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veecundill's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This blew me away. Emotionally graphic, raw, heartbreaking...it will stay with me for a very long time.
The setting and culture of Lycroft was well depicted. The 3 POVs gave a full 360 view of the school's unsettling traditions. The subtle drip, drip of toxic masculinity offered through Max's POV was something you don't often see; the struggle to do what is right versus follow the crowd was interesting to examine from a male perspective. Charlotte's insecurities despite her popularity and her meanness to another girl were really recognisable and Q's painful unravelling was palpable.
I honestly haven't read such a moving YA account of pain and trauma since 'Girl in Pieces'.
The setting and culture of Lycroft was well depicted. The 3 POVs gave a full 360 view of the school's unsettling traditions. The subtle drip, drip of toxic masculinity offered through Max's POV was something you don't often see; the struggle to do what is right versus follow the crowd was interesting to examine from a male perspective. Charlotte's insecurities despite her popularity and her meanness to another girl were really recognisable and Q's painful unravelling was palpable.
I honestly haven't read such a moving YA account of pain and trauma since 'Girl in Pieces'.
rachaelthegiraffe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual assault
caitiep92's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
oliviajeggo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
feldy's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
themorbidlibrary's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars.
Spoilers ahead. I will not reveal anything big - most of the review vaguely alludes to plot, structure, and characters.
---
This was a tough read at times. Trigger warning for Sexual Assault. The prose was excellent and I liked so many of the characters, even though they acted so stupidly most of the time (but, hey, that's teenagers for you!). I didn't think the character of Max was all that necessary as a narrator. I think the author was attempting to document the descent into douchebaggery and then his redemption, but I felt that the story would have been more effective if the girls were able to expose everything without the help of a guy. I also wanted to see more about the consequences at the end, as that aspect was a bit rushed. Maybe that's the lover of revenge in me, but I wanted to watch them suffer.
---
Again, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars.
Spoilers ahead. I will not reveal anything big - most of the review vaguely alludes to plot, structure, and characters.
---
This was a tough read at times. Trigger warning for Sexual Assault. The prose was excellent and I liked so many of the characters, even though they acted so stupidly most of the time (but, hey, that's teenagers for you!). I didn't think the character of Max was all that necessary as a narrator. I think the author was attempting to document the descent into douchebaggery and then his redemption, but I felt that the story would have been more effective if the girls were able to expose everything without the help of a guy. I also wanted to see more about the consequences at the end, as that aspect was a bit rushed. Maybe that's the lover of revenge in me, but I wanted to watch them suffer.
---
Again, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
ashlislibrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Rape
jessicasophie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence and Alcohol
Minor: Stalking, Vomit, and Eating disorder
frombethanysbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Who will you be at Lyrecroft Phelps?
At this school, only the elite are welcome. The students that walk these hallowed halls are propelled into success and acclaim, but behind the perfect exterior is a dark side full of secrets and skeletons.
Charlotte is the perfect student with the perfect boyfriend and social standing, while Max struggles to balance his scholarship with the social demands of the school and the other students. And there's Quinn, who has to watch quietly as the boy who abused her walks around with an untarnished reputation and bright future.
He needs to pay, to suffer - he needs to die for the pain he's caused her. People need to know.
Until now, the rule at the school was that boys will be boys - but now, boys are going to be held accountable for their actions. And our unlikely trio are going to be the ones to make sure that happens, no matter who they have to take down with them.
"I'm as far away from that little girl as I can be, watching her, suspended in some dark antigravity."
TSEOS is a searing indictment of rape culture and the dangerous toxicity that outdated patriarchal standards spread through society. Written with a painful authenticity that I recognised as the voice of a fellow survivor, Rosenblum perfectly captures the unyielding expectations women have forced on them while genuinely exploring the shame and grief that follows abuse, and the deafening silence that can follow asking for help.
Set in the most exclusive and elite of private schools, the setting is suffocating and intense - you can feel the pressures to fit in, to succeed, to conform, to be quiet. The school itself almost feels like a supporting character, a villain in the story. With an almost lyrical, poetic writing style at times, the imagery invoked is so vivid that a simple school almost becomes otherworldly and alienating, with a intensely threatening aura surrounding it.
