LDS Women's Book Review

The Silence of God

By: Gale Sears

Publisher:Deseret Book

Published: June 15th, 2010

ISBN#978-1-60641-655-6

Hardcover: 400 pages

Reviewed by: Sheila

At the turn of the twentieth century, St. Petersburg offers the best of Imperial Russia. The vast country is filled with grand cathedrals, a faithful populace, and many people who love and revere Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov family. But as Russia becomes further entrenched in the Great War, a revolution begins brewing within her own borders.

For the wealthy Lindlof family, the only Latter-day Saints living in St. Petersburg at the time, the glitz and glamour of the Silver Age soon dissolves into mass rebellion, dividing their family and testing their faith. Life for Agnes Lindlof will never be the same—changed forever by an ideology that forces equality and demands the silence of God.

Agnes’s lifelong friend, Natasha Ivanovna Gavrilova, is the daughter of a professor and a firm supporter of Bolshevik ideals; she doesn’t believe in God at all. Yet, when the waves of the revolution wash over her family and her friends, Natasha must examine her own heart and decide for herself what to believe and what voice to listen to.

Based on an amazing true story of the only Latter-day Saint family living in St. Petersburg during the Bolshevik Revolution, The Silence of God is a rare glimpse into a fascinating period of history and a powerful, extraordinary novel of devotion and loyalty.

I finished reading this historical novel over the 4th of July holiday weekend. The story had been gripping from the start, but even more when you realize it is based on a true, LDS family, from Russia. As I pondered about the freedoms that we partake of in the United States, it only made what happen to the Lindlofs and God fearing Russians seem ever more brutal. The Bolshevik Revolution did in fact "silence" God in Russia. The rights of the people were taken away to worship as they may and live as they wanted.

Gale Sears masterfully tells the story of the Lindlof family. Gale has a way of bringing history to life in a way that educates, without being boring. The time Gale spent to research the book is evident. You can tell, that the events portrayed about the revolution,are historically accurate. I love reading about history, but this is one time period I have not read about as much as others. After reading "The Silence of God" I want to read more abut the Russian Revolution and Tsar Nicholas and his family.

The thing I loved the most about this book were the characters; the Lindlof family and their neighbor Natasha. We as readers, are brought along on Natasha's journey of being a firm supporter of Bolshevik ideals, to slowly letting God into her life and her heart. Agnes Lindlof was a fountain of courage with unfailing faith. The friendship between these two young women is not only heart warming, but inspiring. I became so lost in the story, I had to remember that this was a story "based" on true people and the actual events did not all happen exactly as told in the story. Gale truly is a great writer to be able to bring history to life, as well as wrapping the readers up in a fascinating story with meaningful characters.

I highly recommend this book to readers that love history, and also love a faith inspiring read. This also is a great book to read to help you realize, how lucky most of us are, to live where freedom reigns. I can tell you that I will always remember this book and it's characters.

If you would like to learn more about Gale Sears, please visit her at her website here.

I know that I will be revisiting this book again, especially around the 4th of July.

To end, I wanted to share with you the book trailer found on youtube about "The Silence of God".