The Silence of Water

by Sharron Booth

When Fan’s mum, Agnes, announces the family is moving to Western Australia to take care of Agnes’s father – a man they’ve never spoken of before now – Fan finds herself a stranger in a new town living in a home whose currents and tensions she cannot read or understand.

Resentful of her mother’s decision to move, Fan forms an alliance with her grandfather, Edwin Salt, a convict transported to Australia in 1861. As she listens to memories of his former life in England, Fan starts snooping around the house, riffling through Edwin’s belongings in an attempt to fill the gaps in his stories. But the secrets Fan uncovers will test the family’s fragile bonds forever, and force Edwin into a final reckoning with the brutality of his past.

Genres: Historical Fiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2022

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a professional writer, The Silence of Water is Sharron Booth’s first novel that was written over many years. Set in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1906, Fan is a young girl upset about her family’s move interstate to care for her previously unheard-of grandfather. Moving back and forth in time, the story of Edwin Salt’s life, including his migration from England in 1861, is revealed with its impact permeating three generations of his family. Fan’s aggrievement with her new life is channelled into getting to know her grandfather and learning the events and stories of her family’s history. Well researched and based on historic figures, this saga of convict settlement reveals the secrets and actions of previous generations exercising power over those that follow. The narrative seems somewhat dry at times, due in part to its basis of a thesis, so an intergenerational tale with a three star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so refreshing to read the restrained prose of this debut novel after the florid style of the last novel I read!

It was also refreshing to read a novel that challenges the 'minor crime' mythology of convicts in the colonial era and explores the longevity of 'see what you made me do' in excusing domestic violence.

Shortlisted for the 2020 Hungerford Award, The Silence of Water derives from the life of Edwin Thomas Salt, a real-life convict whose death sentence for the murder of his wife MaryAnn was commuted to transportation because of his defence of provocation. Provocation has a long history of being used as a partial defence to reduce a conviction of murder to manslaughter, and indeed decades ago when I was on a jury myself, the jury was directed by the judge to consider it in a case of male-on-male violence.  Provocation as a defence was abolished in Victoria in 2005, and The Guardian tells me that Queensland remains one of the few Australian jurisdictions to retain it.  (The ACT and Northern Territory have restricted its use but not abolished it entirely.) In Booth's novel, the commuted sentence offers Salt an opportunity for a fresh start in the Antipodes...

The novel, which has a somewhat disjointed and confusing structure, begins in 1906 with Salt's teenage descendant Fan (Frances) Johnson who knows nothing about him, much less his criminal history.  Living in Adelaide with her parents and younger siblings, she is profoundly upset by the news that her mother Agnes, has agreed to return the family to Fremantle to take care of her father Edwin.  His third wife Annie has had enough of his drinking and thrown him out, but at eighty, he's now too frail to support himself.  Agnes against her better judgement, gives in to the emotional blackmail about duty to 'family'.

Moving backwards and forwards in time and place, Edwin's backstory in a respectable tailoring family in mid 19th century Britain is gradually revealed to the reader, and partially also to Fan who succumbs to curiosity about the secrets of her family.  Her mother had always maintained that the South Australian side of the family was all they had and all they needed, but Fan is a feisty girl and defiantly bonds with her 'new' grandfather.  Through her conversations with him she amasses tantalising information from snippets he lets fall.  Edwin is careful to hide his dark past with half-truths, but is no match for her snooping amongst his things.

Meticulously researched, the novel depicts the fragility of life in this era, especially for women.

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2022/04/26/t...

[Robyn Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story, the clever writing, the depth of research into a bleak era of convict history and how the lives that follow are shaped by its echoes. I loved the warmth of the main characters and the slow teasing out of a dreadful family secret. As I was reading I felt myself treading the streets of Western Australia’s East Perth and Fremantle, and standing at its river’s edge. A thoroughly impressive debut. Highly recommended.

[Kit Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting fiction novel based on historical research, based in the 19th and 20th century. It follows the lives of several characters in the same family across three generations.

Unfortunately I felt lost at times as each chapter switches to different characters point of view, from different time periods. I also didn’t feel the story had a proper resolution.

[Amanda Cruickshanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit historical fiction is not quite my genre but this book seemed to be talking to me to come and read. Sharron Booth's debut book and her articulate long time at researching the history for this book was enough for me to take charge and give it a go at reading.

