When We Were Silent: A Thought-Provoking Thriller

In When we were silent, Fiona McPhillips embarks on a journey of privilege, exploitation and retribution. Even though the subject matter is important, we felt like the story seemed a little flat.

The story follows Louise Manson, a new student at Highfield Manor, who befriends wealthy Shauna Power. As Lou advances through her school year, she is exposed to the school’s dark secrets.

McPhillips uses a dual chronological structure, using both past and present timelines, to add depth to the narrative. This allows the reader to explore past events to see how their repercussions are felt today. However, we found ourselves only wanting to stay in the dark atmosphere of the past timeline, but were forced to turn to the present.

While the book initially hooked us with its dark academic settings and compelling premise, we lost interest as the story progressed. The pacing was slow at times and some plot points seemed predictable. Additionally, the ending left us disappointed. Despite these drawbacks, When We Were Silent raises important themes of exploitation and privilege that could potentially spark meaningful conversations in the future.

When We Were Silent is thought provoking and highlights some important social issues, but overall we felt like the story just wasn’t for us. For those looking for a store with difficult subject matter, it may be worth grabbing and taking a chance on this novel.

When we were silent releases in bookstores everywhere on May 21, 2024. Discover the audiobook narrated by India Mullen on Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance reading copy of When We Were Silent from the publisher. The opinions are our own.