Customer Reviews

The Raging Quiet

5 star:		(73)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After finishing this wonderful book, I actually had to take a day to ponder over the story and its richly described characters. Marnie, recently married to a man twice her age, travels to their new home together. Marnie, only 16 years old, does not have any romantic feelings towards Isake. She merely married the man to save her family from losing their home.

Upon moving to the village that would become their home, Marnie witnesses a young man being whipped. His name is Raver (because it sounds like he raves like a lunatic when he communicates); however, Marnie later realizes that his problem isn't madness, it is that he cannot hear. During the time that she discovers this kindred soul in the village (Raver, whom she calls Raven), her husband dies. The villagers accuse her of witchcraft that caused her husband's death, and they shun her. As a result, she and Raven end up sharing her cottage, in order to keep themselves away from the violent and angry villagers.

Their only friend is Father Brannan, the kindly village priest, who brings them food and consoles them during their time of frustration with the villagers. Despite Father Brannan's attempts at getting the villagers to welcome both Marnie and Raven, Marnie and Raven discover a life separate from the hatred and segregation of the village, and end up falling in love.

This is a magical, warm story! The characters come to life, so much so, they actually seem like real people. Their energies just come off the page. While I was reading the book, I was so happy that Marnie and Raven found each other -- Raven, having spent 17 years of his life abused, harshly treated, and misunderstood; and Marnie, never knowing the true feelings of romantic love until she came across someone who needed her just as badly as she needed him.

A highly recommended book. Don't let the Young Adult label sway you away from reading this book. This is a book that can be read by anyone at any age.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING AND WELL WORTH YOUR WHILE!!!!!

"The Raging Quiet" by Sheryll Jordan, was one of the most excellent books I've ever read. Strong characters, a great story line, a good setting - they all add up to a wonderful story that can be read again and again.

Marnie is forced to marry a lord, in order to help her peasant family, and she leaves her home for the fishing village of Torcurra. She is not happy living with her drunken husband, who claims that the "cursed", broken down cottage where they live is very valuable. But then, suddenly, he dies in an accident, and Marnie is left to fend for herself.

Seeking friendship in a kind priest, she meets a "mad" boy, who cries and raves, thus called Raver. Soon she learns that "Raven" is not mad, only deaf! Marnie begins teaching him hand signs, and forms a bond with him, but then the villagers brand her a witch, and test her with the iron bar.

This book was wonderful, and I'd recommend it for ages 12 and up. I'd also recommend "Breaking Rank", by Randall, which is another story of prejudice.

THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! It's such a tender and compelling story and the love story in it is wonderful as well. I can relate to all the charactors and I adore Raven! It's my favorite book of all time (and I have read a LOT of books!) the best part is, anyone over 12 or 13 years old (because it does contain a fair amount of romance) can read it! Teenagers will love it and I know a 50 year old who loves it! If you don't read this book you don't know what you're missing! This book makes you feel pride in yourself and makes you want to be who you truly are. It shows the true beauty of diversity. This book will leave you in awe; the amazing, adventerous and passionate story of a young man and a young woman; Marnie and Raven; who are not afraid of being different.

Some truly amazing things come out of New Zealand: the Haka, the Lord of the Rings movies, and this book.

I won't rehash the storyline of this book, as the other reviewers here have already described it very well. I won't give you any spoilers, either, because I hate it when reviewers do that! (Why buy the book when someone has already told you the ending in their review?) What I will say, though, is that writer Sherryl Jordan has gone above and beyond to write this impressive novel. All of the characters in it are good, and the heroine, Marnie, is awesome, but Raven is especially endearing--it is obvious from the way the author has written this touchingly beautiful deaf character that she herself has worked extensively with the deaf. (I find it rather poignant, too, that Raven, a so called 'madman', ultimately turns out to be the sanest person in the whole village!)

Sometimes I am overly generous with my ratings, but this is not one of those times. This really is a five star novel! I notice that it is described as a book for young adults, but seriously, I would thoroughly recommend it to readers of any age who want a mature, intelligent, well written, well thought out novel that will totally grip them and not let them go again! Trust me, this book is better than a whole pack of chocolate biscuits, and will satisfy you for much longer.

Obviously, I totally agree with the other glowing reviews this book has been given on this website. However, I've noticed that it got a few bad reviews, which were all so silly they made me laugh out loud. The reviews written by 'evilgrrlfriday' and 'Nadia Batcha' were particularly laughable--either they were reading a copy of the book with half the pages missing, or they read it the same way my boyfriend sometimes likes to watch videos, by simply 'fast-forwarding' through most of the dialogue. Seriously, this is an easy-to-read, well written book, so how did they manage to misunderstand it so completely? *sigh* My advice is to take those bad reviews with a grain of salt, or even better, to ignore them entirely, because the people who wrote them obviously didn't read or understand this book properly--if they had, then they wouldn't have raised the points or questions they did. The fault is with their comprehension skills, not with the book itself. Read it, and then read the reviews, and you'll know exactly what I mean!