The storyline is about 3 generations and some are historical truth and some parts ficition. The author has brillantly entwined the two together.

Starting the book was a little confusing due to the different years back and forth but also different years with different characters and then places added to the mix. Stick with it all as everything does fall into place and you do get to know the characters and who is who.

It does help that on each chapter, one year is the character for example Fan/Fremantle, November 1906.

I found the characters in the book quite lovely and I did find myself drawn to the youngster called Fan and another character Agnes.

Agnes moves all the family from Adelaide to Western Australia to look after her dad Edwin. Fan had never even heard his name mentioned before and to be now told it is your grandfather makes her a little intrigued to know more of who he is.

Edwin was a convict transported to Australia in 1861 and was given a fresh start to life.

There are many secrets amongst the pages, lots of twists and turns and I would never have guessed the outcome of where anything was leading while reading.

There was a lot of heartbreak back in those early days of babies losing their lives or even children which saddened me to read.

I really think this is a book worthy of a read as it is a fascinating story.

My original review for this book is on @BeautyandlaceBookclub and I would also like to thank them for the opportunity to read and review another fascinating book.

I received this book to actually read and review on their site @beautyandlacebooks and the book was received from @Fremantle Press.

[Gavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing & faltering. The book jumps around over many years in very short chapters with a huge cast of characters with limited support for the reader trying to figure out who "Ma" or "Pa" might be ... I found I was constantly referring back to previous chapters to try to figure out the events & family structure. I just couldn't get into the story or characters. Perhaps there is an interesting story hiding under the weight of characters, but each chapter needs better development to unleash it.

[Melissa Trevelion · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silence of Water is the debut novel of Australian author Sharron Booth, a historical fiction of tragedy, hope and acceptance.

1906, Agnes Johnson moves her family from Adelaide to Fremantle so she can take care of her estranged father Edwin Salt, although she has not seen her father for quite some time she feels it is her duty as a daughter to take care of him in the time he has left.

Young Frances (Fan) is not happy about moving. She doesn’t know her grandfather, all that is familiar, comfortable, and beloved is being left behind filled with happy memories. She is displeased with her mother and makes a point of showing her.

England 1840’s, Edwin Salt he falls in love and marries his first love Mary Ann, he tries to become rich quick as an official responsible for collecting excise duty, but when a transgression occurs he is classed as a convict and transported to Australia in 1861. He remarries Cath, they have two children Agnes and Walter; their childhood is not a happy one and once an adult Agnes distances herself from her ill-tempered father.

When Fran meets her grandfather, she finds him bewildering and decides to form a pact with him, what better way than to annoy her mother. She listens to stories about his life in England and how he came to Australia as a convict. There is a dark secret behind his stories that she is eager to unravel.

The characters are well-fleshed-out, and they provide a sense of authenticity to the narrative. Edwin is a complicated man, there is conflict to his character, one could dislike him for his past actions, but it makes him intriguing. Agnes is a wonderfully complex yet likable character who you just want the best for especially with mending family ties. Fan is an absolute delight, the curiosity of a young child wanting to know her Grandfather’s secrets, she has a spirit of daring adventure.

The story captures simple yet profound moments and is a nostalgic depiction of its characters’ hopes and memories. It takes the audience on a moving journey through many light-hearted and difficult moments. The dialogue and descriptive narrative are well constructed. Sharron Booth did her due diligence, researched, and then used that knowledge to write a compelling story that I connected with immediately.

Filled with hardships, family, resentment, and love, The Silence of Water was so much more than that. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves to read historical fiction and family drama.

Thank you, Beauty and Lace and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up to read as it was short listed in for the 2023 MUD Awards, which is a Australian book award.

The author writes at the back of the book that an earlier version of this story formed part of a doctoral thesis, and when I consider the clinical feel to the writing style, it's evident that the style suited a thesis more than a novel. For me, the writing style feels dry, if that makes sense. This is a story about a family, about secrets, about suffering and joy and all that exists between the two, and the writing style didn't match the intentions of the story. That's a shame, because I did enjoy the story.

While the author did a fantastic job with historical research, and with threading themes of the historical period's attitudes towards crime, justice, and of family violence into the story, there seemed to be a lack of description of setting, of place. I would have liked more of that, so I could feel transported into the period. I do think some of the characters are described well, which is fortunate, for this is very much a character driven story. Fan and her mother, Agnes, are the focal points for most of this story, along with Edwin, Agnes' father. Their characters are drawn well, and the author doesn't flinch from giving them attitudes and personalities that fit the times.

