I can't believe I'm almost done with the Duncton books. Makes me sad, because I really enjoy those. Oh well, spoilers ahead.
A Privet and her group escape Duncton Wood to look for the Book of Silence, the cult of the Newborns is on the rise. Privet seems destined to face her past, including Rooster, in an encounter with the Newborns.
Overall this is just another installment in these books that I really enjoy. Horwood has honestly become one of my all-time favorite xenofiction authors. He's just so damn good at his job.
Obviously, yes, this series, like the previous trilogy, is super dark and messed up. I think The Book of Silence might arguably be even darker than Duncton Wood. But like, Horwood knows how to handle dark themes. And the books never feel like the dark elements are just there as a shock factor.
I also just love how deep and profound these books are, with heavy themes of loss, grief, cults, obsession, lust, power-struggles, religious freedom, freedom of press, the list goes on. I do love reading middle grade/young adult xenofiction, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it gets old and I do long for something more profound. In that case, Horwood absolutely provides.
Yeah, I honestly don't have many negatives here. I guess I was a little disappointed that this book leans a bit heavy into the misogyny (more so than the other Duncton books), but at least Horwood knows how to handle this topic and it is clearly condemned by the text, which I can't say for other classic xenofiction where sexism is just a thing and nobody cares to do anything about it.
So yeah, another favorite in these series. Only one book left.
Rating: 4.5/5
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