This book is on the Shortlist for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year Awards 2024 – Older Readers
George’s life is loud. On the water, though, with everything hushed above and below, she is steady, silent. Then her estranged dad says he needs to talk, and George’s past begins to wake up, looping around her ankles, trying to drag her under.
Everything is a blaring, blazing mess. Could Calliope, the girl who has just cartwheeled into George’s world and shot it through with brilliant, dazzling colour, be her calm among the chaos? – Synopsis
The Quiet and the Loud is a multi-layered coming of age story written by award-winning author Helena Fox. Fox explores a variety of complex themes, including climate change, domestic violence, the impact of trauma, mental health, friendship and first love. There is also a solid LGBTQI+ focus. It is beautifully crafted with rich language that brings the characters to life realistically.
Set in Sydney in 2019, the story unfolds during a summer when enormous wildfires swept over Australia. Millions of animals were killed, and thousands of people were adversely impacted. The protagonist, George, is keeping a painful secret. She feels like her life is out of control, just like the encroaching wildfires. The suffocating smoky air mirrors her own trauma and despair. George seeks quiet because her mind and everything around her is too loud. Her decision to finally speak out coincides with protests, climate action and calls for climate justice.
George lives with her mum Sara, stepmother Mel and grandfather Gramps. And while her dad is not physically present, he takes up a lot of space in George’s head. Her best friend Tess is pregnant and clingy. Tess decided to have a baby on her own at the age of eighteen because she feared she was going to die young. She suffers with anxiety and depression. And their mutual friend, Laz, is dealing with climate grief. Then, quite literally, a girl named Calliope, cartwheels into George’s life. George wants to move forward, but can she move forward without looking back?
I found this to be a very powerful and emotive story. And because George is a very likeable character, I was hopeful that she would find her voice and be able to tell her story. But even though the ending is optimistic, and George happily finds love, she is fully aware that there is always something terrible, if not personally, somewhere. The story highlights the complexity of relationships and the importance of letting go of the past and seeing what is there in the present. The reader is left with hope.
Recommended for ages 13+.
