Hi all!

Welcome back to the bookclub! In July, we read The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell for The You’ll Read Too Bookclub! Spoilers ahead!

Quick Reminder: This month we are reading ‘Ring Shout’ by P. Djeli Clark.

Today I’m going to give a quick plot summary, plus my overall star/scare-factor ratings. Then I will share the discussion topics and trivia questions. Please include all of your answers and opinions down below. I want to know exactly what you thought. I’ll also leave the answers to the trivia questions at the very bottom of the post. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

THE SILENT COMPANIONS by LAURA PURCELL – JULY 2021 

PLOT SUMMARY 

When Elsie married handsome young heir, Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home, lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure – a silent companion – that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug it off as simple superstition – that is, until she notices the figure’s eyes following her.

OVERALL STAR RATING

I gave this book a whopping 5/5 stars! It’s one of the best gothic horror novels I have ever read. It started off slow, but by 100 pages, I was deeply invested until the end. It was creepy, intriguing, fascinating and heartbreaking, all at the same time. I really enjoyed the way it was told in different timelines. It is definitely worth multiple re-reads. The author did such an excellent job, weaving alternative story-lines together. Not to mention that ending! I have nothing but good things to say about this book.

OVERALL SCARE-FACTOR RATING

I gave it a scare factor rating of 4/5 stars. The wooden figures were so unsettling. I love how they moved around, when nobody was watching. I could picture them following the residents with their eyes. They were ruthless, determined and vengeful. I wanted more!

DISCUSSION TOPICS

1.) Do you believe Anne was being punished for her greed?

I don’t think it’s greedy to want another child desperately. In this day and age, there are so many medical avenues to assist with fertility. Anne used more primitive measures for the time period she lived in. I don’t believe she was punished. I believe it was just bad luck, plus her daughter’s circumstances, that led to such unfortunate events.

2.) What do you think was the role/purpose of the silent companions?

I believe their role was to exact vengeance on anybody that lived at the estate. Hattie, in particular, was looking for the perfect host to possess. She wanted retribution for what was done to her, convinced that nobody else deserved to live happily, when she was denied so much as a child.

3.) Did you find Elsie to be a likable and reliable protagonist? 

Elsie was such an interesting character. She was born into a less than prestigious family and yet, came across as very haughty and entitled. I felt for her as the story progressed, but in the beginning, she was not very likable. As for reliable, it was difficult to tell what were her own manifestations of trauma and the actual truth. The answer to both of those questions: no.

4.) Let’s discuss the ableism controversy? Do you agree?

This book has received some negative critiques, due to its claims of ableism. Basically, because Hattie was born mute and turned out to be the villain, some readers believe the author was attributing her disability to something bad. I don’t agree. In my opinion, Laura Purcell wanted to convey what it was like being disabled in the 16th century. In those times it was seen as a curse, which in turn, caused Anne to question whether she was being punished. Hattie was not evil because she was mute. She was a child processing a lot of hurt and pain, at being discriminated against. There are many layers to this story, but it’s important not to seek out issues where there are none.

5.) What theories did you have before the shocking ending? 

I had a couple. The first was that the staff at the estate were messing with Elsie, because they did not like her. I thought they were purposely moving the wooden figures around, causing confusion with the nursery. The second was that Elsie’s trauma was driving her to do and see terrible things. The ending proved just how wrong I was!

TRIVIA QUESTIONS 

Easy: What is the name of the estate?

Medium: What is the name of the Romani boy? 

Hard: Which part of the world did the silent companions come from? 

I hope you enjoyed the book club discussion. As mentioned above, share all of your thoughts in the comments below! If you have any feedback/suggestions to improve the bookclub, please let me know. I look forward to talking to you all next month! Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo

TRIVIA ANSWERS: Easy: The Bridge. Medium: Merripen. Hard: Amsterdam.