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The Silence Project
On Emilia Morris's thirteenth birthday, her mother Rachel moves into a tent at the bottom of their garden. From that day on, she never says another word. Inspired by her vow of silence, other women join her and together they build the Community. Eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers around the world burn themselves to death.
In the aftermath of what comes to be known as the Event, the Community's global influence quickly grows. As a result, the whole world has an opinion about Rachel - whether they see her as a callous monster or a heroic martyr - but Emilia has never voiced hers publicly. Until now.
When she publishes her own account of her mother's life in a memoir called The Silence Project, Emilia also decides to reveal just how sinister the Community has become. In the process, she steps out of Rachel's shadow once and for all, so that her own voice may finally be heard.
In the aftermath of what comes to be known as the Event, the Community's global influence quickly grows. As a result, the whole world has an opinion about Rachel - whether they see her as a callous monster or a heroic martyr - but Emilia has never voiced hers publicly. Until now.
When she publishes her own account of her mother's life in a memoir called The Silence Project, Emilia also decides to reveal just how sinister the Community has become. In the process, she steps out of Rachel's shadow once and for all, so that her own voice may finally be heard.
388 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
March 15, 2023
I know things that don’t fit with their narrative of what the Community ‘stands for’. I know things that they have worked extremely hard to suppress. I know where the skeletons are.
I think the story behind this book is incredibly powerful. While I've read a lot of books about cults, this one was quite unique in its approach and extremely convincing. Where it fell down, I felt, was in the decision to write the book as Emilia's biography of her mother. This format made the book dry at times, and dragged out parts of the story, especially in the middle.
The Silence Project tells the story of Rachel and how one day she set up a tent at the bottom of her garden and never spoke again. Over time, more women are drawn to the silent Rachel and inspired by her message to give up speaking in favour of listening. What starts as the musings of one woman becomes a multinational movement of good intentions warring with power abuses.
I think Hailey really captures the many different facets of how cults are formed: a combination of genuine do-gooders searching for a better world, vulnerable people in need of a community and, of course, opportunists taking advantage. Most books about cults leave me shaking my head in wonder at how this ideology was allowed to take hold and attract so many fervent believers, but Hailey explains it perfectly. I saw exactly how and why this happened. It felt true.
To come back to the biography aspect, though, this is what really prevented the book from receiving a higher rating from me. As Emilia is publishing a book explaining what happened, the tone is formal and sometimes academic leading to passages like this:
In their ground-breaking and controversial study Community, Cult, Culture (Global Press, 2018), Dr Sara Lenz and Professor Melanie Overbury explore how pre-Event symbolism came to assume a ritual significance to the post-Event Community.
Not all of the book is like this. The parts earlier on where Emilia shares her pain over her mother pulling away from her when she needed her most are gripping.
But far too much of the middle stretch is dry and boring. After the first third or so, Emilia rarely pulls us inside her head, instead narrating the sequence of events at an emotional distance.
November 29, 2022
Wife and mother to thirteen year old Emilia, Rachel Morris decides to move to the bottom of the garden and erects a tent from where she never speaks a single word ever again.
Though she never speaks, Rachel’s silence is ‘heard’ by likeminded women around the world, some of whom decide to join her, and from a single tent, arises a community who worship Rachel and what she stands for.
The community however attracts global attention and some eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers burn themselves to death in a final act of wanting to be ‘heard’!
Many years later Emilia begins to write an account of her mother’s life, but she has no idea the animosity that this will stir up. However, she’s determined to carry on, if only to bring closure for herself.
About a third of the way through, I found that the storyline dragged, and of course I lost interest, so from then on it took me a while to get back into it. I have to say though that this is quite a unique storyline with some interesting characters, and other readers have given it a five star rating, but sadly it’s a three star from me.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books, Corvus, for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
Though she never speaks, Rachel’s silence is ‘heard’ by likeminded women around the world, some of whom decide to join her, and from a single tent, arises a community who worship Rachel and what she stands for.
The community however attracts global attention and some eight years later, Rachel and thousands of her followers burn themselves to death in a final act of wanting to be ‘heard’!
Many years later Emilia begins to write an account of her mother’s life, but she has no idea the animosity that this will stir up. However, she’s determined to carry on, if only to bring closure for herself.
About a third of the way through, I found that the storyline dragged, and of course I lost interest, so from then on it took me a while to get back into it. I have to say though that this is quite a unique storyline with some interesting characters, and other readers have given it a five star rating, but sadly it’s a three star from me.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic Books, Corvus, for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
January 29, 2023
Wow.
I'm honestly not sure where to start with this review.
This is a fascinating novel that really gives the reader so much pause for thought.
I adored the writing style. I'm a huge fan of books written like an autobiography or true crime, and this was executed superbly. So much so, I had to stop myself from conducting Internet searches throughout. The blend of fact and fiction really added authenticity.
The subject matter is at times, unflinching in its brutal descriptions. I gasped, grimaced and gave the book my undivided attention every day I was reading it.
Emilia was such a genuine character, I felt like I was living the emotions with her as she described her side of the story.
Wonderful.
I'm honestly not sure where to start with this review.
This is a fascinating novel that really gives the reader so much pause for thought.
I adored the writing style. I'm a huge fan of books written like an autobiography or true crime, and this was executed superbly. So much so, I had to stop myself from conducting Internet searches throughout. The blend of fact and fiction really added authenticity.
The subject matter is at times, unflinching in its brutal descriptions. I gasped, grimaced and gave the book my undivided attention every day I was reading it.
Emilia was such a genuine character, I felt like I was living the emotions with her as she described her side of the story.
Wonderful.
November 23, 2022
The Silence Project by Carole Hailey, a book which took me a while to read and finish due to it's plot being very intriguing as well as the contents and characters. This is not your any other regular book I must say that. This is the story of Emilia Morris and her mother Rachel, amongst all others who were a part of the so called "Event" as they term.
Emilia Morris, our narrator was just thirteen when she witnessed her mother burn to death (Event) along with a couple of others who were a part of the community that Rachel Chalkham had built. The book is divided into parts where we see Emilia's childhood along with her mother building the Silence Community.
The second part is where we along with Emilia Morris get to understand the community built by Rachel in depth along with other side characters. However, the book seems a little bit stretched to me another thing was me not being able to resonate with many things Rachel as a mother did in this book.
