A Quiet Storm: A Novel [Paperback]

Rachel Howzell Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2002

In this vividly written, suspense-driven novel, the secrets shared between two sisters erupt in tragedy.

Rikki Moore was always the star of the family, easily outshining her younger sister, Stacy, at every turn. Smart, kind, and beautiful, it was no surprise when Rikki met and married the perfect man -- pediatrician Matt Dresden. Her students at 59th Street Elementary School adored her, the church matrons solicited her help on every committee, and everyone wanted the golden couple to put in an appearance at their parties. Stacy? She was just the overweight little sister who couldn't get her love life together.

But the world didn't know about the storms that rippled just beneath the surface of Rikki's image of perfection. Ever since she was a teenager there were emotional breakdowns and obsessive behaviors -- secrets that Stacy was left to bear alone. Folks whispered, but they didn't know. When Rikki's husband, Matt, mysteriously disappears, however, the Moore family's carefully constructed image comes crashing down.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Stacy and Rikki Moore are troubled siblings in a well-to-do African-American family obsessed with appearances in A Quiet Storm, the debut novel from Rachel Howzell Hall. From a young age, Stacy desperately tries to cover for unstable Nikki-a girl otherwise blessed with talent, intelligence, beauty and popularity-but ends up overweight and living in her younger sister's shadow. Despite her achievements, Nikki goes from being a girl who "wept at the sight of a stray cat" to a volatile adolescent who tries to commit suicide and an adult who is suspected of murdering her pediatrician husband, Matt, after their marriage falls apart. The author portrays mental illness (including the denial of it) with realism and sensitivity, but what really sets this novel apart is Stacey's lively narration, which crackles with dark humor, wisdom and self-deprecation. Though Hall tends to paint with broad strokes, she is capable of skillfully imbuing even the most over-the-top scenes with subtlety and fresh insight.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Insightful and empathic, first novelist Hall's portrayal of bipolar disorder and its long-term effects on an African American family grabs readers from the start. Stacy, the narrator, begins her story with a childhood memory of a storm and goes on to liken her sister's life to a series of storms, an image that works very well. Stacy is compelled by family expectations to watch over and protect Arika, a sensitive child and then a troubled teen who grows into an unpredictable adult. As Rikki's illness progresses, their parents wring their hands helplessly, unable to cope. Counseling and drug therapy are sought only after Rikki's suicide attempt, but her sporadic use of her medication renders both therapies ineffectual. Despite her disorder, Rikki becomes a successful teacher and marries a wealthy doctor, though her bouts of crying and obsessive behavior eventually put her job and her marriage at risk. Meanwhile, the stress of continuing to watch out for her sister ruins Stacy's marriage and her health as well. While Arika's path to self-destruction is predictable, the shocking conclusion alone is worth the price of the book. A surprisingly accurate and touching drama of chronic mental illness, this compelling story is recommended for public libraries and book groups. - Jennifer Baker, Seattle P.L.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 249 pages
• Publisher: Scribner; Original edition (September 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074322616X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743226165
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #990,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rachel Howzell Hall was born and raised in Los Angeles. An avid reader and lover of books, she received her B.A. in English and American Literature from University of California at Santa Cruz. While at Santa Cruz, she helped charter the Pi Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.

Her professional writing career started with a position at Black Radio Exclusive, an urban weekly music trade magazine. As the executive assistant and copy editor, she wrote columns, reviewed concerts, listening parties and albums; and of course, edited copy. As a freelance columnist for the now-defunct entertainment website, sneeker.com, she reviewed CDs and wrote columns for the "Relationships" segment of the site until the e-bubble busted. Since then, she has worked for several non-profit organizations, including PEN Center USA West (a member since 2002) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. Currently, Rachel is a writer and assistant development director at City of Hope, a national leader in cancer research and treatment.

She is the author of A Quiet Storm, The View from Here and No One Knows You're Here. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband David, and their daughter Maya.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A peak into mental illness, September 1, 2002

By 

andrea howard (california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Quiet Storm: A Novel (Paperback)

A Quiet Storm is a vividly, riveting tale of how one family handles the issue of mental illness. I enjoyed the book and the way the author accurately portrayed the symptoms and life struggles of a woman with a mental illness. The book makes you laugh and cry. The book does an excellent job of portraying a family trying to maintain the status quo in the midst of a swirl of family secrets and betrayal. The relationship between the two sisters is masterfully written. As a mental health professional I have listened to the story of many clients who struggle with these issues as they try to make it from day to day.

The book is spellbinding. A great book for book clubs.
The author has a real gift for painting a word picture.
Though the book is fiction, the story could be one we hear of unfortunately in real life. This book is a must read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great 1st effort, September 30, 2002

By 

tracey burnett (West Covina, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Quiet Storm: A Novel (Paperback)

My bookclub read this book... We enjoyed it. I think that Howzell gave a realistic portrayal of how medication is not always the "band-aid" or "cure-all" in mental disorders. She showed how the main character Rikki felt like [junk] while taking medication and how she acted like [junk] out while off her medication. She showed the struggle one goes through vividly. Howzell tried to wind an underlying "faith" in God throughout the story, always going back to it. You don't see that often unless it is a Christian book very often. I think Rachel Howzell Hall is promising and I look forward to her next book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I ignore it, then the problem does not exist, October 30, 2002

By 

J.C. Wallington "jnettefrommi" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Quiet Storm: A Novel (Paperback)

Stacy Moore was younger than her sister Arika (Rikki) by eleven months, not that you would know this by their behavior. As a young child she was charged with the responsibility to serve as her sister's protector. Their parents recognized that Rikki was special, but they refused to accept the obvious signs and eventual diagnosis of Rikki. They turned to religion and denial to cope with their daughter. Therefore Stacy was beating up "Stinky Pam", taking the blame for things she did not do, putting Rikki's needs before her own, everyone and everything. It was expected of her, it was ingrained in her, it was the only thing she knew to do. However, instead of being a help to her, she was an enabler.

Rikki finished college and married Dr. Matt Dresden. Even with her wild, unpredictable behaviors he tried to stick by her side and seek help for her. Most of the time, Rikki was in complete denial of her disease, having her mother's continual denial and Stacy saving her all the time, allowed Rikki to spin on in a manic/depressive state for years. Not even the doctors could help her. In the attempt to keep the secret and protect Rikki, the family paid the ultimate sacrifice, which could have been avoided.

This was a wonderful, compelling read about how mental illness can effect a family and relationships. It also showed how the reaction of the family can effect the recovery of the victim. True to many African American families, they more often than naught would turn to religion and denial, than to deal with the problem straightforward. As a reader, there were times when I would get so frustrated with the family, I had to take a break, but the story was so interesting it kept drawing me back. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a family member or a friend who suffers from any type of mental illness, and to anyone looking for a good read.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub