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Unspeakable
Megan doesn't speak. She hasn't spoken in months.
Pushing away the people she cares about is just a small price to pay. Because there are things locked inside Megan's head - things that are screaming to be heard - that she cannot, must not, let out.
Then Jasmine starts at school: bubbly, beautiful, talkative Jasmine. And for reasons Megan can't quite understand, life starts to look a bit brighter.
Megan would love to speak again, and it seems like Jasmine might be the answer. But if she finds her voice, will she lose everything else?
Pushing away the people she cares about is just a small price to pay. Because there are things locked inside Megan's head - things that are screaming to be heard - that she cannot, must not, let out.
Then Jasmine starts at school: bubbly, beautiful, talkative Jasmine. And for reasons Megan can't quite understand, life starts to look a bit brighter.
Megan would love to speak again, and it seems like Jasmine might be the answer. But if she finds her voice, will she lose everything else?
279 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2015
42 people are currently reading
5049 people want to read
About the author
Abbie Rushton
76 books68 followersAbbie Rushton was a winner in 2010 Undiscovered Voices, a writing competition run by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She has a degree in English Literature with Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, and currently works as an editor at a leading educational publisher. Unspeakable is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
April 2, 2024
This is a fantastic and powerful novel. Highly recommended. It really got me both thinking and feeling.
This book moved me emotionally in so many ways, it's powerful in the most subtle of ways at times, other moments it hits you with a sledgehammer, no holds barred, I was so immersed in this wonderful novel I hardly realised I had finished it. Beautiful, just beautiful.
What's the book about?
Megan doesn't speak. She hasn't spoken in months.
Pushing away the people she cares about is just a small price to pay. Because there are things locked inside Megan's head - things that are screaming to be heard - that she cannot, must not, let out.
Then Jasmine starts at school: bubbly, beautiful, talkative Jasmine. And for reasons Megan can't quite understand, life starts to look a bit brighter.
Megan would love to speak again, and it seems like Jasmine might be the answer. But if she finds her voice, will she lose everything else?
My Review:
So, we know that Megan does not speak, she is selectively mute but what's fascinating is how the book moves along gradually to reveal the reason WHY she is now mute, she was not always, and it's powerful stuff. This is deep stuff going on for this young teenage girl and you really want to know all the reasons why she is as she is.
Megan essentially is now an outsider, teased and ridiculed by the "tough girl" at school and her minions. She has her friend Luke, she's been friends with him for a long time, but for a while that is all she has, she is locked in her silent world, she does not even communicate at home, except by writing notes to her not so perfect Mother that she lives with.
Along comes Jasmine, the new girl at school and much to everyone's shock, Jasmine gravitates to Megan and befriends her. We get to hear Jasmin's confident bubbly conversations to Megan and we get to "hear" Megan's answers back in her head, it' makes for interesting reading.
This book surprised me with where it went, we started delving into the events surrounding Megan being unable to speak and the trauma of it all combined with the intense relationship dynamics between Megan and Jasmine and the journey they go on together, it just literally blew me away.
I had a moment reading this book where I yelled "YES!" really loudly (it scared my cats), you might have the same moment too, but I can't tell all it's secrets. If you like young adult fiction that is suitable and enjoyable and realistic for the mature reader you will love this book.
I found it to be so many things, nothing less than powerful and moving and poignant and shocking at times. Subtle secrets, lies, guilt and the power of love and friendship are all through this book. You will want to stick with it to the end. It's a beautiful and sometimes surprising journey.
I so want to share with you all more about this book but it would spoil it. I loved it, everything worked for me - the characters were tangible and flawed beautifully, the plot was good, the reveals are outstanding and it's very well written. This one will be a favourite of mine for a long time.
I received a copy of this book via the publisher thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Twitter (X) @bookishcats and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
This book moved me emotionally in so many ways, it's powerful in the most subtle of ways at times, other moments it hits you with a sledgehammer, no holds barred, I was so immersed in this wonderful novel I hardly realised I had finished it. Beautiful, just beautiful.
What's the book about?
Megan doesn't speak. She hasn't spoken in months.
Pushing away the people she cares about is just a small price to pay. Because there are things locked inside Megan's head - things that are screaming to be heard - that she cannot, must not, let out.
Then Jasmine starts at school: bubbly, beautiful, talkative Jasmine. And for reasons Megan can't quite understand, life starts to look a bit brighter.
Megan would love to speak again, and it seems like Jasmine might be the answer. But if she finds her voice, will she lose everything else?
My Review:
So, we know that Megan does not speak, she is selectively mute but what's fascinating is how the book moves along gradually to reveal the reason WHY she is now mute, she was not always, and it's powerful stuff. This is deep stuff going on for this young teenage girl and you really want to know all the reasons why she is as she is.
Megan essentially is now an outsider, teased and ridiculed by the "tough girl" at school and her minions. She has her friend Luke, she's been friends with him for a long time, but for a while that is all she has, she is locked in her silent world, she does not even communicate at home, except by writing notes to her not so perfect Mother that she lives with.
Along comes Jasmine, the new girl at school and much to everyone's shock, Jasmine gravitates to Megan and befriends her. We get to hear Jasmin's confident bubbly conversations to Megan and we get to "hear" Megan's answers back in her head, it' makes for interesting reading.
This book surprised me with where it went, we started delving into the events surrounding Megan being unable to speak and the trauma of it all combined with the intense relationship dynamics between Megan and Jasmine and the journey they go on together, it just literally blew me away.
I had a moment reading this book where I yelled "YES!" really loudly (it scared my cats), you might have the same moment too, but I can't tell all it's secrets. If you like young adult fiction that is suitable and enjoyable and realistic for the mature reader you will love this book.
I found it to be so many things, nothing less than powerful and moving and poignant and shocking at times. Subtle secrets, lies, guilt and the power of love and friendship are all through this book. You will want to stick with it to the end. It's a beautiful and sometimes surprising journey.
I so want to share with you all more about this book but it would spoil it. I loved it, everything worked for me - the characters were tangible and flawed beautifully, the plot was good, the reveals are outstanding and it's very well written. This one will be a favourite of mine for a long time.
I received a copy of this book via the publisher thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
::~~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~:::::~~~~~~::
Thanks so much for reading my review!
I hope you enjoyed it, if you did I’d be delighted if you leave me a “like” and I love to read your comments. If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request.
You can also find me on Twitter (X) @bookishcats and on Amazon U.K. where I am a Top 500 Reviewer as Booklover Catlady.
If you are an Author or Publisher and you’d like me to consider reading and reviewing your book(s) please just message me.
February 23, 2016
Giving this book 2 stars simply because I liked the mystery part of it.I couldn't connect with the main character,she was very childish and jealous of everyone and everything.I didn't like Jasmine,the whole relationship between them felt very one-sided.The story itself was a bit dull,there are no real explications for Sadie's actions,Jasmine's reason for moving school is kind of not reasonable?Also,what's up with .
So yeah,sorry Abbie but this was just not my cup of tea.
So yeah,sorry Abbie but this was just not my cup of tea.
