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A review by micrummey
The Silence Between Breaths by Cath Staincliffe
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.