The characters are masterfully written - we hear from their distinct voices, jumping between perspectives and learning about their individual struggles - Quinn who is being crushed under the weight of the rage she's carrying, Charlotte who is glowing in the light of first love and terrified of her life changing, and Max who is desperately trying to belong in a world that doesn't want him. The intricate relationships between them are a testament to the importance of genuine friendship in our toughest times. All three are imperfect in the most perfect of ways and immeasurably relatable despite their differences and their extreme actions in these pages. Their stories eventually collide together in a fiery conclusion, but every little strand is important in this story.
With the cinematic intensity of a thriller and the brutal honesty of a woman speaking up for her sisters - this is a fast-paced, timely and climatic story full of rage and revenge that was dark and disturbingly delightful. A striking and unapologetic portrayal of the dark underbelly of modern life and the fight for our place in a world designed to beat us down.
TSEOS is an explosive debut that is definitely going to set off some sparks in the literary world this year.
At this school, only the elite are welcome. The students that walk these hallowed halls are propelled into success and acclaim, but behind the perfect exterior is a dark side full of secrets and skeletons.
Charlotte is the perfect student with the perfect boyfriend and social standing, while Max struggles to balance his scholarship with the social demands of the school and the other students. And there's Quinn, who has to watch quietly as the boy who abused her walks around with an untarnished reputation and bright future.
He needs to pay, to suffer - he needs to die for the pain he's caused her. People need to know.
Until now, the rule at the school was that boys will be boys - but now, boys are going to be held accountable for their actions. And our unlikely trio are going to be the ones to make sure that happens, no matter who they have to take down with them.
"I'm as far away from that little girl as I can be, watching her, suspended in some dark antigravity."
TSEOS is a searing indictment of rape culture and the dangerous toxicity that outdated patriarchal standards spread through society. Written with a painful authenticity that I recognised as the voice of a fellow survivor, Rosenblum perfectly captures the unyielding expectations women have forced on them while genuinely exploring the shame and grief that follows abuse, and the deafening silence that can follow asking for help.
Set in the most exclusive and elite of private schools, the setting is suffocating and intense - you can feel the pressures to fit in, to succeed, to conform, to be quiet. The school itself almost feels like a supporting character, a villain in the story. With an almost lyrical, poetic writing style at times, the imagery invoked is so vivid that a simple school almost becomes otherworldly and alienating, with a intensely threatening aura surrounding it.
The characters are masterfully written - we hear from their distinct voices, jumping between perspectives and learning about their individual struggles - Quinn who is being crushed under the weight of the rage she's carrying, Charlotte who is glowing in the light of first love and terrified of her life changing, and Max who is desperately trying to belong in a world that doesn't want him. The intricate relationships between them are a testament to the importance of genuine friendship in our toughest times. All three are imperfect in the most perfect of ways and immeasurably relatable despite their differences and their extreme actions in these pages. Their stories eventually collide together in a fiery conclusion, but every little strand is important in this story.
With the cinematic intensity of a thriller and the brutal honesty of a woman speaking up for her sisters - this is a fast-paced, timely and climatic story full of rage and revenge that was dark and disturbingly delightful. A striking and unapologetic portrayal of the dark underbelly of modern life and the fight for our place in a world designed to beat us down.
TSEOS is an explosive debut that is definitely going to set off some sparks in the literary world this year.
gennareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
All I can say is WOW. From the title, the cover, the acknowledgements at the start, right the way through to the last page. Just wow.
TWs: Rape, PTSD, sexual abuse recovery, rape culture, toxic masculinity, misogyny, plus more that I've definitely missed.
I would definitely advise anyone wanting to read this book to check out the TWs beforehand.
At the start I really didn't feel in the correct headspace to be reading this book with it's heavy topic, and the reader is thrown right in. However, I could tell that this book is a piece of incredible art from Rosenblum and I wanted to carry on. I was afraid my headspace was going to affect me being able to do her writing justice as I read. I didn't want to DNF this book so I decided to carry on. I really do not think this is a 'read bits here and there' kind of book. I found it quite confusing at the start as the narrative is split between 3 POVs - Max, Quinn, and Charlotte - at an elite American boarding school and there are a lot of characters to remember. It wasn't until I sat down and spent a good hour reading that everything started to click into place, and when it does, oh boy does it click! Each character represents something that I'm sure we all remember from school - the jocks, the nerds, the artsy ones, the girls that are sweet and lovely, the head teacher that is a d*ck, etc. All these characters cross over between POVs and we see different sides and what they represent in the story - this is very important as you read on.