March 23, 2015
What a pain in the ass this book was.
Una completa tortura fue el leer este libro. Tan bonita la portada y la premisa, tan bonito todo se veía... Pero resultó en el típico fracaso YA, con personajes estereotipados, situaciones cliché, y una escritura que incita al aburrimiento. Estoy orgullosa de haberlo terminado.
Unspeakable sigue a Megan, una adolescente que perdió las ganas de hablar después de un accidente en el que murió su mejor amiga... blah blah blah. Hasta allí todo bien, pero luego conocemos a la protagonista. Megan es el clásico personaje con poca autoestima, tímido y pasivo, a quien todos le hacen bullying. Ella no ha dicho una palabra a nadie desde el accidente..., hasta que llega Jasmine, la "chica nueva". Lo de chica nueva es lo mejor que hay para describir al personaje. Seriously. Ella defiende ocasionalmente a Megan del grupo de chicas populares que la convierten diariamente en el objeto de sus crueles bromas. Ah, y ella, al contrario de Megan, habla. Mucho. Un radio encendido fue esta chica durante todo el libro. Entiendo la necesidad de compensar la falta de palabras por parte de Megan, pero fue demasiado que le dieran tanto diálogo a su amiga e interés amoroso.
Aguante el sarcasmo.
The last person I went clothes shopping with was Hana, and she only went to trendy, independent shops, definitely no chains. I never had as much cash as her, so I’d be left sitting outside the changing room while she tried on outfit after outfit.
Poor you.
¿Mencioné algo sobre los cambios de humor de Megan?
‘Well? You coming or what?’ ‘Yeah. All right.’ Jasmine raises her voice, though she must know I can hear everything. ‘Be back in a bit, Megan.’
Don’t bother! You’d obviously rather spend time with your idiot boyfriend than me!
Su novio tiene abdominales de acero incluso cuando es un vago bueno para nada. Por supuesto que se irá con él, duh!
How could I think she had feelings for me? How could I be so stupid?
Silly of you. *Pone Not in that way de Sam Smith*
scrunch Jasmine’s sleeping bag in my fists. Her scent wafts up from it. I let out a strangled scream and claw at the material, pulling and twisting until a rip opens in the lining.
Cálmate, mujer.
The others are looking at me. ‘Go on,’ Jasmine whispers. I don’t want to embarrass her, so I drink.
What an idiot.
I pause to look out of the window on the upstairs landing, wondering if there are any more people arriving. And then I see Jasmine. She’s on the pavement outside, talking to Owen. I can’t believe her! She’s abandoned me for him again. How could she?
Jasmine is lost in Owen. It’s like she’s forgotten I’m even here. ‘OK,’ she breathes. She wrenches herself away to look at me. ‘You’ll be all right?’ She tries to make it sound like a question, though we both know it’s more of a statement. I nod, then turn and stride away. I can’t believe her! One minute she’s all worried about me, then she dumps me the second someone more interesting comes along. She’s just like Hana.
Again?
La particularidad de este libro es que es un romance F/F. O sea, entre dos chicas. No había leído nada parecido antes, así que tenía altas expectativas. ¿La historia de amor? No creo que pueda haber sido más aburrida. Le faltó chispa. Le faltó emoción. Le faltó todo. Ambas chicas me hacían querer dormir y, aunque una de ellas hablaba hasta por los codos, ninguna supo inyectarle ese toque especial que busco en una Romance YA.
Lo único que por lo menos me mantuvo leyendo el libro fue el querer conocer qué había sucedido realmente en el accidente de Hana. Megan se culpaba por ello. Incluso tenía una patética voz que le decía cosas como "You're a murderer" y "You're a coward." Eso añadido a sus otras inseguridades no hacían las cosas mejores para ella. Ni para mí.
Fue bastante fácil descubrir qué había ocurrido en tal accidente. Demasiado fácil. Y patético. ¿Cuántas veces he leído la historia en la que un personaje se culpa por algo para que luego venga el amor a resolver todas sus inseguridades y a liberarlo de su culpa? *Piensa* *Saca la lista*
CLICHÉEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
¿Pueden dejar de reciclar las mismas ideas y ponerse a crear algo NUEVO?
En conclusión, Unspeakable no está a la altura de su hermosa portada. Una historia poco memorable, con la típica Queen Bully de la secundaria, la "fea" y "freak", el bombón asesino, y el personaje que cambia todas las cosas gracias al amor. Todo esto envuelto en la prosa de Rushton. Una completa pérdida de mi tiempo.
November 22, 2014
This is one of those novels which once started, demands to be finished – Megan’s story is compelling, emotional and extremely well told, utterly gripping and very beautiful . A tale which has many layers richly woven into the plot, dealing with some important issues in a sympathetic and intelligent manner, I could barely put it down.
The opening chapter sucks you in immediately, a masterclass in scene setting, introducing Megan, a girl who does not, cannot speak. As the tale unfolds we learn more about why – the loss of her best friend has caused a break in her and there are things about that time that she feels she cannot tell, therefore it is easier to simply say nothing at all. Enter Jasmine, who never shuts up, is gorgeously magnificently alive and slowly but surely things start to change.
It is important not to give too much away I think. Ms Rushton has written a stunning coming of age tale, a story of grief and loss and one girl’s handling of a tough unimaginable situation – how she moves on from that is completely fascinating, emotionally resonant and completely authentic. Growing up is never easy, parental relationships, friendships old and new, sexual awakening, all of those things are hard throughout the teenage years and this is captured here in one girl who you will come to care about and be rooting for all the way.
Despite, or perhaps because of the fact that she is not always likeable – often making obscure decisions, sometimes sulky and even more unreachable – Megan will sink into your psyche as will the people around her, it is one addictive tale for sure. It is clever that there is a small mystery element to the whole as well – just what is it that Megan feels she cannot say – it just adds to the whole thing beautifully.
Some emotional subjects sensitively handled in a way that will surely help inform and reassure, mixed up in a haunting tale of love and loss, this is a book that not only demands to be finished once started but demands to be read in the first place.
I don’t want to say anymore really. Highly Recommended. For anyone.
Happy Reading Folks!
The opening chapter sucks you in immediately, a masterclass in scene setting, introducing Megan, a girl who does not, cannot speak. As the tale unfolds we learn more about why – the loss of her best friend has caused a break in her and there are things about that time that she feels she cannot tell, therefore it is easier to simply say nothing at all. Enter Jasmine, who never shuts up, is gorgeously magnificently alive and slowly but surely things start to change.
It is important not to give too much away I think. Ms Rushton has written a stunning coming of age tale, a story of grief and loss and one girl’s handling of a tough unimaginable situation – how she moves on from that is completely fascinating, emotionally resonant and completely authentic. Growing up is never easy, parental relationships, friendships old and new, sexual awakening, all of those things are hard throughout the teenage years and this is captured here in one girl who you will come to care about and be rooting for all the way.
