When I first began this book I was reminded of The Power by Naomi Alderman winner of the women’s prize for fiction a few years ago. However the comparison didn’t endure for long but the power did, the power of the story, that is. It’s pertinent and frighteningly topical. It looks at the lives of three different women, Sara, Grace and Zainab. It succeeds on several different levels; as a feminist fiction, as an observation on social media and global phenomena, and the nature of communication itself. The premise is original, Sara, an author, decides to become silent, properly silent that is. This seemingly simple act sparks a global phenomenon that becomes known as the Silent Movement. And the world becomes divided into people who are Verbals and Non-Verbals. And as we have seen with most events there are supporters and non-supporters and the conflicts that arise from such things are far-reaching and the inevitable protests ensue. It’s an intelligent, clever book that taps into the contemporary attitudes of today. It’s a cleverly constructed work that uses third person narrative along with TV scripting, online forums, social media exchanges and so on. Allusions to topics such as Brexit and anti-vaxxers places the novel very firmly as a book of Today. Peppered throughout are some astute observations that have credence beyond the fictional world from whence they derive. ‘.. the times we live in, where everyone speaks but no one listens.‘ Considerations of race and gender are also never far from the surface.‘…..women like me have always been told our voices don’t matter.Whenever given the same opportunities; we are talked over when we are.’ Observations of the society in which we live,’….one has a debt to the world in which they live, and there comes a time when it must be paid.That was just good manners.’
It’s a thought provoking book to spark some animated discussions, I would think. I loved it.
My thanks to Team Bookends for a proof.
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