Book Review: Whisper by Chris Struyk-Bonn

Whisper

by Chris Struyk-Bonn

Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Whisper, who has a cleft palate, lives in an encampment with three other young rejects and their caregiver, Nathanael. They are outcasts from a society (in the not-too-distant future) that kills or abandons anyone with a physical or mental disability. Whisper’s mother visits once a year. When she dies, she leaves Whisper a violin, which Nathanael teaches her to play. Whisper’s father comes to claim her, and she becomes his house slave, her disfigurement hidden by a black veil. But when she proves rebellious, she is taken to the city to live with other rejects at a house called Purgatory Palace, where she has to make difficult decisions for herself and for her vulnerable friends.

Cover Review: The cover is what caught my eye with this book the first time. There's a mystery to this girl who's partially hiding her face and that makes you want to know more. The violin around her neck also hints at the story. I like the black and green color scheme too.

Plot: The plot of this book follows Whisper's journey as she travels from the woods to the city and all the lessons she learns along the way. She learns that people, and life can be cruel, but they can also be kind and full of hope, in the darkest of times. It's a fascinating story that has a lot of heart and message to it. It's also very hard to put down once you've started.

Characters: Our main character is Whisper, a reject and violinist. The whole story is told from her point of view, which can be a bit different at first, but once you get into it, you really get inside her head. She's an amazing character, with so much quiet strength, but also flaws. She's shy and she's angry. Even as things get worse and worse for her throughout the story, she never gives up and I love that about her.

You never get to know any other character as well, but you do grow fond of the other rejects. They all have these horrible stories of things that happened to them, from being molested to having a father that wants to kill them. And yet, through it all, they can still smile and have fun. That's what hope looks like.

World: It's a dystopian world in the near future where there are a lot of children being born with birth defects, like cleft palate, missing limbs, and dwarfism. It's just so sad that they're being rejected instead of loved (which adds to the story's theme). You never learn much about the world or why the birth defects are happening, although she does hint at things. But it still feels well built.

Other: This book features a violinist, which is another reason I first picked it up. I love reading books where people play the same instrument as me. Although, I also feel like Whisper learns to play way to easily. I think she's supposed to be a prodigy, but it would be nice if she struggled a bit more with it.

Rating: 4 stars

Have you read this book? What was the last book that made you want to protect the main character at all costs? What sort of skills do you enjoy reading about? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

Book Review: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Importance of Reading Widely