Despite, or perhaps because of the fact that she is not always likeable – often making obscure decisions, sometimes sulky and even more unreachable – Megan will sink into your psyche as will the people around her, it is one addictive tale for sure. It is clever that there is a small mystery element to the whole as well – just what is it that Megan feels she cannot say – it just adds to the whole thing beautifully.
Some emotional subjects sensitively handled in a way that will surely help inform and reassure, mixed up in a haunting tale of love and loss, this is a book that not only demands to be finished once started but demands to be read in the first place.
I don’t want to say anymore really. Highly Recommended. For anyone.
Happy Reading Folks!
May 4, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton
This is Abbie Rushton’s debut novel and I’m so, so excited to read more of her work! This book had me captivated from the very beginning. I picked up Unspeakable because of its beautiful cover. This story centers around a young girl, Megan who hasn’t spoken a word since a tragic accident happened involving a friend. And then a new girl starts at her school. Beautiful Jasmine who becomes quick friends with Megan and who could also be the one to finally break Megan vow of silence.
I didn’t find anything extraordinary about the side characters in this book. But the main character, Megan? She was so, amazingly written. She’s going to be a character that I will remember forever. Megan is written with so much depth and emotion. She’s not your typical girl that’s commonly written about in YA contempary books. I liked Jasmine but I didn’t feel much of a connection with her, as I did Megan. I think Jasmine seemed a bit typical at times.
The story itself has so many layers. I found myself shocked at some points and other times I could predict some events. However I didn’t expect the book to end the way it did and I’m still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing yet. It’s so hard to do a review on this book because it can give away so many things!
I give Unspeakable by Abbie Ruston 3.5 out 5 stars.
This is Abbie Rushton’s debut novel and I’m so, so excited to read more of her work! This book had me captivated from the very beginning. I picked up Unspeakable because of its beautiful cover. This story centers around a young girl, Megan who hasn’t spoken a word since a tragic accident happened involving a friend. And then a new girl starts at her school. Beautiful Jasmine who becomes quick friends with Megan and who could also be the one to finally break Megan vow of silence.
I didn’t find anything extraordinary about the side characters in this book. But the main character, Megan? She was so, amazingly written. She’s going to be a character that I will remember forever. Megan is written with so much depth and emotion. She’s not your typical girl that’s commonly written about in YA contempary books. I liked Jasmine but I didn’t feel much of a connection with her, as I did Megan. I think Jasmine seemed a bit typical at times.
The story itself has so many layers. I found myself shocked at some points and other times I could predict some events. However I didn’t expect the book to end the way it did and I’m still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing yet. It’s so hard to do a review on this book because it can give away so many things!
I give Unspeakable by Abbie Ruston 3.5 out 5 stars.
November 7, 2015
Unspeakable is a captivating novel. When we start reading, we’re introduced to the main character, Megan. We don’t know why, but Megan is a mute. She doesn’t talk. She hasn’t talked since a fatal accident her best friend was in.
While reading Unspeakable I was very intrigued. There is so much mystery around as to what actually happened. And Megan is teased daily by her fellow classmates. Both in and out of school. This just meant that this was even more of a cause to stay quiet.
Megan suffers from so much guilt. While first reading Unspeakable, I had actually thought that Megan was suffering from survivors guilt, because thats what Megan’s symptoms came across as. Megan believes its her fault that her best-friend died. When a new girl comes to town though, things turn around for Megan. In ways that I didn’t really imagine.
I had predicted the plot twist, but let me say that I did not predict the plot twist that came with the plot twist. That sentence might be confusing, but that’s how it was!
I really like Unspeakable. The mystery is great, and there are LGBTQIA Characters!!!
*Please Note that there are events in this book that result in a character’s death, and another character having Paranoia.
While reading Unspeakable I was very intrigued. There is so much mystery around as to what actually happened. And Megan is teased daily by her fellow classmates. Both in and out of school. This just meant that this was even more of a cause to stay quiet.
Megan suffers from so much guilt. While first reading Unspeakable, I had actually thought that Megan was suffering from survivors guilt, because thats what Megan’s symptoms came across as. Megan believes its her fault that her best-friend died. When a new girl comes to town though, things turn around for Megan. In ways that I didn’t really imagine.
I had predicted the plot twist, but let me say that I did not predict the plot twist that came with the plot twist. That sentence might be confusing, but that’s how it was!
I really like Unspeakable. The mystery is great, and there are LGBTQIA Characters!!!
*Please Note that there are events in this book that result in a character’s death, and another character having Paranoia.
August 31, 2015
I’m so used to reading YA set in the US that I was actually surprised when I realised, oh hey, this is British! They’re doing their A Levels! So if that’s something you might be interested in, that’s another draw alongside the fact that it’s an LGBT story. (Well. Mostly just L.)
I originally had this as an ARC, but neglected it for so long that I ended up picking it up in the bookshop. I’m a little disappointed about that, because it turned out not to be for me. It’s pretty simply written, and while I like the issues it engages with, it was too obvious for me. There’s a mystery/thriller aspect, but I called it. And the characters… as I keep saying, teenagers may well act like that, so overblown and ridiculous, but I’m twenty-six and didn’t act like that even when I was a teenager! Much. I think. I hope. It’s just unpleasant to read about, because I just want to shake the characters — like seriously, you’re getting worked up because of what?
Even the adults seemed a little like that; I’m thinking of Megan’s mother. Granted, she was prone to drinking heavily and such, but still… It all felt a bit like a caricature, if that makes sense.
All the same, I’m going to donate this to the local library. Having LGBT stories there is important, and I don’t think this could possibly offend anyone, and it might be more to someone else’s taste.
Originally posted here.
I originally had this as an ARC, but neglected it for so long that I ended up picking it up in the bookshop. I’m a little disappointed about that, because it turned out not to be for me. It’s pretty simply written, and while I like the issues it engages with, it was too obvious for me. There’s a mystery/thriller aspect, but I called it. And the characters… as I keep saying, teenagers may well act like that, so overblown and ridiculous, but I’m twenty-six and didn’t act like that even when I was a teenager! Much. I think. I hope. It’s just unpleasant to read about, because I just want to shake the characters — like seriously, you’re getting worked up because of what?
Even the adults seemed a little like that; I’m thinking of Megan’s mother. Granted, she was prone to drinking heavily and such, but still… It all felt a bit like a caricature, if that makes sense.
All the same, I’m going to donate this to the local library. Having LGBT stories there is important, and I don’t think this could possibly offend anyone, and it might be more to someone else’s taste.
Originally posted here.
January 12, 2015
3.5 stars, I think.
It was interesting and I read it in a very short period of time. Loved Megan and Jasmine and Megan's relationship with her mum ... but I'm just not sure how I feel about the ending. I didn't quite believe that that person would have said and done those things. Full review soon!
I quite enjoyed Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton. It's a debut book by a UK author and that always excites me. It also includes a LGBT relationship which I thought was quite sweet and cute. And the majority of the story revolves around friendship and this sort of mystery that surrounds why Megan doesn't speak.
