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The Quiet and the Loud
A heartbreaking, hopeful, and timely novel about holding too tight to family secrets, healing from trauma, and falling in love, from the award-winning author of How It Feels to Float
George’s life is loud. On the water, though, with everything hushed above and below, she is steady, silent. Then her estranged dad says he needs to talk, and George’s past begins to wake up, looping around her ankles, trying to drag her under.
But there’s no time to sink. George’s best friend, Tess, is about to become, officially, a teen mom, her friend Laz is in despair about the climate crisis, her gramps would literally misplace his teeth if not for her, and her moms fill the house with fuss and chatter. Before long, heat and smoke join the noise as distant wildfires begin to burn.
George tries to stay steady. When her father tells her his news and the memories roar back to life, George turns to Calliope, the girl who has just cartwheeled into her world and shot it through with colors. And it’s here George would stay—quiet and safe—if she could. But then Tess has her baby, and the earth burns hotter, and the past just will not stay put.
A novel about the contours of friendship, family, forgiveness, trauma, and love, and about our hopeless, hopeful world, Helena Fox’s gorgeous follow-up to How It Feels to Float explores the stories we suppress and the stories we speak—and the healing that comes when we voice the things we’ve kept quiet for so long.
George’s life is loud. On the water, though, with everything hushed above and below, she is steady, silent. Then her estranged dad says he needs to talk, and George’s past begins to wake up, looping around her ankles, trying to drag her under.
But there’s no time to sink. George’s best friend, Tess, is about to become, officially, a teen mom, her friend Laz is in despair about the climate crisis, her gramps would literally misplace his teeth if not for her, and her moms fill the house with fuss and chatter. Before long, heat and smoke join the noise as distant wildfires begin to burn.
George tries to stay steady. When her father tells her his news and the memories roar back to life, George turns to Calliope, the girl who has just cartwheeled into her world and shot it through with colors. And it’s here George would stay—quiet and safe—if she could. But then Tess has her baby, and the earth burns hotter, and the past just will not stay put.
A novel about the contours of friendship, family, forgiveness, trauma, and love, and about our hopeless, hopeful world, Helena Fox’s gorgeous follow-up to How It Feels to Float explores the stories we suppress and the stories we speak—and the healing that comes when we voice the things we’ve kept quiet for so long.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2023
78 people are currently reading
5717 people want to read
About the author
Helena Fox
4 books368 followersHelena Fox lives in Wollongong, Australia, where she runs creative writing workshops for young people. She’s a graduate of the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina.
She has travelled widely, living in Peru, Spain, the U.K, Samoa, and the US. Of all her adventures, Helena is proudest of the work she has done helping young people find and express their voice.
How It Feels To Float is her debut novel.
She has travelled widely, living in Peru, Spain, the U.K, Samoa, and the US. Of all her adventures, Helena is proudest of the work she has done helping young people find and express their voice.
How It Feels To Float is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
June 10, 2024
This was my first time reading Ms Fox, although I've had her first book 'How it Feels to Float' on my kindle for a while now. I'll be reading that one quick smart.
It always makes a book more interesting for me when it takes place somewhere I know well. Sydney has been my home for 38 years now, George and her family live in Balmain (unnamed in book) and she travels to so many places I know well. George keeps things inside and when it all becomes too much, she does not explode, just locks things up tighter. I loved George as our MC and all the characters, including her best friend Tess (who decides at 18 to have a baby on her own as she believes she is going to die in her 20s because a fortune teller told her so), her grandfather, her mum and her wife Mel and her new budding love, Calliope. All of this going on while New South Wales burns in 2019, having lived and suffered through that awful time. There is some domestic violence from her past and her father is now overseas and has been an alcoholic all her life.
The writing style is a bit off beat at times, but always engaging. I've added a few bits from the book that resonated with me. I really loved this one and will not forget it soon. Picked up at random for the cover on ebook from a local library. 4+ stars.
Mel and Mum and Gramps are in the living room, having one of their “discussions.” The chairs rattle, the cushions shiver and trill, and sketches pull from the wall where they’ve been pinned. The cat knows better than to be here and is elsewhere. pg 67
“Yes, yes, yes,” says Gramps. “Come on, don’t be such fuddy-duddy diddle-shits.” pg 68
I tap the button on my phone, and Dad’s voice stops sucking the air from the room. pg 102
Ten a.m. Hazy street. Traffic gruntling. It’s day two of the apocalypse. The smoke squats over the city, seeping. Across the road, the Art House tries to wave to me with its windows, but the smoke has smeared the glass. The best it can do is dully glint. pg 175
Gramps can’t help it—he does his loud laugh. Even Mum starts laughing, though she’s still a bit leaky. pg 237
It always makes a book more interesting for me when it takes place somewhere I know well. Sydney has been my home for 38 years now, George and her family live in Balmain (unnamed in book) and she travels to so many places I know well. George keeps things inside and when it all becomes too much, she does not explode, just locks things up tighter. I loved George as our MC and all the characters, including her best friend Tess (who decides at 18 to have a baby on her own as she believes she is going to die in her 20s because a fortune teller told her so), her grandfather, her mum and her wife Mel and her new budding love, Calliope. All of this going on while New South Wales burns in 2019, having lived and suffered through that awful time. There is some domestic violence from her past and her father is now overseas and has been an alcoholic all her life.
