At first, I was hesitant about this book, having never read much about Alaska. However, The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton is a visually descriptive novel, and immersed me in the depths of intense cold. There is a high level of detail about the Alaskan terrain that penetrates each page. After discerning that, the book fell somewhat flat for me.
The Quality of Silence is about the journey of a ten year old deaf girl, Ruby, and her mother, Yasmine, to Alaska, to find out what has happened to Ruby's father, Matt, a photographer who takes photos of the Alaskan scenery and wildlife. It is a story that describes the risks that people will take to find those that they love with little regard of the consequences. They set out on a journey to find Matt across the rugged terrain of Alaska.
Along the way, Yasmine and Ruby come across a variety of people, some who seem to want to help them in their quest, and others that seem to have different motivations. There is reference to the fracking companies in the area and I felt this was somewhat a political statement on the author's part.
While they are on their journey, along with avalanches, snowstorms, and almost unbearable temperature, another menacing element may be at play. Could someone of an evil nature be following them? And why?
Although this book is categorized as a thriller, it didn't feel terribly thrilling to me. Even though there were some mildly suspenseful moments, the tension was not high enough throughout the book to warrant a skipped heartbeat. At times, the writing felt long and drawn out, and almost over-descriptive to a degree.
While I could feel a chill while reading this, it wasn't compelling in a way that made me want to race to the end.
I did appreciate the author's obvious parallel of the deaf young girl, Ruby, to the "quality of silence", that pervades a remote region like Alaska.
This book was an unrewarding read for me, I expected more substance and tension from a writer like Rosamund Lupton.
Blogging for Books graciously provided me with a copy of this book for an honest review.
