Customer Reviews

The Other Side Of Silence

5 star:		(7)
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There really are two stories in this book. From the novel's opening description of the omnipresent and menacing "Clown Mountain," to the poignant broken toy truck resting in the dust at the Dennehan homestead, the reader is carried, like it or not, to the novel's tragic conclusion. In one sense, the reader's journey is similar to the one that Jonathon, the main character, takes from childhood to adolescence. Like the reader's sense of impending doom, Jonathon's journey through adolescence is full of impatience and apprehension. Along this journey, Jonathon passes familiar mileposts: his first sexual awareness; the realization that his father is not invincible; and life's unfairness. This is a coming-of-age novel that is unique because it appeals to the young and the old in language they both understand. It reminds us that, yes, life is hard, but that only through love is it worth living nonetheless. This is why the contrast between the two families in this book is so compelling. One family is full of love and hope; the other is not. Jonathon comes to understand this, and thus, becomes the bridge between these two worlds.

The Other Side of Silence quickly captured my imagination and I was transported to post-depression times in the mountains of Asheville. Terrell writes with the heart of a poet and the eye of a painter, the hallmark of classic Southern story-telling. Each character is distinct and fleshed out, and I enjoyed being the observer. I plan to re-read this book (which I rarely do) so that I can savor the images again.

This book reminds me of all the sweetness, excitement and suspense I felt reading To Kill A Mockingbird years ago. Seeing life through a child's eyes - feeling all the wonder and confusion with relationships - dealing with life's good and evil - this small book packs a great story. I just wish there were more of it! I highly recommend it.

As in his earlier work, "Time of Music, Time of Magic," Terrell vividly evokes a time and place, and again displays his great ear for dialogue and keen sense of pacing. A delightful, absorbing tale. This time, not from the point of view of an adult, but rather a 10-year-old boy. Convincingly we experience a milestone summer of transitions, realization, adventure, and tragedy with young Jonathon and his siblings and cousins. This makes the book an enticing read for young adults, who may have recently experienced similar milestones, as well as for adults whose memory of childhood transitions will be rekindled. I highly recommend this beautifully written work.

This is a wonderful short novel, which I honestly recommend. The author, who has a great ear for dialogue, and a real talent for fine descriptive detail, genuinely captures a child's world in Asheville, N. C. in the late 1930s. The innocence of a summer of fun at a swimming hole of their own creation -- an innocence that is realistically portrayed, and never maudlin -- becomes complicated by the main character's growing awareness of the sadness and dangers of adulthood. Sadness, as he watches his father struggle to find work and grapples with his own part in the shared family shame of this Depression-era reality. Dangers, as he witnesses the looming evil of the crazy drunkard who lives in the 'pig-pen house' in the shadow of scary Clown Mountain. The author holds us in suspense as these stories unfold.

Along the way are wonderful coming-of-age vignettes, including one particularly poignant chapter that describes a morning in which Jonathan, the main pre-adolescent character, finds himself shaken by the reality of a dead bird he kills with his older brother's BB gun, and then moments later is equally shaken -- in a wholly different way -- when he accidentally walks in on his teenage girl cousin stepping out of her bath.

I highly recommend this beautifully paced, engrossing novel.

I could not put this book down until I had finished it. The author shows an extraordinary understanding of the minds and lives of children and a wonderful ability to convey that to the reader. In addition his understanding of the Great Depression and its effects on the lives of individual families is extremely accurate, and I am speaking as someone who lived through it. And all along through the pages of the book is some impending doom that one longs to learn about and at the same time is afraid to do so. Thumbs up on this one and we will hope for more good books by Mr. Terrell.

Donald Harris

This poignant and moving story captures the essences of childhood, and the conflicts, hopes and dreams that go with it. At the same time, the novel projects a sense of excitement and drama that builds to a page-turning climax. Very highly recommended for ALL AGES.