The writing style is a bit off beat at times, but always engaging. I've added a few bits from the book that resonated with me. I really loved this one and will not forget it soon. Picked up at random for the cover on ebook from a local library. 4+ stars.
Mel and Mum and Gramps are in the living room, having one of their “discussions.” The chairs rattle, the cushions shiver and trill, and sketches pull from the wall where they’ve been pinned. The cat knows better than to be here and is elsewhere. pg 67
“Yes, yes, yes,” says Gramps. “Come on, don’t be such fuddy-duddy diddle-shits.” pg 68
I tap the button on my phone, and Dad’s voice stops sucking the air from the room. pg 102
Ten a.m. Hazy street. Traffic gruntling. It’s day two of the apocalypse. The smoke squats over the city, seeping. Across the road, the Art House tries to wave to me with its windows, but the smoke has smeared the glass. The best it can do is dully glint. pg 175
Gramps can’t help it—he does his loud laugh. Even Mum starts laughing, though she’s still a bit leaky. pg 237
September 15, 2023
The book starts out with a childhood memory in which the main character is left in a dinghy, abandoned in the middle of a lake by her father in the wee hours of the night. The image and feeling set a tone for the rest of the story. George lives with her grandfather, her mother, and Mel who is her stepmother, in Mel’s house by the water in Sydney. She is 18 years old and working in Mel’s art store/school during a gap year.
So many things are going on in this book that mirror real life because nothing and nobody stops for George. Teen pregnancy, troubled family dynamics, new relationships and devastating tragedy are swirling around her. Everyone has needs and George can barely breathe because her life is about taking care of family and friends. There is no space for her except as a nurturer. George says early on, “I dream of quiet.”
The author gradually reveals individuals by using small but powerful scenes that build momentum to an awakening for George. Meanwhile, the Australian wildfires grow closer to Sydney, skies filling with smoke and terrifying red hues. All of which add to the tension. The Quiet and the Loud has some of the prettiest writing I’ve read in quite a while, lyrical and succinct, that submerge you emotionally into the story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, gives a beautiful reading.
If you like character driven stories, books set in Australia, strong family dynamics, and a protagonist who you desperately hope finds her place, then grab a copy or listen to the audiobook.
So many things are going on in this book that mirror real life because nothing and nobody stops for George. Teen pregnancy, troubled family dynamics, new relationships and devastating tragedy are swirling around her. Everyone has needs and George can barely breathe because her life is about taking care of family and friends. There is no space for her except as a nurturer. George says early on, “I dream of quiet.”
The author gradually reveals individuals by using small but powerful scenes that build momentum to an awakening for George. Meanwhile, the Australian wildfires grow closer to Sydney, skies filling with smoke and terrifying red hues. All of which add to the tension. The Quiet and the Loud has some of the prettiest writing I’ve read in quite a while, lyrical and succinct, that submerge you emotionally into the story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, gives a beautiful reading.
If you like character driven stories, books set in Australia, strong family dynamics, and a protagonist who you desperately hope finds her place, then grab a copy or listen to the audiobook.
November 13, 2022
Content warnings: complex PTSD, trauma, parent with alcoholism, toxic friendships, teen pregnancy (not MC but a main component of the book), anxiety, fire (bushfires are happening at the time of this book - this is also a big, running theme), gaslighting, manipulation, racism,
Rep: George (MC) is lesbian, white, has asthma, and has complex PTSD. Calliope (LI) is lesbian and Pakistani-Australian, Laz (SC) is achillean and a POC, Tess is white and has anxiety and post-partum depression, George's mums are both sapphic and white, other side queer and POC characters.
I absolutely loved Helena's first book How It Feels To Float, and I was ecstatic to see she'd written a new one.
George is an exceptionally well written character. She is a people pleaser through and through, and I can relate to that so very hard.
The book opens on a scene with George and her dad - and this is important as it sets the tone for her relationship with him.
The book is set at the end of 2019 when the most horrendous bushfires of Australian history were happening. You can tell that Helena's own experience handling the smoke came into this story, as the NSW area was heavily affected by the fires and the smoke that travelled far and wide across the country.
I adored George a lot - she has such a soft heart and is so kind and giving. The first scene with her friends Tess and Laz really shows exactly what their friendships are like.
As the book goes on, we see memories of George's relationship with her dad and just how it's shaped her.
A girl called Calliope enters George's life and she's immediately intrigued by her, but unfortunately, George's best friend, a very pregnant Tess, dominates a lot of George's time, and isn't happy with George's attention being elsewhere.
The development of George and Calliope's romance was so very wonderful and heartfelt. I adored their interactions and every scene they were in together I was so happy with.
In the midst of falling in love for the first time, there are raging bushfires going on, a demanding pregnant best friend, and a dad who just won't stop calling George.
Reviews are hard when the book doesn't come out until March 2023, but I loved this one. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and made my heart hurt.
An easy 5/5 stars from me.
Minor grumble:
I was reading the USA e-advanced copy, so all of the spelling was American and I do not approve (lol, Americans, get over yourselves and realise that words can be spelled differently from different countries).
The copy I had also had anything with a double f (coffee) formatted weirdly so it was 'co ee'. I eventually figured it out and could read it no problems.
