SilenceSilence
Score Classic
What it's about
Shusaku Endo's novel, first published in Japanese as Chinmoku, is a profound story of faith, doubt and persecution.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's one of the great novels about faith and doubt.
You'll love it if you liked
The Power and the Glory
The End of the Affair
GileadGood to know
It's short but intense, and was filmed by Martin Scorsese in 2016.
By the numbers
- Readers72 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #67 of the 124 historical novels we rank
- #333 of the 924 classics we rank
- #997 of the 3,057 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
If you like this, read next
War and Peace
Anna Karenina
The Book Thief
Ragtime
The Cider House Rules
The LeopardExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Silence worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #997 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Silence about?
Shusaku Endo's novel, first published in Japanese as Chinmoku, is a profound story of faith, doubt and persecution.
How long does it take to read Silence?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Silence?
If you liked it, try The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene or Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.