
Carole Hailey’s debut novel is captivating. The Silence Project is the fictional memoir of a young woman whose mother, the leader of a cult dedicated to silence, burns herself to death, along with thousands of other cult members around the world. The premise sounds like it may be a bleak and heavy read – I was sceptical when it was first handed to me – but the Cardigan-based author’s skill and craftsmanship makes the book a nimble and fascinating page-turner.
Adopting a multimedia approach to writing, the novel combines memoir-style prose with fictional excerpts from newspaper articles, letters, emails, and books to create an alternate history that could, if you didn’t know any better, be an account of a true crime. A concept that may seem far-fetched becomes all-encompassing as you map how not just one woman’s life but an entire culture travels to the point of no return.
A story that covers family and society, corruption and healing, The Silence Project is an ideal blend of fact and fiction, narrative and reflection. Emilia, the novel’s protagonist, is at points frank and unemotional, at others earnest and heartfelt. Though heavy at times in both subject matter and content, this book feels perfectly balanced.
The Silence Project, Carole Hailey (Corvus)
Price: £16.99. Info: here
words HARI BERROW
Want more books?
The latest reviews, interviews, features and more, from Wales and beyond.