BOOK REVIEW || DEAFENING SILENCE BY STEPHANIE ODILI

Hello Guys! How is the week starting? Over here, I’m starting the week with the review of a great book I recently read. I got this review template from Tovelous so please head over to her blog and show her some love. Now, let’s look at the book.

Genre: Fiction

Theme: Civil War, Patriotism, Patriarchy

Chapters: 18

Pages: 213

Publisher: Amber Publishing

Publication date: 2018

Writing style: Descriptive, Tripartite, Unique.

Main characters: Eliza, Chizoba, Diana

Plot: Chizoba is a British-born Nigerian on a quest to find answers to deep questions that have been eating at her soul. Despite being born in Britain, she feels a deep connection to Nigeria and her roots. She is convinced that her destiny is to be a voice of change to Nigeria but she needs answers to certain questions before she can forge ahead.

She meets Diana, a white woman who she discovers is actually Nigerian in more ways than one. This leads her on a journey back to Nigeria where she engages her grandmother, Eliza to tell her story of the civil war. Eliza’s story on one hand is that of trials, patriarchy and suffering. However, it is also one of strength and determination.

She loses three children during this war. Yet, she somehow remains strong. We see so many conflicts and unanswered questions rise. After listening to her grandmother’s story, Chizoba shares with her, her conviction to be a change agent to the world. Her grandmother does not say much to her. Only that “He who knows should speak.”

Favorite character: That would be Eliza. I fell in love with her strength as a person.

Favorite quote: This is more of a favourite ‘part’. It is the letter to destiny written  by Chizoba. See below.

My comment: Deafening Silence is a great book. I really like the writing style. The book is divided into 3 parts probably symbolic of the past, the present and the future. She also gives us different perspectives of the story from different characters.

I also liked that she focused on critical issues that need to be addressed: Millenials that need to be heard, patriarchy that needs to stop and a country that we have to love. She is one of the few young authors I have seen that touch on issues as delicate as the civil war and Biafra.

To be honest, I did not have much personal knowledge on what happened during the civil war, other than what I had learnt in history class. This book made me want to know more and I’m sure it birthed the same hunger in other readers. There is an inclination to ask questions as seen in the book.

I think it is worth the price and you should get your hands on it as soon as you can.

Page turner: It was not exactly suspense-filled in the sense of dying to know what happens next. I don’t think that was the goal. The book served its purpose in bringing us the concrete expression of young teenager on a journey to knowledge while acknowledging her mistakes, struggles and more.

Audience: There are a few explicit parts of the book that you might not want a 10-year-old reading without parental guidance like Emmanuel’s letter to Eliza. I however think it is a book for everybody because it is a story that people of all age groups need to read and be inspired by.

About the author: Stephanie was born in London, England in 1996. She is an alumna of Covenant University Mass Communication Department. She is a novelist, essayist, poet and academic writer. Deafening Silence is her debut novel as well as her first work as founder of Amber Publishing Limited.

My rating: I’ll rate this book 7/10

Here is a link to purchase the book. Be sure to come back and tell me what you think about the book. If you have already read the book, what do you think of this review and what would you rate the book? Let’s talk in the comment section.

Much love.

Your tinyeyed storyteller.