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deecreatenola's review
3.0
This is one of the bleakest dystopian novels I've ever read, but extremely thought provoking. On the one hand, it seems almost ludicrous to think that a government could ban talking. Yet...Mylonas really shows how this is not so ludicrous and I can indeed see how we could get there just as I can see how we could get to Atwood's Handmaid's Tale.
The story is a little uneven. And of course it's nearly all told in exposition since dialogue is forbidden. I didn't fully understand everyone's motivation, although I think the twists and turns were interesting and added to the story - but at the same time it was unbalancing.
Some things I couldn't understand: the accents, if that's what they were? Were they supposed to be Southern? Or was it because they hadn't spoken in so long? Also the capitalization bothered me even as I understood it - the Deputy and the Sheriff were parts of the government so they got capitalized titles while the teacher and the farmer did not. Not proper but I supposed nothing in that world was.
I would like to see more from this interesting author.
The story is a little uneven. And of course it's nearly all told in exposition since dialogue is forbidden. I didn't fully understand everyone's motivation, although I think the twists and turns were interesting and added to the story - but at the same time it was unbalancing.
Some things I couldn't understand: the accents, if that's what they were? Were they supposed to be Southern? Or was it because they hadn't spoken in so long? Also the capitalization bothered me even as I understood it - the Deputy and the Sheriff were parts of the government so they got capitalized titles while the teacher and the farmer did not. Not proper but I supposed nothing in that world was.
I would like to see more from this interesting author.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
4.0
Now live on The Tangled Web Magazine
TRIGGER WARNINGS: CHILD DEATH
The Hush blew me away with its powerful narrative. There was the right balance of important details, a window into the past, and snippets of the hardships but there was also hope at the centre of it all – the hope in the form of a little girl that turned both their worlds upside down.
The Hush is so fascinating and propulsive that it is just downright addictive. It’s a story about finding hope in a hopeless place, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to other readers.
Silence can be a weapon. Things left unsaid cut sharper than a knife.
Dystopian fiction can be quite hit and miss for me. Once you’ve read a few, they can blur into one. It’s usually a done deal after a few pages of reading on whether it will be hit or a miss…Mylonas hooked me even sooner – the first scene in the first chapter had synapses firing off in my head. Trying to decipher the why’s and where’s. In those first few moments, images danced in my head; I knew there was a threat, a creeping shadow rising up to impact everyone.
The Hush is the kind of story that affects people. it’s the kind of story that makes your skin crawl with the intensity of the storyline. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that a government could implement an archaic policy that would outlaw communication as a whole. The spoken word, written text, and sign language are all gone. How can people be expected to communicate, show emotion, and express grief if the government expects them all to become mute? There is a dangerous thrill to The Hush that had me checking if I was still able to talk – the implications are that huge.
This story had me looking at the world through different eyes. We rely on talking and communicating through different channels so much that it’s hard to envision not being able to do that anymore. The reader isn’t detached from the situation – the writing allows us to become fully immersed in the protagonist’s plight. The author tugs at the threads of reality and pulls them taut, leaving the reader struggling to grasp how they would react in the same situation. I felt like I was being pulled in different directions, I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how.
The Hush tells the story of The Farmer and his wife, The Teacher. They are living in a repressive society that has outlawed all communication. It has a hint of 1984 in so much that society just ends up accepting that this is now their life; they don’t fight against it; they are even beyond questioning it. It is just another expectation that they must uphold. The Farmer and The Teacher are living less than a half-life; their marriage is a shell of what it once was, and their grief of losing their baby boy being held hostage in their hearts – never to see the light of day again. They had seen their friends be killed, friends turn on each other, and their farms shrivel up to nothing. It’s not just the oppressive actions of the government that has a chokehold on them but the weather – it has turned into a dry wasteland that nothing thrives on.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: CHILD DEATH
The Hush blew me away with its powerful narrative. There was the right balance of important details, a window into the past, and snippets of the hardships but there was also hope at the centre of it all – the hope in the form of a little girl that turned both their worlds upside down.
The Hush is so fascinating and propulsive that it is just downright addictive. It’s a story about finding hope in a hopeless place, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to other readers.
Silence can be a weapon. Things left unsaid cut sharper than a knife.
