Rashika, The Book Owl

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Soundless by Richelle Mead was not exactly what I had hoped it would be. I went into the book expecting to be blown away but I wasn't. I liked the book and ended up devouring it but I couldn't help feeling that Richelle Mead could do 1000x times better.

When I first started the book, I was loving every single minute of it. I was so excited about all the ways in which Mead made the world come to life. The way she created this soundless world was fantastic because as I read the book, I could FEEL the soundlessness, I could feel it in the way the world made me anxious (I really do like my ability to hear.) I also loved the way it felt so much like a fairy tale. The world building was one of my favorite things about this book in the first 60 pages.

After that though, I slowly started to realize how even thoughthere were many wonderful details, the book could have benefited from a whole lot more.

Their climb down the mountain was wondrous but it barely covered any page space. You don’t just GET down a mountain. It’s HARD and I would have liked to see more of that climb instead of little snippets. I wanted to feel that climb instead of being told it took place.

Then when they got into town, things were pretty rushed too. They went from one place to another and everything happened so quickly. I didn’t like that. I felt like I was being rushed instead of being given time to just enjoy the world. I wanted to spend more time in the town and learn more about the outside world. I wanted to see more of the dynamics between the soundless ones and the 'regular' people.

There were also the mysterious dreams that were obviously a big deal but honestly, I barely remember anything about them. I think there should have been more emphasis on them too, there should have been more vibrant details.

And I don’t mean to be picky because if it were any other author, I probably would have given the book 4 stars since I really did like it, I am just disappointed because I expect more from Mead. Maybe even a little heartbroken since this is first YA I’ve read by her since I finished the Vampire Academy series, which just happens to be one of my all time favs.

The good news is that this book features many fantastic characters and a really cute romance.

Fei is a fantastic female lead and I loved reading about her. I love her courage and I love that she is hesitant to leave behind what she knows. This is the system she grew up in and it isn’t easy to break out of it. I also love her dedication to her sister (although I do think she could have given her more credit.) Fei is just great. She is no Rose Hathaway but she is an amazing character in her own right.

The romance between Fei and her romantic interest…. TO DIE FOR. So slow and so sweet. JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT, GODDAMNIT. So yeah, I had them shipper feels and I totally shipped my ship.



The ending did seem a little too clean for my tastes but I don’t think there could have been any other ending for this book so I really cannot complain too much about that.

In the long run, I did end up really liking this book and felt immense satisfaction from turning over the last page but I only wish there had been more depth to the book, to make it seem all the more real to me.

Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review