A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard is a realistic story about a deaf boy and a mute girl that will really touch the reader’s heart. I enjoyed the lack of stereotypes in the book and the main character’s compassion and relatable awkwardness. I do, however, feel like the story became boring after a while, and didn’t find it as enjoyable as it could have been.
Author: Sara Barnard
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: January 12, 2017
Rating:
Steffi doesn't talk.
Rhys can't hear.
They understand each other perfectly.
Love isn't always a lightning strike. Sometimes 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.
The stunning new novel from the bestselling author of Beautiful Broken Things is a love story about the times when a whisper is as good as a shout.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: A quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
This book has such an inspiring concept! A girl with selective mutism meets a deaf boy. Before reading A Quiet Kind of Thunder, I didn’t know much about selective mutism at all, and I’m glad that this story is able to educate its readers on this topic in a way that is entertaining and pretty adorable. The primary method of communication in the book is sign language, and there are a few signs scattered throughout the book so the reader can learn a few simple phrases along with Steffi. While I am neither deaf nor a selective mute, I feel like Sara Barnard did a good job of avoiding stereotypes in her novel. The way this story is written comes across as respectful, which is exactly how a story about health should be.
❀ Steffi is and Enjoyable Character
I really enjoyed Steffi’s character. She is so caring and tries to remain positive, even though her anxiety makes it difficult. What I especially liked about Steffi is the fact that she makes a lot of mistakes around Rhys. She forgets sometimes that he can’t hear her favourite songs, and Rhys is understanding of that. All this makes the book more believable and relatable.
❀ Pacing is Off
Although I enjoyed this book, there were certain points where the pacing bothered me. Once Steffi and Rhys’s relationship was established, the book got pretty boring and repetitive. The beginning was amazing, but halfway through, the story just fell flat. Because of this, I was unable to enjoy it as much as I would have liked. It really has the potential to be a 5 star book.
❀ Entertaining and Educational
A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard is an entertaining and educational book about a deaf boy who meets a selectively mute girl. I loved the concept and the main character’s personality, but the story became boring about halfway through. I didn’t love this book as much as I had hoped I would, but it is definitely one worth checking out.
About Sara Barnard
Sara Barnard lives in Brighton and does all her best writing on trains. She loves books, book people and book things. She has been writing ever since she was too small to reach the 'on' switch on the family Amstrad computer. She gets her love of words from her dad, who made sure she always had books to read and introduced her to the wonders of second-hand book shops at a young age. She is the author of Beautiful Broken Things.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.