Dystopian fiction can be quite hit and miss for me. Once you’ve read a few, they can blur into one. It’s usually a done deal after a few pages of reading on whether it will be hit or a miss…Mylonas hooked me even sooner – the first scene in the first chapter had synapses firing off in my head. Trying to decipher the why’s and where’s. In those first few moments, images danced in my head; I knew there was a threat, a creeping shadow rising up to impact everyone.
The Hush is the kind of story that affects people. it’s the kind of story that makes your skin crawl with the intensity of the storyline. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that a government could implement an archaic policy that would outlaw communication as a whole. The spoken word, written text, and sign language are all gone. How can people be expected to communicate, show emotion, and express grief if the government expects them all to become mute? There is a dangerous thrill to The Hush that had me checking if I was still able to talk – the implications are that huge.
This story had me looking at the world through different eyes. We rely on talking and communicating through different channels so much that it’s hard to envision not being able to do that anymore. The reader isn’t detached from the situation – the writing allows us to become fully immersed in the protagonist’s plight. The author tugs at the threads of reality and pulls them taut, leaving the reader struggling to grasp how they would react in the same situation. I felt like I was being pulled in different directions, I wanted to help, but I didn’t know how.
The Hush tells the story of The Farmer and his wife, The Teacher. They are living in a repressive society that has outlawed all communication. It has a hint of 1984 in so much that society just ends up accepting that this is now their life; they don’t fight against it; they are even beyond questioning it. It is just another expectation that they must uphold. The Farmer and The Teacher are living less than a half-life; their marriage is a shell of what it once was, and their grief of losing their baby boy being held hostage in their hearts – never to see the light of day again. They had seen their friends be killed, friends turn on each other, and their farms shrivel up to nothing. It’s not just the oppressive actions of the government that has a chokehold on them but the weather – it has turned into a dry wasteland that nothing thrives on.
whatjordanreads's review
4.0
One sentence synopsis:
In a country where no one is allowed to speak, a girl comes along and changes everything for a family.
My review:
I liked this book. It has hints of 1984 in that the people are forced to live a certain way (in this case they are forbidden from talking even going as far as removing vocal cords!) by the government. But this book was so much more enjoyable/easier to read than 1984.
While I was reading this there were times I got slightly frustrated thinking “this is kinda unrealistic… to force a society to stop communicating”. No speaking, no sign language, no nothing! Like, overtime how would things function if people could not talk? Eventually you’d have a very stupid society. But I’m not sure they were thinking long term (the fictional government or maybe even the author). The ending also left me wanting a bit more closure.
It has hints of the political unrest of today’s world so if that’s not your thing, be forewarned. This is not an escapist dystopian novel like the Hunger Games.
What do you think of dystopian novels? My husband thinks they hit a little too close to home and he doesn’t like them.
✨ ebook gifted by @inspiredquill in exchange for an honest review ✨
In a country where no one is allowed to speak, a girl comes along and changes everything for a family.
My review:
I liked this book. It has hints of 1984 in that the people are forced to live a certain way (in this case they are forbidden from talking even going as far as removing vocal cords!) by the government. But this book was so much more enjoyable/easier to read than 1984.
While I was reading this there were times I got slightly frustrated thinking “this is kinda unrealistic… to force a society to stop communicating”. No speaking, no sign language, no nothing! Like, overtime how would things function if people could not talk? Eventually you’d have a very stupid society. But I’m not sure they were thinking long term (the fictional government or maybe even the author). The ending also left me wanting a bit more closure.
It has hints of the political unrest of today’s world so if that’s not your thing, be forewarned. This is not an escapist dystopian novel like the Hunger Games.
What do you think of dystopian novels? My husband thinks they hit a little too close to home and he doesn’t like them.
✨ ebook gifted by @inspiredquill in exchange for an honest review ✨
interpreterchangling's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This has GOT to be one of my favorite book I've read in years.... perhaps a decade! Absolutely beautiful and terrifying in the same breath. At times, I was angry only because I couldn't read fast enough. Spellbinding and wonderfully poetic!... One I'll recommend for YEARS to come. This story will stick with you
poppy_koval's review
5.0
Unlike some books that try to get a philosophical point across, The Hush holds up as far as character development and plot. Even though the characters are partially responsible for the situation they find themselves in (a future where no one is allowed to speak), we still get a compassionate, well-rounded view of all of them. The Hush is one of those books you keep thinking about after you finish it – would you be on the side of good if it meant risking the safety of your family?
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