Lianne
Written on Aug 24, 2014
Helene’s name didn’t quite register with me straight away so I was pleasantly surprised to learn while reading this book that this is a prequel of sorts to Ms. Tod’s first novel, Unravelled! However, you don’t have to have read the first novel in order to understand the events of this novel; this novel works well as a standalone and for those who read her debut novel, this novel provides a glimpse into past events and a different perspective to the romance.
Lies Told in Silence is a well-written, well-researched novel of the time period and setting. The author does a wonderful job in bringing the struggles of World War One–from the men suffering at the front, to the families waiting in strained anxiety for news of their loved ones and struggling to make do with what they have–to life in the pages.
At the centre of the novel is Helene Noisette and her family and their struggles together and apart. It was interesting to read their daily life throughout the war, the waiting and the coming and going of people and troops, and just the interaction between all three generations of women. The letters that flow between family members, friends, and lovers provide further glimpses of the war effort and its effects on everyone involved.
And then of course there is the romance, which is sweet and magnetic and heartbreaking. The reader watches as Edward’s love for Helene provides a sliver of light amidst the depression and carnage of war. It was heartbreaking to read what happened to them afterwards and the difficult decisions that Helene has to face afterwards.
Lies Told in Silence works well as a standalone. It iterates the harsh realities of the war efforts and the consequences of the war front on those waiting back home. Readers of historical fiction and novels set in France and during World War One will want to check out this title.