A young woman sits in her apartment, observing the small dramas unfolding in her neighborhood. She is a silent outsider, watching everything from a safe distance: arguments, sex, happy and unhappy families. Only her own life feels as if someone has pressed the stop button. After the civil war broke out in her Syrian homeland, she followed the promise of a life in safety and fled to Europe. Since her arrival in England, she has been unable to continue her work as a journalist. She feels isolated and faces anti-Muslim prejudices. Numbed by the traumas of war, she falls silent. However, instead of speaking, she begins to write – about the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war, the escape to Europe, and the loneliness in her exile country. Her contributions are published by an online magazine under the pseudonym "The Voiceless." Gradually, she finds the strength to leave her place behind the window. She explores her new surroundings and discovers the corner shop, a nearby mosque, a bookstore, and a laundromat. When a festival at the mosque is attacked by racists, she must decide: will she remain a silent observer or take a stand? With brilliant, poetic language, Layla AlAmmar explores what it means to be a refugee. She writes about the loss of safety, war, and extremism. "The Silence Within Me" captures the fragmented life of a refugee in all its colors and clearly illustrates the importance of listening to one another. An impressive novel with incredible sensitivity and a plea for tolerance and understanding.