At first I didn't enjoy the choppy feel to the chapters. Switching form past to present is not my favourite way of storytelling. However, as the story progressed, I did appreciate the structure to the book, and enjoyed the cleverness employed by unveiling pieces of the past and then seeing how those buried secrets may impact the present.

This book does give a human face to a period of Australia's history, which I think is the author's intention.

[Ashley Salta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fan isn't happy with her mother Agnes' decision to move the family from Adelaide to Fremantle to care for a grandfather she's never even heard of. Agnes isn't too happy about the move either, as she hasn't spoken to her father since she left home decades ago. Edwin Salt came to Australia as a convict in the 1860s, and now he needs his family; the family he's spent his life pushing away. Family secrets will be uncovered testing the Salt family's fragile bond and forcing Edwin to face demons he's spent his whole life trying to bury.

There's nothing I love more than a good, gripping historical fiction. And if it's set in Australia? Well, that's just icing on the cake. 'The Silence of Water' was captivating, and for the last 100 pages I could barely put it down. The characters were so rich and deeply flawed, yet pitiful and lovable in their own unique way. I loved reading about the three generations living against the picturesque backdrop of colonial Australia, and the plot left me guessing until the very end. Simply a brilliant debut novel. I can't wait to see what Sharron Booth writes next

[Glenys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon discovering that this story is based on the true life of convict Edwin Salt, I was impressed with the amount of research needed. As a keen family genealogist, I know how much work is involved and appreciated her 'more interesting trails of research breadcrumbs' and know the fascination of following those trails.
The story was a little hard to follow, jumping about the three generations of the family despite each chapter being helpfully dated. Names are sometimes very similar.

It is only since the last quarter of the 1900s when genealogy became a hobby interest that families would admit to having a convict in the family tree. Prior to that it was a matter of great shame and this is reflected in 'The Silence of Water'. Do the sins of the father stain all the generations?
What sort of a man was Edwin Salt really? A product of his times, a victim of the gin, a haunted killer - all of those things. Sharron Booth tells the tale of this family without sentimentality. It is a stark story of harsh times.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nicely written historical fiction about members of the Salt family. Patriarch Samuel is a tailor in 1840 Lichfield who hopes his sons will carry on the family business. But, main character and eldest son Edwin is not cut out for the trade and we follow his departure from the family as he seeks to make his mark elsewhere. Unfortunately he becomes an unlikeable and violent man which results in his transportation to the Swan River penal colony in Western Australia. The narrative also relates the stories of his daughter and granddaughter. As the plot continually switches not only from character to character and from place to place and is told in non-chronological timeframes, I found it quite confusing at times and had to remind myself where I was in each of their lives. I was also left unsatisfied by the ending which I felt just fizzled.

[Denise Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=3702

The Silence of Water
Sharron Booth

The Silence of Water was shortlisted for the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award for an unpublished manuscript. It tells a complex web of stories from one family and provokes questions about whether family secrets are best told or kept hidden. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend to readers who enjoy stories about Australia’s past.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the beginning of this book a bit confusing, as there was a big dump of characters and different time frames,however it was well worth persevering as all starts to make sense as this book progresses. The depiction of life and its hardships at the different times was really well done, obviously well researched. The unraveling of what happened in the family makes for interesting history, and the characters were vivid and real. It is always worthwhile to read about the less covered people in our history, just the ordinary people.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 would be a better rating. The Silence of Water is a work of fiction based on some parts of the life of Edwin Thomas Salt, a tailor and a convict. There has obviously been a lot of research into the life of Edwin Salt. I think I would have liked to read more about his actual life.

[Zoe W · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story that jumps between time and place. Best read over a short period.

[Jedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not something I would re- read but quite good and nuanced storytelling

[Siobhan Legge]

DNF 156

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found that the fragmented style of writing made the plot line very hard to follow.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did give up. So many characters and a story that didn't seem to be progressing.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A re-telling of part of Western Australia's convict history, showing the complexity of the stories of the new Swan River Colony. This story raises the voices of the women of the colony, showing how their lives here and back in England were not so much different, apart from the weather.

A lovely book that will give you another view of our history. While obviously deeply researched some elements felt a little too much like a history lesson.

If colonial history is your bag you will love this. Especially the recognition of the role women played and not recorded by history.