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booksthatburn's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
FEED THEM SILENCE is the story of Sean, an academic researcher trying to gain a sense of intimacy in her own life through a technologically assisted neurological interface connecting her to a wolf, rather than nurturing intimacy and connection with the humans in her life (such as her wife). She feels deeply connected to the wolf she’s studying. Part of this is through anthropomorphizing the wolf with the assistance of the technology that maps the words, thoughts, emotions, and perceptions onto her own, human brain. She specifically thinks of this as not anthropomorphizing, and I’m not quite sure how literally to believe that in the story, especially when it’s about how her obsession with treating this as the most important relationship in her life leads her down a path where the being she feels most connected to is one that is likely unaware of her presence. To whatever extent the wolf ("Kate") knows of her, it is as a blurry memory of kidnapping and pain when the other terminal of the neural interface was implanted.
At home, Sean's wife is feeling disregarded and unloved, like Sean just wants her there to cook and clean. They’re both academics with their own careers, but one of Riya's complaints is the way that Sean is behaving like a white man who just wants a housewife. Riya has put her own desires aside for a long time because of the demands of Sean's research and academic schedule, but as their relationship deteriorates, Riya tries to get Sean to initiate connection, or at least reciprocate it. But she feels like an ancillary note to Sean's research, research that she feels has massive ethical concerns. Sean’s thoughts are consumed by her work, it seems as though she’s been obsessed with this idea for a very long time. Then the reality of it, and whatever is going on with the neural link, has turned it from a dream into an obsession that is distorting her ability to put care into other parts of her life for any significant stretch of time.
There’s an ongoing question about whether what is happening is cruel, as there is no way for the wolf to meaningfully consent to the experiment. Having tied her own brain to Kate, Sean ends up more and more torn in her thoughts, because the only way that she’s obtaining this intimacy is through what began as and continues to be a massive violation of the wolf's autonomy. Her fellow researchers see Kate and her pack as part of an experiment, having accepted that the process of observing them during a harsh winter is likely to mean watching them die. But, as she feels more connected, Sean is unable to accept this. Because her change in her stance is driven by an increasing (and one-sided) emotional bond with Kate, Sean is also unable to meaningfully articulate her changing feelings without letting on to her colleagues how much this process is affecting her.
Set in the 2030's, climate change and the associated ongoing loss of many animal species forms a backdrop to this drama, as part of the reason for this particular research is that this is the last wild wolf pack. I’m not sure if it’s the last one in the region or the last one on Earth, but the main point is that the trajectory for the species is one of decline and impending extinction. This makes the various questions around how to study the wolf pack even more important, but whatever precise way they matter to the characters, these considerations don’t overly end up affecting the story. There wouldn’t be a book if they weren’t going to go ahead and do the research. That choice at the beginning sets many things in motion so that the environmental and ethical concerns become matters of conscience after the fact, more issues of how to gain some sense of stability, and potentially assuage any moral compunctions or lingering guilt over what happened.
I specifically enjoy this audiobook narrator’s performances, I’ve been reading a lot of them recently. I like the ending because it feels realistic for the characters without feeling inevitable. It doesn’t feel like this was the only way that things could’ve gone on every front, but there is a kind of slowly unfolding horror; realizing the way things are likely to go and seeing the characters seemingly unable to avoid it. In terms of character development, I like how the various members of Sean‘s team have different reactions to what’s going on. They’ve accepted animal death as part of their research, but seem to not be taking seriously the level of cruelty that’s involved in this particular experiment until it's already in motion and they figure out how to make some kind of peace with it.
At home, Sean's wife is feeling disregarded and unloved, like Sean just wants her there to cook and clean. They’re both academics with their own careers, but one of Riya's complaints is the way that Sean is behaving like a white man who just wants a housewife. Riya has put her own desires aside for a long time because of the demands of Sean's research and academic schedule, but as their relationship deteriorates, Riya tries to get Sean to initiate connection, or at least reciprocate it. But she feels like an ancillary note to Sean's research, research that she feels has massive ethical concerns. Sean’s thoughts are consumed by her work, it seems as though she’s been obsessed with this idea for a very long time. Then the reality of it, and whatever is going on with the neural link, has turned it from a dream into an obsession that is distorting her ability to put care into other parts of her life for any significant stretch of time.
