Reviews

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

ksomers's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Should have DNFd 

Hated all of the characters which isn’t always a bad thing in a book but it didn’t work in this one with the subject of motherhood especially seeing how children were being treated by different mothers.

Overall boring plot twists 

I do not think autism is handled with care in this book - it is skirted around and shamed by the author and I don’t think it was done intentionally it feels like we’re supposed to learn how it’s viewed by the characters but it’s like ALL of the characters treat autism like it’s a curse you can’t name???????????????? 

I did not enjoy this book also because I grew up with a loud parent who was emotionally abusive and I know how that has effected my life way into adulthood and it made me nauseous to read about how no one was taking it seriously. 

allyson09's review

mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

jenlp's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

Have determined I just don’t like this author.  This is the 2nd book I’ve read of hers and it was brutal trying to finish it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

kaleighhrob's review

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

khwills1's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

shelovedtoread's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

baxteria23's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

4.25

exquisite_tragedy's review

3.0

Ashley Audrain…girl…are you okay?

I liked this a LOT more than The Push, but I can’t exactly say I particularly enjoy this one either. DEFINITELY wouldn’t recommend this to new or expecting mothers, that’s for sure.

This felt way more literary fiction than thriller/mystery, which is something I actually enjoyed about it because it felt more like a character study. I just would have preferred a few less POVs and a little bit of a quicker pacing.

laurenscholle's review

4.0

oh so yeah idk if I can be a mother bc this book scared me of motherhood

kristinalh's review

3.0

"She'd once heard them described as the whispers-the moments that are trying to tell you something isn't right here. The problem is that some women aren't listening to what their lives are trying to tell them. They don't hear the whispers until they're looking back with hindsight. Feeling blindsided. Desperate to see the truth for what it is."

This book was okay. Lots of lies and deceit. A tragedy happens to a child and no one knows what it is, but everyone has a sneaking suspicion about the mother that has snapped at the child. It isn't until the final pages of the book that we find out the truth.