Mercy
Written on Aug 10, 2016
I can't feel sadness, anger, or fear. I can't feel anything. I've grown talented at pretending. Elizabeth Caldwell doesn't feel emotions . . . she sees them in human form. Longing hovers around the shy, adoring boy at school. Courage materializes beside her dying friend. Fury and Resentment visit her abusive home. They've all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn't succumb to their touch. All, that is, except beautiful Fear, who sometimes torments her and other times plays her compassionate savior. He's obsessed with finding the answer to one question: What happened to Elizabeth to make her this way? They both sense that the key to Elizabeth's condition is somehow connected to the paintings of her dreams, which show visions of death and grief that raise more questions than answers. But as a shadowy menace begins to stalk her, Elizabeth's very survival depends on discovering the truth about herself. When it matters most, she may not be able to rely on Fear to save her.
- ISBN10 0738736430
- ISBN13 9780738736433
- Publish Date 8 July 2013 (first published 8 June 2013)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 21 September 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Flux
- Format Paperback
- Pages 336
- Language English
Reviews
Angie
Written on Apr 10, 2014
I loved the premise of Some Quiet Place. Elizabeth literally feels nothing. Not when her father beats her. Not when her best friend dies of cancer. Not even when she learns that she may not be entirely human. She just goes over the facts and acts accordingly, sometimes putting on a happy/sad/whatever face to appear to be feeling something. The Emotion entities were also great. They come and go as people are feeling things, some of them talk to Elizabeth, others ignore her. Fear is one that is inexplicably drawn to her, and has been since she was a little girl. Despite his name, he's not scary or dangerous at all. He's more mysterious and I liked that.
Some Quiet Place's plot does get a bit jumbled near the end. Elizabeth is trying to figure out what happened to her that caused her to not be able to feel emotions and who did it to her. There's also someone after her and she doesn't know why. Well, all of this gets resolved, but then there's more. It was starting to lose me a bit, but I did think it was a great set up for the sequel which I was excited to get to. Then I realized Where Silence Gathers is a companion, and has nothing to do with Elizabeth and Fear. Their story didn't feel complete, so that made me drop a star.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Linda
Written on Jul 12, 2013
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews.
Some Quiet Place is the kind of book I thought I would really love, and I wanted to love it too. Unfortunately, though, I just couldn't. The premise is great, the blurb is very mysterious, and the main character appears to be a girl who can 'see' emotions.
Kelly
Written on Jun 19, 2013
Some Quiet Place was a unique story of the elements and emotions being controlled by conscious beings. Sadness, Joy, even Fear, placing a hand on your shoulder, leaving you suddenly overwhelmed. Elizabeth first poses as a inhumanly cold girl, but even with her emotions stripped, she'll soon grow on you. Her life is full of sadness, anger and abuse, and you can't help but pity her.
Well written and unique, it's essentially a girl trying to find who she is.
jnikkir
Written on Jun 16, 2013
Some Quiet Place is easily one of the most unique books I've read this year... possibly ever. You can tell from the synopsis that it's not something we've seen before - a girl who feels nothing, but can interact with Emotions and Elements as if they're real people? Paired with that gorgeous cover and beautiful title, there was no way I was going to pass this book by. And it paid off - because I really loved it.
Though it might seem like it would be difficult to connect to a character who doesn't feel anything - especially when that character is narrating - I found it fascinating to be in her head throughout the book. She doesn't strictly feel nothing - I think if she truly felt nothing, she would never have gotten out of bed in the mornings - but she was incredibly detached from the world and the people she interacted with, even though she pretended to be otherwise. Like I said, I found it really interesting for a character who believes she feels nothing, to still make the effort to appear normal, and to find the motivation to get up every morning. In some aspects, I think it made her an incredibly strong person, to endure what she goes through, especially her dysfunctional home life. Elizabeth might not feel emotions like other people, but boy, did I feel for her as I was reading.
The other great thing about this book were the Emotions themselves. They were all fascinating, but the one we get to see the most of - and the one I think might be the most interesting anyway - is Fear. Though he's essentially the personification (literally) of one emotion, we get so much more from him than his namesake. He's layered and charismatic... and a little bit addictive. He makes me wish that the 'sequel' wasn't going to focus on a completely different cast of characters. I'd love to see more of Fear in this world.
The plot of Some Quiet Place mostly focuses on Elizabeth trying to figure out why she is the way she is, unaffected by the Emotions around her. It was good, but I really think that this book's strength lies in its emotions (oddly enough, with an emotionless narrator). As Elizabeth gets closer and closer to the truth, she slowly starts to change. It was intriguing to watch her "emotionless" walls come down - it was subtle and really well done. The resolution in the end is maybe a little bit predictable (or at least, unsurprising once it's revealed), but it's an incredibly satisfying, heart-wrenching, climactic ending.
In conclusion...
Some Quiet Place could not be better represented by its title and cover. It's sweeping - dark, haunting, and creepy, but also really beautiful and subtle. And the conclusion is full of twists that I did not see coming. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of paranormal romance - and wants something unlike anything they've read before.
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