I talk about books at these places: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
Rep: George (MC) is lesbian, white, has asthma, and has complex PTSD. Calliope (LI) is lesbian and Pakistani-Australian, Laz (SC) is achillean and a POC, Tess is white and has anxiety and post-partum depression, George's mums are both sapphic and white, other side queer and POC characters.
I absolutely loved Helena's first book How It Feels To Float, and I was ecstatic to see she'd written a new one.
George is an exceptionally well written character. She is a people pleaser through and through, and I can relate to that so very hard.
The book opens on a scene with George and her dad - and this is important as it sets the tone for her relationship with him.
The book is set at the end of 2019 when the most horrendous bushfires of Australian history were happening. You can tell that Helena's own experience handling the smoke came into this story, as the NSW area was heavily affected by the fires and the smoke that travelled far and wide across the country.
I adored George a lot - she has such a soft heart and is so kind and giving. The first scene with her friends Tess and Laz really shows exactly what their friendships are like.
As the book goes on, we see memories of George's relationship with her dad and just how it's shaped her.
A girl called Calliope enters George's life and she's immediately intrigued by her, but unfortunately, George's best friend, a very pregnant Tess, dominates a lot of George's time, and isn't happy with George's attention being elsewhere.
The development of George and Calliope's romance was so very wonderful and heartfelt. I adored their interactions and every scene they were in together I was so happy with.
In the midst of falling in love for the first time, there are raging bushfires going on, a demanding pregnant best friend, and a dad who just won't stop calling George.
Reviews are hard when the book doesn't come out until March 2023, but I loved this one. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and made my heart hurt.
An easy 5/5 stars from me.
Minor grumble:
I was reading the USA e-advanced copy, so all of the spelling was American and I do not approve (lol, Americans, get over yourselves and realise that words can be spelled differently from different countries).
The copy I had also had anything with a double f (coffee) formatted weirdly so it was 'co ee'. I eventually figured it out and could read it no problems.
I talk about books at these places: Instagram / Twitter / TikTok / Blog
April 13, 2024
it was so worth the wait of this being released. i love this author so much because while making it enjoyable, she also really adressed important issues that the world is dealing with right now. and don’t even get me started on the writing which is just so so beautiful🥺
Want to read
February 22, 2023Currently crying, screaming, pulling my hair out waiting for this 😭 the best news of 2023
July 16, 2022
Will anything be okay? I don't know. Laz says maybe it can be, if we do something—if we at least try—while we are alive inside these human bodies, loving and careless, hopeless and hopeful and loud. There is so much to do. There is so much to say.
Let me start out by saying that How it Feels to Float is one of my favorite books of all time. Even as I grow out of YA, I still carry it with me. I was thrilled to receive a downloadable advanced readers copy of Fox's newest novel.
As an exploration of Complex PTSD, the Quiet and the Loud hits the nail on the head. It benefits from being an own voices novel, but Fox's way of communicating mental illness in this and HIFTF is impactful in a way that I imagine would be especially for a younger audience. The resurgence of dormant memories and emotions George, our main character, feels as her dad reaches out to her for the first time in years with some bad news is incredibly real, and though our personal situations are far from identical I found myself relating to her struggle often throughout. Fox does not shy away from the ugly, but she also doesn't shove it down your throat to an unnecessary degree as many authors writing about trauma often do, which makes her an excellent writer for young teenagers navigating similar struggles.
To get what I did not love out of the way: it is very dialogue heavy. This is obviously purposeful and not inherently problematic but, especially at the beginning, may of been to its own detriment. Long chains of seemingly unimportant dialogue from characters you barely know and haven't had the time to care about yet can get old quickly, especially when you're 100 pages in and George is still ignoring the same texts from her dad over and over again. After finishing the novel, the tone at the beginning makes a bit more sense but as for the reading experience it was a bit of a drag. Though I will say it is a very quick read, at almost 400 pages it does not feel like it.
The backdrop of our very real climate crisis and the Australian wildfires of 2019 was brilliant. To take a break from George and her friends' inner turmoil and explore a crisis that is felt by everyone gave breadth to a novel that is by default quite narrow in its scope. I also applaud the way it worked in tandem with George's intimate journey, from the suffocating smoky air mirroring her own trauma to her decision to finally talk to the people close to her about it coinciding with protests and climate action. The real life political aspects were handled tactfully and never felt exploitative. Definitely my favorite part of the novel.
The Quiet and the Loud is not a book about forgiveness. It isn't even about getting over what has happened to you or magically healing through the power of love. It's about having the courage to speak, to self advocate for your own safety and allow yourself to feel loved by those who do love you. In that way, it was beautiful.
note that i am reviewing an advanced copy that has not been corrected by the author, publisher, or printer
Let me start out by saying that How it Feels to Float is one of my favorite books of all time. Even as I grow out of YA, I still carry it with me. I was thrilled to receive a downloadable advanced readers copy of Fox's newest novel.