There’s an ongoing question about whether what is happening is cruel, as there is no way for the wolf to meaningfully consent to the experiment. Having tied her own brain to Kate, Sean ends up more and more torn in her thoughts, because the only way that she’s obtaining this intimacy is through what began as and continues to be a massive violation of the wolf's autonomy. Her fellow researchers see Kate and her pack as part of an experiment, having accepted that the process of observing them during a harsh winter is likely to mean watching them die. But, as she feels more connected, Sean is unable to accept this. Because her change in her stance is driven by an increasing (and one-sided) emotional bond with Kate, Sean is also unable to meaningfully articulate her changing feelings without letting on to her colleagues how much this process is affecting her.
Set in the 2030's, climate change and the associated ongoing loss of many animal species forms a backdrop to this drama, as part of the reason for this particular research is that this is the last wild wolf pack. I’m not sure if it’s the last one in the region or the last one on Earth, but the main point is that the trajectory for the species is one of decline and impending extinction. This makes the various questions around how to study the wolf pack even more important, but whatever precise way they matter to the characters, these considerations don’t overly end up affecting the story. There wouldn’t be a book if they weren’t going to go ahead and do the research. That choice at the beginning sets many things in motion so that the environmental and ethical concerns become matters of conscience after the fact, more issues of how to gain some sense of stability, and potentially assuage any moral compunctions or lingering guilt over what happened.
I specifically enjoy this audiobook narrator’s performances, I’ve been reading a lot of them recently. I like the ending because it feels realistic for the characters without feeling inevitable. It doesn’t feel like this was the only way that things could’ve gone on every front, but there is a kind of slowly unfolding horror; realizing the way things are likely to go and seeing the characters seemingly unable to avoid it. In terms of character development, I like how the various members of Sean‘s team have different reactions to what’s going on. They’ve accepted animal death as part of their research, but seem to not be taking seriously the level of cruelty that’s involved in this particular experiment until it's already in motion and they figure out how to make some kind of peace with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gore, Violence, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Animal death, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Cursing, Medical trauma, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, and Racism
taratearex's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Near futuristic sci-fi novella where a researcher connects her mind to a world, while her marriage is also falling apart party due to her wife ethically disagreeing with her research. Cool concept and fast paced, the audiobook is expertly read by Natalie Naudus. I wanted it to get weirder/more horror. End was a bit anticlimactic. But overall a great sci-fi novella.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Medical content, and Animal death
Moderate: Infidelity, Blood, and Gore
Minor: Vomit, Racism, and Sexism
starrysteph's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A bleak & distressing journey into the near-future that felt a bit like a Black Mirror episode (though not quite as tech-y).
We follow Dr. Sean Kell-Luddon, a work-obsessed researcher who is intent on bridging the gap between humans and animals. Her newest project uses advanced neuroscience to translate the live perception of a wolf through her own eyes (she’s always been fascinated by wolves & is hoping to protect one of the last remaining wild packs). But between her greedy VC funders and her strained relationship with her wife, her world is teetering on the edge of ruin.
It’s a sad tale from start to finish. Mandelo’s characters waver ethically, hurt each other, and challenge their humanity & their empathy for the world around them.
Sean is not particularly likable - she’s not a good partner and doesn’t feel motivated to change that, she’s so blinded by her curiosity that she doesn’t critically consider who is funding her project, her desire to be close with wolves overrides any consideration of animal ethics, and so on. But her fascination and attachment to the wolves was incredibly compelling. And the foil of the one-sided relationship between Sean and her wolf and Sean and her wife was very well-done!
Feed Them Silence both challenges academia and eerily captures human greed for knowledge without care of who it may hurt or destroy. It’s a look at intimacy and selfishness and greed and obsession.
I think the limits could have been pushed further; I was ready to be repulsed by more weirdness. I also had very mixed feelings about the ending. But I was definitely immersed in this uneasy little story.
CW: animal cruelty & animal death, animal medical experimentation, medical content, grief, blood, gore, vomit, injury, violence, infidelity, racism, sexism
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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Racism, Infidelity, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Vomit, Alcohol, Animal death, Medical trauma, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Medical content, and Violence
moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Set in 2031, this book focuses on a neuroscientist who is working on a research project that will connect her brain to the psyche of one of the few remaining wild wolves. Along with this, you see her deteriorating relationship with her wife, as well as the state of the world around them. This story is a very believable near future both in terms of the year and in the state of the world: a hypercorperate place dealing even more with the effects of climate change.
