I really really liked this - O'Neill is a solid 4 star author for me.
As a thriller, it was just 'good' - I figured the whole thing out pretty quickly - but, as (and this is where Louise O'Neill comes into her own) a complex character study. as an exploration of what makes people sty in toxic, abusive situations, as a compelling and well thought out story that dares to stand out and be bold, as a compulsively uncomfortable but important read, this was stand out.

This book was reviewed as part of my September Reading Wrap Up on YouTube https://youtu.be/pqwJ03pbVoM

It was also featured in a book haul https://youtu.be/xAktKDEkfIk

Louise O’Neill’s After the Silence is an absolute must read, but, not for the reason you’d think. This is a great psychological thriller, but the murder mystery storyline isn’t the reason I think this novel is so very necessary, though I did enjoy it and guessed who had done it not nearly as early as I normally do. No, the reason that I was hooked, unable to put this down, heart beating hard in my chest, was the acutely perceptive and sincere portrayal it gives of domestic abuse, and more specifically coercive control.

Coercive control is not a form of abuse that leaves obvious or physical traces, but is often all the more terrifying for it’s incremental dominance over another which this novel represents outstandingly well. It is explained perfectly in this when the question is asked regarding why “women don’t just leave”:
“Kimberly: I want you to put a few things on the table. Your house keys to start. You got that? Now, your car keys. Your wallet containing all the money you have in the world, and every one of your credit cards. And last of all, I want the shoes off your feet. We good?
Noah: Yes.
Kimberly: From here on out, these items belong to me. You can’t touch them again without asking for my permission. Is that clear?
Noah: Crystal.
Kimberly: Now tell me, Mr Wilson. Why don’t you just leave?”
As is explained in the Authors Note, this analogy is taken from Evan Stark’s book, Coercive Control: The Entrapment of Women in Personal Life. And the Authors Note and Bibliography show just how well researched this storyline was, which was obvious throughout (and I’ll definitely be taking a look at some of the books mentioned there).

I enjoyed the story very much. It took me a while the understand the use of past and present tense, but once I’d cottoned on I enjoyed both equally (which can be rare). I can’t say I liked most of the characters, though I think that was the point, but I felt connected to them, interwoven in their lives, and desperately wanted to find out what happened to The Crowley Girl. I liked the aspect of the documentary filming, especially living through the finished film at the end, and thought it gave a more unique spin on the whodunnit prose.

Overall I absolutely will be recommending this book. This is surprisingly only the second novel of O’Neill’s I’ve read, but as I’ve found both to be very strong reads I’ve just bought ‘Asking For It’ (which is currently on sale on the Kindle Store for 99p!). 5 stars from me for the superb portrayal of domestic abuse within a page-turning mystery; a novel that provides insightful exploration of the misogynistic discourse surrounding the media, gender, age, marital relationships and domestic abuse.

*I received an advance review copy of After the Silence from the publisher through NetGalley.

This is the first book I've read by Louise O'Neill and what a bloody fantastic book. I absolutely loved it. Completely unputdownable. Brilliant characters with depth and a gripping plot that just got better and better as I read it. It's a chilling story and quite sad in parts because it deals with Domestic Abuse and I no from first hand experience how that can effect people. The story is told in the past and present and it was easy to differentiate between the two. This book and the characters will stay with me for a long time to come. A huge thank you to Netgally and Quercas for allowing me a free ARC.

Okay look. I think Louise O'Neill is excellent. Asking For It is one of my favourite books. But honestly, I'm not sure where she was going with this.

Primarily, I found her leap to murder-mystery very strange. This, combined with her need to push her Oirish heritage, really grated on me- but we'll come back to that.

I won't rehash the plot, but basically it's your typical happy-marriage-and-the-other-woman story. Imagine how that story ends, and you're basically there. It lacked exploration, I didn't feel any depth in the characters, and in particular I had no major affiliation towards any of them. When you consider the fact that the plot is basically asking you who you thought murdered The Crowley Girl- I knew exactly who it was, but also wasn't rooting for any of them. I didn't particularly care who did it, and I didn't care how they got through it.

Finally, I especially disliked her sprinkling of Irish language and heritage for 'authenticity'. It felt false and forced, and ultimately it was jarring. I am from Cork and fluent in Irish, and many of the phrases are outdated and felt unnecessary. Throwing around the limited 'focail' does not build atmosphere.

A somewhat puzzling read from Louise O’Neill here, but I think that’s because I was expecting the focus to be more on the mystery.
Keelin Kinsella is a local girl, who has a seemingly successful second marriage to Henry. They are wealthy, and renowned for their shows of wealth. Locals on the island have never fully accepted Henry, and when one of the young triplets feted on the island is found dead after a wild party at the Kinsella’s people assume the hosts were involved. Ten years on, nobody has been charged with her death. People talk. Someone knows what happened, but it seems to be a mystery that will remain unsolved.
A couple of documentary makers come to visit the island and see if they can unearth new evidence. At the request of her husband Keelin befriends them and tries to influence the picture given. Of course we want to know why, and what she’s hiding.
While I spent a fairly substantial part of the book waiting to learn the truth about this event, it was evident that the focus was on those involved and uncovering the truth of their reality. From the relationship between Henry and Keelin and the details of their past, it was clear that this was not a healthy relationship. O’Neill deftly explores the reality of domestic violence and the ways in which those affected by it might respond/reflect on it.
When we eventually got to the uncovering of the evening in question, I had suspected that our obvious candidate was not the one responsible. It was evident that a number of those at the party knew the truth and chose to cover it up. However they justify their actions, there was a part of me that was so disgusted by the behaviour/attitude shown by certain characters that I was rather disappointed when we learned the truth.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in advance of publication. It certainly gave me food for thought.

