I asked to review The Silent Treatment based on the many accolades it has already received from other writers.

The US Marketing spiel: 'Resonant with the emotional power of the bestselling novels of David Nicholls and Jojo Moyes, a rich and poignant debut about lies, loss, and a transcendent love at the heart of a troubled marriage.' Not entirely true. David Nicholls and Jojo Moyes books were uplifting whereas The Silent Treatment, while an emotional read, left me depressed.

The premise is of the long and loving marriage of Maggie and Frank being put under immense strain, leading to Maggie being hospitalised and, while she is in a coma, Frank explaining why he hasn't spoken to her for six months.

Their long term love affair and marriage is as troubled as anyone family's might be e.g. an early miscarriage etc. The real problem they both face lies with their relationship with the child they both love and the fact they cannot get through to her. Many parents face similar issues with their adolescent and adult children and the ensuing guilt they suffer, which is always heart- breaking. This is the core of the novel.

By the end Frank is harbouring a secret he cannot bear to share with Maggie and refuses to speak to her for a full six months. But she also has a secret. I didn't find the secrets particularly shocking but the fact that neither could approach the other due to avoiding any hurt was a little surprising to me. After such a long and loving marriage wouldn't your natural inclination be to share? I guess the message was that if you really love someone that much you will avoid any knowledge that you believe might hurt them.

The Silent Treatment didn't move me as much as I thought it would. I enjoyed the beginning and Frank's retelling of his romance with Maggie. The ending was rather predictable. The repetition of how much he loved her, which runs through the entire book, began to grate after a while.

There is already a lot of hype about this book and a box of tissues is recommended. However, my own belief is that The Silent Treatment would have been a stronger book if it had been edited further and been a novella instead. Thank you to NetGalley and Century/RandomHouse for the opportunity to read and review it.

#TheSilentTreatment #NetGalley An emotional book about the roller coaster lives of Frank and Maggie. Their love story draws you in and you really feel the emotions from both Frank and Maggie's perspective. However, I did find the book to very slow to get going and I didn't really enjoy the way the story was told as Frank reliving their whole relationship. For me there was too much detail and not enough action. The change of narrative half way through to show Maggie's perspective did bring about a well needed change of pace but a fairly predictable ending.

A love story.
Ms Greaves describes the nightmarish scenarios so well, I lived them along with Frank. And the lifetime of politeness they live, as a family, as overprotective parents of Eleanor. Each in their own world, but only apparently letting the others into it a very little.
Not exactly an easy r

A gorgeous story with wonderful characterisation and an intriguing hook. An emotional and exhausting read, but brilliantly done.

Abbie Greaves creates a story within a story - we are posed with the question of why this couple haven't spoken in months, and the characters' storytelling will give us our answer. For the first half, Abbie shows and tells, through the husband's storytelling. He's not a natural talker, and struggles to express himself, but must find his voice and speak the truth. It's powerful, experiencing this once-emotionally detached man, find a way to express his fears and feelings. He was the true star of the show.

The pace is brilliant - I was desperate to know what had gone on in Frank and Maggie's marriage, and thought I would want to rush through to find out how it all comes to a head. However, Abbie's incredible story telling (through Frank), had me savouring every word. I loved the stories of them as young adults falling in love, and could relate to the struggles of becoming a 'proper adult', and deciding what you really want in life.

The latter half of the novel switches to storytelling through diary entries/notes. These are from Maggie's point of view for the first time. Whilst we already have a sense of their relationship by this point, it still offers new insight into the marriage and more shocking revelations - there are always two sides to every story. I did prefer Frank's half, but it didn't lose momentum at all here.

As it comes to an end, there isn't a shocking twist, instead it's more devastating revelations for the couple and decisions about moving forward. As I said, it was an emotionally exhausting read, but very well done and I would recommend it to everyone who loves a novel with strong character-focus.

This is essentially a love story between Frank and Maggie -told mainly from Frank's perspective.-and how even though you can love someone so much -circumstances can tear you apart.
I so wanted to love this book and I am not entirely sure why I didn't.
I kept waiting for the big reveal -only to find it was what I had guessed all along .
A good but not great read for me.

