On a Quiet Street, by Seraphina Nova Glass

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Big drama, little substance, no suspense.

Seraphina Nova Glass’ “On a Quiet Street” was, frankly, not for me. I gave it a genuine attempt, making it to 33%, but ultimately, I had to DNF. The novel starts with a mix of intrigue and melodrama, but it quickly veers into territory that felt clichéd and overly contrived – more akin to a soap opera than a compelling thriller.

The premise had potential: a gated community told about through multiple points of view, revolving around Paige and her devastation over the hit-and-run death of her son, Caleb. Yet, rather than diving deep into authentic, layered characters or gripping tension, the book becomes bogged down by outlandish twists and unconvincing developments. For instance, Paige’s emotional descent pivots to her seduction of Finn – her best friend Cora’s husband – in a toilet at a ball no less. That moment was more cringe-worthy than dramatic. Meanwhile, Cora eyes Paige’s estranged husband, Grant, and Georgia, supposedly agoraphobic, turns out to be a prisoner of her controlling judge husband. It’s all a bit much.

The writing was mostly mediocre at best, and the pacing felt like a dying snail on a steeply ascending slope. With four perspectives that sound strikingly alike, none of the characters felt distinctive or gripping either.

At 33%, still mired in shallow drama and soap operatic antics, I decided to cut my losses.

One star out of five.

Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam




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