It reminds me a little of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, another book that grabbed me by the throat. Both have a dead person looking back on their loved ones after death, but In The Quiet has an adult, Cate, a wife and mother, as the narrator.
Cate's belonged to a small-farm family in a rural Victorian town. She bred horses; her husband, Bass, dreams of breeding cattle.
They have three children - twin boys who are 16, Rafferty and Cameron, and a daughter 14, Jessa.
It's poignant, reflective, quiet, rural, beautiful, and heart-breaking. There are so many gorgeous sentences. So many beautifully depicted scenes. So much love for family, friends, country life, horses, chooks, dogs, cattle.
It's made up of little moments, vignettes, that Cate, sees or remembers. I read some reviews where readers found that disjointed and hated it, but for me, it was the beauty of the book. The snippets of life that make a whole. Good bits. Bad bits. Happy bits. Sad bits. My memories never come back whole, they come in snippets and snapshots - and that why I found this so beautiful.
Grief is a theme I keep coming back to - trying to make sense of it, to understand those deep swirling emotions. This book has touched me deeply. I can't really leave the house today for my hugely swollen eyes - and yet for much of the book I didn't cry. For much of the book I smiled and nodded. I hugged a pillow. I stopped reading to remember something myself.
It's a beautiful story. A gorgeous book.
It's one I'd love to have written.
4 comments:
Hi Catherine,
Love your thoughts on In The Quiet. I was thinking about you tonight, Catherine, and then I thought why not check out if you have a blog going, and voila! I see this one. It's quite interesting you posting this and me checking it now. I just finished a book yesterday that did exactly what you've mentioned - a book that gripped my heart and my soul. Every time I think of it I get all teary. The words, the storyline, for me was just so powerful and moving, poetic and haunting. And that book is Black Diamonds by Kim Kelly. The most beautiful book I've ever read!
I've also read The Lovely Bones it's been a few years but I remember it like it was yesterday. A very moving story. I'm adding 'In The Quiet' to my TBR list.
Hi Sue,
Wow! A comment :) Thank you! I just write or post a picture and I don't mind of people find it or not, but it's exciting that you found it - and commented!
I'll have to look for Black Diamonds. Thanks for the recommendation.
At the moment I'm reading A Little Life. It's huge - almost 800 pages - and I have to keep putting it down, but I don't want to.
I love finding great books.
Thanks,
Cath xo
You're welcome, Catherine! I'm glad you saw my comment. I was at the Lifeline Big Book Fair all weekend and found many, many amazing books and you won't believe the one I did find, In the Quiet - totally forgetting it was on my TBR list and only coming back to this blog now seeing the In the Quiet photo and thinking, 'oh my gosh, I bought this book.' I'll have to start reading it soon.
When I come down to Shoalhaven I'll bring the book Black Diamonds with me and you can keep it for as long as you like - no pressure when to read it.
When I read an 800 page book I usually read about 50 pages then go onto a faster paced book just so I don't get bored with the other one.
Yes, it's pretty special finding great books.
Sue xoxo
Oh, I'm so glad you found In The Quiet! I hope you enjoy it!
I look at those book fairs with eager eyes and then get told I have enough books - which is probably true, but can you really have enough books!?!
I've had a few big and slow books for my Book Club lately, so reading a big book for myself at the same time wasn't a smart move! You do need those fast paced books just to make you feel like you're achieving something - or I do anyway!
Thanks for finding me. I'll have to remember to come look and 'chat'.
Cath xo
Post a Comment