The subject matter of The Sharp Edge of Silence is emotional and dark. Max's POV shows the peer pressure and a side of toxic masculinity from inside the 'boys club', especially how easy it is to be swept up in the moment and how hard it is to speak out. Charlotte's POV is of a very talented dancer, in a relationship with a member of the 'boys club', and all is well in her world until she starts receiving notes that show that everything is not as it seems... Her POV helps the reader to understand how far the culture spreads, it goes throughout the school. Quinn is an artsy student (from a long line of attendees of the boarding school) learning to cope with the sexual abuse that happened to her the previous summer. Her idea of 'coping' is extreme, however Rosenblum's writing of her POV is exceptional. You really understand how Quinn is feeling, why her thought process is as it is.
Quinn's narrative was inspired by Rosenblum's own experices of sexual assault and I felt this made her POV the strongest, most heart wrenching and emotional. I loved Max's character too, providing insight into the 'boys club' and his inner turmoil was so well written, with a conflict of what is right or wrong and how his choices can shape the whole future.
I was angered by the response from the boarding school and how they try to cover up the traumatic events that have happened, however the conclusion to this story is epic. It will have you cheering, crying, smiling, and even laughing at the demise of the 'boys club'.
The Sharp Edge of Silence is incredible, especially in this time period following movements such as #MeToo and documentaries of survivors speaking up. I am so pleased I read this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and most importantly Cameron Kelly Rosenblum for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
TWs: Rape, PTSD, sexual abuse recovery, rape culture, toxic masculinity, misogyny, plus more that I've definitely missed.
I would definitely advise anyone wanting to read this book to check out the TWs beforehand.
At the start I really didn't feel in the correct headspace to be reading this book with it's heavy topic, and the reader is thrown right in. However, I could tell that this book is a piece of incredible art from Rosenblum and I wanted to carry on. I was afraid my headspace was going to affect me being able to do her writing justice as I read. I didn't want to DNF this book so I decided to carry on. I really do not think this is a 'read bits here and there' kind of book. I found it quite confusing at the start as the narrative is split between 3 POVs - Max, Quinn, and Charlotte - at an elite American boarding school and there are a lot of characters to remember. It wasn't until I sat down and spent a good hour reading that everything started to click into place, and when it does, oh boy does it click! Each character represents something that I'm sure we all remember from school - the jocks, the nerds, the artsy ones, the girls that are sweet and lovely, the head teacher that is a d*ck, etc. All these characters cross over between POVs and we see different sides and what they represent in the story - this is very important as you read on.
The subject matter of The Sharp Edge of Silence is emotional and dark. Max's POV shows the peer pressure and a side of toxic masculinity from inside the 'boys club', especially how easy it is to be swept up in the moment and how hard it is to speak out. Charlotte's POV is of a very talented dancer, in a relationship with a member of the 'boys club', and all is well in her world until she starts receiving notes that show that everything is not as it seems... Her POV helps the reader to understand how far the culture spreads, it goes throughout the school. Quinn is an artsy student (from a long line of attendees of the boarding school) learning to cope with the sexual abuse that happened to her the previous summer. Her idea of 'coping' is extreme, however Rosenblum's writing of her POV is exceptional. You really understand how Quinn is feeling, why her thought process is as it is.
Quinn's narrative was inspired by Rosenblum's own experices of sexual assault and I felt this made her POV the strongest, most heart wrenching and emotional. I loved Max's character too, providing insight into the 'boys club' and his inner turmoil was so well written, with a conflict of what is right or wrong and how his choices can shape the whole future.
I was angered by the response from the boarding school and how they try to cover up the traumatic events that have happened, however the conclusion to this story is epic. It will have you cheering, crying, smiling, and even laughing at the demise of the 'boys club'.
The Sharp Edge of Silence is incredible, especially in this time period following movements such as #MeToo and documentaries of survivors speaking up. I am so pleased I read this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and most importantly Cameron Kelly Rosenblum for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.