The gorgeous narrative flows like a peaceful river through this riveting and tumultuous tale.
Our story begins some 100 years ago with Willow Stewart, a girl born mute, sent off to find a traveling preacher willing to give her newly deceased baby brother a decent Christian sendoff. Stewart Mountain and its beauty are all Willow has ever known, but her mother is barely clinging to life as it is, and Willow is determined to find a preacher for her family and return home before her mama dies too. Willow departs with her trusty horse, a healthy dose of nerves, and a simple plan to connect with her wayward older brother while she’s out on her errand. But Willow is a naive and trusting soul, and there are all manner of dangers obstructing her path.
Willow and her brother, Briar, may be simple mountain people, but their human decency and sense of morality are unparalleled in this moving piece of historically authentic fiction. Separately, the siblings deal with unscrupulous men that would take advantage of them both in different ways. Add in one desperate socialite who has bold ideas about how to improve society but lacks any moral compass, and you have the perfect recipe for a tragic and compelling story steeped in Americana.
It Happened in Silence may be fiction, but its roots are all too deep in American soil. The gorgeous narrative flows like a peaceful river through this riveting and tumultuous tale, touching on topics as diverse as poverty, interracial relationships, eugenics and baby farms. The beautiful scenery and neighborly values are constantly in contrast with the haughty nature of the women of the KKK, the trap of social ignorance, the harsh treatment of people of color, and more. Karla M. Jay writes with grace and fluidity on a subject that is a shocking part of the fabric of history.