As an exploration of Complex PTSD, the Quiet and the Loud hits the nail on the head. It benefits from being an own voices novel, but Fox's way of communicating mental illness in this and HIFTF is impactful in a way that I imagine would be especially for a younger audience. The resurgence of dormant memories and emotions George, our main character, feels as her dad reaches out to her for the first time in years with some bad news is incredibly real, and though our personal situations are far from identical I found myself relating to her struggle often throughout. Fox does not shy away from the ugly, but she also doesn't shove it down your throat to an unnecessary degree as many authors writing about trauma often do, which makes her an excellent writer for young teenagers navigating similar struggles.
To get what I did not love out of the way: it is very dialogue heavy. This is obviously purposeful and not inherently problematic but, especially at the beginning, may of been to its own detriment. Long chains of seemingly unimportant dialogue from characters you barely know and haven't had the time to care about yet can get old quickly, especially when you're 100 pages in and George is still ignoring the same texts from her dad over and over again. After finishing the novel, the tone at the beginning makes a bit more sense but as for the reading experience it was a bit of a drag. Though I will say it is a very quick read, at almost 400 pages it does not feel like it.
The backdrop of our very real climate crisis and the Australian wildfires of 2019 was brilliant. To take a break from George and her friends' inner turmoil and explore a crisis that is felt by everyone gave breadth to a novel that is by default quite narrow in its scope. I also applaud the way it worked in tandem with George's intimate journey, from the suffocating smoky air mirroring her own trauma to her decision to finally talk to the people close to her about it coinciding with protests and climate action. The real life political aspects were handled tactfully and never felt exploitative. Definitely my favorite part of the novel.
The Quiet and the Loud is not a book about forgiveness. It isn't even about getting over what has happened to you or magically healing through the power of love. It's about having the courage to speak, to self advocate for your own safety and allow yourself to feel loved by those who do love you. In that way, it was beautiful.
note that i am reviewing an advanced copy that has not been corrected by the author, publisher, or printer
August 8, 2023
This was the first time I’ve read anything from Helena and I am so excited to read what else they have up their sleeve because I LOVED this.
This book covered some important subjects such as PTSD, alcoholism, abuse and many more. These topics are not often represented in literature in ways that are painfully realistic and close to home.
Speaking of close to home, The Quiet and The Loud also explores the anxiety and heartbreak of the 2019 Australian Bushfires that left our nation devastated. I personally found this an event that should be explored more often and I loved how the author managed to tie this in with the story and the characters.
I loved reading about George’s journey of finding love for the first time, learning to be kinder to herself and seeing her navigate her way through finding her own voice.
This story had everything you could possibly want. It has mental health LGBT and POC representation and was just beautifully written.
Thank you to Pan Macmillian for providing me with this copy to review.
This book covered some important subjects such as PTSD, alcoholism, abuse and many more. These topics are not often represented in literature in ways that are painfully realistic and close to home.
Speaking of close to home, The Quiet and The Loud also explores the anxiety and heartbreak of the 2019 Australian Bushfires that left our nation devastated. I personally found this an event that should be explored more often and I loved how the author managed to tie this in with the story and the characters.
I loved reading about George’s journey of finding love for the first time, learning to be kinder to herself and seeing her navigate her way through finding her own voice.
This story had everything you could possibly want. It has mental health LGBT and POC representation and was just beautifully written.
Thank you to Pan Macmillian for providing me with this copy to review.
May 19, 2024
I LOVE YOU HELENA FOX
this was so beautiful <3
this was so beautiful <3
December 3, 2024
pretty writing with almost nothing to back it up
November 3, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I've heard good things about Fox's debut How It Feels to Float and it's been sitting on my shelf for a while now. I will eventually get around to it, but in the meantime I picked up this one which follows teenager George. George has a lot of unresolved trauma around her relationship with her father, his alcoholism, and the way he left them. When George's best friend gets pregnant and expects George to be part of the parenting strategy, George doesn't know how to say no. Then George meets Calliope who is so easy to talk to and George wants to spend more time with her.
This book is such a good exploration of trauma, c-PTSD, and navigating relationships as they grow and change. I really enjoyed George's character and I wanted so much for her. Her best friend kind of annoyed me with how she would constantly bulldoze George into doing what she wanted. Especially with how she expected George to help her raise this child when George never volunteered herself for this plan or asked to co-parent. It was a super unbalanced friendship for a lot of the book and while we get to see George start to assert herself, it didn't feel like we got enough in this case.
I really enjoyed the romance between Calliope and George. These two were so sweet and I really liked them. I was happy to see how they worked out the issues they had. Also I loved the therapy rep in this. Almost all the characters go to or have gone to therapy at one point. And it's not only talk therapy. George does a lot with art therapy and I love seeing various kinds of therapy since one form doesn't work for everyone.
All in all, this book has a lot of feelings and was very emotive. Definitely recommend.
I've heard good things about Fox's debut How It Feels to Float and it's been sitting on my shelf for a while now. I will eventually get around to it, but in the meantime I picked up this one which follows teenager George. George has a lot of unresolved trauma around her relationship with her father, his alcoholism, and the way he left them. When George's best friend gets pregnant and expects George to be part of the parenting strategy, George doesn't know how to say no. Then George meets Calliope who is so easy to talk to and George wants to spend more time with her.
This book is such a good exploration of trauma, c-PTSD, and navigating relationships as they grow and change. I really enjoyed George's character and I wanted so much for her. Her best friend kind of annoyed me with how she would constantly bulldoze George into doing what she wanted. Especially with how she expected George to help her raise this child when George never volunteered herself for this plan or asked to co-parent. It was a super unbalanced friendship for a lot of the book and while we get to see George start to assert herself, it didn't feel like we got enough in this case.