I would say keeping in mind the plot being very intriguing and different, it lacked more depth and meaning to it. Which in turn does not bring justice to this book as per me. Although a good book, just did not work much with me. So probably look for the trigger warnings before starting this book and see if it works for you.
Emilia Morris, our narrator was just thirteen when she witnessed her mother burn to death (Event) along with a couple of others who were a part of the community that Rachel Chalkham had built. The book is divided into parts where we see Emilia's childhood along with her mother building the Silence Community.
The second part is where we along with Emilia Morris get to understand the community built by Rachel in depth along with other side characters. However, the book seems a little bit stretched to me another thing was me not being able to resonate with many things Rachel as a mother did in this book.
I would say keeping in mind the plot being very intriguing and different, it lacked more depth and meaning to it. Which in turn does not bring justice to this book as per me. Although a good book, just did not work much with me. So probably look for the trigger warnings before starting this book and see if it works for you.
February 9, 2023
I read a sample of this book in 2022 and it had all the hallmarks of a promising pageturner: a coming of age protagonist, a women-only cult and fiction written in the style of non-fiction. I was suitably intrigued and looked forward to reading the finished book. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations and I disliked it.
On Emilia Morris' 13th birthday, her mother Rachel decamps to the garden where she sets up a tent and takes a vow of silence, effectively cutting herself off from everyone around her. Although we never get Rachel's perspective, we understand from Emilia that Rachel believes that nobody is listening to anyone, and by becoming totally silent, Rachel will be listening to those who cannot be heard/need to be heard.
Rachel's protest leads to hordes of women joining her at her camp, and to the set up of "the Community", a group of women committed to listening by being silent (in reality, a cult, though this isn't explored in any real detail).
Ultimately, Rachel's silence leads to "the Event" eight years later, where she and countless women worldwide self-immolate in an apparent act of protest. This isn't a spoiler as we are told about it in the early stages of the book.
There are so many elements of this book that did not work for me.
While the premise is interesting, the execution of the story was pretty superficial.
I felt on reading the book that it was more likely that Rachel suffered from chronic depression or schizophrenia. This isn't explored at all and feels like a wasted opportunity.
There is a lot of telling, not showing (ironic given it's about a silent cult) and very little character development. Rachel is pretty hidden to us; the format of a faux memoir allows only for Emilia’s perspective. This non-fiction as fiction format and the numerous fake footnotes and citations wore thin pretty quickly.
Emilia's detachment from her mother from a very early age, and her horror at the Event, means that the second half of the story is just not in any way credible. Why on earth would Emilia make the decisions she does?
While the book starts off promising, it very quickly becomes repetitive. Silence as a metaphor is so heavy-handed throughout.
Emilia's actions and motivations, and her move to the Congo are explained away all too easily, and the love story lacked depth for me personally.
Most of all though, the worldwide support that flows to the Community in the aftermath of the Event felt totally unbelievable - I think it is far more likely that most people would have looked on Rachel as completely and utterly deranged, and the Community would have gone down in flames with her!
Lastly, the subject of euthanasia comes up in the latter third of the book and it seems to flow from the contraceptive injection storyline as some sort of natural consequence. The book began to feel like religious propaganda! There is mention of the Catholic Church objecting to the Community, when the Community alleges that the Church historically used celibacy as a means of population control and then covered it up. I think it more probable that the Church used celibacy as a means of obscuring its homophilic tendencies - it has committed innumerable (and far worse) atrocities and cover ups over the years, so this was a curious insertion in the book. I struggled to decipher what point the author was trying to make.
It takes a lot to write and publish a book, and I really do not like writing such a negative review, but this book was not for me. The author is a protegee of Bernardine Evaristo and this is a BBC Radio Book Club Pick so what do I know? If you were looking to read a book about a cult, this isn't one I'd recommend personally.
On Emilia Morris' 13th birthday, her mother Rachel decamps to the garden where she sets up a tent and takes a vow of silence, effectively cutting herself off from everyone around her. Although we never get Rachel's perspective, we understand from Emilia that Rachel believes that nobody is listening to anyone, and by becoming totally silent, Rachel will be listening to those who cannot be heard/need to be heard.
Rachel's protest leads to hordes of women joining her at her camp, and to the set up of "the Community", a group of women committed to listening by being silent (in reality, a cult, though this isn't explored in any real detail).
Ultimately, Rachel's silence leads to "the Event" eight years later, where she and countless women worldwide self-immolate in an apparent act of protest. This isn't a spoiler as we are told about it in the early stages of the book.
There are so many elements of this book that did not work for me.
While the premise is interesting, the execution of the story was pretty superficial.
I felt on reading the book that it was more likely that Rachel suffered from chronic depression or schizophrenia. This isn't explored at all and feels like a wasted opportunity.
There is a lot of telling, not showing (ironic given it's about a silent cult) and very little character development. Rachel is pretty hidden to us; the format of a faux memoir allows only for Emilia’s perspective. This non-fiction as fiction format and the numerous fake footnotes and citations wore thin pretty quickly.
Emilia's detachment from her mother from a very early age, and her horror at the Event, means that the second half of the story is just not in any way credible. Why on earth would Emilia make the decisions she does?
While the book starts off promising, it very quickly becomes repetitive. Silence as a metaphor is so heavy-handed throughout.
Emilia's actions and motivations, and her move to the Congo are explained away all too easily, and the love story lacked depth for me personally.
Most of all though, the worldwide support that flows to the Community in the aftermath of the Event felt totally unbelievable - I think it is far more likely that most people would have looked on Rachel as completely and utterly deranged, and the Community would have gone down in flames with her!
Lastly, the subject of euthanasia comes up in the latter third of the book and it seems to flow from the contraceptive injection storyline as some sort of natural consequence. The book began to feel like religious propaganda! There is mention of the Catholic Church objecting to the Community, when the Community alleges that the Church historically used celibacy as a means of population control and then covered it up. I think it more probable that the Church used celibacy as a means of obscuring its homophilic tendencies - it has committed innumerable (and far worse) atrocities and cover ups over the years, so this was a curious insertion in the book. I struggled to decipher what point the author was trying to make.
It takes a lot to write and publish a book, and I really do not like writing such a negative review, but this book was not for me. The author is a protegee of Bernardine Evaristo and this is a BBC Radio Book Club Pick so what do I know? If you were looking to read a book about a cult, this isn't one I'd recommend personally.
