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A review by dark_dispatch
When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
When We Were Silent is a gripping thriller that deals with some challenging themes and subject matter. The writing is exquisite. To give you a sample, from page 1:
"But still the memories fester in me, real as a disease.
"Even now, as I watch the new students gather on the cobblestones of Trinity's front square, I can't help but think of the intimacy of teenage girls, their social hierarchies and my naive certainty I could conquer them.
"It doesn't take much for Highfield to trespass on my life. Just a whisper of chlorine at the gym or the groan of leather on bare skin and my heart picks up pace. The body remembers everything the mind wants to forget."
"What lingers is the feeling of coming face to face with a life so loosely tethered to a body and knowing that you hold the final thread." p62
Also, the character descriptions are scrumptious.
"Shauna arrives back with Matron, a cheery woman from Manchester with pale skin and red lipstick. Her blue uniform is tight across her chest, as if it can barely contain her compassion." p 60
"Oh my god, did you read the story about the bee sting?" asks Carol. "On her lips!"
I laugh, not because it's especially funny, but because this is the Carol I remember, purveyor of scandal and slander dressed up as camaraderie. p181
The author uses intersecting timelines to propel the story in both time periods. You're anchored in the 80s in Ireland, the band references will take anyone from the 80s back to the era in a second, and yet, you're also anchored in the realities of the modern day in the present. And although you have an idea of what must have happened 30 years ago, things do not unfold completely as expected, and the stakes are high in both timelines, leaving you on edge as the story unfolds.
I would call this a pageturner, but in truth, the subject matter is heavy and there were some times I had to stop and take a deep breath. However, I feel the author brings the perfect combination of sensitivity and rage to sexual harassment and abuse, abuse of authority, discrimination, and oppression. While tackling these challenging topics, McPhillips gives us a protagonist who (although not likeable in the warm and cuddly way) I found relatable and compelling.
As much as I thought I knew where the story in both timelines was headed, I didn't. The developments along the way are earned in the narrative, and often stem from the character's choices, making this story feel organic. And the razor-sharp insights are something any woman can relate to.
"In the split second I have to make a decision, I can't think of an excuse, and I don't want to make a fuss in front of the girls who are still milling around the bike shed. So I do what I've done in so many awkward situations where a man has maneuvered me into an uncomfortable position: I go along with it and pray it will be OK." p 105
This is a stunning debut. As much as I can champion the sublime prose and compelling plot, the thing that stands out to me most is the way this impacts emotionally. There are scenes that will make you hurt. There are scenes that made me weep. And weeks later, I'm still thinking about this book, and getting teary-eyed. It is an absolutely stunning debut, and I hope people discover this novel. 5 stars.
"But still the memories fester in me, real as a disease.
"Even now, as I watch the new students gather on the cobblestones of Trinity's front square, I can't help but think of the intimacy of teenage girls, their social hierarchies and my naive certainty I could conquer them.
"It doesn't take much for Highfield to trespass on my life. Just a whisper of chlorine at the gym or the groan of leather on bare skin and my heart picks up pace. The body remembers everything the mind wants to forget."
"What lingers is the feeling of coming face to face with a life so loosely tethered to a body and knowing that you hold the final thread." p62
Also, the character descriptions are scrumptious.
"Shauna arrives back with Matron, a cheery woman from Manchester with pale skin and red lipstick. Her blue uniform is tight across her chest, as if it can barely contain her compassion." p 60
"Oh my god, did you read the story about the bee sting?" asks Carol. "On her lips!"
I laugh, not because it's especially funny, but because this is the Carol I remember, purveyor of scandal and slander dressed up as camaraderie. p181
The author uses intersecting timelines to propel the story in both time periods. You're anchored in the 80s in Ireland, the band references will take anyone from the 80s back to the era in a second, and yet, you're also anchored in the realities of the modern day in the present. And although you have an idea of what must have happened 30 years ago, things do not unfold completely as expected, and the stakes are high in both timelines, leaving you on edge as the story unfolds.
I would call this a pageturner, but in truth, the subject matter is heavy and there were some times I had to stop and take a deep breath. However, I feel the author brings the perfect combination of sensitivity and rage to sexual harassment and abuse, abuse of authority, discrimination, and oppression. While tackling these challenging topics, McPhillips gives us a protagonist who (although not likeable in the warm and cuddly way) I found relatable and compelling.
As much as I thought I knew where the story in both timelines was headed, I didn't. The developments along the way are earned in the narrative, and often stem from the character's choices, making this story feel organic. And the razor-sharp insights are something any woman can relate to.
"In the split second I have to make a decision, I can't think of an excuse, and I don't want to make a fuss in front of the girls who are still milling around the bike shed. So I do what I've done in so many awkward situations where a man has maneuvered me into an uncomfortable position: I go along with it and pray it will be OK." p 105
This is a stunning debut. As much as I can champion the sublime prose and compelling plot, the thing that stands out to me most is the way this impacts emotionally. There are scenes that will make you hurt. There are scenes that made me weep. And weeks later, I'm still thinking about this book, and getting teary-eyed. It is an absolutely stunning debut, and I hope people discover this novel. 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment