Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

What was the point of this book?
There was absolutely no plot. So many thing were happening and none of them mattered to the story. I was confused most of the time.

Also having a character (a teen might I add) who purposefully gets pregnant just because is honestly terrible. Why did we need that?

This book was not for me.

Beautiful and utterly devastating.

THE QUIET AND THE LOUD more than lives up to its enigmatic title, a slow, silent scream through all the noise and unsaid things of growing up surrounded by ... well, everything. Helena Fox's prose is lyrical excellence as she deftly winds her way through several heavy topics: alcoholic fathers, (planned) teen pregnancies, climate anxiety, burgeoning first loves, and unspooling mental health. George is a fantastic main character; I also loved Tess, and Laz, and Calliope, and Mel, and Mum, and even Grandpa, messy as they all were. This book gave voice to feelings I didn't even realize I had. I've never come across an author who can capture sheer *exhaustion* like Fox.

This is a slow, dense read, occasionally difficult to wade through, occasionally bogged down by its own noise. But it's well worth the effort.

Basically: this is the kind of book I want to throw at people when they complain YA is derivative or unimportant.

The world is burning. Can you feel it, yet? Can you grab what you want, just the same?

Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse for a Netgalley eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a tough read that I absolutely could not stop thinking about from the time I started it to reading the last page. Following George, she loves art, kayaking, finding the quiet when surrounding by the loud. She's not so great at words though. Her two best friends Lal and Tess always have enough words to share.

Following the trio along with a sapphic love interest in the midst of very serious problems, George isn't sure she can stay quiet about all that she's holding on to anymore. This story is lyrical, engaging, enraging, and more. I absolutely loved it.

Content warnings:
- physical, verbal, and emotional abuse
- anxiety & depression
- forest fires close to home
- teen pregnancy and motherhood
- explicit racism
- gaslighting
- alcoholism

I struggled a lot with this book. By the time I finished it, I didn’t know what to think. While there are so many reasons I didn’t enjoy this book, those same reasons contribute to its beauty and the impression it’s left on me.

Everyone seems to have their own idea of who George should be — or rather, who she needs to be. To her best friend Tess: George needs to support her choice to have a teen pregnancy and pacify her when she gets overwhelmed. To her friend Laz: George needs to commiserate with him on behalf of the increasingly worrying state of the environment. Even to her mother: George needs to be the strong one and always keep their business to themselves — including the trauma left behind from George’s father’s alcoholism.

With everyone’s ideas of who George needs to be, it’s no wonder she’s constantly yearning to escape in her canoe or by running through nature. Until one day she sees a girl doing cartwheels in the water and their paths keep crossing. How can George be what everyone needs her for, what does this relationship with this girl mean, and at what cost to George?

I loved seeing the world through George’s viewpoint. George sees living art in everything around her — whether it be in a stuffed bird or her cat, or even the sound of the leaves as she runs. However, while I basked in its beauty, it’s still a type of prose that takes something out of you. It was draining and often hard to get through, even if I was very impressed by it.

Thematically and plot-wise, I didn’t know the point until 80% through, and by then everything had devolved into what seemed beyond repair. When everything came crashing down, that feeling of despair and being trapped was so strong. And, as intended, it made me uncomfortable.

There are so many bits and pieces of this story that create complexity. While this book is stunning, it’s also hard. I don’t know if I can recommend it, and I certainly won’t to everyone. But it’s a book that I think has the potential to reach those who need it most: those with passion for art and the environment; those who have complex familial and platonic relationships; those recovering from trauma and who often find themselves bombarded with unwelcome memories.

So should you read it? I honestly don’t know. It’s not the ringing endorsement you may want to hear, but only you know if it’s right for you. This book will stick with you, whether you like it or not.

Trigger Warnings: PTSD, trauma, parent with alcoholism, teen pregnancy (side character), anxiety, postpartum depression (side character), racism, gaslighting, manipulation, bushfires, parent with terminal illness

Wow! I loved this one 🥹 I thought book was very well written, especially with the hard topics it discusses. This book is primarily about Complex PTSD, and it is handled with accurac and care. This book shows all the ugly parts of life and doesn't hold back, but it is also very beautiful. I loved the overall message of strength , courage and speaking your mind. Overall, I thought this book was amazing and so beautifully written. I definitely recommend.

Read if you enjoy :
• finding your voice
• strong MC
• ya romance
• therapy rep
• books about courage
• books dealing with trauma

Tw: trauma, alcoholism, PTSD, anxiety

I really enjoyed The Quiet and the Loud. This books covered trauma in a way that is basically unheard of and not something I have seen before. The coming of age story woven throughout this novel keeps you interested from start to finish.

This book hooked me from the opening image. The title is incredibly fitting as George, the main character, is a quiet people-pleasing girl living in a catastrophically loud world. Through the story, George tries to juggle the weight of healing from the abuse her father caused her, having a best friend who's about to become a mother, and attending university classes all while her city, Sydney Australia, goes up in flames due to climate change.

I love that this story intimately depicts George's initial strategies for coping which include painting and rowing on the lake, while also showing the new ways George learns to heal through her character development.

I also love that this story is told in both prose and verse. Helena Fox has a poetic narrative voice, so even the prose reads like poetry which makes the prose/verse combo work well.

Sorta sad book about family and dealing with trauma but overall pretty good. Kinda heavy material so definitely make sure you're in the right type of heads pace before reading. Good story though

I don’t know how to feel about this book to be honest. I liked the queer representation, the fact that the author talked about the wildfires that hit Australia, touched on George’s trauma, and it was relatively easy to follow. On the other hand I didn’t feel like there was much of a plot and I didn’t understand the point of Tess as a character. She had minimal character growth at best and who in their right mind gets pregnant off a whim? This whole book felt off. This book wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

This book felt like a deep dive character study on the main character George, the way those around her treat her, and how she maneuvers so many complex emotions that come from friendship, depression, and falling in love.

There were so many subplots that made up this story, but all of them were vital in creating a heavy, beautiful book.

I really enjoyed George and reading her development as the book went on.

Trigger warnings: alcoholism, depression, teen pregnancy, ptsd, anxiety, gaslighting.

rep: PTSD
4.5 stars
This book was honestly phenomenal. Heartbreakingly, hopeful is the perfect way to describe it. My heart broke for main character, George. The thing she was struggling with was heavy and difficult and watching her go figure out life was heartbreaking but beautiful.
George was very much a people pleaser, which I mean- relatable. It wasn’t really until George meet Calliope that she realized how little she was really living for herself. Once she did the story followed her self identification throughout the book.
This book also had great representation of PTSD, navigating through life and living with trauma. It also had diverse character and the forest fires added another heavy layer to the story. I loved George and I wanted so much for her. Her best friend Tess kind of annoyed me and while I did feel for her too, I hated how much she was putting on George.
The relationship between Calliope and George was sweet and cute. While it wasn’t a main plot in the story, it definitely played a factor and I loved how everything played out in the end.
Overall I was super pleasantly surprised with this book, I honestly absolutely loved it and would most definitely recommend.

George loves the quiet life on the water. It’s peaceful and calm, compared to her loud life. When her estranged father reaches out wanting to talk, her past she wanted to leave behind comes hurtling back.

Prepare for the tears! This book is emotional and deep, and very lyrical. Helena Fox has a way with words and cutting into emotions. Especially with a family bond. It sums up all the things on life that are.. you got it.. “Quiet and Loud.”

I absolutely loved this book. Fox’s exploration of trauma, romance, discovery and more was so wonderfully written. I loved the characters and George’s coming-of-age journey throughout this novel. This book had me intrigued from the beginning and I cannot wait to read Fox’s other work.

I liked the romance between Calliope and George, That was the best part of the story. I could have done without the poetry parts, but I know other people will love that! I'm just not a huge fan of poetry. Overall the story was interesting and I looked forward to reading the next chapter.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for letting me read this early in exchange for an honest review.

a touching coming of age story that will have you gripped until the very last page. the story just ended up not being for me. however i can see a lot of people relating to this.

Just the descriptions of water were enough to keep me spellbound. A beautiful inner portrait of George and a poignant commentary on the harm that silence does to us. I loved how the author managed to use words to describe the way that the characters used visual media to explore their emotions when words failed them.

I really enjoyed this book for the way it conquers grief and anxiety, like you’re moving in slow motion and how you’re grieving someone who’s still alive. Especially with elements of addiction. I definitely felt for Georgie. Interested in seeing what Helena Fox does next.

Yeahhhhh didn’t vibe with this book for many reasons. The biggest one being the MC’s friend and her journey through pregnancy and postpartum. Personally can’t handle that right now.

I loved everything about this. My heart is too full for my chest, and i barely have the words to describe how beautiful and relatable this is. 10/10 representation of trauma and therapy and a great coming of age insight. I loved watching George grow and mold her future, and it was honestly just such an emotional book. Highly recommend.