On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of On A Quiet Street in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
Oh, how I love Glass’ writing. I have to confess, though, that I had some difficulty getting through this book.
It had nothing to do with the quality of the writing, but more so with the fact that there are a few triggers that kept sending me into bouts of panic and anxiety attacks. It is a shame, since I truly enjoyed the concept of On A Quiet Street.
The Details
The story is told from the perspectives of three different women living on the same, affluent, picture-perfect street. All with different challenges and very different personalities.
What really impresses me in On A Quiet Street is Glass’ skill in giving each woman such a distinctly unique and different voice, especially through the dialogue.
The syntax used with each woman creates contrasting personality traits that make it so easy for the reader to picture the characters as separate and individual.
I found the plot a little confusing at first, since On A Quiet Street starts out with a very strong scene and then takes a 180-degree turn to focus on a completely different subject.
Nevertheless, it is still a very intriguing read.
As I said above, the writing is superb. The differences created in each character make them stand out on their own. I can still picture them very clearly in my head.
The Verdict
Overall, I very much enjoyed On A Quiet Street. I just wish my personal anxiety triggers had not gotten in the way of making this a truly remarkable reading experience.
Regardless, Glass never fails to deliver and I would definitely recommend On A Quiet Street.
About the Author
Seraphina Nova Glass is a professor and playwright-in-residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. She holds an MFA in playwriting from Smith College, and she’s also a screenwriter and award-winning playwright. Seraphina has traveled the world using theatre and film as a teaching tool, living in South Africa, Guam and Kenya as a volunteer teacher, AIDS relief worker, and documentary filmmaker.