November 4, 2022
The Silence Project has a very interesting premise, one that really had my attention right from the start. When Emilia Morris is just thirteen, she watches her mother burn to death along with hundreds of others across the world. This baffling event has such an effect on people that no one could ever forget Rachel Chalkham, a phoenix who perished in fire. The book is divided into two parts. The first shows Emilia growing up witnessing her mother’s sudden change in behaviour where she forgoes everything and takes an oath of silence. The second, in which Emilia tries to understand the intricacies of the community that her mother created.
Emilia decides to write a book on her mother Rachel decades after she died. Rachel was a normal mom until Emilia turned 13 and suddenly she stops speaking. Before she realises, there are women joining her from all over the world in their attempt to tell the world to speak less and listen more. This silence that Rachel embraces becomes a powerful tool, which ultimately helps in building a community later on. Emilia watches her mother transform from being just her parent to a woman whom she cannot recognise anymore.
Years later, Emilia herself joins the community. Her life then branches out in various directions, the second half of the book covering her life as an adult.
I think the biggest aspect that didn’t work for me was how I couldn’t connect with the protagonist. A major chunk of the book seemed stretchy, making me want to skip a few chapters. In spite of a solid plot, I felt myself losing interest ever so often.
The Silence Project gets full points in terms of ideas, but on the whole it didn’t really work for me. My review may very well be on the unpopular side so if the premise appeals to you, go ahead and give it a shot :)
Emilia decides to write a book on her mother Rachel decades after she died. Rachel was a normal mom until Emilia turned 13 and suddenly she stops speaking. Before she realises, there are women joining her from all over the world in their attempt to tell the world to speak less and listen more. This silence that Rachel embraces becomes a powerful tool, which ultimately helps in building a community later on. Emilia watches her mother transform from being just her parent to a woman whom she cannot recognise anymore.
Years later, Emilia herself joins the community. Her life then branches out in various directions, the second half of the book covering her life as an adult.
I think the biggest aspect that didn’t work for me was how I couldn’t connect with the protagonist. A major chunk of the book seemed stretchy, making me want to skip a few chapters. In spite of a solid plot, I felt myself losing interest ever so often.
The Silence Project gets full points in terms of ideas, but on the whole it didn’t really work for me. My review may very well be on the unpopular side so if the premise appeals to you, go ahead and give it a shot :)
February 25, 2023
This is the kind of quasi-dystopian feminist fiction that will definitely appeal to fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments. I don’t doubt it will be popular with book clubs as soon as it’s released, and there’s probably a film adaptation in our future.
My full review of The Silence Project is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Silence Project is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
September 27, 2023
This is probably going to earn me some shaken heads - but I genuinely picked this book up, and within a few pages was like "wow I didn't realize this was a auto-biography!!" and then a few scenes later was checking the copyright info to confirm this is indeed fiction, just really well written fiction!
And in some respects that is the nature of this story - a sort of balancing act between the grounded and the melodramatic and extreme, for every out there moment a reminder that the 'author' is just an ordinary person telling their life story in extra-ordinary circumstances.
What are those circumstances? The Narrator the the daughter of 'Rachel' a women who started a movement that grew and grew to ever more shocking events and irreparably affected the Narrator's life turning it into a sort of thriller / relationship drama all in one.
Whatever the opinions on the plotline I really have to compliment the writing in this book, I love reading in general but often don't find books to be 'addictive' or 'un-putdownable' but Silence Project was both. while I suspect some might find the plot a little unsatisfying - not because it was bad but because its not a particularly feel-good story and has some very strange twists - I think the scene to scene prose is impeccable and enjoyable on every page.
My final gush about this book is that I think it perfectly sits in that sweet-spot between surface level enjoyment and having analysable material. You don't have to read deeply into this book, but the option I feel is there if you want it!
Highly recommended.
And in some respects that is the nature of this story - a sort of balancing act between the grounded and the melodramatic and extreme, for every out there moment a reminder that the 'author' is just an ordinary person telling their life story in extra-ordinary circumstances.
What are those circumstances? The Narrator the the daughter of 'Rachel' a women who started a movement that grew and grew to ever more shocking events and irreparably affected the Narrator's life turning it into a sort of thriller / relationship drama all in one.
Whatever the opinions on the plotline I really have to compliment the writing in this book, I love reading in general but often don't find books to be 'addictive' or 'un-putdownable' but Silence Project was both. while I suspect some might find the plot a little unsatisfying - not because it was bad but because its not a particularly feel-good story and has some very strange twists - I think the scene to scene prose is impeccable and enjoyable on every page.
My final gush about this book is that I think it perfectly sits in that sweet-spot between surface level enjoyment and having analysable material. You don't have to read deeply into this book, but the option I feel is there if you want it!
Highly recommended.
February 9, 2023
3.5 stars
I am a chatterbox. I can’t imagine eight minutes without speaking yet alone eight years. So I was fascinated to find out the reason behind Rachel’s decision to take a vow of silence and how it lead to her and others burning themselves to death.
I will warn you that the description at the start is pretty graphic and harrowing. It certainly set the scene and captured my attention though.
The author’s decision to blend fact with fiction and write this in the style of a memoir, with the aid of letters and notebooks, was a bold move and as a fiction lover this was the one thing I did struggle with at the start. However Emilia’s voice and her feelings towards her mum soon dispelled that.
Thirteen and hitting puberty is a time when girls really need their mums and the pyjama scene and the baked beans of lies scene had me raging at the cruelty of Rachel. As a mum of two girls and being a daughter who is close to my mum I couldn’t imagine anything being a good enough reason for what she was doing.
With other women joining in and starting the community the term cult sprang to mind. The consequences of this turn malevolent and any good intentions that Rachel may have originally had were soon lost.
This is certainly a book that turns the tables on the power of voice and the term ‘keeping mum’. It will divide opinions and make for great discussions in book clubs.
Do you think Silence is more powerful than words?
I am a chatterbox. I can’t imagine eight minutes without speaking yet alone eight years. So I was fascinated to find out the reason behind Rachel’s decision to take a vow of silence and how it lead to her and others burning themselves to death.
I will warn you that the description at the start is pretty graphic and harrowing. It certainly set the scene and captured my attention though.
The author’s decision to blend fact with fiction and write this in the style of a memoir, with the aid of letters and notebooks, was a bold move and as a fiction lover this was the one thing I did struggle with at the start. However Emilia’s voice and her feelings towards her mum soon dispelled that.
