The Silent Boy
""‘The Silent Boy’ is one of the best books of historical fiction I have read so far this year..." "
Synopsis:
Paris during the Revolution and terrible things are happening. A small boy, Charles, is terrified by the sights of blood and murder he witnesses. His response is to keep quiet and not utter another word in case it brings him into danger. His mother is dead and Charles is taken care of by a group of aristocrats who are themselves hiding from the wrath of the common people and come to England for refuge. Charles' father Edward Savill, estranged from his wife, comes to take the boy home, but finds that several individuals have an interest in protecting the boy, and Charles himself is traumatised and holds fast to the mantra- “Say nothing. Not a word. Whatever you see. Whatever you hear… say nothing. Ever.”
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Review:
This is such an original book. The plot is intriguing and beautifully played out with suspense on every corner and the mists of smoke and mirrors confusing the reader at every step. Taylor shows great insight into the mind of the troubled little boy, and also the desires and passions of those who need him. Taylor has researched the period extremely well and the historical background is very important to the atmosphere of the book (and Taylor is always spot on when conveying atmosphere of a bygone era). The terror of those days of revolution is vividly portrayed. The prose is so easy to read and gripped my imagination from page one. As the story proceeds little snippets of information are released, but it is not until the final pages that all becomes clear. Desperate times call for desperate measures and there are several desperate men in this tale. 'The Silent Boy' is one of the best books of historical fiction I have read so far this year (and I read a lot). This comes highly recommended.