I really enjoyed the romance between Calliope and George. These two were so sweet and I really liked them. I was happy to see how they worked out the issues they had. Also I loved the therapy rep in this. Almost all the characters go to or have gone to therapy at one point. And it's not only talk therapy. George does a lot with art therapy and I love seeing various kinds of therapy since one form doesn't work for everyone.
All in all, this book has a lot of feelings and was very emotive. Definitely recommend.
February 13, 2024
I gave this my best shot and made it through about 40% before I gave up. The writing was fantastic but I couldn't stand all but the main mc. I don't know what it was but the characters grated on my nerves. I had high hopes but this just wasn't quite to my taste. I'd probably adore this if I was in my teen years. 3.5 ⭐
March 24, 2023
Absolutely stunning. Lyrical words billowing into worlds. I was lost in their sounds. Complex, confused characters fathoming this listless place; I felt all their stories so deeply. After reading, I wanted to write and write. I feel very lucky to have read this beautiful story!
March 13, 2024
An emotive story with some perfectly flawed characters and some downright dirt characters.
George and Calliope were my favs!
Tess was a massive pain - so selfish!
I liked the commentary on life and grief - but lots of trigger warnings.
Set in Australia!
George and Calliope were my favs!
Tess was a massive pain - so selfish!
I liked the commentary on life and grief - but lots of trigger warnings.
Set in Australia!
January 13, 2025
my first sad lyrical ya novel of 2025 (it won’t be my last)
November 6, 2024
This book was a very quick read. It is rated for young adult but I think the references and situations should definitely be for older teens at least. I didn't care for the writing or for the characters. I did appreciate the warnings at the beginning about content. Not recommending.
January 12, 2024
'How it Feels to Float', Helena Fox's first novel, was a major part of 16 year old me's life: it came with me everywhere, dog-eared, and spiky-edged with post-it notes highlighting my favourite parts. When reading 'The Quiet and the Loud' I was trying to keep my expectations low as four years has passed since my 'How it Feels to Float' era and I thought there may have been a chance that I had grown out of her work. I am happy to say I was wrong.
Helena Fox just has a way with words that makes me feel fuzzy inside; warm, nostalgic, and hopeful. 'The Quiet and the Loud' does a magnificent job of articulating the ups and downs and all the noise that occurs as a teenager in our current world- from trauma, to teenage pregnancy, to the climate crisis, to the complexity of relationships: the ones that are growing, the ones that are changing, and the ones you would rather leave behind. My only tiny complaint is that the first half was a little dialogue heavy for me- but regardless thank you Helena Fox, 16 year old me would unboubtedly be spiralling into another obsession.
Helena Fox just has a way with words that makes me feel fuzzy inside; warm, nostalgic, and hopeful. 'The Quiet and the Loud' does a magnificent job of articulating the ups and downs and all the noise that occurs as a teenager in our current world- from trauma, to teenage pregnancy, to the climate crisis, to the complexity of relationships: the ones that are growing, the ones that are changing, and the ones you would rather leave behind. My only tiny complaint is that the first half was a little dialogue heavy for me- but regardless thank you Helena Fox, 16 year old me would unboubtedly be spiralling into another obsession.
April 6, 2023
an absolute slay
April 17, 2023
So boring.
May 5, 2024
Wow. Just. Wow.
May 11, 2023
Ugh. Words. If only I could paint what I mean or turn it into water - then I could move over the surface of the story as it spoke.
I need to talk.
I want to talk.
Reading this was exhausting, probably a lot like having PTSD is exhausting. The writing is lyrical and poetic, and occassionally meanders into George's poetry.
I listened to the audiobook, which has good voices, but I think I missed some things that would be more obvious on the page - like the poems. The difference between George's thoughts and what she says out loud were hard to work out when listening. After a while I accepted everything was her thoughts and then I'd be surprised if someone answered her. Maybe this was another reason for my exhaustion.
And Tess, how I wanted to slap her.
I didn't so much like the ending.
For readers with PTSD and childhood trauma, reading this story will be empowering and they'll see realistic possibilities for their own futures. I see awards in George's creator's future.
And reading this reminded me of The Valley and the Flood, another clever take on PTSD with a central conceit of epic proportions.
May 15, 2023
Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC of this title!
This book hooked me from the opening image. The title is incredibly fitting as George, the main character, is a quiet people-pleasing girl living in a catastrophically loud world. Through the story, George tries to juggle the weight of healing from the abuse her father caused her, having a best friend who's about to become a mother, and attending university classes all while her city, Sydney Australia, goes up in flames due to climate change.
I love that this story intimately depicts George's initial strategies for coping which include painting and rowing on the lake, while also showing the new ways George learns to heal through her character development.
I also love that this story is told in both prose and verse. Helena Fox has a poetic narrative voice, so even the prose reads like poetry which makes the prose/verse combo work well.
TW/CW: Alcoholism, Emotional Abuse
This book hooked me from the opening image. The title is incredibly fitting as George, the main character, is a quiet people-pleasing girl living in a catastrophically loud world. Through the story, George tries to juggle the weight of healing from the abuse her father caused her, having a best friend who's about to become a mother, and attending university classes all while her city, Sydney Australia, goes up in flames due to climate change.