The main character of Unspeakable, Megan, hasn't spoken in months after an unnamed, traumatic event. And while there are some hints at Megan's guilt and about what has happened and the reason behind Megan's inability to speak, we don't find out until quite a ways through the book. The first half in particular, you can see that while Megan quite clearly does not want to speak or confront what has happened in the part, she does also find it difficult to not speak in other situations.
Instead of learning about what has gone on in the past, we learn more about Megan, who lives at home with her flaky single-parent mum and she goes to school and has just the one friend, Luke, and is further surrounded by bullies and mean girls that are led by top mean girl, Sadie. I quite liked Megan's mum who can be a bit useless at times, but you can see that at other times she's trying her best even if she doesn't always succeed.
The only real bright spot in Megan's life is the arrival of new girl, Jasmine, who is bright and bubbly and who makes Megan want to speak again. I really loved Megan and Jasmine's friendship and seeing how this friendship evolves into something more throughout the story.
While I did enjoy the characters and story line and the friendships, the only thing that I really felt let down by is the ending. When we find out who is behind the threatening behaviour and the reason for it, it didn't quite fit in with how I viewed this cast of characters and I just didn't quite believe in the justification of it being this particular character.
Still. On the whole, this is a really interesting story of friendship and about grief and moving on from loss.
It was interesting and I read it in a very short period of time. Loved Megan and Jasmine and Megan's relationship with her mum ... but I'm just not sure how I feel about the ending. I didn't quite believe that that person would have said and done those things. Full review soon!
I quite enjoyed Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton. It's a debut book by a UK author and that always excites me. It also includes a LGBT relationship which I thought was quite sweet and cute. And the majority of the story revolves around friendship and this sort of mystery that surrounds why Megan doesn't speak.
The main character of Unspeakable, Megan, hasn't spoken in months after an unnamed, traumatic event. And while there are some hints at Megan's guilt and about what has happened and the reason behind Megan's inability to speak, we don't find out until quite a ways through the book. The first half in particular, you can see that while Megan quite clearly does not want to speak or confront what has happened in the part, she does also find it difficult to not speak in other situations.
Instead of learning about what has gone on in the past, we learn more about Megan, who lives at home with her flaky single-parent mum and she goes to school and has just the one friend, Luke, and is further surrounded by bullies and mean girls that are led by top mean girl, Sadie. I quite liked Megan's mum who can be a bit useless at times, but you can see that at other times she's trying her best even if she doesn't always succeed.
The only real bright spot in Megan's life is the arrival of new girl, Jasmine, who is bright and bubbly and who makes Megan want to speak again. I really loved Megan and Jasmine's friendship and seeing how this friendship evolves into something more throughout the story.
While I did enjoy the characters and story line and the friendships, the only thing that I really felt let down by is the ending. When we find out who is behind the threatening behaviour and the reason for it, it didn't quite fit in with how I viewed this cast of characters and I just didn't quite believe in the justification of it being this particular character.
Still. On the whole, this is a really interesting story of friendship and about grief and moving on from loss.
February 13, 2016
4.5 stars. Short review. Just want to express my thoughts.
The book had a slow start, but after that it picked up. Due to something that happened (something we slowly find out page by page) our main character doesn't speak, won't make a sound. The whole not-speaking and the guilt was done so perfectly. I just felt so sad for the poor girl. No one should have had something like this happening to them, no one should carry so much guilt and worry. I had my suspicions on what happened, and also on what really happened, but the end still took me by surprise and I really enjoyed it.
The main girl was interesting. I really liked that her no-speaking was a real thing to her. Nowhere, not even when alone, did she speak or make a sound. But with the coming of a new girl, you see her loosen up, you see her lose a bit of her fear, she is slowly coming to terms with what happened. She has finally found someone she feels that she can trust. And I really loved how they grew to each other.
Jasmine was just wonderful. I loved her, and how instead of demanding our main girl to speak, she just spoke to her. Kept chattering, kept our main girl nearby.
I was so sorry for her with all that happened to her. No one deserves that.
The love between the girls, the confusion of our main character it was all written realistically and I really was intrigued and wanted to know how this would go on.
The ending was fantastic, it had a lot of twists and turns, some revelations and most importantly something that our main character has been searching for.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Looking for a realistic book? A book with LGBT themes, with themes about sorrow and death, about bullying? Then try this one out.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The book had a slow start, but after that it picked up. Due to something that happened (something we slowly find out page by page) our main character doesn't speak, won't make a sound. The whole not-speaking and the guilt was done so perfectly. I just felt so sad for the poor girl. No one should have had something like this happening to them, no one should carry so much guilt and worry. I had my suspicions on what happened, and also on what really happened, but the end still took me by surprise and I really enjoyed it.
The main girl was interesting. I really liked that her no-speaking was a real thing to her. Nowhere, not even when alone, did she speak or make a sound. But with the coming of a new girl, you see her loosen up, you see her lose a bit of her fear, she is slowly coming to terms with what happened. She has finally found someone she feels that she can trust. And I really loved how they grew to each other.
Jasmine was just wonderful. I loved her, and how instead of demanding our main girl to speak, she just spoke to her. Kept chattering, kept our main girl nearby.
I was so sorry for her with all that happened to her. No one deserves that.
The love between the girls, the confusion of our main character it was all written realistically and I really was intrigued and wanted to know how this would go on.
The ending was fantastic, it had a lot of twists and turns, some revelations and most importantly something that our main character has been searching for.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Looking for a realistic book? A book with LGBT themes, with themes about sorrow and death, about bullying? Then try this one out.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
August 22, 2017
*Received as an ARC for an honest review*
This novel was not at all what I was expecting. I also read this in an entire sitting.
Unspeakable is about a 15 year old girl called Megan who is a mute. I don't want to say too much about this book as it is better going into it not knowing, but there has been a traumatic experience in her life. I actually found Megan to be relatable, and saw a lot of my 15 year old self in her. I thought that the relationship that she had with her Mother was unique, and both were very real characters.
This is definitely a unique story. I don't give many YA books 5 stars, but this is fantastic.
This novel was not at all what I was expecting. I also read this in an entire sitting.
Unspeakable is about a 15 year old girl called Megan who is a mute. I don't want to say too much about this book as it is better going into it not knowing, but there has been a traumatic experience in her life. I actually found Megan to be relatable, and saw a lot of my 15 year old self in her. I thought that the relationship that she had with her Mother was unique, and both were very real characters.
This is definitely a unique story. I don't give many YA books 5 stars, but this is fantastic.
January 24, 2018
A book that turned out to be more interesting than I thought it would be. A unique read. Also a lgbtqiap read so ... YASSS!!!
June 18, 2016
Unspeakable was a story that was quite easy to follow probably because I'm also currently reading a classic (Northanger Abbey), one that requires a dictionary stuck to my side. While the initial pacing was quite slow the book quickly picks up as we delve into Megan's every day life. The daily taunting she puts up with, the surging guilt rotting within her and how she interacts with her mom and best friend without talking because Megan is mute, been mute for a long while now after forcing herself into isolation due to the accusations she pins herself with.
