Laurie Plissner
247 pages
Release: December 18, 2012
Publisher: Merit Press
Source: the publisher
★★★★☆
You can read the Goodreads summary here.
Since Sasha survived the car accident that killed the rest of her family, she has been unable to speak. After four years of seeing a therapist and even trying hypnosis, Sasha is still unable to speak, her electronic speaking box and hysterical mutism limiting her everyday life. Then one day she meets a boy at the library who can read minds and Sasha begins to feel almost normal again. When Ben pulls away Sasha is devastated, but even more determined than every to cure herself and figure out what really happened the night of the accident.
Louder than Words was such an interesting novel to me. When I was in elementary school there was a girl in my class who had mutism. I don't know what caused her to be that way, but it always bothered me how some of the girls would essentially harass her to try and get her to speak. Louder Than Words really made me wonder what happened to her. Because of that, I felt a real connection to Sasha - I truly wanted her to get better. She was harassed by her classmates, too, in several different ways, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Louder Than Words is truly about a journey of healing. Not only does Sasha want to heal herself of her mutism so she can lead a normal life, but Sasha also discovers that what caused the car crash might not have been merely an accident. Sasha discovers whoever caused her family's car to run off the road has been leaving notes at the scene of the crime and Sasha and her best friend embark on a mission to find out who killed her family. Their amateur sleuthing was pretty good, but when I discovered who caused the accident... I was shocked as all the pieces came together. I never saw it coming. Up until the last couple chapters I thought, "Surely, this can't be right!"
The only thing I didn't care for in Louder Than Words was Ben's character. Don't get me wrong, I was glad Sasha found a person with whom she could feel normal and in that aspect, I was glad for Ben's presence in the novel. But something about him rubbed me the wrong way - perhaps it was is solution to cure Sasha's mutism. I'm not sure. Their relationship was so strange to me overall.
Four stars! Louder Than Words was a great novel about overcoming a tragic past, though I would recommend this one for those sixteen and older due to the sexual nature of the book.
Isn't the psychology of mutes intriguing? My aunt tutored one a few years ago, and the stories she told about her experiences with the student really had an impact on me.
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