Lies of Silence

Rating:
Summary: a good read
Review: I would give four stars for this novel, because it's a very good book that shows well the situation in Ireland. It doesn't extenuate the contemporary situation: The Catholics and the Protestants, both of them are extremely narrow minded. Unfortunately they can't deal without weapons, there are no compromises. Moore doesn't want to describe the natural landscape, but he tells a story (that might be true and that contains many of the actual issues in Ireland) in a very thrilling way. He also talks about love and marriage which were important to him in his life. I could identify myself with the different persons and characters in this masterpiece and I'm sure that you'll feel and understand the uncertainty that rules Ireland after you read this great book. But to get the maximum rating, the book lacks particularity, it's too common. [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Complicated psychological portrait
Review: If a man no longer loves his wife (and perhaps never did) and has a choice between participating in the bombing of strangers or letting her be killed, what does he do?

This is the question that the book sets about answering, and spins out beautifully the consequences that follow on his actions. Nothing in the book is simple or clear cut, and the reader is not given the luxury of having a clear moral position to adopt. That is, except for the moral position of intolerance of violence and intolerance for the people who perpetrate it-- whatever the cost.

I was puzzled myself about why I didn't want to give this book five stars, but in the end although it was masterfully written, I found that it didn't contain spark or the flame I needed to carry it above just 'very good'. However, I will certainly seek out other books by the same writer in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Thrilling to the end
Review: Lies of silence is a really thrilling story about a hotel manager, Micheal Dillon who has to choose between the life of his wife and that of about a hundred other people. What will he do?
Brian Moore is a terrific writer, he describes everything in such a detailed way, you can almost feel the wind in your face as Micheal is walking around. The book gives you a lot of background information about the troubles in Northern Ireland and is written in such a way that you are drawn immidiatelly into it. The best thing about this story is that it makes you think: What would I do if I had to make these choices, would you do the same as Micheal?

Rating:
Summary: Better than I thought!
Review: Lies of Silence is about a man who has to make very difficult choices, concerning his own life and those of other people. When the IRA makes him park a car with bomb next to the hotel where he works, he has to decide whether he will risk his own life and that of his wife or the lives of many others. And after that he has to decide whether he will risk his life by testifying against one of the gun men or allow that man to strike again. He ends up risking his own life twice. When he finally decides not to risk his life anymore, it is too late...

I really didn't feel like reading this book because I have never liked books that are about wars and conflicts all over the world. I'd rather read books that make me feel happy than books that make me feel depressed. This book left me a little depressed but I don't regret reading it! The book really got me thinking about all these issues and wondering about how I would react and which decisions I would make. I came to the conclusion that I should be very thankful that this is not happening over here, because it could happen to anyone. And I honestly don't know what I would do in a situation like this!
That is why I liked reading this book, it is not just a list of things that happened, it almost makes you feel the same things as the main character.

Rating:
Summary: A great, interesting and exciting book!
Review: Lies of silence is one of the best books I have ever read. It is different, unpredictable and exciting. The story about the IRA and a man who gets involved in one of their actions while being in the middle of his strugle chosing between his wife and his mistress is quite realistic. I also think that you can learn more about the IRA and their actions by reading this book.

I must admit that the book did not appeal to me at all when I started reading it. But as soon as I had read the first few pages I could hardly stop reading! I was really intrigued by the catchy story upon which the book is built.

Rating:
Summary: Book review: Brian Moore - Lies of silence
Review: Lies of silence is the most boring book i've ever read. What Brian Moore discribes on ca.130 pages could have benn written on max. 2 pages. In this book nothing really intersting happens. Anti-IRA-tirades, changing attitudes and two main characters who don't know what they really want. And this on 130pages repeating itself...

Rating:
Summary: School Review
Review: Lies of silence,

First of all, it's clear that this book is a real theme book. I'm convinced that people who don't care about the recent or historic happenings in Ireland won't enjoy it as much as the people who do.

True, the story does have a personal drama in it. The main character needs to choose between his wife and his new girlfriend.
But this side of the story is in my opinion less important.
It is nicely woven into the main problem however, which is: Should the main character stand up against the IRA and be a possible martyr? or should he choose for himself( and the people he loves?
The book really captures the feeling of "troubles" in Ireland and what it must be like for society and the individual.

All In all an interesting book to read if your interested in these sort of things. Certainly not superb however.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best but not the worst either.....
Review: Like some of the readers might agree, this is not the best book but not the worst book either. I think it wasn't too difficult too read like you would expect in a book containing a political issue. But then on the other hand you would think it would be more exiting and that was something I missed while reading this book. The IRA only appears at the beginning of the book and that's it. After that you get involved in the choices Dillon has to make and all of a sudden: there's the end. The whole story was nice too read though but I'm someone who likes to read a book with a more attractive story line.

Rating:
Summary: Exciting and surprising
Review: Michael Dillon has to make some difficult choices. When the IRA forces him to park a car containing a bomb under the window of a crowded hotel, he has to choose between: following their orders or risking the life of his wife. But even after that crisis has passed, Dillon has another decision to make: Must he testify against the IRA or can he hide and start a new life?
It is a very exciting book with an ending I did not expect.

Rating:
Summary: The Deadliest Sin
Review: Moore was a first-rate writer in the Graham Greene mode who failed to engage the interest of the literati and is slowly fading away as a result. "Lies of Silence" is as good an example as any as to why he deserves better.

The theme is sloth, the unwillingness to spiritually engage with anything that matters. Moore takes a typical disoriented, rootless modern type and places him in a situation where he *must* engage, then ruthlessly portrays the consequences of his failure. Moore's inference that our inability to deal decisively with terrorism is directly related to the contemporary spiritual vacuum was years ahead of its time, and is not going to lose its pertinence any time soon.

Other outstanding works by Moore include "The Doctor's Wife", "The Mangan Inheritance", and "Black Robe".