Speak Softly, She Can Hear

Title: Speak Softly, She Can Hear

Author: Pam Lewis

Genre: Thriller

Synopsis:

New York City, 1965: Two Manhattan prep school students, Carole and Naomi, make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Eddie, a slick Upper East Side dropout, is handsome, fatally charming, and more than willing to help the girls accomplish their goal. But on one bitterly cold holiday weekend in an isolated cabin deep in the Vermont woods, a horrifying twist develops in the plan. Before the night is over, a stomach-turning secret is sealed between friends, setting in motion a series of events that will have dire and far-reaching consequences.

Sweeping across decades, moving from New York to Vermont to California and back again, Lewis tells an utterly gripping, psychologically nuanced tale of friendship between two very different women, of the life-changing burden of a secret, the lies we tell others to save ourselves, and the lies we tell ourselves when the truth is too painful to accept.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't too interested. The writing had kept throwing me off with that I thought would be simple mistakes to catch. The main thing that bothered me was the way Lewis failed to show when time had passed. 

I would be reading about Carole panicking in one paragraph and in the next she's having an argument with her mother. Confusion sets in, "Wait! Since when was her mother in the room?!" only to find out at the END of that paragraph or in the middle of the NEXT paragraph that three months had passed and she was back home.

There should really be an extra space in-between the paragraphs to show that there is a time and/or scene change. ((Like I put an extra space before starting my review so that the reader would know that the summery about the book was over)).

I quickly found out that the reason for these mistakes were due to the fact that Speak Softly is Pam Lewis' first novel. Before this book she has done a few short stories that were published in newspapers, but no paperback books. 

Now knowing that this was her first go, I cut her some slack because, obviously, no one is perfect when first starting out.

That aside, the book was really well-written. I was quickly sucked into Carole's mindset and understood her grief-- although sometimes I had to yell at her for making stupid decisions ((which is always a good sign if an author can make you interact with the characters)). 

Lewis would sometimes write things out of order; first showing Carole and Naomi carrying out their plans, then later showing how they met. It made for some confusing reading at times, due to how she didn't always show time passing, but as the book went along she got better at showing just what happened when and the confusion was gone.

The effect of the out-of-order-writing made for a very interesting read. Just when you question why Carole would do such a thing, Lewis shows you a flashback that explains the whole reasoning behind it.

Made it very entertaining.

The dialogue felt real for their respective characters and the time periods, so there was nothing to throw me off there. In fact, the dialogue is what saved a lot of 'scenes' where I was originally confused-- engrossing me so far into what was happening I didn't care that she forgot to tell us time had passed.

The climax and resolution to the story were fan-tastically done. I was actually blown away. All of a sudden this really powerful writer appeared, as if she had written the begining of the story timidly, doubtful, only to have it replaced with pure confidence at the end.

I was so excited during the later half of the book that I couldn't put it down. Particularly during the last 4 or so chapters.

She actually had my heart pounding for Carole, panicking or angering along side her.

If only she had written like that from the begining then this book would get five stars!

As it stands now, I can only offer 3.8 stars. Yes, that is a very specific number but what can I say? I know what I like.

Carole.

Carole was a very complex character. She's goes through so much yet has the strengh to move on. Yes, her "moving on" was actually her running away to another state, but I still see courage in her. Courage to go someplace new, reinvent herself, and support herself during the hard times.

I admire how she carried herself. How she always managed to find a way to support herself.

Naomi.

Naomi had my heart. I was angry at her throughout the whole book because of her actions, but she never lost my sympathy. Her childhood had to be one of the worst in psychological abuse. There was no way she was going to "come out right" with the parents she had. 

But that's why I loved her.

Because she was completely screwed up, always making mistakes, always drinking, and always making things worse and worse for Carole.

But she was human.

More human than a lot of characters I've read in past books.

And Lewis wrote her perfectly.

Eddie.

Talk about one scary-as-all-hell dude! This novel shows clearly how girls could be sucked in with a pretty face and then terrorized for the remainder of their relationships-- and sometimes longer.

Many always wonder why guys like him always get girls, and Lewis shares the secret. No one had a chance against Eddie in Speaking Softly. You did what Eddie said, and you did it pronto, or else.

I truly hated his character, but had I known someone like this in real life I know I'd be scared out of my mind.

As I said, Speak Softly is Pam Lewis' first novel, however her second novel is already out in hardcover. It's titled Perfect Family, and the plot also sorrounds the power of secrets can wield, although it's a different circumstance. I haven't decided whether I'm going to read it yet or not, If I ever do I'll review it here I assure you.

What I HAVE decided to read next-- as you can see with the new side module "Currently Reading" --is a book titled Go Ask Alice by Anonymous. 

Catch you next review!!