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maalinmariaa's review against another edition
4.0
I kind of wish I wouldn't have read this book because it broke my heart into a million pieces. This story is so sad, gripping and emotional, but yet so beautifully written.
bryonyreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
This was executed incredibly well and was super gripping. My only downfall was the slow pacing of the first few chapters but I do understand that they were the way they were so that the reader could have a lot more background to the characters so we could get as many emotions as possible out throughout the book.
This is obviously a very sensitive book for some people but I do think the author did brilliant with THAT scene and the ones surrounding it.
The second half of the book really made the rest of the story brilliant but personally, the beginning let it down slightly.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was executed incredibly well and was super gripping. My only downfall was the slow pacing of the first few chapters but I do understand that they were the way they were so that the reader could have a lot more background to the characters so we could get as many emotions as possible out throughout the book.
This is obviously a very sensitive book for some people but I do think the author did brilliant with THAT scene and the ones surrounding it.
The second half of the book really made the rest of the story brilliant but personally, the beginning let it down slightly.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
trusselltales's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 This is a fascinating, thought-provoking read, but not as breath-taking as I anticipated. The character snapshots were excellent, as I'd expect from Staincliffe, but I felt like in some ways, in the second half of the book, the impact was dulled. A smart and sensitive look at modern British society, though, set in a closed train carriage reminiscent of Agatha Christie-limited-suspect-tense-settings, deftly handled.
micrummey's review against another edition
3.0
I was torn between 3 & 4 stars for this book but I chose 3 on the basis the inciting incident doesn't come soon enough. Staincliffe is an experienced TV writer and one rule of writing for TV is make something happen to change the world of the protagonist(s) quickly or people will lose interest. Perhaps she should have watched the 1933 British film 'Friday the Thirteenth' that involves a bus crash rather than a terrorist act on a train to get an idea where the inciting incident should come.
Having said that her character development is brilliant and there is no doubt from which character we're seeing the point of view of and not by just having a name heading.
She also, once the inciting incident occurs continually makes it more difficult for her characters, so upping the tension and our involvement and empathy for the characters.
She gives us an insight to the aftermath for families of the dead, victims of the attack with life changing injuries and even the effect it has on the young sister of the terrorist, something news channels don't do.
The book's plot involves a terrorist incident so relevant to today and although Staincliffe uses the words terrorist and terrorist acts she also gives us murder and murderous which is important to remember what this is in reality.
A thought provoking book.
Having said that her character development is brilliant and there is no doubt from which character we're seeing the point of view of and not by just having a name heading.
She also, once the inciting incident occurs continually makes it more difficult for her characters, so upping the tension and our involvement and empathy for the characters.
She gives us an insight to the aftermath for families of the dead, victims of the attack with life changing injuries and even the effect it has on the young sister of the terrorist, something news channels don't do.
The book's plot involves a terrorist incident so relevant to today and although Staincliffe uses the words terrorist and terrorist acts she also gives us murder and murderous which is important to remember what this is in reality.
A thought provoking book.
_booksanddogs_'s review against another edition
5.0
The silence between breaths is so incredibly intense, it’s raw, extremely controversial and conflicting. This book was written in a perfect way, with many different points of view throughout the book. Points of view you wouldn’t expect to think about, such as the bombers family throughout the book. Each character had a huge role and watching it all unfold was at times hard to read through. I had to stop many times because it felt so real and so raw. I was in London when there were multiple bombings in 2017 and it’s so surreal to know anyone could be put in a situation like this. I feel like the authors message was to show that everyone has their own issues and processes that they go through on a daily basis and hearing about these made the book so realistic. Terrorism is something that the entire world is scared of, it’s so easy to lose your way. Thinking about the people who have lost their lives because of terrorism is something this book shines through, not only suicide bombers but police brutality, war, any horrible event that has forced loss of life. This is one of those books that needs to be read by everyone, people who are racist or islamiphobes should read this also. So many points of view connecting one event. This book has made me cry constantly for the last hour but it needed to be written and it needs to be read.
abby3890's review
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Death, and Murder
kime's review against another edition
3.0
Please visit my book blog: www.thebuzzingbookmark.com
A rather difficult book to review based on the subject matter that it covers. It's tough to say that I enjoyed a book about terrorism and the devastation that it causes.
At the end of the day, this is a well written and rather gripping read. The book isn't very long and I finished it in just under a day, which is testimony to the fact that I did enjoy it. It's a very relevant and topical read, and after waking up on Sunday morning to news about further terror attacks in London, the topic and message of this book is very apt.
I must be honest and say that I found this a rather depressing and upsetting book. I have very strong feelings about the terror that has been unleashed on our world in recent times, and I simply cannot accept the number of senseless murders, the devastation to families and the pure evil that is now part of our world because of these terrorists. I cannot understand how these things can be done in the name of religion. This means that a book like this one was always going to be difficult for me to read. My blood boils when I consider this subject matter.
Having said that, the author did a good job of introducing the characters to us, of making us feel something for them and then of creating an upsetting although somewhat predictable ending. Overall, this is a good read that remains topical in the world we live in today. It's received many great reviews, and many readers have loved it, probably due to its relevance. I thought it was good, but I can't rave about it for the reasons that I set out above. And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the author tries to justify terrorism or terror attacks, because she doesn't, but I'm just not sure that a book about a devastating terror attack is what I want to be reading in current times. It was a good, straight forward story that is bound to get your blood pumping and your emotions flowing.
For me, I think that I'll rather leave my reading about terror attacks to the news reports. Sadly, we seem to have plenty to read in that regard. But if you are after a relevant, moving, emotional and slightly upsetting read, then you may "enjoy" this one.
My Rating: * * *
Publication Date: September 2016
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Trade paperback
Source: My own purchased copy.
A rather difficult book to review based on the subject matter that it covers. It's tough to say that I enjoyed a book about terrorism and the devastation that it causes.
At the end of the day, this is a well written and rather gripping read. The book isn't very long and I finished it in just under a day, which is testimony to the fact that I did enjoy it. It's a very relevant and topical read, and after waking up on Sunday morning to news about further terror attacks in London, the topic and message of this book is very apt.
I must be honest and say that I found this a rather depressing and upsetting book. I have very strong feelings about the terror that has been unleashed on our world in recent times, and I simply cannot accept the number of senseless murders, the devastation to families and the pure evil that is now part of our world because of these terrorists. I cannot understand how these things can be done in the name of religion. This means that a book like this one was always going to be difficult for me to read. My blood boils when I consider this subject matter.
Having said that, the author did a good job of introducing the characters to us, of making us feel something for them and then of creating an upsetting although somewhat predictable ending. Overall, this is a good read that remains topical in the world we live in today. It's received many great reviews, and many readers have loved it, probably due to its relevance. I thought it was good, but I can't rave about it for the reasons that I set out above. And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the author tries to justify terrorism or terror attacks, because she doesn't, but I'm just not sure that a book about a devastating terror attack is what I want to be reading in current times. It was a good, straight forward story that is bound to get your blood pumping and your emotions flowing.
For me, I think that I'll rather leave my reading about terror attacks to the news reports. Sadly, we seem to have plenty to read in that regard. But if you are after a relevant, moving, emotional and slightly upsetting read, then you may "enjoy" this one.
My Rating: * * *
Publication Date: September 2016
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Trade paperback
Source: My own purchased copy.
maalinmariaa's review against another edition
4.0
I kind of wish I wouldn't have read this book because it broke my heart into a million pieces. This story is so sad, gripping and emotional, but yet so beautifully written.