Thirteen and hitting puberty is a time when girls really need their mums and the pyjama scene and the baked beans of lies scene had me raging at the cruelty of Rachel. As a mum of two girls and being a daughter who is close to my mum I couldn’t imagine anything being a good enough reason for what she was doing.
With other women joining in and starting the community the term cult sprang to mind. The consequences of this turn malevolent and any good intentions that Rachel may have originally had were soon lost.
This is certainly a book that turns the tables on the power of voice and the term ‘keeping mum’. It will divide opinions and make for great discussions in book clubs.
Do you think Silence is more powerful than words?
January 24, 2023
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Silence Project
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Carole Hailey
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Feminist Dystopia
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 9th February 2023
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: Mental Health, Population Control, Grief, Suicide, and PTSD
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5
TW: suicide (this is a very strong theme throughout the book), PTSD, senicide, forced contraception in marginalized communities
”We don’t hear each other. To hear you must listen. To listen you must be silent. Everyone is shouting. No one is listening. People are angry, but no one is listening. People are scared, but no one is hearing. We believe our voice must be heard above all others, but all voices deserve to be heard. When no one hears, no one cares. When no one cares, no one matters. Stop shouting. Listen. Hear.”
This was an incredibly unique book. Rachel decided on her daughters’ thirteenth birthday, she will commit herself to silence and live as unencumbered a life as possible, choosing the bottom of the garden as her peaceful escape. I absolutely love the premise, and the fact that the author chose the daughter of Rachel to narrate the story and explore a relationship that is incredibly difficult to the one that the rest of the world eventually has with Rachel.
Whilst the perspective is told from the daughter, Emelia’s, point of view, it’s not the emotional and tender story I thought it might be. Instead, the format is really interesting. Due to Emelia writing a book about her mother—yes, this is one of those Inception phenomenons where a book is being written inside a book—the writing leans more toward academic than anecdotal.
So, whilst the writing is fascinating, it doesn’t hold my attention for very long. Due to the academic nature of the book, the writing becomes slightly detached from what has occurred, or is occurring, and whilst truth bombs are dropped here and there that made me pause for a moment, I wish it was written with more depth to the mother-daughter relationship and what it is like living under the umbrella of the Community.
I also felt like the pacing could be quicker. It felt like I was being drip fed the story, with only subtle hints as to what has happened. The plot is quite slow and the writing is not very direct, even if it breaks that third wall and speaks to the reader now and then.
Overall, this is a book that makes you really want to embrace silence and simply hear yourself, and eventually others, even for a moment.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Silence Project
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Carole Hailey
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Feminist Dystopia
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 9th February 2023
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: Mental Health, Population Control, Grief, Suicide, and PTSD
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5
TW: suicide (this is a very strong theme throughout the book), PTSD, senicide, forced contraception in marginalized communities
”We don’t hear each other. To hear you must listen. To listen you must be silent. Everyone is shouting. No one is listening. People are angry, but no one is listening. People are scared, but no one is hearing. We believe our voice must be heard above all others, but all voices deserve to be heard. When no one hears, no one cares. When no one cares, no one matters. Stop shouting. Listen. Hear.”
This was an incredibly unique book. Rachel decided on her daughters’ thirteenth birthday, she will commit herself to silence and live as unencumbered a life as possible, choosing the bottom of the garden as her peaceful escape. I absolutely love the premise, and the fact that the author chose the daughter of Rachel to narrate the story and explore a relationship that is incredibly difficult to the one that the rest of the world eventually has with Rachel.
Whilst the perspective is told from the daughter, Emelia’s, point of view, it’s not the emotional and tender story I thought it might be. Instead, the format is really interesting. Due to Emelia writing a book about her mother—yes, this is one of those Inception phenomenons where a book is being written inside a book—the writing leans more toward academic than anecdotal.
So, whilst the writing is fascinating, it doesn’t hold my attention for very long. Due to the academic nature of the book, the writing becomes slightly detached from what has occurred, or is occurring, and whilst truth bombs are dropped here and there that made me pause for a moment, I wish it was written with more depth to the mother-daughter relationship and what it is like living under the umbrella of the Community.
I also felt like the pacing could be quicker. It felt like I was being drip fed the story, with only subtle hints as to what has happened. The plot is quite slow and the writing is not very direct, even if it breaks that third wall and speaks to the reader now and then.
Overall, this is a book that makes you really want to embrace silence and simply hear yourself, and eventually others, even for a moment.
🧚🏻♀️
♡ my bookstagram • my twitter ♡
↑ follow my socials for more bookish content. ↑
November 3, 2022
Now, this is one hell of a book! I was hooked. No kidding. I wasn't even halfway through, and I was raving about it to my book club and how much they're gonna love it.
I can not even put into words how real this felt for me. Like numerous times, I was researching and looking on good ole Google to see if it actually happened. I am so blown away by how this book made me feel.
I really loved how it was Rachel's daughter who narrated the story and how brutally honest she was about her part within the community when she worked there. I felt I could really connect with her and empathise with her when she told us how ashamed she was. I can't even imagine how hard that would be living under her mother's shadow, her legacy, and seeing what the community did, but saying it was all because of Rachel.
This was a true masterpiece, so well thought out, so well written. I think it's definitely going to be a top book for 2023!!!!
Huge thankyou to Netgalley, Carol Hailey & Corvus for the ARC.
I can not even put into words how real this felt for me. Like numerous times, I was researching and looking on good ole Google to see if it actually happened. I am so blown away by how this book made me feel.
I really loved how it was Rachel's daughter who narrated the story and how brutally honest she was about her part within the community when she worked there. I felt I could really connect with her and empathise with her when she told us how ashamed she was. I can't even imagine how hard that would be living under her mother's shadow, her legacy, and seeing what the community did, but saying it was all because of Rachel.
This was a true masterpiece, so well thought out, so well written. I think it's definitely going to be a top book for 2023!!!!
Huge thankyou to Netgalley, Carol Hailey & Corvus for the ARC.
December 19, 2022
I was excited to start The Silence Project as dystopian thrillers are some of my favourite genres of books. The plot follows the story of Emilia Morris: whose mother started a community of silence at the bottom of her garden when she was 13. When her mother and her followers burn themselves to death to try and inspire the world to listen, a worldwide phenomenon was born. But is this organisation following in the footsteps her mother created or is there a darker force at play?