Enter Jasmine, the fiery confident Greek girl with her dark curls and silver hoops. The girl who does not bow down to Sadie and her vicious friends. She speaks what's on her mind- loud and boisterous. While Megan hunches in corners trying to be as invisible as possible, Jasmine strolls around creating a ruckus, unafraid and unapologetic. This is not a story about opposites attracting.
And thus, begins the start of a friendship that either has the potential to heal them or break them further. A friendship that eventually evolves into something much more after they are pushed to confront all the swirling emotions and happenings around them.
What I loved about Unspeakable was that there wasn't any insta-love or a sudden bloom of feelings instead it happened gradually so that when the event actually presented itself you weren't taken aback with surprise. Additionally, there was a lot of support from the people who cared about her and the limelight shone on grief and guilt was portrayed really well. It revolved around what is feels to loose someone and how we try to cope in the best way possible even though at times we are wrong. Very very wrong in our judgement.
What I detested however, and "detested" is a strong word was that Megan could be an infuriating narrator because of the choices she made and her illogical reasoning. We don't get to the central matter until the very end because she just babbles on about how she mustn't speak, can't speak and won't speak until the day she dies because of how "undeserving" and "disgusting" she is. You can feel the animosity she shoots at herself practically rolling away- thick and dense. Now while this does occur in reality, the fact that she shuts everyone out, even at times Luke but reveals everything to Jasmine just didn't sit well with me.
Unspeakable in the end is an amazing book simply because it keeps you guessing until the very end while allowing you to get a glimpse of what's really on her mind instead of being bombarded with paragraphs and paragraphs of dialogue. You get to experience her thoughts and deductions. Her justifications and views on the events around her. Kudos to whoever designed that cover!
September 16, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley.)
This was an okay story about a girl who dealt with her grief and guilt over her best friend’s death, by becoming mute.
Megan was a bit of a troubled character, but I understood how difficult it was for her to deal with her grief, and to also be unable to speak. The way the other kids teased her was awful, and they made her inability to speak even worse than it was.
The storyline in this was quite mysterious, and I was curious over what had happened to Hana, and why Megan felt responsible for her death. Even when the pace was a little slow I had to keep reading to try and work out what had happened. Why did Megan feel so guilty? How had Hana really died? And were the two of them having some kind of romantic relationship when she died?
There was some romance in this, but it wasn’t clear if Megan would ever acknowledge how she felt about Jasmine. I wanted this pair to get together, or even just for things to be cleared up between them, but I also realised how difficult it was for Megan to discuss this with Jasmine, especially given her inability to speak.
The ending to this was pretty good, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. I was happy that Megan and Jasmine got a happy ending in the end though!
Overall; interesting story about a girl turned mute due to grief and guilt,
6.5 out of 10.
This was an okay story about a girl who dealt with her grief and guilt over her best friend’s death, by becoming mute.
Megan was a bit of a troubled character, but I understood how difficult it was for her to deal with her grief, and to also be unable to speak. The way the other kids teased her was awful, and they made her inability to speak even worse than it was.
The storyline in this was quite mysterious, and I was curious over what had happened to Hana, and why Megan felt responsible for her death. Even when the pace was a little slow I had to keep reading to try and work out what had happened. Why did Megan feel so guilty? How had Hana really died? And were the two of them having some kind of romantic relationship when she died?
There was some romance in this, but it wasn’t clear if Megan would ever acknowledge how she felt about Jasmine. I wanted this pair to get together, or even just for things to be cleared up between them, but I also realised how difficult it was for Megan to discuss this with Jasmine, especially given her inability to speak.
The ending to this was pretty good, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. I was happy that Megan and Jasmine got a happy ending in the end though!
Overall; interesting story about a girl turned mute due to grief and guilt,
6.5 out of 10.
November 27, 2014
Megan's story is a compelling one; why does she not speak? Who are the voices in her head? What happened to her best friend Hana and why is she so scared that it'll get out?
And finally, why, when she has never displayed any signs of homosexuality before, does she find herself wanting to kiss new girl Jasmine?
From the beginning of the book, I wanted to know why she didn't speak. The fact that she was mute did interest me, but the more I read the novel, the less I became interested in it. I'm not sure I followed the story fully either, due to its several different modes of formatting; does italics mean Megan is thinking? Or are her thoughts embedded into the narrative too? Do the italics signify someone else talking in her head? I'm not too sure.
I must be honest, I was not overly enamored by this text. I'm not sure what it was, but I found the narrative slightly clumsy. I understand that in order to tell a story about a mute girl, there may need to be other characters who 'never shut up' as Jasmine puts it, but there did seem to be too much of that in Unspeakable.
Also, the build up in the story seemed a bit unnecessary in the end. I was expecting something more than what actually happened, and while I understand that people can blame themselves for things, I wanted MORE to be revealed about Hana's death.
Having said that, the ending was good. Intense, interesting and somewhat unexpected in some parts - the ending made reading the whole thing worthwhile. As far as the Megan x Jasmine relationship though, I just wish there had been more signs of it throughout the text and not just in blatant 'she is gorgeous' type ordeals. Please.
If you are solely looking for a book which deals with LGBTQ* issues, then don't read this text. Message me and I'll give you other titles for that. It seemed unrealistic, in my opinion. But again that is just my opinion.
I would be interested to know how much experience Rushton has in LGBTQ* situations. Of course, if she is a cisgender straight person, it does not mean she can't (or shouldn't) write a book about LGBTQ* issues, I just wish (as we all know) that more LGBTQ* people had a stage to tell their stories, as I have ranted about in many writing workshops in the past. But alas.
I foresee people really taking to this book in a way that I didn't. And as an interesting exploration of mental health and LGBTQ* issues, I can understand why they might. I just think other people have tackled this issue better, so with all the hype this is getting on Goodreads, I was a little disappointed.
And finally, why, when she has never displayed any signs of homosexuality before, does she find herself wanting to kiss new girl Jasmine?
From the beginning of the book, I wanted to know why she didn't speak. The fact that she was mute did interest me, but the more I read the novel, the less I became interested in it. I'm not sure I followed the story fully either, due to its several different modes of formatting; does italics mean Megan is thinking? Or are her thoughts embedded into the narrative too? Do the italics signify someone else talking in her head? I'm not too sure.
I must be honest, I was not overly enamored by this text. I'm not sure what it was, but I found the narrative slightly clumsy. I understand that in order to tell a story about a mute girl, there may need to be other characters who 'never shut up' as Jasmine puts it, but there did seem to be too much of that in Unspeakable.
Also, the build up in the story seemed a bit unnecessary in the end. I was expecting something more than what actually happened, and while I understand that people can blame themselves for things, I wanted MORE to be revealed about Hana's death.
Having said that, the ending was good. Intense, interesting and somewhat unexpected in some parts - the ending made reading the whole thing worthwhile. As far as the Megan x Jasmine relationship though, I just wish there had been more signs of it throughout the text and not just in blatant 'she is gorgeous' type ordeals. Please.
If you are solely looking for a book which deals with LGBTQ* issues, then don't read this text. Message me and I'll give you other titles for that. It seemed unrealistic, in my opinion. But again that is just my opinion.