I love that this story intimately depicts George's initial strategies for coping which include painting and rowing on the lake, while also showing the new ways George learns to heal through her character development.
I also love that this story is told in both prose and verse. Helena Fox has a poetic narrative voice, so even the prose reads like poetry which makes the prose/verse combo work well.
TW/CW: Alcoholism, Emotional Abuse
April 8, 2024
The story of George. She is used by her friends and her father so much she hardly has time for a new love interest. When her father is dying from his alcohol abuse and wants her to come to him she doesn’t have time for herself. Feeling guilty she finally confides to her Mother and her girlfriend, but as a cost. Her friends are mad at her and her new girlfriend steps back. Can she finally stand up to everyone and have time for her?? Can she have a life she deserves??
I really didn’t like this book. The storyline with her and father was interesting but that was the only thing that held my interest. The rest was just boring. Because of her and her father I gave the book 3 🌟🌟🌟. Just wasn’t a book for me.
I really didn’t like this book. The storyline with her and father was interesting but that was the only thing that held my interest. The rest was just boring. Because of her and her father I gave the book 3 🌟🌟🌟. Just wasn’t a book for me.
April 12, 2024
I loved #TheQuietAndTheLoud!! I thought this book was very well written, especially with all of the hard topics it discusses. This book is primarily about Complex PTSD, and I thought it was handled with accuracy and care. This book shows you all the ugly parts of life and doesn't hold back, but it is also a very beautiful story. I loved the overall message of strength , courage and speaking your mind.
"𝘐𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 - 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬."
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• finding your voice
• strong FMC
• family drama
• therapy rep
• character driven
• books about courage
• books dealing with trauma
[check trigger warnings]
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 - 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘰𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦. 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦."
#PenguinTeenPartner
"𝘐𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 - 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬."
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• finding your voice
• strong FMC
• family drama
• therapy rep
• character driven
• books about courage
• books dealing with trauma
[check trigger warnings]
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 - 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘰𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦. 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦."
#PenguinTeenPartner
October 5, 2024
1 star
because this book made me feel fricken depressed like my mood dropped reading this and i feel even worse after reading it. I don’t know why the school library has this or why i picked it up but i think this is definitely meant for mature readers and i would not recommend to anyone like under 18 its just so heavy and depressing and i feel so sad and awful.
because this book made me feel fricken depressed like my mood dropped reading this and i feel even worse after reading it. I don’t know why the school library has this or why i picked it up but i think this is definitely meant for mature readers and i would not recommend to anyone like under 18 its just so heavy and depressing and i feel so sad and awful.
January 4, 2024
⭐️4.7/5⭐️
First read of the year and it’s a 5 star !!
Before i dissect this book, let’s appreciate George and Calliope’s connection. UGH, i adored them!!
~ “God.
Sunshine. Poetry. Unicorns.
This girl is lovely.”
~ “We are two girls, wave-tossed and wind-plucked. If we turned right, we’d go straight into the Tasman Sea. We could keep going then. We could go anywhere.”
George. George. George! MY. GIRL. I hurt for her. I could feel her suffocating and I suddenly forgot to breathe as well. I swear i could see her crumble under all the weight and i wished i could just pull her out of the book and give her a hug.
~ “Dad wants to lay himself out in my forgiving light. He wants to be bathed in it. Blessed.
But it’s not that simple. How do you forgive someone when you still carry the memory of everything, every wrong moment, inside your skin? I don’t have new skin. I carry this old skin, these bones, with me everywhere.”
~ “And I’m the muted gray between them—the non-color that settles your eyes when you look at the painting of us. Or maybe I’m just beige, like a carpet.”
George, my love, you’re quite literally everything.
The way ✨death✨ was an underlying current beneath everything was magnificent, but MY GOD the anxiety i felt.
All the characters are so deeply complicated. I wanted to hate Laz for being THAT friend who’s always talking about the world ending and bringing the mood down but the reality is he’s scared and he’s RIGHT. Or Tess who’s so pushy and needy and literally cannot for the life of her comprehend other people’s emotions, but she’s also just afraid. Those two are fighting within themselves and it’s so easy to villainize them. And George. She was always there for everyone and BARELY ANYONE asked her about herself. I mean wtf! They were so overwhelmed with their own stuff they forgot that she’s also going through it. Every character was fighting their own battles but i loved how they still found their way back to each other in the end.
~ “We sit in our safe house, in this safe room, watching the end of the world. Someone’s end, someone’s world. And it’s not just a picture; it’s here, it’s life, it’s real.”
First read of the year and it’s a 5 star !!
Before i dissect this book, let’s appreciate George and Calliope’s connection. UGH, i adored them!!
~ “God.
Sunshine. Poetry. Unicorns.
This girl is lovely.”
~ “We are two girls, wave-tossed and wind-plucked. If we turned right, we’d go straight into the Tasman Sea. We could keep going then. We could go anywhere.”
George. George. George! MY. GIRL. I hurt for her. I could feel her suffocating and I suddenly forgot to breathe as well. I swear i could see her crumble under all the weight and i wished i could just pull her out of the book and give her a hug.
