Review: The Quality of Silence

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: The Quality of Silence
Author: Rosamund Lupton
Publication Date: November 15, 2016
Genre: Psychological Suspense
Recommended If You Like: family-driven stories, strong female protagonists, settings as their own characters

The Book:

Yasmin and her daughter Ruby (deaf since birth) set off through the Alaskan wilderness to find Matt, Yasmin's husband and Ruby's father. Everyone is telling them Matt is dead, victim of a tragedy in a small village, but Yasmin and Ruby refuse to believe it. As they travel through one of the most isolated places on Earth, they begin to fear that someone is following them, stalking them through the snow.

What I Liked:

Yasmin and Ruby are great characters, especially Ruby. They are strong, complex protagonists who readers can't help but root for. I love seeing such strong complex female characters, and watching them grow.

The setting is incredible as well. Alaska really becomes its own crucial character in the book. Lupton makes you feel like you are there, in the truck, in the snow, and that just ups the suspense even more. This book was highly suspenseful, as I really didn't know what was going to happen to the characters.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I missed the mystery aspect that had been present more in Sister, one of Lupton's previous books. There was a mystery in The Quality of Silence, but it frequently felt like it was on the back burner.

The  book also occasionally felt like it got too caught up in communicating a message as opposed to telling a story, particularly at the end. I really enjoy books that teach me something, but I like it better when the message is more integrated.

So...?

This was a good book, but didn't live up to how much I loved Sister. I would definitely recommend reading it, as Lupton has a beautiful writing style that really makes you feel like you are right there with her characters.