Tuesday, November 21, 2017

The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

"If there are few moments in life that come as clear and as pure as ice, when the mountain breathed back at her, Zoe knew she had trapped one such moment and it could never be taken away.  Everywhere was snow and silence. Snow and silence; the complete arrest of life; a rehearsal for and a pre-echo of death."

Zoe and her husband, Jake, are skiing in the French Pyrenees when they are caught in an avalanche. Zoe is buried in snow, struggling to dig herself out. Then, like a miracle, Jake finds her. Together they make their way down the mountain. Only when they get to their hotel no one is there. The nearby town is deserted, too. Zoe and Jake can't figure out where all the other people went, or why. And every time they try to leave to get help, they find themselves right back where they started. Still, it's not too bad having this winter wonderland all to themselves. And they still have each other. But all is not right. Especially when Jake guesses the truth about their situation; something Zoe doesn't want to believe.

This novel by Graham Joyce ended up being a completely different kind of story than I was expecting. (Though I did guess the truth about Zoe's and Jake's situation before they did.) The Silent Land is not quite a supernatural fantasy, mystery or horror story, although it does have elements of all three. And it's that intriguing mix of elements, combined with a more introspective look at death and life and love, that makes this book such an interesting read. I wish I could tell you more, but I don't want to give anything away.  This is the kind of book every reader should discover for herself. I can't guarantee you'll like it, though I did, but I can say that it is one of those thoughtful books that will linger in your mind when you're done.

Happy Reading!

14 comments:

  1. The premise sounds interesting. I'll have to check this out. :)

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    1. If you do, let me know what you think. It wasn't quite the story I was expecting.

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  2. I'm drawn to novels about snow, but this one sounds even more intriguing! Thanks, Lark, I think I might really like this novel. :)

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    1. Give it a try. I'd love to know what you think of it!

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  3. I’m guessing I know what’s going on just from the premise. Still, it might be a good one to try.

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    1. It's not a long read; you could probably zip through it pretty quick if you decide to give it a try. :)

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  4. I'm with Jenny...I already have a theory. Guess I should pick up the book and see if I am right!

    I have previously read Joyce's Some Kind of Fairy Tale which I liked but would have liked more if it had been a tad bit more ambivalent about what "really" happened. But that is a tough balance to get right, I think.

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    1. I know what you're saying. I think this book struggles with that a bit, too. But it's still an interesting read.

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  5. Oooh, this premise is very intriguing! And I don't have any theories about what's going on, so I'm totally going to read this. Thanks for the heads-up on this one. I hadn't heard of it before.

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    1. Let me know what you think of it! (Even if you end up not liking it.) :)

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  6. I have two theories about this book but I better not write them in case it turns out to be a spoiler!

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    1. I bet at least one of your theories is right! ;)

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  7. Ok, I feel like I know what's probably going on but I'm so intrigued and want to know if I'm right. Sounds absolutely wonderful!

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    1. I liked that it was such a different kind of story. It's not a perfect read, but it's an interesting one.

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