I thought this book started well. The premise was good, domestic violence, unrequited love, secrets and lies. It was plausible, not always totally predictable, but I was really irked by the constant steam of concluding phrases in each chapter referring to what she had done, what nobody knew, if only they knew what she’d done, how could she ever forget....,, I love suspense in a book, I love when I’m hooked and can’t wait to read on, but I felt here we were being begged to proceed. Obviously we knew there was more to the story, that there was plenty we hadn’t been told, but I really didn’t think we needed to be drop fed temptations to encourage us to read on. I didn’t feel it added to the story and I don’t think the story needed them but would have been fine as a suspense filled thriller surviving on it’s own merit.

I have to be honest and say that I really struggled with this book and in the end I didn’t finish it. I know that many have loved it but it obviously just wasn’t for me.

Nessa Crowley was murdered at a birthday party but no one was ever convicted. Everyone on the little island of Inisrún believes that Henry Kinsella killed her. Now a documentary crew is investigating the case but can the be found out.

This was an interesting premise and mystery but the story didn't hold my attention enough. I figured out early on who was actually behind the murder. The story jumps from the days of the murder to present day. We also hear snippets from others involved in the case. The plot was a little slow and the ending worked but just wasn't dramatic enough for me. The characters are all unlikeable even the victim but it fits with the story.

Synopsis

The Crowley Girls. Beautiful, charismatic, inseparable. Until one of them is found dead.

Having died during a wild and drug-fuelled party at the Kinsella’s, the islanders of Inisrun have always suspected Henry and Keelin Kinsella for Nessa Crowley’s death. However, with no evidence to make a conviction, the crime remains unsolved.

Ten years later, a documentary crew arrive on Inisrun, determined to unearth the truth of what happened to Nessa. However, the Kinsella’s aren’t willing to break their silence, and will go to any lengths to cover up what they know about Nessa Crowley’s death.

Review

As a huge fan of psychological thrillers, I was very excited to read Louise O’Neill’s take on the genre and ‘After the Silence’ did not disappoint. Focusing on obsessive relationships, domestic abuse and the lengths people will go to for love and for themselves, do not go into ‘After the Silence’ expecting a light-hearted read. O’Neill’s writing is incredibly atmospheric, with her use of an island setting in a storm adding to the close and isolating feel of the book. The tension in this book is built at a deliciously steady pace, creating the perfect slow-burn which I personally loved. Whilst there is plenty of plot to drive the story forwards, this is much more a study of character than your typical murder mystery. Keelin Kinsella is such a complex character and is, at times, both likeable and unlikeable at once, which makes this such a compelling read as you want to find out what makes her tick.

The absolute highlight of this book for me was its haunting and horrifying climax. Whilst it may be slightly predictable, it is so chilling, and when I thought through the implications I felt sick – a real indicator of this book having been written by a powerful storyteller. Upon reflection, the book is even darker than it appears on the surface, making it linger with you long after you’ve finished reading. This is exactly what a great psychological thriller should achieve, which I why I adored this book and would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a slow-burning, character-focused thriller.

Trigger Warnings: domestic abuse, coercive control, murder, gaslighting, marital rape, eating disorders

(N.B. Apologies if I have missed any trigger warnings – I read this book a couple of weeks before writing this up. If you’d like to give it a go and are concerned about any of the content, you can email me and I’ll do my best to find out if a particular trigger is featured.)

Rating: 5/5

This book took a long time to get into. I felt the first 25 per cent or so was a struggle to connect with, but I did feel it pick up after that.

Louise O'Neill is a pro at writing unlikeable characters, and Henry Kinsella is another triumph in this category. He's horrifically unlikeable, controlling, and abusive. Evie was another highly unlikeable character, but to be honest I found her addition in the book completely superfluous. You could have removed her entirely with little to no impact on the book.

There's a big trigger warning for domestic violence in this book, and I think that was dealt with brilliantly. However, I think it was strong enough as a story arc that it could have been its own book.

Keelin was born & brought up on a small island off the Irish coast. She left to marry & the only good thing to come out of that abusive relationship was her son. She returned to the island to marry the rich Henry Kinsella. He has created an artistic retreat Keelin finds it quite difficult, although she is a native, she doesn't feel like one any more. At her birthday party during a storm Nessa, a young girl, is murdered. Although no-one could leave the island until the storm abated & the police had bee, no-one was ever convicted. However Nessa was highly regarded, one of them. It was a well publicised case. Suspicion lay heavily on the Kinsella's. A documentary crew come to the island to try & find the truth.

