About the book:
Steffi doesn’t talk, but she has so much to say.
Rhys can’t hear, but he can listen.
Their love isn’t a lightning strike, it’s the rumbling roll of thunder.
Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life – she’s been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He’s deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she’s assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn’t matter that Steffi doesn’t talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she’s falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.
My thoughts:
If you aren’t immediately drawn to this book by the gorgeous cover, then I’m sure you will be enticed by the blurb – I know I was. My initial thought was that it was a really original concept, a girl who is selectively mute and a boy who is deaf. Having taught hearing impaired and deaf pupils for many years, I thought I had some understanding of what it might be like, but this book educated me on so many things I hadn’t even considered and I felt like I had a greater insight into the deaf community (although I’m sure there is still a lot I can’t comprehend). I have little understanding of selective mutism, but understand that the author was partly inspired to write the story after watching a documentary on the topic. I feel like it was very well researched and it introduced me to something I had only previously heard of, without understanding at all.
All that aside, Steffi and Rhys are very much teens like any others: they have insecurities, dreams, stresses and concerns, all whilst dealing with families, friends and sixth form. Their relationship develops in quite a natural way and I think both characters are well-developed and easy to relate to.
Whilst I am not a huge fan of reading sex scenes in teen fiction (probably because I’m old and prudish and it stops me being able to recommend the books to younger students, for fear of parental complaints) I appreciate it’s part of real life and consequently makes the book more realistic. But this minor personal view is heavily outweighed by what I love about this book, namely:
- The focus on communication;
- How the text is broken up with texts and social media communication;
- Added information about BSL;
- The gorgeous cover design;
- The metaphor comparing Rhys and Steffi’s love to thunder;
- The welsh spelling of Rhys is used.
Sara Barnard is an excellent writer and I can’t wait to see what she brings out next!
Many thanks to Sara Barnard, Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this advanced review copy. This was my honest opinion.
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My Little Library in the Attic 