Themes/Triggers: family, relationships, infertility, drug and alcohol addiction, sexual assault, mystery, grief and guilt.
Synopsis & Review: Frank and Maggie have been in a loving, devoted relationship for forty years. But for the past six months they haven't spoken a single word to each other. They keep up their daily routines, eat together and sleep together but neither of them speak a word. The uncomfortable silence between them, started by Frank, has become unbearable for Maggie. She hits her breaking point which leads her to an induced coma. Only Frank has the power to bring her back, but will he be able to find the words?
I was so excited and intrigued to get into this book! The idea of depicted silence seemed unbelievable and I was desperate to know what led the two characters to this point. What could have been so terrible to cause the silent treatment? And more so, how and why were they still living together? I couldn't imagine getting through two days of silence with my other half never mind six months!
The story is told in two narratives; we hear Frank's side during Maggie's silence and we hear Maggie's side through Frank, in a series of diary entries and a written confession by Maggie which Frank finds. The storyline flicks between past and present which builds solidarity for the characters and slowly brings everything together. Along the way, we learn a lot about Frank and Maggie as a couple, their personalities, their boundless love for each other and their challenging journey to becoming parents.
The language is straight-forward and easy to read, I would have liked more description in some parts. But still, the novel managed to hold emotional tension and suspense through every page for me. Sometimes I found this overwhelming and depressing - but that is the atmosphere of this book. I struggled to connect with the characters and felt irritated with them most of the time. How could they claim to love one another so dearly yet fail to communicate openly? (which in my opinion is the basis for any relationship) I don't believe love can exist without words. There was too much silence in this book, well before the 'six months.' The silence was throughout their lives; between themselves and with then with their daughter Eleanor. The family were unable to speak freely. Their hypersensitivity and overconcern with hurting each others feelings cost them immensely.
I would have preferred if the incident with Eleanor was clarified and not left open to assumptions. Maybe this would have helped to better connect with the characters if I knew what had really happened. The build-up to the ultimate reveal was too far-stretched. By the time I reached the big moment I was bored of repetition and my expectations were high, disappointingly my exact thoughts were 'oh, is that it..' and I don't mean this in a condescending way. It just wasn't enough for me.
Saying that, the story touches on important parenting issues in a very realistic way. It also gives a good insight into the highs and lows of a forty year relationship between two people. Parts of this book were extremely touching in terms of family ties and events happening. Other parts I personally couldn't comprehend as I'm not a parent myself. For example, I didn't understand why Maggie didn't try harder with Eleanor to make her feel safe enough to open up. However, I could still discern the turmoil and despair Maggie and Frank felt as failing parents which was devastating to read.
Unfortunately, this book didn't meet my expectations - perhaps I wasn't the intended audience. I thought it would be more about the deteriorating relationship between Frank and Maggie and not so focused in their daughter. In this respect I'll say the description was misleading.
Nonetheless, don't let me put you off of reading this book as many other readers have raved about it. It was still a good read which explores the reality of intimacy and depicts an unusual love story. I'm sure many of you will enjoy and resonate with this book.
Rating: 2.5/5
Disclaimer: Please take the themes and triggers into consideration before reading this book.
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