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A review by girlglitch
The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
4.0
The Sharp Edge of Silence is a powerful YA novel about rape culture and surviving sexual abuse.
Main protagonist Q is a fantastic character: vulnerable, resilient and brave. While she is able to accept that she was the victim of rape (and she has a support network who unquestioningly believe her and reassure her that she is in no way to blame for what happened), she struggles to move on. Simply surviving starts to take a huge emotional and physical toll on her. Her story is a thought-provoking examination of how to support victims of sexual assault in a culture that so often refuses to hold the perpetrators accountable. It is not enough to 'believe women', however important a start that may be.
Through the perspectives of the other two main protagonists, Charlotte and Max, Rosenblum explores the ways in which rape culture is embedded into school life, and how we must make a conscious effort to challenge it. You don't need to have been to an elite boarding school like Lycroft Phelps to recognise the social dynamics at play: despite the extreme privilege on display, it still makes for a neat microcosm of the world at large.
There is a fair amount of prose that could have been cut back, and in some respects the plot doesn't really kick in until about halfway through. But I appreciated how Rosenblum creates space for some interesting character development and a nuanced exploration of her subject.
Smart and sensitive, The Sharp Edge of Silence is an important YA read.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*
Main protagonist Q is a fantastic character: vulnerable, resilient and brave. While she is able to accept that she was the victim of rape (and she has a support network who unquestioningly believe her and reassure her that she is in no way to blame for what happened), she struggles to move on. Simply surviving starts to take a huge emotional and physical toll on her. Her story is a thought-provoking examination of how to support victims of sexual assault in a culture that so often refuses to hold the perpetrators accountable. It is not enough to 'believe women', however important a start that may be.
Through the perspectives of the other two main protagonists, Charlotte and Max, Rosenblum explores the ways in which rape culture is embedded into school life, and how we must make a conscious effort to challenge it. You don't need to have been to an elite boarding school like Lycroft Phelps to recognise the social dynamics at play: despite the extreme privilege on display, it still makes for a neat microcosm of the world at large.
There is a fair amount of prose that could have been cut back, and in some respects the plot doesn't really kick in until about halfway through. But I appreciated how Rosenblum creates space for some interesting character development and a nuanced exploration of her subject.
Smart and sensitive, The Sharp Edge of Silence is an important YA read.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review*