Disappointingly I found The Silence Project to be quite hard to get into and I struggled to stay engaged. Part of this is down to the writing style - the book deals in alternative history and it is written in the style of part memoir, part academic document. This means there are footnotes and references peppering the book which just amount to lists of books that aren’t real and websites that don’t exist. When I first saw one of the websites, I excitedly typed in the url to my phone to see if they had perhaps created an online Easter egg and was a little disappointed that it led nowhere. Later in the book I saw some addresses were from sites such as BBC News in an attempt to make it all seem real, but this just had the opposite effect on me and broke up the story too much with no payoff.
The story is split into two halves, with the first half of the book dealing with Emilia’s childhood and the beginnings of the Community. The problem is we never really get into Rachel Morris’ head - we never properly understand why she decided to stop talking and what she was trying to achieve. This ambiguity helps in the later section when the aims of the Community have grown and shifted but it made it hard to empathise with the characters. Rachel’s character comes across as harsh and selfish – not wanting to help her family provide an income or be there for her daughter on important milestones. However, because of this confusion of what Rachel was doing, Emilia also comes across as a bit of a spoiled brat and I didn’t really empathise with her. I felt this section, although providing important backstory dragged a little and we got a lot of superfluous detail that we didn’t really need.
The second half was where I started to pay more attention as the sinister aims of The Community started after Rachel’s death. I never understood why Emilia said she hated The Community and yet decided to join it, even moving to the Democratic Republic of Congo to work for them. Even when a lot of the information is revealed and the darker side is made very clear, she still stays for so many years without any realistic motivation. Her story in the DRC is interesting, but it’s only really interesting if it were a real story, whereas as it is a fantasy there was a lot of information that could have been edited out.
Overall, The Silence Project is an interesting concept but it wasn’t fleshed out in the right places for me and I found it hard to engage with the writing style and the characters. Thank you to NetGalley & Atlantic Books – Corvus for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
Disappointingly I found The Silence Project to be quite hard to get into and I struggled to stay engaged. Part of this is down to the writing style - the book deals in alternative history and it is written in the style of part memoir, part academic document. This means there are footnotes and references peppering the book which just amount to lists of books that aren’t real and websites that don’t exist. When I first saw one of the websites, I excitedly typed in the url to my phone to see if they had perhaps created an online Easter egg and was a little disappointed that it led nowhere. Later in the book I saw some addresses were from sites such as BBC News in an attempt to make it all seem real, but this just had the opposite effect on me and broke up the story too much with no payoff.
The story is split into two halves, with the first half of the book dealing with Emilia’s childhood and the beginnings of the Community. The problem is we never really get into Rachel Morris’ head - we never properly understand why she decided to stop talking and what she was trying to achieve. This ambiguity helps in the later section when the aims of the Community have grown and shifted but it made it hard to empathise with the characters. Rachel’s character comes across as harsh and selfish – not wanting to help her family provide an income or be there for her daughter on important milestones. However, because of this confusion of what Rachel was doing, Emilia also comes across as a bit of a spoiled brat and I didn’t really empathise with her. I felt this section, although providing important backstory dragged a little and we got a lot of superfluous detail that we didn’t really need.
The second half was where I started to pay more attention as the sinister aims of The Community started after Rachel’s death. I never understood why Emilia said she hated The Community and yet decided to join it, even moving to the Democratic Republic of Congo to work for them. Even when a lot of the information is revealed and the darker side is made very clear, she still stays for so many years without any realistic motivation. Her story in the DRC is interesting, but it’s only really interesting if it were a real story, whereas as it is a fantasy there was a lot of information that could have been edited out.
Overall, The Silence Project is an interesting concept but it wasn’t fleshed out in the right places for me and I found it hard to engage with the writing style and the characters. Thank you to NetGalley & Atlantic Books – Corvus for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out www.kindig.co.uk
February 17, 2023
This did what ever good, jaw dropping, wreck your world does - massive book hangover, reassessing my decisions.
A beautiful, complicated, dark look our selves, our responsibility - a very moving book.
At first, I thought this book was based upon a true story - as it begins stating its purpose as a companion to Rachel of Chalkam's notebooks. To be honest, I'm struggling with the idea it is fiction.
Emilia writes her memoir as an adult - focusing growing up as Rachel's daughter. The impact on her childhood - the loss of her mother yet she still had a mother. The impact on her father - his need to still help her even though he had been abandoned. The impact on the town - people supportive and angry, a strange dichotomy.
As Emilia's story grows, Rachel's stability lessens. The community increases - worldwide as well as a massive amount of women in their little town.
But what was the point? What did Rachel achieve with her Community? The Event?
A beautiful, complicated, dark look our selves, our responsibility - a very moving book.
At first, I thought this book was based upon a true story - as it begins stating its purpose as a companion to Rachel of Chalkam's notebooks. To be honest, I'm struggling with the idea it is fiction.
Emilia writes her memoir as an adult - focusing growing up as Rachel's daughter. The impact on her childhood - the loss of her mother yet she still had a mother. The impact on her father - his need to still help her even though he had been abandoned. The impact on the town - people supportive and angry, a strange dichotomy.
As Emilia's story grows, Rachel's stability lessens. The community increases - worldwide as well as a massive amount of women in their little town.
But what was the point? What did Rachel achieve with her Community? The Event?
January 5, 2025
This was a fantastic blend of fiction and reality that was so hard hitting. As someone who finds cults fascinating, the expansion from a small hippy-esque camp to a global phenomenon that doesn't follow any of the original principles fascinated me. Emilia's narrative was brilliant and it really felt like she had written the book! I also loved the emails, and the footnotes were brilliant!! The author did such an amazing job of making this feel real. Highly recommend if you enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale or Educated!!
March 11, 2025
My first time reading a nonfiction book written as if it were fiction. I had to hold myself back from googling the references made. I liked the book but I don’t think I’d recommend it. I got very excited when The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver was mentioned as I’m currently listening to the audiobook. What a coincidence!
November 13, 2022
The Silence Project has a promising plot, is easy to read and is based on a movement that could be jarringly real in an alternate universe. The most intriguing part of this book was that it kept you guessing what parts of the story was based on real events and what part was fictionalized. Rachel of Chalkham is not just a visionary who has taken a silent vow but also a mother. Her thirteen year old daughter is weirded out by her mother's strange antics of observing silence and living out her days in a camp down the pub. While a part of Emilia misses her mother, another part blames Rachel for abandoning her family and putting them through the worst possible circumstances throughout the years. Rachel almost destroys Em and her father's life by climbing a pyre and burning herself to death along with many other women in the name of the Community (founded by Rachel). The way Em brings herself to the grasp of reality and finds her own voice that she then goes on to share with the rest of the world is what the book is about.
The writing is impeccable and so are the characters. The book, although a slow burn, can keep you hooked to it with its excellent storyline. I took about 3 weeks to read this book, closed it every few chapters but kept coming back to it, wanting for more. The closure at the end of the book might come across as more of a vanilla ending to some readers but it gave me a lot of peace, especially after going through the triggering life of Em.
If you are up for a well-paced read that will give rise to many discussions then go for the book. It is something that can be added to book clubs or you can even read this with a buddy. I can totally see this book being adapted into a Netflix show.
The writing is impeccable and so are the characters. The book, although a slow burn, can keep you hooked to it with its excellent storyline. I took about 3 weeks to read this book, closed it every few chapters but kept coming back to it, wanting for more. The closure at the end of the book might come across as more of a vanilla ending to some readers but it gave me a lot of peace, especially after going through the triggering life of Em.
If you are up for a well-paced read that will give rise to many discussions then go for the book. It is something that can be added to book clubs or you can even read this with a buddy. I can totally see this book being adapted into a Netflix show.
August 20, 2023
I liked the idea of this book, and found the first third of the book interesting. For me though after that I struggled to get into the story, found the characters hard going and didn't like the format of it. I kept picking it up and putting it down, but have to admit to giving up with it eventually.
May 28, 2024
I wasn't sure at times of how I would rate this because I felt like some parts were slow. Additionally I went into this having no idea it was written like a memoir which isn't really my go-to but it was an interesting read overall. Not ground breaking but definitely different from what I usually read.
August 18, 2023
4.5!
A fantastic, unique narrative style and a really gripping world. I flew through the first half but found the second a little slow and less engaging but still interesting. A really brilliant job done of discussing concepts that are harrowing and painfully real.
A fantastic, unique narrative style and a really gripping world. I flew through the first half but found the second a little slow and less engaging but still interesting. A really brilliant job done of discussing concepts that are harrowing and painfully real.
January 11, 2024
the most terrifying part of this book is that I kept forgetting it was fictional.
September 17, 2024
The Silence Project is a thought-provoking examination of extent to which ends are justified by means in the form of personally-narrated counterfactual history. The protagonist Emilia is the daughter of woman who took a vow a silence in 2003 and started a cult that changed the path of world history. I liked the format: Emilia writing a book reflecting upon her mother's life and legacy. The inclusion of documents (letters, emails, extracts from notebooks) worked well. Emilia has a strong narrative voice and her emotions towards her mother, who is treated by the organisation she started as a saint, are the main focus.
The personal narrative of the novel is strong, while the political side concerning the Community that Emilia's mother began isn't quite as well-developed. This is perhaps inevitable due to the single point of view. I was reminded of The Power, also a counterfactual history told in retrospect with heavily feminist themes, which used multiple narrative voices to great effect. Although Emilia admits her limitations and lack of objectivity, the book could have done more with the wider themes, especially population control. I was surprised that the word eugenics wasn't used at any point, when it was clearly relevant.
There is also a moment at the end when Emilia explains the point of the novel in case the reader didn't notice, which I found a bit clumsy and self-conscious:
I wonder if this comment was included in the expectation that readers who don't venture much into dystopian or sci-fi fiction wouldn't pick up on what was happening? I was a little disappointed that the more utopian activities of the Community were only mentioned briefly, as I wanted to know more about how this alternate 2022 differed from ours. There was no mention of COVID-19 so presumably that didn't happen; The Silence Project was written during 2021 and 2022. In any case, Emilia's narrative voice is both The Silence Project's greatest strength and weakness. It makes the mother-daughter relationship central and this is depicted powerfully. However it prevents the dystopian and utopian elements from being fully explored in the same way that made The Power so incredible. Ultimately I really enjoyed The Silence Project for what it was, but my usual preference is for these kind of stories to focus more on sociopolitical implications over personal emotions. That's part of what draws me to sci-fi as a genre.
EDIT 17/09/24 I finally remembered the title of the novel that The Silence Project reminded me of! Cwen by Alice Albinia, which I actually enjoyed more as it uses a more polyphonic narration and engages more with utopianism.
The personal narrative of the novel is strong, while the political side concerning the Community that Emilia's mother began isn't quite as well-developed. This is perhaps inevitable due to the single point of view. I was reminded of The Power, also a counterfactual history told in retrospect with heavily feminist themes, which used multiple narrative voices to great effect. Although Emilia admits her limitations and lack of objectivity, the book could have done more with the wider themes, especially population control. I was surprised that the word eugenics wasn't used at any point, when it was clearly relevant.
There is also a moment at the end when Emilia explains the point of the novel in case the reader didn't notice, which I found a bit clumsy and self-conscious:
"I feel like I'm living in a prequel to some terrible dystopian novel," I said.
Fortuné glanced at me, puzzled.
"Most dystopian novels," I continue, "throw you right into whatever strange hell people are living in, but there's normally not much detail about how that hell came about. But here we are in the prequel. We're in pre-hell. This is how it begins. Trouble is, this is not a novel: it's real life and it's completely terrifying."
I wonder if this comment was included in the expectation that readers who don't venture much into dystopian or sci-fi fiction wouldn't pick up on what was happening? I was a little disappointed that the more utopian activities of the Community were only mentioned briefly, as I wanted to know more about how this alternate 2022 differed from ours. There was no mention of COVID-19 so presumably that didn't happen; The Silence Project was written during 2021 and 2022. In any case, Emilia's narrative voice is both The Silence Project's greatest strength and weakness. It makes the mother-daughter relationship central and this is depicted powerfully. However it prevents the dystopian and utopian elements from being fully explored in the same way that made The Power so incredible. Ultimately I really enjoyed The Silence Project for what it was, but my usual preference is for these kind of stories to focus more on sociopolitical implications over personal emotions. That's part of what draws me to sci-fi as a genre.
EDIT 17/09/24 I finally remembered the title of the novel that The Silence Project reminded me of! Cwen by Alice Albinia, which I actually enjoyed more as it uses a more polyphonic narration and engages more with utopianism.