I would be interested to know how much experience Rushton has in LGBTQ* situations. Of course, if she is a cisgender straight person, it does not mean she can't (or shouldn't) write a book about LGBTQ* issues, I just wish (as we all know) that more LGBTQ* people had a stage to tell their stories, as I have ranted about in many writing workshops in the past. But alas.
I foresee people really taking to this book in a way that I didn't. And as an interesting exploration of mental health and LGBTQ* issues, I can understand why they might. I just think other people have tackled this issue better, so with all the hype this is getting on Goodreads, I was a little disappointed.
August 6, 2016
Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC ebook.
I absolutely adore this novel. It was the whole package: fairly fast paced, has well rounded and interesting characters, and the entire story had a great level of humour and lightheartedness, but there were also intriguing, darker undertones. Reading a novel set in England (and mentions my home town Leeds!) was amazing, and not something I see a lot of. It was really enjoyable to read about things I could understand and relate to - such as the school system.
One of the things that I really loved about this was that it's an LGBTQ+ novel, but it doesn't revolve around that, there is a bigger plot, that made everything more realistic and believable. The character development is brilliant and perfectly timed; I didn't feel that the story was dragged out, but it also wasn't rushed.
Generally, I dislike 1st person, but with this story, it worked incredibly well - I suppose because the only voice Megan really has are her thoughts - but it was also interesting to see her inner conflict about why she couldn't talk, and have little things revealed as I got closer to the end of the book.
There are, as with most books, things that I will nitpick about, so one of the things I didn't like very much was the possessive, and at most times, negative aspects of Megan's personality. Although it helped to create a realistic character, as someone who has flaws, as it continued it made me wonder if Megan really was guilty.
I wouldn't really call the ending a twist, but the big reveal was fantastic - heartbreaking definitely, and to an extent it was expected, but I loved it, and almost cried.
Megan's relationship with Jasmine, and with her own mum, were both unique and beautifully written. Neither relationship was perfect, and there were definitely issues that are sensitive, but were handled with care, and in the end, just added to my overall enjoyment of the novel.
I highly recommend this book.
I absolutely adore this novel. It was the whole package: fairly fast paced, has well rounded and interesting characters, and the entire story had a great level of humour and lightheartedness, but there were also intriguing, darker undertones. Reading a novel set in England (and mentions my home town Leeds!) was amazing, and not something I see a lot of. It was really enjoyable to read about things I could understand and relate to - such as the school system.
One of the things that I really loved about this was that it's an LGBTQ+ novel, but it doesn't revolve around that, there is a bigger plot, that made everything more realistic and believable. The character development is brilliant and perfectly timed; I didn't feel that the story was dragged out, but it also wasn't rushed.
Generally, I dislike 1st person, but with this story, it worked incredibly well - I suppose because the only voice Megan really has are her thoughts - but it was also interesting to see her inner conflict about why she couldn't talk, and have little things revealed as I got closer to the end of the book.
There are, as with most books, things that I will nitpick about, so one of the things I didn't like very much was the possessive, and at most times, negative aspects of Megan's personality. Although it helped to create a realistic character, as someone who has flaws, as it continued it made me wonder if Megan really was guilty.
I wouldn't really call the ending a twist, but the big reveal was fantastic - heartbreaking definitely, and to an extent it was expected, but I loved it, and almost cried.
Megan's relationship with Jasmine, and with her own mum, were both unique and beautifully written. Neither relationship was perfect, and there were definitely issues that are sensitive, but were handled with care, and in the end, just added to my overall enjoyment of the novel.
I highly recommend this book.
September 13, 2015
WOW. I received this book in a goodreads giveaway and I am so glad I did. This book is a fantastic release that is set to be released in February next year.
This book is a based around Megan who is a mute. I cant say much about this book as it would spoil the storyline. The blurb of this book does not give much away and it is good that way. Throughout this book, you find out many different things and you don't want to put the book down because you want to find out what the next secret is.
Megan has been a mute since a traumatic accident happened in her life and she wants to find her voice but can't. Jasmine then comes along, and Megan becomes close to her as she has not had a relationship like that since what happened. Megan comes to find herself in the book and find out who she truly is. I felt the relationship between these two was a little rushed but I think that is understandable as it is not the background that matters but the here and now.
I was quite shocked at the ending and I loved it! It shows that events in peoples lives can change people.
I could relate to Megan in the way, she acted with her mum. Your parents may get on your nerves but at the end of the day, they are always going to be there for you.
This book also highlighted a lot of important matters in our society today very well.
I also loved the British references!
Highly recommend that you pre-order!
This book is a based around Megan who is a mute. I cant say much about this book as it would spoil the storyline. The blurb of this book does not give much away and it is good that way. Throughout this book, you find out many different things and you don't want to put the book down because you want to find out what the next secret is.
Megan has been a mute since a traumatic accident happened in her life and she wants to find her voice but can't. Jasmine then comes along, and Megan becomes close to her as she has not had a relationship like that since what happened. Megan comes to find herself in the book and find out who she truly is. I felt the relationship between these two was a little rushed but I think that is understandable as it is not the background that matters but the here and now.
I was quite shocked at the ending and I loved it! It shows that events in peoples lives can change people.
I could relate to Megan in the way, she acted with her mum. Your parents may get on your nerves but at the end of the day, they are always going to be there for you.
This book also highlighted a lot of important matters in our society today very well.
I also loved the British references!
Highly recommend that you pre-order!
April 23, 2017
I fell in love with this book from just reading the first chapter. It was brilliant and I got really into it. I finished it in a couple of hours because it was so good. One of the great things about it was that the main character was called Megan (which is my name) and her surname is Thomas (which is my brother's name) so that was pretty weird. Also, it was set in England, she was doing her GCSEs in fact which is what I'm currently doing as well. Specifically she lived in the New Forest which is a place I love to visit with my grandma and cousins, in fact it is actually set in Lyndhurst which is actually where I was just yesterday with my family which is quite weird. I loved the premise and concept of the book and it was such an interesting idea. I've read a few books quite similar to it but for some reason, this book was different to them it just seemed more relatable. Maybe because it was set in England and the main character was the same age as me? I don't know, but whatever it was, it definitely made it into my 2015 favourites. And the cover is beautiful.
May 25, 2015
3.5 stars
I’ve had this book for a while now but I’ve never had any desire to read it however I saw it on my TBR shelf and I thought that is was time to get this off of my TBR. I actually ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would which was quite surprising.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique as it follows a character who after a traumatic event, stops speaking all together. I was a bit wary about how the book would go if the main character couldn’t talk to anyone but it was handled really well.
Read more of my review at: https://thereadingfangirl.wordpress.c...
I’ve had this book for a while now but I’ve never had any desire to read it however I saw it on my TBR shelf and I thought that is was time to get this off of my TBR. I actually ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would which was quite surprising.
The whole idea behind this book is incredibly unique as it follows a character who after a traumatic event, stops speaking all together. I was a bit wary about how the book would go if the main character couldn’t talk to anyone but it was handled really well.
