2022
On the face of it, The Quiet Whispers Never Stop has a very simple story, but the plotting and execution make this a stunning literary debut by Olivia Fitzsimons. Set amidst the anger and distrust at the peak of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, relationships within a dysfunctional family are explored over several timelines and perspectives. My only criticism was the writing, though elegantly crafted, was always too urgent - brief, minimal sentences create a sense of foreboding, but when overused become claustrophobic. An outstanding debut, I'm sure we'll be hearing from Olivia again.
Book supplied by Netgalley for an honest review.
Book supplied by Netgalley for an honest review.
June 21, 2022
Sam is 17, about to do her A levels and a convent school girl living in Co Down in the 1990s. What’s not to like? This epic tale focuses on Sam attempting to live her life in a small rural community. Her family circumstances are complicated in that her mother left the family when Sam was 5 and her brother 2. Her relationship with her father is tense and fraught. She has caught the eye of an 29 year old and we are thrown about in her experiences of loving, being loved, lust, sexuality, friendships, family circumstances and teenage angst. This is a page turner with humour, sadness, rage and grief.
April 3, 2022
I almost stopped reading this book several times as Sam's story was difficult for me to read but I am so glad that I stuck with it. The quality of the writing is amazing for a debut and the way the characters (mostly unlikeable) are devloped is very good too. It's an uncomfortable read. I am sure that the author has a very bright future and also several awards on the horizon for this one. It's fantastic. With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the e-ARC of ths book to read and review.
May 19, 2022
This book sings to you. It’s more than words. It’s full of emotions of all kinds and what it means to be female, young, older and society’s expectations. The characters were all crafted with such immense care abs skill. How could you not want to know their destiny and fate. I loved them all. The cloak of small town community, the yearning in all to escape what they knew to live and the language. Olivia Fitzsimmons uses exquisite words with such style. This book needs to be read by all. It’s one I know I’ll come to again and again. Highly recommended.
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