Go Down to Silence

by G.K. Belliveau

Jacob Horowitz, a worn and bitter business tycoon, has never spoken to anyone about his experience of Nazi persecution during World War II -- not even his recently deceased wife, Liza. Suddenly stricken with terminal cancer, the aging Jew receives an invitation from his old friend Pierre, a Gentile Christian and former Belgian underground operative, to pay him one last visit in Belgium. Jacob accepts, and determines to take along his estranged son Isaac. In this fast-paced, vivid historical account set alternately in war-torn Europe and today's United States, the consequences of war become clear. Momentous events push the hardened Horowitz toward reconciliation with his youngest son, with his past, with God, and with himself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 5, 2001

About the author

This author also writes under the pen name Greg Belliveau.

Greg Belliveau is an award-winning novelist and author of the gothic thriller Blood Clan (RPP, 2024), the Science Fiction Dystopian novel Gods of IMAGO (Rogue Phoenix Press, 2023) and IMAGO (RPP, 2019), as well as Go Down To Silence (Multnomah Publishing: a Division of Penguin Random house, 2001) which was a Christy Award Finalist for Best First Novel; and a collection of creative nonfiction entitled Seeds: Mediations on Grace in a World with Teeth (Crosslink Publishing, 2017). He is currently working on the TV series Blood Clan based on the novel of the same name. He is a Christopher Isherwood grant recipient and teaches Writing at Antioch University and Capital University.

Reviews

[kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up at book fair a couple of years ago because I liked the cover, and I’d recently read a couple of kids books about the Holocaust. Once I got it home, I put off reading it for over a year. As I read the synopsis, it just didn’t sound like and interesting story. Was I wrong!!!

This is the story about an old man, Jacob Horowitz. And this is the story of a young boy, Jacob Horowitz. Jacob the old man is Jew, a widower living in Cleveland, dying of cancer. Jacob has two sons, one of whom he has not spoken to in close to 10 years. And Jacob has his memories from which he has been running; his memories of Jacob the young boy.

Jacob the young boy is a Belgian Jew, living with very happily with his mother, his father, and his sister, Sarah. The father has a good business and the family is normal and happy, until one day, when Jacob is 11, the Nazis come. He then spends the war years running and hiding out from the Nazis. And even after the war, Jacob suffers tragedy.

The book is a story of forgiveness; a story of Jacob reconciling himself with his son and with his memories. As I read Jacob’s story, I learned about the Belgian Underground, and the people who willingly risked their lives to stand up to evil. The story is suspenseful and well told. Once I picked up the book, it was hard to set it aside. This doesn’t seem to be a very well known book on Goodreads and that is too bad. It deserves a wide readership. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II fiction, and anyone just looking for a good read!

[Connie Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a great story line; however, I felt it was disjointed. There was one part of the story that was just popped right into the middle of the book and I never figured out why. The whole story, while it kept my interest, never wove together too well, either. The characters were interesting, and I felt a connection; however, I didn't see a connection with some of them. I wish Isaac and his dad had connected earlier in the book. I also felt the book ended abruptly. As if, "Is that all there is?"

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up at a thrift store and was so glad I did. It is very well written and really keeps your reading. I couldn't put it down.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book today and couldn't put it down. Great fiction book about WWII and forgiveness.

[Chris Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I have read many fiction accounts of World War II but this story was far and above the best. More please!

[Lydia Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, excellent book! Read it in two sittings. Could not put it down. I have read many Holocaust historical novels as well as true stories about survivors who lived in Germany or Poland. This is the first I have read concerning the people of Belgian descent. This is about an elderly man who was an eleven year old child during the take-over by the Nazis. He struggles so with his memories that he is unable to tell his wife and children what he suffered or what happened to his parents and sister. As a result they have no understanding of his seemingly hardened personality or actions. The main theme is remembering, hoping that he can make his journey back to a relationship with his family.

[Call Me Cordelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been years since I read this novel, but I still have vivid memories - like snapshots - of certain scenes. My favorite memory associated with this book (besides having received a copy from the author himself, one of my writing professors once upon a time) is when I used this book to help a high school senior learn to read.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this book were well written and interesting. I didn’t care for the story going back and forth in time or for the religious parts. I would give this 3.5 stars.

[Gophergirl58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow moving story that finally started to roll, but left me shaking my head with disappointment. A bit, or quite a bit disjointed, I kept waiting for the story to conclude! The author takes the reader back to the war, then to the present, and does a fabulous job of describing the main character of Jacob Horowitz as a man who has tried to erase his horrible past from his present life, even to the point of keeping it from his family; even to the point of driving a wedge between himself and his family. Also, Jacob Horowitz waffles back and forth between being Jewish - only he doesn't practice as such - or touching upon becoming a Christian. So I keep reading on, wondering when he is going to embrace Christ. Is that what is going to happen? And when will the author explain what happened to those in Jacob's past? Unfortunately, this book, disappointing as it was in the last 20 or 25%, I felt it fell apart. The ending was abrupt, quickly rushed to end the book, or so that's how I saw it. I felt used, and disillusionment rushed over me as I read the last words of the story, overpowering the enjoyment that I felt earlier in the novel. Doggone it, what a pitiful way to end what could have been a great story. Three stars, no more.

[Jeanette "Josie" Cook M.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The synopsis of this novel threw a bit of a curve at me. It didn't do the novel justice or the character by the name of Jacob Horowitz. His untold story isn't quite covered in this short space of words to draw a reader to his story.

I also think the cover artwork could be better and more colorful. As is, it makes the novel appear very ordinary. Some of the reviews need to be moved to the back cover instead of hidden inside the book and maybe, one good one on the front cover to connect with a browsing reader!

Overall, this is quite well done. The ending seemed a bit weak compared to the rest of the novel. However, it still worked for me.

I would recommend this novel to anyone wanting to read about survival in a difficult situation beyond one's control.

There's a wonderful journey in discovery and renewed connections coming forth as the story unfolds.

The writing is beautifully well done and concrete in content. The drama covers Jacob's life span in this novel and it never seems to let up. Friendships and the connections are deep, complex, and vivid with the moving of time.

[bumblethunderbeast · Rating 2 out of 5]

older man acknowledges hiding and WWII experience after diagnosed with cancer of lymph nodes…beginning of reconciliation (ok, not awful but not engrossing either)