This may have been supposed to be murder mystery, but it mainly featured on the domestic abuse that Keelin endured. She had a great talent for picking the wrong men, however I struggled to really empathise with her. In fact all the characters were pretty awful. That, the tendency to lapse into Gaelic every couple of paragraphs & the switching of time lines made this a bit of a slog to read.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

After The Silence
Author: Louise O’Neill
Publisher: Quercus Books
Publication Date: 3rd September 2020


No spoilers.

Dark and unsettling tale enriched by beautifully descriptive passages about the culture, language and landscape of a small island off the coast of Ireland.
Moving between the present day and the murder, 10 years before, of a young girl at a birthday party, tense and unpredictable this is really the story of a marriage and family and the subtle forms of domestic abuse that permeate it. Just when I thought I’d sussed the ending it surprised me with a further twist and left me thinking about it for a long while afterwards.

I’d like to thank the author, publisher and netgalley for providing me with this advance digital copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

First things first, let me start by saying I absolutely loved this book. A perfect who dunnit scenario….

10 years ago on a small Island off the coast of Cork, Nessa Crowley was murdered at the “big house” where and Henry Kinsella was hosting a birthday party for his wife Keelin. Nobody was ever held “officially” accountable!

Now two young Australian men have arrived on Inisrún to interview for a documentary they are producing surrounding the mysterious death of Nessa, what happened to her, who did this to her, can they can to the bottom of it where so many others have failed and give her family peace at last?

As you can imagine, life on a small Island, you can’t do or say anything without someone knowing and rumours run rife, Henry has always been pegged as having murdered Nessa by the islanders especially with him being an outsider whom they’ve never trusted but unfortunately the island became heavily reliant on him and his family’s wealth, however, there are more suspects than just Henry! In a bid to move on with life and hopefully prove his innocence once and for all to the islanders, Henry gives all access to the Australians, is this a move he will live to regret!!!

Its hard to say too much without giving vital clues away, this book in my opinion was perfectly laid out, it has so many layers to it, touching on numerous topics including domestic abuse both physically and mentally, I couldn’t stop reading, it was a case of I had to know and with so many red herrings to keep you guessing, I just didn’t want to put it down. Can’t fault it!

A gripping story that centres around the mysterious death of Nessa Crowley- one of the "Crowley Girls" on the small Irish island of Inisrún. We're teased with the story which happened 10 years previously while central protagonists - Keelin and Henry Kinsella are being interviewed for a documentary about the case. I changed my mind on who had committed the murder as the story progresses, and although I was ultimately right in my initial thought, it was still a bit of a shock. Through the story and behind everything in Keelin's life is the theme of domestic abuse - her first marriage in which she was trapped at a young age was to a physically violent man, and she escaped with her baby son back to the island. Her happy marriage to Henry appears to be anything but to everyone bar Keelin - he is manipulative and controlling. But ultimately, there is so much more to that relationship than meets the eye. An engrossing read. #netgalley #afterthesilence

I enjoyed After the Silence but found it to be a bit too long to fully hold my attention. The book is written very well, the plot is intriguing and will keep the reader guessing. It is clear that the lead character Keelin carries her own guilt, along with a fragile mind and an overbearing, overprotective husband, a reclusive son and a daughter who can't stand her. Understanding the family dynamic comes as we find out more about what has happened to the family and how the events played out on the tragic night that Nessa lost her life.

There are lots of diversions in this book. Attempts to try and get the reader to suspect different characters come with every chapter and I went back and forth multiple times with who I suspected.

The grand reveal of the truth was a bit flat which I found a little disappointing but this is just my opinion. I do think there will be lots of readers who will find it thoroughly enjoyable, it just wasn't quite as good as I hoped.

I would recommend After the Silence as it is a very well written book, if a little long for my personal enjoyment.

Thank you to NetGalley, Louise O'Neill and Quercus Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although framed in a thriller, this is really an exploration of domestic violence and abuse, and the different forms it can take. Dark, compulsive and sharply insightful.

Really enjoyed the chilling travel through time in "After the Silence". A story of rich outsiders on an isolated island community. The sense of Irish identity came through strongly in Louise O'Neill's use of Irish phrases. A girl is dead after a glamorous party, one of the famous and enchanting local "Crowley girls". Isolation is a key theme both within the family and within Keelin herself. Domestic abuse and the different forms it can take is at the heart of the novel, not merely physical violence but the entrapment and gas lighting of coercive control. Domestic abuse and also sexual coercion is not confined to certain types of people, to their class, to poverty or to professions. Keelin's sense of who is she is and what her future holds is sensitively written.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the setting - a very atmospheric, spooky island off the coast of Ireland. Initially I found it to be a slow burner and a little tricky to work out what was happening as book dips from last to present in various points of view. I think this will probably be easier to follow in a proper printed format- I had access to a digital arc. I thought I had the characters sussed but a fantastic ending left me questioning what I really thought of them.

Triggers - domestic violence

Thanks to netgalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review

I was really excited about this. I love other books and this did not disappoint. I couldn't put it down and thoroughly enjoyed it.