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Book Review of The Weight of Silence

The Weight of Silence
reviewed on + 116 more book reviews


This is a compelling debut novel by Heather Gudenkauf that is part mystery and part family drama. The story takes place in about 24 hours. While the search for best friends Calli and Petra is underway, the readers learns through different characters' flashbacks how we have arrived at this point. The sweet relationships between Calli and her friend Petra and Calli and her brother Ben contrast with the abusive relationship between Calli's parents, Griff and Toni. The story is about what we do on behalf of friends (Petra for Calli, Calli for Petra, Louis for Toni) and what parents (Martin, Toni) are willing to do, and not do, when they feel their children are endangered.