Monday, October 31, 2011

Review: The Weight of Silence

Title The Weight of Silence
By Heather Gudenkauf
Source I own it
Pages 384
Recommended by Me

First sentence Callie stirred in her bed.

Synopsis
One August morning two girls go missing, Callie, a seven year old who hasn't talked since she was four, and her best friend Petra. Told from different points of view, we learn about these two girls, their families, and the secret behind Callie's silence.

* Note* I'm going to start adding who recommended a book to me, either directly or indirectly through their blog, on my review posts. But...I just want everyone to know, you don't have to get offended if I didn't like it; I'm not blaming you. Everyone has different opinions and I never hold anyone responsible for a book I didn't like. I choose to read a book based on the synopsis not so much a recommendation so it's always MY fault. ;) 


General thoughts
K, so I bought this book ages ago when I couldn't walk into bookstore without seeing it. I thought it might be a good, chilling story for the RIP challenge so it was the book I chose. Two little girls go missing, sounds kinda scary right? Not so much. First off, I just don't get why this book was so popular. It wasn't amazingly written, the author kept going back and telling all this back story, half of which was completely unnecessary to the rest of the story, and we're told right in the prologue that at least one of the little girls is found. BORING! I liked when it actually was telling the story but there was so much reminiscing and back story. Anywho, I guess I just didn't get why it was soooo popular. It wasn't THAT great. Oh and the convenience? Really? Really?! *rolls eyes*

Characters
Callie, She was the only POV I liked reading about.
Petra, How could you not like her?
Ben, He was a sweet kid.
Antonia, I just don't get girls that stay in abusive relationships.
Louis, Seriously, dude, move on!
Martin, Not much to him.
Griff, Yuck!

Would I recommend it? 
Meh, no, it wasn't that great.

8 comments:

  1. Good to know Jenny. I had this one on my list just because of the cover but the book doesn't sound great to me at all. Dumpin' it.

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  2. Dana, I do like the cover but I just didn't think it was THAT good.

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  3. I'm not a big fan of stories involving kids who go missing...The Lovely Bones was just too sad! But I guess in the case of The Lovely Bones it was actually well written. Too bad that you didn't enjoy this one but I always appreciate an honest review!

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  4. Didn't I read this one? I almost remember it??

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  5. Natalie, I liked The Lovely Bones, but this one just wasn't worth it.

    Techno grandma, Yes, you did, and you liked it. I don't know why it was quite dreadful.

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  6. Missing kids is a storyline I just can't get into...probably because I have children.

    That being said, any book that's heavy on the backstory tends to lose me pretty fast. I much prefer being dumped into the deep end of the action and left to figure things out a little at a time.

    Honestly this one wasn't on my TBR and I can't see that changing...

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  7. I'm with BJ about books involving missing kids. It's up there in the creep factor with books about ghosts. Although you're right, I don't know why they would reveal that one of the girls was found straight away. The cover doesn't do much for me either. In other news, The Sending is supposedly out!!

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  8. BJ, Yeah that back story kinda killed it for me.

    Lan, I know!!! I'm so excited, I hope it gets here fast I have it pre-ordered.

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