Thankyou NetGalley for a ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a stunning debut novel. It is the heartbreakingly sincere inside story of a marriage told by one partner in an attempt to reach the other who is in a coma. There is irony here, in that lack of communication was the cause of the event that led to the coma. Many of the experiences that a long marriage may encounter - honesty, difficulty in conceiving, parenting, mental health, and communication difficulties - are all laid bare within the context of enduring love. It was emotionally exhausting to read as I felt so invested in the characters and I was hoping for a happy ending.

The Silent Treatment blew me away. It was a slow burner which I was desperate to speed through but fortunately the book didn't allow that. I liked the two perspectives and the plot but mostly I adored Frank. At points the novel almost felt like an autobiography, I felt so strongly that we were really getting to know Eleanor. A perfect book.

Frank and Maggie have had a lifetime together but for the last six months, Frank hasn’t uttered a word to Maggie. Life has continued -eating, sleeping, sex - but no words. Maggie has tried to make him talk to her without success. So Maggie takes matters into her own hands.

My first thought on reading the blurb of this book was to wonder what exactly could make a husband stop speaking to his wife for six months? Did she do something wrong? Or did he? Was there something he was ashamed of? Feeling guilty about? The blurb was intriguing but part of me thought this was unrealistic. You can’t share a life and not talk for that length of time.

After reading the book, I can understand why Frank couldn’t speak for that length of time.

This book is most definitely all about the characters of Frank and Maggie. Their daughter is also important but really, it’s Frank and Maggie you need to believe in, to feel something for them and the author masters that. You could possibly regard Frank as a geek but that is what makes his character work. And Maggie is the yin to his yang. As they feel their way through the world of marriage and then parenting, the author drops hints at their abilities to keep secrets from one another but you don’t see the significance until the end. Despite this, the love that Frank and Maggie had for each other is obvious.

“Because that is what love is, isn’t it? Giving without receiving.”

As the book continues and we start to hear both sides of the truth, we see how both Frank and Maggie have tried to protect each other. And we see how they worry that their actions will change the way the other feels about them.

“No one wants to hear the person they have given their live to has the mind of a monster - do they?”

That shows how they perceive their actions, their behaviour.

The build up to the big reveal of Frank and Maggie’s secrets created tension for me and kept me wanting to continue, desperate to find out the truth. When the secret was out, when it is clear how close to the end we are getting, I was an emotional wreck. The actions of Frank and Maggie were actions I could understand. As a parent, I know there is no rule book out there and you do the best you can - but equally you question whether you are doing the right thing constantly. I could imagine myself clearly in both Frank and Maggie’s shoes and I could really feel how they must have felt.

This book will stay with me for a long time. I think this is one of the best debut novels I have read and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Silent Treatment’ by Abbie Greaves in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Frank and Maggie have been married for forty years and there’s no doubt they’ve always loved each other but she can’t understand why he’s not talking to her and hasn’t for the past six months. Then when Frank returns from work he finds Maggie has taken an overdose of pills and she’s taken to hospital unconscious and put in an induced coma with little hope of recovery. Frank urgently needs to tell Maggie why he hasn’t been speaking to her but before he has the chance to he discovers her journal with her ‘confession’ which she wrote for him prior to taking the tablets. Can he reach the hospital to tell Maggie the truth before it’s too late?
‘The Silent Treatment’ is a story in two parts beginning with Frank telling of how he and Maggie met, their marriage and why he couldn’t speak to her, the second part being Maggie’s ‘confession’. This story is beautifully-written with gentle and loving characters who show strength in facing their problems. From page one I became so involved that I finished the book in a day, unable to put it down as I needed to know more about why Frank couldn’t talk to Maggie. The issues covered in this story have been handled with sensitivity and compassion and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. A well-deserved five stars!

Rounded review form 3.5 stars to 4 stars.

As the title suggests, this book follows the marriage of Frank and Maggie with Frank stuck in a bout of 6 months silence unable to talk to his wife.

Maggie ends up in hospital in a coma. With some coercing form a lovely nurse, Frank finds his voice again and tells Maggie's (and us) their story. From their first chance encounter, courting, marriage and their journey as husband and wife. He begins the story in order to tell her his big secret - what has driven him to 6 months of silence.

This is a well written slow read which makes you want to continue reading the book to find out the reason for the silence. The first third of the book is a lot of character building and setting the scene for a life changing event, after this, it is very hard to put down.

Will Frank manage to tell Maggie his secret? Will Maggie wake up? And what will happen to the other character who is introduced in the book?

ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a hard book to get into, it took me several attempts. It’s about a married couple not speaking for 6 months, and when she is admitted into hospital with a serious problem he wishes he had made the effort! I don’t think I would be recommending this to anyone

An involving read that pulls at your heart strings. I loved how the narrative changed from one teller to another.

A Review Of ‘The Silent Treatment’ By Abbie Greaves

Netgalley kindly sent me a copy of Abbie Greave’s, extremely moving, debut novel ‘The Silent Treatment’ due to be published 2nd April 2020.

The main characters Maggie & Frank have spent a lifetime together & after coming through the emotional trauma they face just before their wedding it seems like the foundations of their relationship are rock sturdy & from the outside looking in that they go through their life on the ‘same page’ as each other & in a happy, loving marriage.

But then Frank stops speaking & for the past six months hasn’t uttered a single word. Day after day they go through their routines in utter silence, eating meals together & sleeping together but not one word is spoken between them & Maggie finds this silence totally deafening.

Then one day Frank is in his office when he hears the fire alarm go off, Maggie was cooking tea so he goes to investigate & finds her in the kitchen, unconscious on the floor with an empty bottle of sleeping pills on the table.

Maggie is rushed to hospital & placed in a medically induced coma while the doctors assess the damage. Frank is overwhelmed at the thought of losing his wife & a kind nurse encourages Frank to sit & talk to her so that she can hear his voice & give her something to fight for.

After six months of silence will Frank be able to find his voice again by her bedside & explain to his darling Maggie why he stopped talking & what secrets will he uncover of Maggies when he comes across her journal, in which she is counting down the day’s until she takes the pills unless Frank breaks his silence.

This book is so thought provoking! A loving couple who are both going through such emotional pain in isolation because they stopped communicating & their marriage became mute, a lesson to always stay on the same page in the book of love!

A fantastically clever debut novel full of emotional tension creating a real page turner. One to pre-order for next April folks!

Thank you to Net-galley and Random House UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story wasn’t what I expected it to be, and although I enjoyed Frank and Maggies story, I was confused about which genre I was reading.

I enjoyed the switch in the middle (no spoilers) as it made the story make a little bit more sense, however didn’t find myself getting too invested in the outcome.

Six months ago Frank stopped talking to his wife, Maggie. She isn’t sure exactly why but has a fair idea. Today is the day that Maggie doesn’t feel she can cope with this any longer and takes drastic action.

This is a very emotional story with highs and lows. I admit to having sobbed at various points, particularly the ending. Perhaps a book not to read in public?

What can I say? I certainly don’t want to give out any spoilers. I feel it is imperative that the reader follows Frank & Maggie’s story as they tell it. I really don’t want to spoil such a poignant work.

The characters are great. Very human with their good and bad points, their mistakes, their indecision. Any one of us could easily put ourselves in Frank or Maggie’s place. The story is very up to date, bringing to life issues that many people face on a day to day basis. The book deals with these sensitively without apportioning blame.

I loved this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

This book is very well written. I really like the style in which it is written. A powerful story of love and what others go through to protect their own. Wonderful read. Couldn't get through it quick enough.

I absolutely loved this book, I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough as I was so enthralled by Frank and Maggie’s stories and so eager to discover what had turned Frank mute six months ago. This was beautifully told and I loved Frank who was so utterly in love with Maggie and though she was a more difficult character in her own eyes I really liked Maggie too, she was very human. This unfolds so well and the issues they faced thoughtfully told although I really don’t want to give the plot away so I dare not say much in detail. I felt so much sympathy for both of them and the blame they both felt, this really is a gem of a read.

A relevant and poignant love story that leaves the reader hoping to know more and more as the chapters go by.

Frank and Maggie's love story is full of vibrant feelings that did help me understand how important it is to communicate with the ones you love - it doesn't matter if have a partner or not - it is about communicating with the ones that are around us - friends, family, work colleagues... etc cause we don't really know what silence can lead to.

A love story that will make you cry and laugh and sometimes even get angry at the characters. If only they knew what their secrets will bring...

What an emotional book . The author writes so beautifully of relationships blooming into an unconditional love and what lengths we go to to protect all that is ours.
Wonderful read.

You think you know it all, or know a lot. Well, you don’t. The Silent treatment will teach you more through the essence of silence than through words. A stunning narrative.