Soundless

Book Details

Author: Richelle Mead

Published: November 10th, 2015

Pages: 266 (Hardcover)

Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Young Adult

"How can I explain what I myself don't understand?"

Soundless by Richelle Mead is about a village of people who are Deaf, in a fantasy China. Fei, the lead character of this story, wakes up one night to a sound. A horrible sound. Suddenly, after being deaf her entire life, she can hear. Now it is up to Fei to save her poor village from certain starvation and with the help of her friend she journeys to the mysterious village at the bottom of the mountains in search of answers.

Thoughts

The quote I chose is the most appropriate quote for this post.

This book was a frustrating read for so many reasons. 

Firstly, I understand how it might be difficult to articulate how deaf people are signing to each other while talking, but there was a lack of any real description, making it seem more like they were communicating telepathically, instead of with their hands.

Secondly, you have the casual ableism. By that I mean the implication that she has to be able to hear to save her village. She could never do that as a deaf person... At least, that is what is implied.

Thirdly, as many other reviewers on Goodreads have pointed out, the most "Chinese" parts of this book are the names of the people in it. Which is incredibly disheartening and more than a little casually racist. What had potential to be an incredibly interesting book was wasted on a ridiculous love triangle plot, poor pacing, very little mythology (despite purporting to be based on Chinese myths), and the mysterious ability to suddenly hear.

Finally, the writing was not very good. It's a YA novel, so I don't expect classic lit levels of writing, but I do expect it to be engaging, well written and fun. That was not this book.

This felt like a lazy attempt at "diversity" when this could've been a really interesting story! It had so many elements that could've contributed toward an amazing novel and they all fell flat.

Fei is deaf. Everyone in her village is. Okay, awesome. Why? Why is everyone in her village deaf? We get a half-hearted explanation, but it falls short of a true explanation. Then we have only three classes of citizens. Okay, awesome. Why? That is never explained. And the classes of citizens make no real sense. There is no healer class, though artists are the upper class. Which could've been an interesting take on things, but nope.

It isn't until almost the very end of the book that we get some mythological characters, the romance plot is below even sub-par, and we never truly get an explanation of WHY FEI CAN SUDDENLY HEAR.

"Well, the mythological characters helped her get it..."

No? That isn't a good explanation at all.

Rating

On Goodreads, I gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars. It doesn't really deserve a 3, honestly. I gave it that rating based on the ending where it was actually somewhat interesting and based on the original concept, which was intriguing.

For my rating system I'd probably give it a 2.5 out of 10. This book was incredibly disappointing. Not one I would read again and, honestly, I wouldn't even recommend it.

It is appropriate for ages 13 and up, with a little violence.