Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC and Scribner #partner, for the advanced copy of A Quiet Life in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Scribner / Simon & Schuster ALC
Published: November 29, 2022
Summary:
From the author of A Little Hope—a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick—comes an enormously powerful and life-affirming novel about three individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways.
Set in a close-knit Pennsylvania suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.
Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat—that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become accustomed to in retirement, after a lifetime of working and raising two children. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her things—her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer—as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.
Ella Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news—any piece of information—about her missing daughter. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out one day.
After the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface—and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads.
In this beautifully crafted and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. Emotionally riveting and infused with hope, A Quiet Life celebrates humanity in the midst of uncertainty.
My thoughts:
I absolutely loved Ethan Joella’s debut novel, A Little Hope, so of course I was thrilled when I received a copy of his sophomore book and I loved it just as much, if not a little more. While both books are quiet reads, they are emotionally powerful ones that stay with you long after you finish reading them.
This book is about loss and the different ways people experience it and how they try to move forward. It alternates between three points of view and I immediately fell in love with all three characters, plus the secondary ones as well. The author has such a wonderful way of creating dynamic, richly drawn characters that are so real and relatable. I felt like Chuck, Ella and Kirsten were all sketches of people I know in some way and I could even see bits of myself in them.
The beauty of this story is in the way these three lives intersect. It’s little acts of kindness that bring them together. It’s a great reminder that we never know what someone else is going through and why human connection is so important. And it is this message that couldn’t come at a more opportune time when we enter such a busy season. It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress of life and forget that kindness goes a long way. This isn’t a flashy novel, but rather a story about life – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and how it is through forgiveness, acceptance and kindness that we can find a way forward when life gets tough.
I loved this story and will be recommending it to everyone!
Audio thoughts:
I listened to this one and loved that there was a cast of narrators. Having three narrators for each of the three main characters really made this audio stand out and I think Stacey Glemboski, Melissa Redmond and Byron Wagner did a great job bringing the story to life. Each infused just the right amount of emotion into their voice as needed and their pacing was spot on.