~ “Dad wants to lay himself out in my forgiving light. He wants to be bathed in it. Blessed.
But it’s not that simple. How do you forgive someone when you still carry the memory of everything, every wrong moment, inside your skin? I don’t have new skin. I carry this old skin, these bones, with me everywhere.”
~ “And I’m the muted gray between them—the non-color that settles your eyes when you look at the painting of us. Or maybe I’m just beige, like a carpet.”
George, my love, you’re quite literally everything.
The way ✨death✨ was an underlying current beneath everything was magnificent, but MY GOD the anxiety i felt.
All the characters are so deeply complicated. I wanted to hate Laz for being THAT friend who’s always talking about the world ending and bringing the mood down but the reality is he’s scared and he’s RIGHT. Or Tess who’s so pushy and needy and literally cannot for the life of her comprehend other people’s emotions, but she’s also just afraid. Those two are fighting within themselves and it’s so easy to villainize them. And George. She was always there for everyone and BARELY ANYONE asked her about herself. I mean wtf! They were so overwhelmed with their own stuff they forgot that she’s also going through it. Every character was fighting their own battles but i loved how they still found their way back to each other in the end.
~ “We sit in our safe house, in this safe room, watching the end of the world. Someone’s end, someone’s world. And it’s not just a picture; it’s here, it’s life, it’s real.”
November 20, 2023
2.5 ⭐️ halfway there for me.
I am not the target demographic - I miss that window by about 25 years. I do enjoy a good YA book though. Unfortunately I found several characters in this book to be insufferable. Tess in particular. Why on earth would you deliberately set out to have a baby when you think the world is ending and you are going to die young because of a psychic prediction? I know there are people like this breathing - I just do not want to dedicate my precious reading time to their impractical stupidity. Laz (one dimensional in his climate change misery) and the father (she’s not answering - take a hint mate) were also hard to read.
Fox writes lyrically and I will be backtracking to read ‘floats’ which I’ve heard wonderful things about.
I am not the target demographic - I miss that window by about 25 years. I do enjoy a good YA book though. Unfortunately I found several characters in this book to be insufferable. Tess in particular. Why on earth would you deliberately set out to have a baby when you think the world is ending and you are going to die young because of a psychic prediction? I know there are people like this breathing - I just do not want to dedicate my precious reading time to their impractical stupidity. Laz (one dimensional in his climate change misery) and the father (she’s not answering - take a hint mate) were also hard to read.
Fox writes lyrically and I will be backtracking to read ‘floats’ which I’ve heard wonderful things about.
May 29, 2023
Initial review:
It wasn't bad but either it was overhyped or I don't have the empathetic complexities to understand the underlying message.
3.8 stars
Review:
Okay now that I've had time to sit on it, I've changed my perspective. The characters were perfectly flawed and done pretty well. The reason I felt like I love-hated this book was because I just despised certain characters, but we were obviously meant to. They were flawed and going through stuff and it's a wonderful story of G learning to sort her life and meeting C.
I loved all of C and G's moments. It was like a breath of fresh air after reading T's rockshow of "hey look at me! Care about me!"
I wish the ending wasn't so hopeful and happy. Maybe a bit of angst wrapped in there to see how everything pans out a bit more realistically. The underlying end message was really nice though.
One thing I did NOT like AT ALL was the stupid poems. I hate when authors write poems in their books. It's just personal preference but literally, pick a book or a poem don't do both. It makes me cringe reading it because they're trying to be poetic but it's confusing and dumb and the dead bird motif filled me with contempt every time the DUMB DEAD BIRD showed up.i know this sounds mean but I just don't like it and this is my review about it.
Bordering on 4 stars
It wasn't bad but either it was overhyped or I don't have the empathetic complexities to understand the underlying message.
3.8 stars
Review:
Okay now that I've had time to sit on it, I've changed my perspective. The characters were perfectly flawed and done pretty well. The reason I felt like I love-hated this book was because I just despised certain characters, but we were obviously meant to. They were flawed and going through stuff and it's a wonderful story of G learning to sort her life and meeting C.
I loved all of C and G's moments. It was like a breath of fresh air after reading T's rockshow of "hey look at me! Care about me!"
I wish the ending wasn't so hopeful and happy. Maybe a bit of angst wrapped in there to see how everything pans out a bit more realistically. The underlying end message was really nice though.
One thing I did NOT like AT ALL was the stupid poems. I hate when authors write poems in their books. It's just personal preference but literally, pick a book or a poem don't do both. It makes me cringe reading it because they're trying to be poetic but it's confusing and dumb and the dead bird motif filled me with contempt every time the DUMB DEAD BIRD showed up.i know this sounds mean but I just don't like it and this is my review about it.
Bordering on 4 stars
May 5, 2023
The Quiet and the Loud by Australian author Helena Fox is an emotional and unforgettable tale
about being brave enough to be true to yourself and learning to discover joy even when times are unimaginably dark.
Eighteen-year-old Georgia or George as she is mostly called lives in Sydney, Australia with her mum Sara, step mum Mel and her 84-year-old Gramps. Life in the house is noisy, her whole life has been noisy, there are so many demands from others and being pulled in different directions. At times she dreams the quiet.
