Deafening Silence
Fighting the Battle Within
In the aftermath of unspeakable violence, silence can feel like safety, but it also hides the truth. Deafening Silence follows Daniel Shaw as he navigates the shadows of memory, where grief and survival are inseparable. It is a story of trauma, the impossibility of erasure, and the courage it takes to find a voice when silence has become a prison.
Set against the backdrop of suburban Australia, Deafening Silence captures the fractured reality of a soldier returning to a world that no longer feels like home. The silence Daniel lives with is more than physical; it is the silence of institutions that fail him, the silence of family bonds stretched thin, and the silence of a nation that looks away from the living casualties of conflict.
A raw and unflinching exploration of trauma, pride, and the corrosive weight of unspoken pain, the novel asks what it means to survive when survival itself feels unbearable. Through Daniel’s descent and fragile hope for redemption, Deafening Silence confronts the reader with the cost of war long after the battlefield is left behind.
Format: novel
Genre: contemporary fiction/trauma fiction
Pages: 321
Publisher: The Pynk Sphynx
Praise for Deafening Silence
Deafening Silence is a difficult book in many ways, but a thought provoking and rewarding one. I would say that this is a book that tackles some very difficult topics and goes to some very dark places, so I do think readers need to be aware of that before going in, but if that does not sway you, this book is worth your time.
Annette J. @NetGalley - 13/08/2025
Deafening Silence by S.C. Farrow is a poignant and deeply affecting portrayal of trauma, identity, and the hidden struggles of returning veterans. With tender yet unflinching prose, it captures the quiet heartbreak of a life forever changed. I enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.
Jessica S. @NetGalley - 15/08/2025
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
Deafening Silence is a powerful, moving, and bittersweet portrayal of what can easily happen to an ordinary person after extraordinary trauma. S.C. Farrow has created a recognizable family unit in Daniel and his wife, Kelly. They are the quintessential working-class Australian family struggling to make ends meet. I was impressed by the depth of both characters, but Kelly will probably capture most readers’ warmth, attention, and sympathy. As a nurse, she has a vital, well-paying job, but her home life and the constant tightrope she must walk to keep her kids safe and her husband from doing something terrible put immense strain on her psychologically and emotionally. She is a truly empathetic and relatable character. The seeming indifference of the government bureaucracy to Danny’s plight does go some way to understanding his anger and his psyche, but it is undoubtedly his unaddressed issues that drive his self-destructiveness. What this novel does beautifully is portray the sad plight of many soldiers who went to fight in a foreign war against an enemy that was often indistinguishable from innocent civilians. How many veterans worldwide are suffering, like Danny, and struggling to come to terms with life after extreme trauma? This novel, written in the Australian vernacular, gives us food for thought and an insight into a problem very few of us will ever have to face. Indeed, we thank them for their service, and this author for highlighting their difficulties. I highly recommend this book.
Grant Leishman @Readers' Favourite - 14/08/2025
★★★★
Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of Deafening Silence. This book was so good! If you are a fan of military books or books/movies like American Sniper and Born on the Fourth of July, you definitely need to pick this one up. The story was so raw and realistic, it will definitely make you think twice the next time you see someone in uniform. Like so many people, I used to think that once a solider returned home their battle was over, but usually, their battle is just getting started. I really enjoyed this book and I was emotionally invested from the beginning.
Reading Mama Reviews @NetGalley - 01/09/2025
Farrow's writing is unflinching, capturing the internal struggles and the strain on relationships with poignant clarity. The portrayal of Daniel's wife, Kelly, adds depth, highlighting the complexities of love and duty in the face of unspoken pain.
The narrative's fragmented structure effectively mirrors the disjointed reality of trauma, though it may require readers to engage more actively to piece together the full picture. While some may find this approach disorienting, it enhances the authenticity of the experience depicted.
Overall, Deafening Silence is a compelling and thought-provoking read that delves into the often-overlooked aftermath of war, offering a voice to those who continue to fight long after the battle ends.
★★★★★
Brandon G., Reviewer @NetGalley - 01/09/2025
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In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and the Torres Straight Islands and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to elders past and present and extend that respect to all First Nations and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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