December 9, 2022
I totally admit the first thing that drew my attention to this book was the powerful cover. The grey background with the flames surrounding the female with the tape over her mouth. To me the grey featuring of the cover and then the female being grey too, represents the plain notebooks that Emilia’s mother kept and the “ordinary” that she felt herself to be. Emilia’s mother ended up represented the many but to begin with she was a remarkably “ordinary” “normal” young woman.
The main characters are two equally strong women, Rachel and her daughter Emilia. Rachel who was a bit of a hippy, wanderer who ended up pregnant and needing some stability for her baby and herself. It is her correspondence with Nick’s mother and Nick’s mothers matchmaking that see’s Rachel turn up at his pub with baby Emilia needing somewhere to stay. Nick always harboured feelings for Rachel so they soon become a small happy enough family. Nick is the only father Emilia knows and treats her as his own. Rachel had always been her “own person” perhaps some would say a little “odd” even so people, including Nick, his mother and Emilia don’t bat much of an eyelid when she sets up a tent at the bottom of their garden and literally stops speaking, though her timing is poor to say the least as she does this on her daughter’s 13th birthday. It soon becomes apparent that this isn’t a passing fad for Rachel and whilst she lives in her own little silent world. It is Nick mother that steps up into the day-to-day motherly duties for Emilia. Nick continues to run the family pub as best he can. Rachel’s antics soon draw attention from others and so begins what turns out to be quite a cult-like movement. The self- enforced silence of herself and her followers is only the beginning, soon there are protests and then eventually the “event” where Rachel and some of her most dedicated followers set themselves alight!
The whole story is told in a diary like format and in the voice and from the point of view of Emilia Morris. It goes into how she felt and was affected by her Rachel’s actions. The harassment, and abuse Emilia and Nick endured before and after the “event.” As well as how “friends” reacted to what was happening around Emilia. The book is covers the equally fascinating and horrific act committed by Rachel and some of her most zealot followers. The book also covers the time frame after the “event” and during the “writing of the book” where Emilia is trying to make a life for herself from within her mothers shadow, whilst at the same time trying to make sense of why her mother chose to live and die the way she did. Emilia is trying to understand why her mothers final act was so desperate and destructive. Whilst trying to understand her own mother, Emilia actually continues working for the movement her mother began. Though I think perhaps the movement Rachel originally had in mind, if there was any planning behind her actions other than her being guided by her instincts does veer away from the direction Rachel intended.
Emilia calls her book about her mother “The Silence Project” and really does face a lot of harsh backlash and even death threats for daring to write about the great Rachel of Chalkham. Everyone seems to have their own theories of why Rachel “created” the group of like-minded people as well as why she set herself alight. The zealots and followers don’t like the fact Emilia is using Rachels own diaries and words for her book. Nick openly admits to his beloved step daughter that he wishes she wasn’t writing it, that he worries for her safety and sanity. Emilia’s replies to people are that many books have been written about “Rachel of Chalkham” so why shouldn’t Rachels own daughter release one, and she points out that her book is not just about Rachel, it is about her own life with and around Rachel.
On the whole I really enjoyed reading this book and Emilia writing her book about her mother Rachel. As a former employee of WHSmiths I loved the reference to the WHS notebook standing the test of time well, complete with grass stain on back, mug stains on front , only detached from 4 of its wire rings! I thoroughly enjoyed the other current/recently pop culture references. The book is quite 'on the ball' with current politics too. A Prime Minister not voted for by the people, and the reference to Politicians 'so in love with their own voices, they can no longer hear ours'
I adored and laughed out loud at the 'Life lessons list' including but not limited to the list entries of, Always wear pants with a cotton gusset. Lifes too short for dry clean blouses. Keep your body fit and your mind will follow. I was also pleasantly surprised by the mention of Pontefract in the book which is just a couple of miles from where I currently live!
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were “What an unusual, unique and compulsive read.” Though I must admit there were occasions during reading the book that I became impatient for the book to move on a little faster than it was doing.
Summing up, I found the book really interesting, with its unique plot that certainly draws you in and holds on to you making you want to make some sort of sense of why main character Rachel did what she did! I did find it difficult to rate this book out of 5, as I dearly wanted to give it 5/5 but there were the odd occasions, I became a little impatient/exasperated at parts of it so ended up going with a 4/5. Having said that do not let my 4/5 rating put you off reading the book just let it prepare you, encourage you to stick with reading the book if you are finding it slower than your favoured pace. I will be looking out for other books by this author in the future too!
The main characters are two equally strong women, Rachel and her daughter Emilia. Rachel who was a bit of a hippy, wanderer who ended up pregnant and needing some stability for her baby and herself. It is her correspondence with Nick’s mother and Nick’s mothers matchmaking that see’s Rachel turn up at his pub with baby Emilia needing somewhere to stay. Nick always harboured feelings for Rachel so they soon become a small happy enough family. Nick is the only father Emilia knows and treats her as his own. Rachel had always been her “own person” perhaps some would say a little “odd” even so people, including Nick, his mother and Emilia don’t bat much of an eyelid when she sets up a tent at the bottom of their garden and literally stops speaking, though her timing is poor to say the least as she does this on her daughter’s 13th birthday. It soon becomes apparent that this isn’t a passing fad for Rachel and whilst she lives in her own little silent world. It is Nick mother that steps up into the day-to-day motherly duties for Emilia. Nick continues to run the family pub as best he can. Rachel’s antics soon draw attention from others and so begins what turns out to be quite a cult-like movement. The self- enforced silence of herself and her followers is only the beginning, soon there are protests and then eventually the “event” where Rachel and some of her most dedicated followers set themselves alight!
The whole story is told in a diary like format and in the voice and from the point of view of Emilia Morris. It goes into how she felt and was affected by her Rachel’s actions. The harassment, and abuse Emilia and Nick endured before and after the “event.” As well as how “friends” reacted to what was happening around Emilia. The book is covers the equally fascinating and horrific act committed by Rachel and some of her most zealot followers. The book also covers the time frame after the “event” and during the “writing of the book” where Emilia is trying to make a life for herself from within her mothers shadow, whilst at the same time trying to make sense of why her mother chose to live and die the way she did. Emilia is trying to understand why her mothers final act was so desperate and destructive. Whilst trying to understand her own mother, Emilia actually continues working for the movement her mother began. Though I think perhaps the movement Rachel originally had in mind, if there was any planning behind her actions other than her being guided by her instincts does veer away from the direction Rachel intended.
