A literary/historical novel of survival, secrets and the courage to find out who we are.
A survivor of the first World War battle of the Somme, Jean must conceal the Québécois accent that would betray his desertion—and endanger the woman who saved him.
Decades later, in London, stammering Katarin faces a different kind of entrapment in a journalism course at which she excels, until an unexpected friendship offers the possibility of escape into a world of song.
Two generations. Two struggles for survival. One compelling question: when circumstances threaten to silence us, when we cannot speak, who are we?
A 2026 PenMasters Global Literary Excellence Finalist novel:
The Song Cannot Be Silenced
A saga of courageous survival, this novel offers voice to the voiceless, courage to the patient, and music for the soul.
“A driving narrative, finely etched, fascinating characters, urgent need to turn the page. What more can you ask of a novel?”
Now available for purchase and download from all good bookstores, The Song Cannot Be Silenced was released on the 10th of September, 2026, and formally launched at The CatStrand, New Galloway, with a reception, reading and conversation with the novelist Margaret Elphinstone, live-streamed on The CatStrand’s YouTube channel, and archived there after the event.
Advance Readers have posted reviews on GoodReads.com and new readers are ranking this novel with 4.7* on Amazon.com.
An audio sample of the audiobook is available now. You’re very welcome to listen . . .
The Song Cannot Be Silenced is available worldwide in eBook, Paperback, and AudioBook versions.
A new story is beginning…
If you’ve enjoyed discovering The Song Cannot Be Silenced, I’d love to invite you into the next chapter of my writing journey.
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So, beyond the narrative, what is The Song Cannot Be Silenced about? What would a Book Club enjoy about this novel?
This startling debut novel is about an inexorable spiral of entrapment, owing to circumstances beyond the control of the protagonists who span the 20th century to grapple with voicelessness and a desperate sense of inevitability, while showing that bravery, and indeed joy, come in many forms.
- It’s a dual-time line narrative with a thematic connection: voicelessness
- It’s got two believable characters who begin their adult lives at a similar age, though they are separated by six decades: one French-Canadian soldier and one Breton journalism student
- It’s a travel story, with accompanying maps, outlining the route between London and Brittany in the early 1980s as well as a journey across northern France in the early 1920s with a detour to Mont St-Michel
- It’s a story of bravery that begs to be discussed: when does selflessness become self-defeating? When does a plunge into the unknown become foolhardy, risking everything?
- It’s a multi-generational family saga that carries a secret throughout, a secret hiding in plain sight that cannot be revealed
- It’s a story in which music permeates every pore, sometimes on the musical theatre stage, sometimes as a vibrant folk song. What role does this music play in the emotional development of the primary characters?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this new author?
I’m Aldon Law, Canadian by birth and passport, with a rich back story of life in five countries: Canada (Ontario and Alberta); America (central Pennsylvania; California; Philadelphia); England (London; Home Counties; Northumberland); Switzerland (Geneva); Scotland (southwest). This experience informs the historical underpinning of the novel, the development and motivations of the novel’s principal character (also a Canadian), and contributes to the presentation of lives that are lived to the full in new, foreign cultures.
I think I’m reasonably well versed in many different facets of life, for example: music promotions extending to Italy, Sweden, and Brittany; biomedical research; community development; smallholding and livestock; secondary school education; enterprise including an artisan bakery and café.
We’re parents and grandparents, now comfortably domiciled in our last home, and we relish finding joy in our lives with every new day.
How do I find out more about the story?
Follow the continuing odyssey of The Song Cannot Be Silenced in the chapter-by-chapter enhanced content (links at the top or bottom of this page, depending on your device) for detailed information about the ongoing scenes and narrative.
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Blog Posts
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