Every layer of the story shows us a toxic relationship, what it's like to be so close to connection while merely being empty consumers instead. It's haunting and devastating, an all too realistic horror that was brilliantly done. It was the perfect length for what it was trying to do and it is definitely going to stick with me.
Every layer of the story shows us a toxic relationship, what it's like to be so close to connection while merely being empty consumers instead. It's haunting and devastating, an all too realistic horror that was brilliantly done. It was the perfect length for what it was trying to do and it is definitely going to stick with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Medical content
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Racism
enchantressreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was very, very hesitant to start this book because I have an aversion to any kind of harm to animals. I am (mostly) glad that I decided to read it anyway. Content warnings are listed at the bottom for those interested in the outcome.
Don’t get me wrong, it was rough. As a scientist myself, it’s always hard to deal with animal testing; you get attached very quickly, you care too much, and you feel tremendous guilt. I think, even though the entire story had me on edge, that gave me more of an emotional attachment to this novella.
It is the near future, and Dr. Sean Kell-Luddon is a scientist currently studying behavior in wolves. She has the chance to use a special interface to become “in-kind” with her wolf, Kate. This means that Sean can see, hear, smell, and fear whatever Kate does. The experiment is to determine why these wolves have survived when many other packs have died off.
There are a lot of ethical questions in this novella, and I think that adds to the general uneasiness to the read. It is only 100 or so pages, yet I took my time reading it, because I had so many thoughts I just had to write down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the chance to read this advanced review copy.
CW for medical setting, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, gore, racism, sexism, vomit, and infidelity
Don’t get me wrong, it was rough. As a scientist myself, it’s always hard to deal with animal testing; you get attached very quickly, you care too much, and you feel tremendous guilt. I think, even though the entire story had me on edge, that gave me more of an emotional attachment to this novella.
It is the near future, and Dr. Sean Kell-Luddon is a scientist currently studying behavior in wolves. She has the chance to use a special interface to become “in-kind” with her wolf, Kate. This means that Sean can see, hear, smell, and fear whatever Kate does. The experiment is to determine why these wolves have survived when many other packs have died off.
There are a lot of ethical questions in this novella, and I think that adds to the general uneasiness to the read. It is only 100 or so pages, yet I took my time reading it, because I had so many thoughts I just had to write down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the chance to read this advanced review copy.
CW for medical setting, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, gore, racism, sexism, vomit, and infidelity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood and Gore
Minor: Infidelity, Racism, and Sexism
obscurepages's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Okay I need to read more of Lee Mandelo's works. (I know Summer Sons have been on my radar for so loooonngg.)
This was definitely an interesting read. Here we see Sean's research and interest on wolves affect her real-life relationships and her mental health. But in this story we also see science clashing with ethics and moral values, a messed-up version of a parasocial relationship and its impact, and maybe how big corporations can take advantage of anything and make profits out of it.
Lots of themes were explored, lots of questions were also brought up to make readers wonder and think. Overall, and entertaining and solid read.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: #ReadQueerly2023.
This was definitely an interesting read. Here we see Sean's research and interest on wolves affect her real-life relationships and her mental health. But in this story we also see science clashing with ethics and moral values, a messed-up version of a parasocial relationship and its impact, and maybe how big corporations can take advantage of anything and make profits out of it.
Lots of themes were explored, lots of questions were also brought up to make readers wonder and think. Overall, and entertaining and solid read.
Find me elsewhere: Instagram | Twitter | Blog
Marking this book as part of reading challenge: #ReadQueerly2023.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity
Minor: Racism
laurareads87's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Feed Them Silence follows Sean, a neuroscientist, and her team’s experiment in human/non-human interfacing which allows Sean to neurally link with a wolf, experiencing the wolf’s senses, emotions, connections, and pain. As Sean’s connection with “her” wolf intensifies, detachment from her “subject” becomes less and less possible all while other aspects of Sean’s life unravel.
There is a lot I liked about this. I’d not read Mandelo before but I found this novella well-written and will definitely look into more of their work. Sean is a well developed character — far from likeable, as other reviewers have noted, but she’s hardly intended to be. Mandelo has packed a lot into a very short number of pages as well — while the focus is Sean’s experience, there are also considerations of the ethics of research involving animals, climate grief, the pressures of academic life (including for women in particular), and an intense exploration of what happens when human and non-human others are treated as objects.