Read more of my review at: https://thereadingfangirl.wordpress.c...
February 10, 2022
Byla moc fajn. Ze začátku to bylo docela nezáživné, ale před půlkou se to rozjelo a byla řešena jedna zápletka, která mně osobně hrozně sedla! Styl autorky byl skvělý a konec byl ještě lepší. Návíc má kniha skvělý a hlavně originální nápad 💜
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4*/5*
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4*/5*
March 9, 2016
This book was a little slow in the beginning. I have a 50 page rule though, so I pushed through and it got a little better, but for some reason I still didn't love it as much as I thought I would.
June 21, 2016
I would say that Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton is first and foremost a novel about the power of belief.
Megan, the main character, doesn’t believe that everything is going to be just fine; she’s not out testing the limits of life’s goodwill for the sake of an adrenalin rush. Instead, Megan believes she did something that makes the word wrong seem like candy, she believes it down to her core and she holds onto it as if it were the only truth she will ever know. The fear obstructs her throat and she’s not able to talk about it, she’s not able to talk, at all. Then she finds love… and her voice. What words will first come out, though? What consequences will they have?
It was really interesting to navigate Megan’s mind. I believe Abbie Rushton did a wonderful job showing just how self-hatred can affect a self-portrait, how it can change every color, every tone, every stroke, blending the different layers into a dark blur that becomes the face of evil.
Also, the twist at the end was something that I was not quite expecting and rather enjoyed. I mean, I was expecting a twist, just not one so… twisty. It made me wonder about the other characters, though, made me wonder how much richer the novel would have been if it had been open to other minds. Not just about the end, actually, but also about the relationship between Megan and Jasmine. It felt a bit… one-sided.
It somehow reminded me of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Here, though, something seems to be missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
All in all, I found it to be an interesting experience filled with moments of beyond charming writing.
Megan, the main character, doesn’t believe that everything is going to be just fine; she’s not out testing the limits of life’s goodwill for the sake of an adrenalin rush. Instead, Megan believes she did something that makes the word wrong seem like candy, she believes it down to her core and she holds onto it as if it were the only truth she will ever know. The fear obstructs her throat and she’s not able to talk about it, she’s not able to talk, at all. Then she finds love… and her voice. What words will first come out, though? What consequences will they have?
“I try touching her arm, but she flinches like there’s poison dripping from my fingers.”
It was really interesting to navigate Megan’s mind. I believe Abbie Rushton did a wonderful job showing just how self-hatred can affect a self-portrait, how it can change every color, every tone, every stroke, blending the different layers into a dark blur that becomes the face of evil.
“[The moon] sits low, almost stroking the treetops, its shadowy craters clearly visible.”
Also, the twist at the end was something that I was not quite expecting and rather enjoyed. I mean, I was expecting a twist, just not one so… twisty. It made me wonder about the other characters, though, made me wonder how much richer the novel would have been if it had been open to other minds. Not just about the end, actually, but also about the relationship between Megan and Jasmine. It felt a bit… one-sided.
It somehow reminded me of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Here, though, something seems to be missing. I can’t quite put my finger on it.
All in all, I found it to be an interesting experience filled with moments of beyond charming writing.
“I loved the way her skin folded around her wedding ring, as if it had become a natural part of her body.”
October 22, 2015
REVIEW BY AMELIA 9:1
Unspeakable tells the story of a selective mute, Megan. Megan doesn’t speak and hasn’t spoken since the loss of, her best friend, Hana. Megan has a secret that must not be told forcing into the self imposed silence.
Then, Jasmine moves to her school. Jasmine is talkative, pretty and takes an interest in Megan. Megan forms a tentative friendship with Jasmine making her life better, although she knows it can only mean a matter of time before the truth about Hana's death come out.
Unspeakable is gripping and exiting with very few negative aspects. If I had to give a negative point it would be that the ending was quite predictable; from early in the plot I suspected what was going to happen in the end. However, I didn’t know how it was going to be revealed and this is what kept me reading and enjoying :) . In fact it was this tension within the plot that made Unspeakable impossible to put down.
Unspeakable tackles themes of love, friendship, guilt, trust and most importantly, the truth.
I liked all the characters and especially Jasmine. This is because she was different in a positive way. There aren’t many books that include a background for a character about Cyprus, adding to the outstanding qualities within the narrative. Jasmine's mum, Eleni, spoke Cypriot and every now and then you would find her switching languages in the middle of sentence saiding the quirky, nice feeling to the story.
I also loved the inclusion of letters between chapters, alongside Megan’s thoughts written in bold when she was breaking down the wall in her head. This helped distinguish the action and break up the narrative making it more engaging.
Overall, I loved this book and would love to read more of Abbie Rushton’s books in the future.
Unspeakable tells the story of a selective mute, Megan. Megan doesn’t speak and hasn’t spoken since the loss of, her best friend, Hana. Megan has a secret that must not be told forcing into the self imposed silence.
Then, Jasmine moves to her school. Jasmine is talkative, pretty and takes an interest in Megan. Megan forms a tentative friendship with Jasmine making her life better, although she knows it can only mean a matter of time before the truth about Hana's death come out.
Unspeakable is gripping and exiting with very few negative aspects. If I had to give a negative point it would be that the ending was quite predictable; from early in the plot I suspected what was going to happen in the end. However, I didn’t know how it was going to be revealed and this is what kept me reading and enjoying :) . In fact it was this tension within the plot that made Unspeakable impossible to put down.
Unspeakable tackles themes of love, friendship, guilt, trust and most importantly, the truth.
I liked all the characters and especially Jasmine. This is because she was different in a positive way. There aren’t many books that include a background for a character about Cyprus, adding to the outstanding qualities within the narrative. Jasmine's mum, Eleni, spoke Cypriot and every now and then you would find her switching languages in the middle of sentence saiding the quirky, nice feeling to the story.
I also loved the inclusion of letters between chapters, alongside Megan’s thoughts written in bold when she was breaking down the wall in her head. This helped distinguish the action and break up the narrative making it more engaging.
Overall, I loved this book and would love to read more of Abbie Rushton’s books in the future.
July 11, 2015
Wow. This book made me speechless. I read it in one night- it was short, sweet and memorable.
Megan's past was sad, but I'm so happy she and Jasmine got a happy ending.
I was also glad that Luke is getting help in a psychiatric ward. What he did was so terribly wrong, but he deserves a chance to get better.
I was in suspense the whole time, wondering a) when Megan and Jasmine would finally kiss, b) when Megan would speak- so beautiful how the first thing she said to Jasmine was, "You're beautiful"- and
This is a beautiful story of love, friendship and forgiveness- mainly Megan forgiving herself.
I can't believe this book isn't making waves yet- it's simply perfect in every way.
The writing is beautiful- it flows perfectly, just the right amount of truth and realistic feelings- it portrays guilt, fear, happiness, and falling in love.
