Listen to a sample
The Silent Period
- Author
- Francesca Manfredi
- Narrator
- Nicol Zanzarella
- Publisher
- Highbridge Company
- Publish Date
- 24 February 2026
- Run Time
- 7 hours 36 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
In a novel of bilious wit and unexpected tenderness, a jaded young woman ceases to speak.
Cristina Martino is twenty-eight and adrift. Underemployed at a university library in Turin, Italy, she still lives at home with her parents, in the shadow of her successful, married elder sister, Elena. One night, listlessly scrolling through Instagram, Cristina decides to delete her social media profiles.
What is at first a digital detox becomes an act of self-effacement: Cristina deprives herself of words, then gestures, then disappears altogether, sparking a growing "silent revolution." When Elena tries to find her, she discovers a world much quieter and stranger than anyone ever imagined. A slender novel of big ideas, The Silent Period probes at solitude—whether chosen or suffered, salvific or fatal—and our need for genuine connection.
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Francesca Manfredi
- Narrator
- Nicol Zanzarella
- Duration
- 7 hours 36 minutes
- Release Date
- 24 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9781696622936
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Highbridge Company
- Genre
- Fiction: general and literary, Family life fiction, Fiction: general and literary
Synopsis
In a novel of bilious wit and unexpected tenderness, a jaded young woman ceases to speak.Cristina Martino is twenty-eight and adrift. Underemployed at a university library in Turin, Italy, she still lives at home with her parents, in the shadow of her successful, married elder sister, Elena. One night, listlessly scrolling through Instagram, Cristina decides to delete her social media profiles.What is at first a digital detox becomes an act of self-effacement: Cristina deprives herself of words, then gestures, then disappears altogether, sparking a growing "silent revolution." When Elena tries to find her, she discovers a world much quieter and stranger than anyone ever imagined. A slender novel of big ideas, The Silent Period probes at solitude—whether chosen or suffered, salvific or fatal—and our need for genuine connection.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.