P.S. I actually do have one criticism of this book, and that is that its American cover design is not as nice as the British one. The Brits version is absolutely gorgeous. Even the inside layout on the 'B format' is way better. Check it out on Amazon.uk, where you will at least see the front cover art.

Two words. Powerfully Awesome. This is one of the greatest books I have ever read. The characters are wondefully portrayed, they really seem like real people. All the way through the book I can just picture Marnie, Raven and Father Brannan. I started reading this book last night, at around 10pm.. I finished at 2:58am. I just couldn't stop. By the time I was half way through, I started crying, and didn't stop until the very last page. I have never cried so much over a book, and the emotions this one brought up were amazing. I totally recommend it, I love Sherryl Jordan's books! And this one was just sooo awesome :)

An amazing novel-it shimmers. I picked it up not expecting much, but this is a really well-written and unusual historical romance with a touch of fairytale and fantasy about it. Marnie, a girl fighting the bonds of her life and the cruelty of the world, is a character who's very easy to empathize with as she denies her slowly growing attraction to Raver, the magnetic, wild deaf boy whom she teaches to speak in sign language. Solid plot and really wonderful ending, vivid and tender descriptions and love story, this simple book about a man and woman persecuted by a village's superstition is one in a hundred. Not everyone will absolutely love it-it is very simplistically written and probably for younger readers-but enjoyable for everyone.

I loved it! Jordan intrigued me with her words, and made everything seem so perfectly real to me. I loved the romance in it- Raven was so gentle and serene-- I only wished that they would've waited one more day to make love. Otherwise it was one of the mostest bestest greatest book I've ever read!!!

I have never really understood what separates a young adult book from a plain old adult book. Oh I know there's a certain difference in style of writing, words chosen based on the expected vocabulary of the target audience, but beyond that it's just plots. And who can guess what plot will appeal to who? Some of the books I treasured as a young adult remain favorites today because they're simply good books. But this novel, though marketed and sold for young adults, perhaps even written for them, is one I think can safely be said to appeal to older readers as well.

"The Raging Quiet" is a novel about outsiders. Marnie is a newlywed when her much older husband dies, leaving her alone and without resources in a hostile and enclosed village. The friends she manages to make are the local priest and the village madman-who Marnie discovers quickly, is not mad at all-only deaf and re-names Raven. But soon her "magical" abilities to communicate with Raven make the locals suspense, and have Marnie on trial for her life.

I must say that when I first read this book when I was eleven, I was disturbed by some of the content. So the official warning to parents: this book includes not descriptions of but illusions to rape, sex and a rather descriptive scene of what would now be construed as torture. It's probably not fit for every kid to read. Another reason why I see it as a line crosser.

I enjoyed this the first time I read it but liked it even better the second time. Adult or child this is a good book that's well written.

Four stars.

This was a very well written book with an excellent premise and a quick, exciting plot. The all the characters were very well developed. The main character posessed a depth that is all too rare, and very appreciated. The plot was very good, good enough for me to stay up till one in the morning to finish it. As an avid reader of both childrens literature and adult novels in all genres, I recommend this to anyone who wishes to read a good story.

Because of the many different beliefs, creeds, and attitudes that are found today, there are few things that speak profoundly and universally to people in this world. There are people who respond well to logic, and there are others who believe that logical people are unfeeling, with hearts made of stone. Some people use their feelings to determine meaning, truth, and value, while others consider emotion to be a handicap. The majority of the people, however, will identify with the romanticism, courage, and valiancy of those caught in love's perils. In the book The Raging Quiet, the author Sherryl Jordan takes us back to a time in history when the differences of people and the act of showing compassion toward differences were punishable by death. In Sherryl Jordan's novel for the tender hearted, she is able to effectively appeal to the readers' sense of logos and pathos through the history and setting, through her strong characterizations, and by showing that every man is a flawed man.

History and Setting
Sherryl Jordan begins to unveil the setting in the novel as soon the reading begins. In the very first page, our minds are opened to a perfect image of an old village. The first sentence reads, "The afternoon Marnie came to Torcurra, the villagers were whipping the devils out of a mad boy." The logical reader will automatically deduce that Marnie, being a newcomer to the village, is feeling uncertain of her new situation. The appeal to logos is effective here because it interests the reader in continuing on to find out more about the village, Marnie, and her new predicament. The background information here works for both logical and emotional readers.

Those reading with more emotion will firstly assume that a main character has just been introduced. Marnie, the first main character, is beginning the story with a picture that draws on ethos. In this sentence strong words evoke strong emotions and images. Words such as "villagers", "whipping", and "mad boy" create a clear image that appeals to pathos. First of all, we can see this little antique village where public whippings are still acceptable. Also, imagery is created of village people gathered together to see the spectacle: the whipping of a mad boy. Whipping of the mad boy draws different emotions and pictures as well. It is strange that in Marnie's new village there is a mad boy, and it is assumed that he, being mad, did not know what he did to deserve being whipped. We draw our conclusion that Marnie feels empathy for his situation from the fact that we, as observers and readers, feel a certain amount of pain for his misfortune. This type of appeal in history and setting continue throughout the book.

