J.G. Kelly's "The Silent Child" blends wartime sorrow with the deep search for identity and belonging. The novel's brutal honesty and heartbreaking story. Kelly's compelling story spans 1944 and 1961, following the Stern family's terrifying experience and Hanna Stern's search for her history. The wonderfully presented characters defy expectations and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

The author's thorough research is visible from Cambridgeshire's Fenlands to wartime Poland's ghost-filled woodlands and Cold War Berlin. The book examines the war's aftermath, memory, identity, and historical trauma.

Kelly writes well, generating situations that stay with readers after the book is completed. The narrative is heartbreaking and has well-developed characters that touch readers. The work is a page-turner and a riveting examination of human spirit under darkness.

Not my usual type of book as I usually avoid Historical fiction however I couldn't help but be drawn in to this beautifully written heartbreaking story.

There has clearly been alot of reseach gone into the writing of this book for which I highly commend the author.

I recommend everyone read this book

This is very different to my usual style of book and pushed me well out of my comfort zone.
It was a long read for me and I spent a lot of time looking up unfamiliar words. I didn’t do history at school, so I used this as an opportunity to learn about the war terminology and found it very interesting.
How utterly devastating though, that this sort of thing happened so very recently in our history.

I thought this was very well written, I loved the story and the characters were believable and likeable, especially Hanna and her father.

I liked the multi point of view and the switching from present and past.
There were lots of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting in this book and I found myself not being able to put down certain chapters.

This would make a great film!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy.

The book is set during the World War 2, and jumps between different time lines. It is such a beautiful story, can't wait to read more books like this in future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the arc of The silent child by J.G Kelly.


5 star read- it was immensely a great read very emotional and heart wrenching over two time period then 1944 in a Nazi Camp Borek and present time 1961.. Very quick read but an amazing one and well written had my heart strings going!

I’m always attracted to books that are set in WWII, and this was no exception. Set in dual time lines of 1944 and 1961, it follows Leo Stern and his family when they are taken to a concentration camp and then the search by Hanna Stern to try to find out what happened to her family during that time, and after. It’s beautifully written, with a story that draws you in so quickly, it’s very well researched and heartbreaking realistic. A book I wanted and needed to finish. The sort of book everyone should read. The most compelling book I’ve read this year.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Utterly impossible for me to put down. A heartbreaking story… I really haven’t been able to put this one down and found I had devoured the entire book in just one sitting… I have loved this book so much, I wish I could give it five hundred stars. All I can say is "WOW - read it. You won't be disappointed

Any book that is based on WWII and Holocaust will catch my eye and I was over the moon when I got this ARC.

This is actually an unusual setting which I actually enjoyed reading.

In 1941, Leo Stern arrives to the camp with his wife Irena and their two children. In order to survive he was forced to do unimaginable things in order to survive his family.

In 1961, Hanna wants to find her real identity and while going through her uncle's possession, she finds that she is Hanna Stern. Along with her friend Peter, they travel to Berlin to find the truth about Hanna's family but there's someone who didnt want her to find the truth.

I was actually engrossed into the story. What interested me most in the story was background of WWII and the Holocaust--the brutal treatment of Jews by the Nazis in the camps was too unbearable and emotional to read that at times, you still couldn't believe that these things did happen in real life. I am guessing the present day is mostly based on Nuremberg trials when the Nazi soldiers were put on trial for their crimes but maybe I was wrong. The past, set in 1940's was the one that was heartbreaking and emotional to read. The author has done tremendous research about the war, the conditions of the camps, the brutal treatment of Jews by the Nazis and did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. I actually enjoyed reading this book and was glad I requested the ARC!

Overall, if you love a historical fiction with an emotional and heartbreaking story that will bring tears, then this book is one for you--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This book was such a beautifully written book that will stay with me for a long time. The story;ine was emotive and heartwrenching and the characters were well developed and have a special place in my heart. I didnt want this book to end. nothing i could say would do this book justice, I cannot recommend this book enough