Sunday, May 25, 2014

Silence by Natasha Preston

Source:  Purchased (free ibook)
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Date Published: October 19, 2012
Number of Pages:  206

For eleven years, Oakley Farrell has been silent. At the age of five, she stopped talking, and no one seems to know why. Refusing to communicate beyond a few physical actions, Oakley remains in her own little world. 

Bullied at school, she has just one friend, Cole Benson. Cole stands by her, refusing to believe that she is not perfect the way she is. Over the years, they have developed their own version of a normal friendship. However, will it still work as they start to grow even closer? 

When Oakley is forced to face someone from her past, can she hold her secret in any longer?  (from Goodreads)

This Review includes ranting, cursing, and all over disdain.  Reader beware.






....This is going to be a rant.  I'm not very happy.  I actually almost broke my ipad because of this book.  This isn't going to be a happy review.


So...Oakley stops speaking at the age of 5 for no apparent reason (though if you have a brain,

 you can guess....sexual abuse!!  Shocker!!).  This story follows Oakley through her (I'm going to guess it's Sophomore year in England, because I'm from America and I'm not entirely sure of their Forum system.  She has feelings for her best friend and neighbor Cole, and her family loves her despite not speaking.  Sounds kind of interesting, right??  Wrong.

Well, I find nothing good with this book.


Oakley complains, and leads on what happened to her, though my freaking one year old could have guessed what happened.  I read the description on ibooks, and went "ooo, sexual abuse! this has to be interesting!"  and it wasn't.  This girl doesn't give much of an explanation for like...15 or so chapters as to why she won't text, or write in communication.  Just no.


The POV randomly changes to Cole, like, 13 chapters in.  In fact, I believe it was Chapter 13 that it was suddenly Cole's POV.  I looked at my husband, who was watching an episode of House of Cards I had watched before and was like "It always said Oakley on top, and I figured the author was going to change POVs then changed her mind, and the editor was like 'too late now!' but it's from the best friends prospective!!  13 chapters in!!  What the hell am I reading??"


Oakley's family is dumb.  If my kid randomly stopped talking, and things were okay physically, I'd assume abuse.  It would be in my top 5 things I would suspect.  This family:  "Oh my gosh I can't believe it!  How could this happen??  We had no idea!"  Yeah...shitty family for the win??


She completely randomly states to you that her dad was in on the abuse.  It's not like a crescendo to it, it's like...I ate my pancakes and I looked at my dad, and he's such a good liar.  He always said no one would believe me if I told what happened to me.  Yeah.  It's just tossed out there like, Oh, I got that scar on my leg from falling off my bike.  No bid deal.  *eye roll*  What kind of abused person is this?  One of my best friends was molested as a kid, and he doesn't just mention things willy nilly like stating the color of a room.  


3/4 of the way through, I couldn't tell you the story line.  It didn't really have one. I thought it was her and Cole getting together, but then that happened.  And I was like...what's the story line again???


THE CLIMAX AND MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS HORRIBLE, CRAPPY BOOK WAS 30 PAGES LONG, AND FROM COLE'S POINT OF VIEW!!!  If there was ever a point that Oakley should be describing things, it would be then.  The author copped out.  Like, seriously?  This had to be written by a teenager, who doesn't know shit about sexual abuse.  She literally gave up.  I'm not a writer, and I could write a much better ending.  It was like she was afraid to touch on things.  I've read some dark stuff, and this was like a childrens book in how freaking tame it was.  It was just so glossed over, and assumed, that I felt sick.  This is such a shitty representation of people who have been molested.  


The very very end, is probably the most infuriating endings I have ever read.  In fact, I know it is.  I could have happily overlooked the rushed Cole POV ending if she hadn't jacked it up with Oakley.  It was just like..."ooohp...I gotta separate them now!!  If I don't, then I can't write a sequel and make it all about them!!"  Yeah.  That shit is totally what happened.  


There's a sequel, but I think I'd rip my hair out and actually break my brand freaking new ipad if I got it.  


So....this book is free on ibooks, and probably kindle (it is, I just checked it), so if you wanna attempt to read this "masterpiece" then go right on ahead.  Be aware, this is like 100 pages too long and too full of stupid crap to understand.  Plus tons of grammatical mistakes and words actually missing.  


I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy.  Complete. And Utter.  Crap.  Garbage.  Not good.  Don't read it.  No redeeming qualities at all.  Waste of time.  




1 EXTREMELY Unhappy Cloud
I wouldn't even give this a cloud.
It doesn't deserve it.


10 comments :

Anonymous said...

Ma'am it clearly says it was written by a teenage. I'm sorry if her life story doesn't line up with your Lunetic fantasy of what sexual abuse is. She choose to write a book and she a part of her life and then people like you want to degrade and belittle her work. Also if your such a good writer you should make a story about how a book should look. If you felt so strongly about the book from the beginning you should have STOP READING.

~ have a good day

Unknown said...

I actually really enjoyed the book. Yes, there were grammatical and punctuational errors but I was willing to look past it. Yes I wish she would have given more detail with the ending and the trip to Italy and stuff, but besides that I'd read it again and again. It's a good story. And as a teenage writer myself, I do agree that it's a little obvious that it's written by a teenager but that's why I'm waiting until I'm older to publish. But props to her for taking the leap of faith. But other than that I would reccomend the book. Plus it's free! So why not!?

Unknown said...

I actually really enjoyed the book. Yes, there were grammatical and punctuational errors but I was willing to look past it. Yes I wish she would have given more detail with the ending and the trip to Italy and stuff, but besides that I'd read it again and again. It's a good story. And as a teenage writer myself, I do agree that it's a little obvious that it's written by a teenager but that's why I'm waiting until I'm older to publish. But props to her for taking the leap of faith. But other than that I would reccomend the book. Plus it's free! So why not!?

Mikayla C. said...

I also enjoyed reading this book. I did notice the mistakes, but the detail in the beginning was phonomenal and the story line was great! I would definitely recommend this book to others. ����

Anonymous said...

You know what your such a rude person and i can't believe you would actually post this. I don't understand where your coming from, this was one of the best books Ive read and so is the sequel. I don't understand why you can't just keep your over ego ugly opinion to your self. SO PLEASE SHUT UP. The author did a wonderful job and i love the relationship between Cole and Oakley. If you didn't like it then stop reading because it you dont have to bring out all the bad stuff about it and bring us all down. Thanks anyways

Unknown said...

I like the book. It was really good.

Unknown said...

I really liked the book. I personally thought it was great. Also you are very mean.

Unknown said...

I also really enjoyed this book. I too wondered why she couldnt have learned sign or other ways to talk, but i think the reason being she was so scarred and hurt she didnt want to risk anything and she decided to keep it all inside of her. I thought this book was reall interesting and i loved the love cole and oakley had for eachother.

Emmy said...

Is any one else bothered by the fact that her review literally says “oo sexual abuse, this’ll be interesting”

Unknown said...

Tbh the book is hands down one of the best I have ever read, props to the author having only written this while a teenager. Absolutely phenomenal

Post a Comment