This was another book recommended to me by my daughter, Becca. I do like sharing reading with others, I feel like each shared book links our interior worlds a tiny bit more and makes us a little closer to being kindred spirits.
So, The Silence Project is written as if it’s a true story (with faux citations of academic articles, newspaper articles and websites) from the point of view of a woman (Emilia) whose mother (Rachel) began a movement (or cult) when Emelia was 13 (in fact, on her 13th birthday). It began with Rachel just living in a tent on the edge of a piece of land that they ownned and stopping talking. It grew into a group of women committed to combating global problems though listening and not talking.
The ‘Event’ which is a pivotal point in the story (although referenced from the beginning so not really a spoiler) is Rachel, as well as thousands of other women around the world burning themselves alive in a bid to get people to listen.
Emilia is understandably scarred as well as angry by her mother’s behaviour and this comes across in her telling of the story.
I did enjoy the book on the whole, although I felt it dragged a bit in the middle, and the style of it, pretending to be a serious biography I felt made it feel a little dry at times.
Sarah Wray Writer 