In the following pages, we find out more about Marnie's situation. The village is described in depth, adding to the mental image the reader has of the setting. It is a small village on the coast. Also, the time period is described repeatedly through context. For example, Marnie and her new husband Isake are traveling by wagon to their new home. Another example is when she wants to eat something she pulls out an oiled cloth with bread and an apple. This book is set in times of antiquity, when the Bible, work, and family were the only things that "normal" people had. By continuously weaving and generating a background and setting for the reader to visualize, the author is allowing for a solid foundation whereon she can build her descriptions of characters and appeal to pathos and logos.

Characterization
From the first few pages, we, as readers, become acquainted with two of the key characters in the book. The first character of key importance is Marnie. Marnie is an interesting and complex character. Her character is impossible to sum up in a single paragraph of grandly written descriptions. To fully get to know Marnie, the entire book has to be read, but it goes without saying that by the time the book is finished, the reader has identified with Marnie in more ways than one.

Marnie is a young woman from a small, pastoral village called Fernleigh. There, she and her family worked as vassals for the Lords of the province. One example of strong characterization for Marnie is in the first chapter of the book. "More used to labor than to sitting still, her small body was shapely and strong. Her face striking, with astonishing blue eyes and a forthright look that often got her into trouble on the farm. Various youths, reading her boldness as brazenness, had at different times tried to grab her in the hay barn or behind the stables, and been soundly walloped for their trouble. Humiliated, they each crowed of success, and gave her a name she did not deserve. They were one part of her old life she did not grieve to leave behind." This characterization functions properly because of the use of concrete physical descriptions, appealing to logical people that read with the necessity to have precise descriptions. It also creates a feel for Marnie's strong personality, appealing to pathos. Because of it is so well written, both emotional and logical readers can identify with Marnie on several levels. Another main character in the book becomes significant through his interactions with Marnie throughout the course of the plot.

A second main character is introduced in the first line of the book, as well. As readers, we come to know intimately the mad boy, later known as Raven, who was being whipped in first part of the book. This is the first in depth description of him: "He was not a boy, she realized; he was a young man, perhaps a little older than herself. His eyes were age-old, sad, and an unusual violet gray. Long hair, dark as coal, shone wet against his pallid skin, and a shadow of a beard darkened his jaw and chin. His cheeks were bruised, there were welts on his wrists from the binding, and his knuckles were raw. He had been badly cut on the head, and blood, faint-colored from the rain, ran down his shoulder and chest. He was wearing a ragged brown knee-length tunic, but no leggings or shoes." For all readers, it has already been established that this young man is in some sort of predicament. It adds to our empathy for the mad boy because of the descriptions here. For example, "his eyes were age-old, sad..." lets the reader know he has suffered through many bad life experiences that have given him wisdom and understanding of the bottom side of life.

Every Man is Flawed
Throughout the course of the plot, various characters and situations define the theme that every man is a flawed man. Everybody has seen the bottom side of life and felt the type of pain that comes with happenstance and misfortune. This theme is apparent in many different aspects. The most obvious example of this theme is in Raven. Raven, we find out, is a deaf man. He has never been able to hear and has never been able to speak. The village people, thinking he was possessed, whipped him to "purify" him of his supposed devils. Readers respond well to this because we have the knowledge to understand that Raven has no idea that he's deaf. He only knows that he's different, and that difference causes him pain. Marnie is another example of the theme that everyone has flaws.

Marnie, though physically perfect and absolutely gorgeous, smart, funny, and compassionate, is labeled as "flawed" when she, in subsequent chapters, takes pity on Raven. Marnie begins to feed and look after the starving man, and soon, she realizes that he is extremely sweet, smart, and talented; he's an actual person. To help him develop his talents, she begins to try and teach him the only kind of language he can understand: sign language. As Marnie finds herself falling in love with Raven, the villagers begin to increasingly shun and ridicule her. The appeal to both logos and pathos here is in the fact that Marnie has a good heart, and she is being punished for her love and compassion.

Conclusion
Despite differences that each person has with the rest of the world, love is a universal concept. It is a timeless, age-honored, and classic theme that resounds in the hearts of both the very tender and even the most logical. The historical setting of the book takes the readers back to a time and place where differing from the social norm was unacceptable and punishable. In the case of Marnie and Raven, the villagers were able to inflict emotional and physical pain on both of them because their association with each other was wrongly considered by the villagers to be odd and therefore devilish. Because of the vivid setting, the author was able to develop versatile characters that related to the audience in multiple ways. The audience, by the end of the book, had a strong emotional attachment to the fates of Marnie and Raven. Throughout the entire book the themes of love and human imperfection are obvious. Every character in the plot presents a new aspect of human flaw, which creates an interesting element of the plot to consider while reading the book. The Raging Quiet is an inspiring novel that speaks loudly to its audience and forges compassion for the things in this world that seem impossible to love.