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riaryan's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I don't think I've ever felt more tense and uneasy while reading a book than I have with this one, right up to the very last page! Full of moral dilemmas and a book which really stands the test of time.
seaswift14's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
haoife00's review
1.0
This going to be more of a rant..but I really need to let my feelings out. I think this is one of the worst books I've read in ages (the only reason I finished it was because it's for school). The characters are boring and I really didn't care for them throughout the book. The pacing was terrible and I wasn't "gripped" by anything that happened. The author actually managed to make the whole plot incredibly dull. The whole thing was dragged out so much that I was anticipating for a good twist at the end but was disappointed. He was shot - oh wow. He deserved it. He was an annoying, indecisive bastard. His wife was equally irritating. Keep away from this book :(
_camk_'s review
2.0
I had to study Lies of Silence for my Leaving Cert English class and then write an essay on it which has added to my dislike towards this book.
I found it cliched. I know a lot of what was depicted in the book probably happened to someone during the troubles but I still couldn't buy into it which I think it might have been because I didn't like Moore's writing style.
I found it cliched. I know a lot of what was depicted in the book probably happened to someone during the troubles but I still couldn't buy into it which I think it might have been because I didn't like Moore's writing style.
anrudjord's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sara_gafner's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
This book was shitty.
emmaschaer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
thisarthoe's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mfjellstrom's review
1.0
Michael Dillon is about to turn his life around. He has decided to leave his beautiful but superficial wife Moira for his girlfriend Andrea, and together with Andrea he is about to start a new life in London. But just when he is about to drop the news to his wife the IRA (the Irish Republican Army) breaks into their house and they are taken hostage. Dillon is faced with a dilemma. He can inform the police about the bomb that the IRA has planted in his car and save dozens of guests at the Clarence Hotel where he works; or, he can insure the safety of his wife by doing what he is told and consequently be the cause of innocent strangers getting blown up.
It is understandable that lies of silence got shortlisted for the booker prize because it does accomplish to create a suspense, a setting of political and religious tension and it manages to show how people’s actions can surprise us when they are put in threatening situations. In a way a cleverly written book, with lack of descriptions and told from the decisive and boring Dillon’s point of view; nevertheless, it is a predicable story. In chapter two one already knows how the book is going to end, and two hundred pages later: yes, it is interesting that Dillon is the main character and at the same time the coward but ultimately it is annoying how he goes about to get his life back. Because nobody in fear of his or her life, with any sort of self-preservation, would act as Dillon does. Nobody.
An interesting read because of how it is constructed. The lack of a descriptive narrative and the chose of protagonist and point of view prove that it is possible to write about anything in any way. However, it does not necessarily produce a good novel.
It is understandable that lies of silence got shortlisted for the booker prize because it does accomplish to create a suspense, a setting of political and religious tension and it manages to show how people’s actions can surprise us when they are put in threatening situations. In a way a cleverly written book, with lack of descriptions and told from the decisive and boring Dillon’s point of view; nevertheless, it is a predicable story. In chapter two one already knows how the book is going to end, and two hundred pages later: yes, it is interesting that Dillon is the main character and at the same time the coward but ultimately it is annoying how he goes about to get his life back. Because nobody in fear of his or her life, with any sort of self-preservation, would act as Dillon does. Nobody.
An interesting read because of how it is constructed. The lack of a descriptive narrative and the chose of protagonist and point of view prove that it is possible to write about anything in any way. However, it does not necessarily produce a good novel.