Growing up with an alcoholic father life was not easy, when he left and moved to Seattle it caused George a great deal of unresolved trauma, she was lucky to have her best friend Tess and Laz in her life to talk to as her suffering lays dormant. But all that changes.
Tess is about to become a teen mum at eighteen and relies heavily on George to be part of her parenting plan, Laz is in anguish over the impact of climate change and her estranged father won’t stop calling and texting saying he has bad news.
The writing is beautiful, featuring powerful and vivid descriptions that allow the reader to clearly imagine the scenes, the characters, and the action. It is well paced, and Helena Fox has succeeded in getting the reader interested in following the incredible mix of characters, all so different and yet best friends for life. Their different traits complement each other so well to create an engrossing story and the clash in their personalities enhances the drama and thrill.
George is a very sympathetic character that readers will love to know better; she carries in all her pain to help others. You truly want to see her overcome her troubled life, which is fully explored and explained. How she overcomes depression, finds her voice, and stands up for herself is a lesson that will speak volumes to readers.
I loved the budding romance between George and Calliope, a Sri Lankan Australian. George found her easy to talk to and opens herself up to discover new interests and experiences. Therapy also plays a big part in the novel which helped the characters resolve personal issues and increase self-awareness with their mental health conditions.
It takes courage and resilience to write a book with such heavy subject matters used in the narrative with addiction, depression, emotional abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic violence, and natural disasters. However, Helena also infuses themes of hope, love, inner strength that leaves you with a sense of optimism.
I feel the theme of The Quiet and the Loud is understanding yourself and who you are. We can get trapped in our own mind with circumstances and demands that force us to believe in the wrong things and to do the wrong things. No matter how bad it gets its important that we never give up on fighting the worst in ourselves.
A must-read for all ages who have struggled with mental health issues or suffered through abuse and have overcome challenges with the determination to create a life of meaning.
Thank you, Beauty and lace and Dial Books for the opportunity to read and review.
about being brave enough to be true to yourself and learning to discover joy even when times are unimaginably dark.
Eighteen-year-old Georgia or George as she is mostly called lives in Sydney, Australia with her mum Sara, step mum Mel and her 84-year-old Gramps. Life in the house is noisy, her whole life has been noisy, there are so many demands from others and being pulled in different directions. At times she dreams the quiet.
Growing up with an alcoholic father life was not easy, when he left and moved to Seattle it caused George a great deal of unresolved trauma, she was lucky to have her best friend Tess and Laz in her life to talk to as her suffering lays dormant. But all that changes.
Tess is about to become a teen mum at eighteen and relies heavily on George to be part of her parenting plan, Laz is in anguish over the impact of climate change and her estranged father won’t stop calling and texting saying he has bad news.
The writing is beautiful, featuring powerful and vivid descriptions that allow the reader to clearly imagine the scenes, the characters, and the action. It is well paced, and Helena Fox has succeeded in getting the reader interested in following the incredible mix of characters, all so different and yet best friends for life. Their different traits complement each other so well to create an engrossing story and the clash in their personalities enhances the drama and thrill.
George is a very sympathetic character that readers will love to know better; she carries in all her pain to help others. You truly want to see her overcome her troubled life, which is fully explored and explained. How she overcomes depression, finds her voice, and stands up for herself is a lesson that will speak volumes to readers.
I loved the budding romance between George and Calliope, a Sri Lankan Australian. George found her easy to talk to and opens herself up to discover new interests and experiences. Therapy also plays a big part in the novel which helped the characters resolve personal issues and increase self-awareness with their mental health conditions.
It takes courage and resilience to write a book with such heavy subject matters used in the narrative with addiction, depression, emotional abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, domestic violence, and natural disasters. However, Helena also infuses themes of hope, love, inner strength that leaves you with a sense of optimism.
I feel the theme of The Quiet and the Loud is understanding yourself and who you are. We can get trapped in our own mind with circumstances and demands that force us to believe in the wrong things and to do the wrong things. No matter how bad it gets its important that we never give up on fighting the worst in ourselves.
A must-read for all ages who have struggled with mental health issues or suffered through abuse and have overcome challenges with the determination to create a life of meaning.
Thank you, Beauty and lace and Dial Books for the opportunity to read and review.
February 27, 2024
Very much one of those books were u are just left reeling, extremely eye opening in how someone can have so much loudness in their life but they feel so quiet. The idea of how pain and grief can get so out of control that u cannot understand how u actually feel, in an ongoing issue with urself but when the world is literally falling apart, in this case climate change. Moving in how u have to find ur own voice to speak up for urself, learning to actually be loud when it betters you and quiet when its what u need <33
March 30, 2023
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Quiet and the Loud is a book that balances emotional highs and lows. With a title like that, Fox delivers scenes about climate change and natural disasters and also our friendship breakups and questions about our future. All the things in our life that feels both quiet and loud. The ways these 'quiet' events can feel so loud they can drown out our feelings. Or the immense stillness in the terror of the world. It's a story that revolves around George.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
The Quiet and the Loud is a book that balances emotional highs and lows. With a title like that, Fox delivers scenes about climate change and natural disasters and also our friendship breakups and questions about our future. All the things in our life that feels both quiet and loud. The ways these 'quiet' events can feel so loud they can drown out our feelings. Or the immense stillness in the terror of the world. It's a story that revolves around George.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
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