Emilia calls her book about her mother “The Silence Project” and really does face a lot of harsh backlash and even death threats for daring to write about the great Rachel of Chalkham. Everyone seems to have their own theories of why Rachel “created” the group of like-minded people as well as why she set herself alight. The zealots and followers don’t like the fact Emilia is using Rachels own diaries and words for her book. Nick openly admits to his beloved step daughter that he wishes she wasn’t writing it, that he worries for her safety and sanity. Emilia’s replies to people are that many books have been written about “Rachel of Chalkham” so why shouldn’t Rachels own daughter release one, and she points out that her book is not just about Rachel, it is about her own life with and around Rachel.
On the whole I really enjoyed reading this book and Emilia writing her book about her mother Rachel. As a former employee of WHSmiths I loved the reference to the WHS notebook standing the test of time well, complete with grass stain on back, mug stains on front , only detached from 4 of its wire rings! I thoroughly enjoyed the other current/recently pop culture references. The book is quite 'on the ball' with current politics too. A Prime Minister not voted for by the people, and the reference to Politicians 'so in love with their own voices, they can no longer hear ours'
I adored and laughed out loud at the 'Life lessons list' including but not limited to the list entries of, Always wear pants with a cotton gusset. Lifes too short for dry clean blouses. Keep your body fit and your mind will follow. I was also pleasantly surprised by the mention of Pontefract in the book which is just a couple of miles from where I currently live!
My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were “What an unusual, unique and compulsive read.” Though I must admit there were occasions during reading the book that I became impatient for the book to move on a little faster than it was doing.
Summing up, I found the book really interesting, with its unique plot that certainly draws you in and holds on to you making you want to make some sort of sense of why main character Rachel did what she did! I did find it difficult to rate this book out of 5, as I dearly wanted to give it 5/5 but there were the odd occasions, I became a little impatient/exasperated at parts of it so ended up going with a 4/5. Having said that do not let my 4/5 rating put you off reading the book just let it prepare you, encourage you to stick with reading the book if you are finding it slower than your favoured pace. I will be looking out for other books by this author in the future too!
April 22, 2023
This one really intrigued me when I read the synopsis. I have a bit of a hit and miss relationship with Dystopian, and I have to say I was left feeling pretty disappointed with this.
Written as Emilias memoir - sometimes it felt more like a piece of research or a text book and I felt myself zoning out, and this is what let the book down for me, because I actually enjoyed the parts of the story where Emilia takes us back to her past. Then up pops another piece of research, and it veers off into another territory.
I've always found cults pretty fascinating, especially how people get drawn into them, and I think this book really captures how they are formed, and at times it did feel pretty true.
Overall, I'd say this was a good read, I just didn't seem to get with the format and, unfortunately, at times would struggle to say I enjoyed it
Written as Emilias memoir - sometimes it felt more like a piece of research or a text book and I felt myself zoning out, and this is what let the book down for me, because I actually enjoyed the parts of the story where Emilia takes us back to her past. Then up pops another piece of research, and it veers off into another territory.
I've always found cults pretty fascinating, especially how people get drawn into them, and I think this book really captures how they are formed, and at times it did feel pretty true.
Overall, I'd say this was a good read, I just didn't seem to get with the format and, unfortunately, at times would struggle to say I enjoyed it
June 19, 2024
pretty good overall but it got a bit dry after the first part ended
February 12, 2025
Genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. The title makes it sound like it's more of a dystopian drama but this didn't read like that at all - more of a fusion of genres varying from political thriller to romance and into almost horror at points. I enjoyed the first half of the book (Specifically involved The Event and the fallout) moreso than the 2nd half, but this was a great start for Book Club.
March 14, 2023
This is a very powerful story that sets on the premises of a semi-distopian feminist novel. I deeply loved the topic and the themes: female activism through silent protest that leads to a global movement (The Community). While the story is fictional, it is inspired by many past and present figures and movements and sometimes it gets really hard to distinguish facts from fiction. The novel imagines a woman that can change an entire world and try to make powerful people and institutions listen. It also explores the bad of becoming an organised institution and what happens to activism and values in the process.
What has not been really convincing for me is the book format: it is a memoir written by daughter Emilia about her mother as she wants her mother's story and the legacy to be told in a truthful way. The first part is very confusing as the narrator goes back and forth without much structure but it is also the one that is more touching about Emilia exploring her mother's choice and growing up until the day of her death. The second part is more structured about the evolution and downfall of the Community but it is also more "academic". Along with the narrator, the author has included a lot of other elements such as emails, letter, notes, newspaper articles. Sometimes it gets really confusing. Probably she has been too ambitious to be her first novel. If the goal was to make us witness the story of Rachel through Emilia's eyes, well I don't think this has been fully met...I didn't find much depth.
I do believe Carole Hailey is a very promising author and this is a very interesting debut novel. I'll be watching her future works closely.
What has not been really convincing for me is the book format: it is a memoir written by daughter Emilia about her mother as she wants her mother's story and the legacy to be told in a truthful way. The first part is very confusing as the narrator goes back and forth without much structure but it is also the one that is more touching about Emilia exploring her mother's choice and growing up until the day of her death. The second part is more structured about the evolution and downfall of the Community but it is also more "academic". Along with the narrator, the author has included a lot of other elements such as emails, letter, notes, newspaper articles. Sometimes it gets really confusing. Probably she has been too ambitious to be her first novel. If the goal was to make us witness the story of Rachel through Emilia's eyes, well I don't think this has been fully met...I didn't find much depth.
I do believe Carole Hailey is a very promising author and this is a very interesting debut novel. I'll be watching her future works closely.
June 21, 2023
The writing gets too stoic. I couldn't not get past how the main character is narrating events just like you would write a grocery list.
March 5, 2023
This books reads almost as a non-fiction, memoir style, which I think the author pulls off brilliantly. I like the fact that this work of fiction also brings in a lot of political and societal issues that we are having in real life currently. Didn't give it 5* because I thought at one point, the plot was building up to a big climax/turning point, but it never really happened.
June 23, 2024
Took me forever to read because it is not a writing style that I am familiar with/tend to enjoy. However, the world building in this is immense! It was very strange (but welcome) to be propelled into a dystopia that embeds itself into factual recent history. The blend of "fact and fiction, reality and unreality" (as mentioned in the author's note) did not miss.
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