A few things didn’t work for me. The focus on Sean as a protagonist was so strong that every other character felt under-developed as a result — the reader learns very very little about the other members of the research team, even though Sean spends most of her time with them, and much of what we learn about Sean’s wife Riya are the ways that Riya responds to Sean treating her like garbage. I also found, for all the emphasis on cross-species understanding, that this book was extraordinarily anthropocentric. While the human characters displayed a range of changing amounts and types of concern for the welfare of the wolves being exploited for the study, the focus is so consistently on the utility (or not) of the study and on Sean’s need to feel okay about the work that she was doing that I feel like some of the potential for this book to be thought-provoking was lost.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge / Tordotcom for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
There is a lot I liked about this. I’d not read Mandelo before but I found this novella well-written and will definitely look into more of their work. Sean is a well developed character — far from likeable, as other reviewers have noted, but she’s hardly intended to be. Mandelo has packed a lot into a very short number of pages as well — while the focus is Sean’s experience, there are also considerations of the ethics of research involving animals, climate grief, the pressures of academic life (including for women in particular), and an intense exploration of what happens when human and non-human others are treated as objects.
A few things didn’t work for me. The focus on Sean as a protagonist was so strong that every other character felt under-developed as a result — the reader learns very very little about the other members of the research team, even though Sean spends most of her time with them, and much of what we learn about Sean’s wife Riya are the ways that Riya responds to Sean treating her like garbage. I also found, for all the emphasis on cross-species understanding, that this book was extraordinarily anthropocentric. While the human characters displayed a range of changing amounts and types of concern for the welfare of the wolves being exploited for the study, the focus is so consistently on the utility (or not) of the study and on Sean’s need to feel okay about the work that she was doing that I feel like some of the potential for this book to be thought-provoking was lost.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge / Tordotcom for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Medical content, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Sexism and Racism
ghostreadin's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Mandelo’s skill at writing embodiment is showcased in Feed Them Silence, with the viscera of human and animal experience laid raw and reaching. Same as with his first book, many scenes are crafted so vividly they feel like memories that I won't be able to shake for too long. At the risk of comparing two very different books, I want to note that I loved how distinctly different the introspection of this main character felt from their last book; the clarity, even when self-deluding, of Sean's inner voice is a delight to suffer alongside and establishes a maturity without skirting past her younger drives.
If you're not a frequent novella reader because you find it hard to connect with characters in such a short space, you likely won't have that problem here — Mandelo has deftly fleshed out main and side characters using small, unique gestures that were simple yet moving. Sean’s relationship conflict with her wife Riya was so deeply painful to watch play out and so well-crafted; so much of their dialogue will be a relable gut-punch for readers in longer-term relationships. The line “as if the pair of them were each acting the life they’d rather be living, for the sake of a minute’s respite” left me feeling a bleak sort of evisceration.
It feels necessary to comment on parasocial relationships and narcissism as they're the heart of this narrative, but I think I'd rather everyone reading this review just pick up the book and hear what Mandelo’s saying. Doubtless other reviewers will also cover this ground too, so I'll only add: so thoughtful, pointed, and well-crafted.
Mild, vague spoiler ahead:
My only note was a really bleak and rough event at the end was skated past quite quickly, which I believe was on purpose because the true emotional crush was Sean’s decision of what to do afterward. I'd be even more wrecked after reading what that scene -could- have looked like so thanks Mandelo, and also, emphatically, ow.
If you're not a frequent novella reader because you find it hard to connect with characters in such a short space, you likely won't have that problem here — Mandelo has deftly fleshed out main and side characters using small, unique gestures that were simple yet moving. Sean’s relationship conflict with her wife Riya was so deeply painful to watch play out and so well-crafted; so much of their dialogue will be a relable gut-punch for readers in longer-term relationships. The line “as if the pair of them were each acting the life they’d rather be living, for the sake of a minute’s respite” left me feeling a bleak sort of evisceration.
It feels necessary to comment on parasocial relationships and narcissism as they're the heart of this narrative, but I think I'd rather everyone reading this review just pick up the book and hear what Mandelo’s saying. Doubtless other reviewers will also cover this ground too, so I'll only add: so thoughtful, pointed, and well-crafted.
Mild, vague spoiler ahead:
My only note was a really bleak and rough event at the end was skated past quite quickly, which I believe was on purpose because the true emotional crush was Sean’s decision of what to do afterward. I'd be even more wrecked after reading what that scene -could- have looked like so thanks Mandelo, and also, emphatically, ow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Animal death
Moderate: Racism
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