I thought the book ended perfectly. A letter written to Hana by Megan, saying she misses her and hopes she's happy, wherever she is- and it's written differently to the other letters to Hana in the book- like a weight has lifted off her shoulders.
Overall, the plot, character, emotion, pacing, tension... everything was just absolutely perfect!
I will reread this amazing debut in future, as well as future works from Abbie Rushton, and highly recommend this outstanding novel.
Megan's past was sad, but I'm so happy she and Jasmine got a happy ending.
I was also glad that Luke is getting help in a psychiatric ward. What he did was so terribly wrong, but he deserves a chance to get better.
I was in suspense the whole time, wondering a) when Megan and Jasmine would finally kiss, b) when Megan would speak- so beautiful how the first thing she said to Jasmine was, "You're beautiful"- and
This is a beautiful story of love, friendship and forgiveness- mainly Megan forgiving herself.
I can't believe this book isn't making waves yet- it's simply perfect in every way.
The writing is beautiful- it flows perfectly, just the right amount of truth and realistic feelings- it portrays guilt, fear, happiness, and falling in love.
I thought the book ended perfectly. A letter written to Hana by Megan, saying she misses her and hopes she's happy, wherever she is- and it's written differently to the other letters to Hana in the book- like a weight has lifted off her shoulders.
Overall, the plot, character, emotion, pacing, tension... everything was just absolutely perfect!
I will reread this amazing debut in future, as well as future works from Abbie Rushton, and highly recommend this outstanding novel.
February 19, 2015
4.5 of 5 stars
Wow.
Megan hasn't spoken since her best friend Hana died in an accident seven months ago. She's bullied by her mean and popular former friends. Luke is her only friend, until she meets the bubbly, talkative Jasmine and the two become best friends. But, Megan worries about hurting her new friend, just like Hana, but finds herself wanting to get closer. Then Jasmine starts receiving threatening letters and danger seems closer than ever.
Wow. UNSPEAKABLE is a fast paced book that drew me in from the first page. I wanted to know everything--how Hana died, who was stalking Jasmine and if Megan was more disturbed than she seemed. Debut writer Abbie Rushton has created a complex character in narrator Megan, broken and grieving. Until the end of the book, I was never quite sure whether she felt guilty or was guilty about Hana's death. Jasmine was such a likable character, although she had fewer layers. All of the characters were believable. I loved the plot from beginning until end and I didn't guess what really happened until near the end.
The only negative, and it's a picky one, is that the writer didn't capture Megan's muteness as well as she could. At times she seemed unable to speak, at other times unwilling and forcing herself not to speak. In the USA, she'd see more than a school psychologist for her PTSD. Not sure about the UK, it's hard to believe she wasn't getting more psychiatric care.
THEMES: grief, remorse, mental illness, LGBT, forgiveness, friendship, bullying, parent/child role reversal.
Wow.
Megan hasn't spoken since her best friend Hana died in an accident seven months ago. She's bullied by her mean and popular former friends. Luke is her only friend, until she meets the bubbly, talkative Jasmine and the two become best friends. But, Megan worries about hurting her new friend, just like Hana, but finds herself wanting to get closer. Then Jasmine starts receiving threatening letters and danger seems closer than ever.
Wow. UNSPEAKABLE is a fast paced book that drew me in from the first page. I wanted to know everything--how Hana died, who was stalking Jasmine and if Megan was more disturbed than she seemed. Debut writer Abbie Rushton has created a complex character in narrator Megan, broken and grieving. Until the end of the book, I was never quite sure whether she felt guilty or was guilty about Hana's death. Jasmine was such a likable character, although she had fewer layers. All of the characters were believable. I loved the plot from beginning until end and I didn't guess what really happened until near the end.
The only negative, and it's a picky one, is that the writer didn't capture Megan's muteness as well as she could. At times she seemed unable to speak, at other times unwilling and forcing herself not to speak. In the USA, she'd see more than a school psychologist for her PTSD. Not sure about the UK, it's hard to believe she wasn't getting more psychiatric care.
THEMES: grief, remorse, mental illness, LGBT, forgiveness, friendship, bullying, parent/child role reversal.
April 23, 2016
Dang.
This is one of my first LGBT books. And to say that I loved it, would be an understatement.
This book and I didn't just have a normal 'lovey-dovey' relationship. It was more than that. Lot more.
The 'I want to hurl the book to the wall' moments weren't there, because, while reading it, all I did was smile like a crazy love-struck girl (well..yeah, I am in love with this book), and cry like a maniac (my brother was seated beside me, and he gave me the I-have-no-idea-why-this-girl-beside-me-if-crying-and-I-am-just-going-to-leave-it-to-her look. Thanks for that bro. Really. -_-).
*UGLY SOBBING IN THE BACKGROUND*
It was heart-wrenching. And powerful. Really. In a good way.
On the downside, well, I was a bit disappointed about the fact that no specifics were revealed about Jasmine's reason to shift schools, and I also wanted to know a bit more on Megan's Dad.. But then again, this would only shift attention from the main plot, so I don't really mind..
On the whole, I'd say that this book is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
I'd recommend all YA lovers to try this book.
Honestly, this book's got me craving for more LGBT contemporary romances.
This book has deterred me unspeakable.
This is one of my first LGBT books. And to say that I loved it, would be an understatement.
This book and I didn't just have a normal 'lovey-dovey' relationship. It was more than that. Lot more.
The 'I want to hurl the book to the wall' moments weren't there, because, while reading it, all I did was smile like a crazy love-struck girl (well..yeah, I am in love with this book), and cry like a maniac (my brother was seated beside me, and he gave me the I-have-no-idea-why-this-girl-beside-me-if-crying-and-I-am-just-going-to-leave-it-to-her look. Thanks for that bro. Really. -_-).
*UGLY SOBBING IN THE BACKGROUND*
It was heart-wrenching. And powerful. Really. In a good way.
On the downside, well, I was a bit disappointed about the fact that no specifics were revealed about Jasmine's reason to shift schools, and I also wanted to know a bit more on Megan's Dad.. But then again, this would only shift attention from the main plot, so I don't really mind..
On the whole, I'd say that this book is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
I'd recommend all YA lovers to try this book.
Honestly, this book's got me craving for more LGBT contemporary romances.
This book has deterred me unspeakable.
July 21, 2015
(spoiler alert)
It is a long time ago since I've rated a book only 1 star, but I really don't think this one deserves more than that.
First of all, Megan is not a great character. Actually, none of the characters in this book made me feel anything. The only thing we know about Megan is that she doesn't speak, and how she blames herself of something. We don't learn what this something is until the very end of the book, and when Megan finally finds out that it wasn't even her fault, it felt so frustrating. For 250 pages she's been so hard on herself and has made everything very difficult for herself and people around her, and then it turns out to be for no reason.
The main problem was the fact that we had to wait until the end of the book to learn the truth. I didn't feel anything while reading it other than frustration.
I just wanted to finish the book, and how everything got wrapped up too quickly in the end to make a nice happy ending, did not work for me.
I never got to understand Megan, and actually I just think that she's really immature in many ways. If she had been 12 years old I might have been able to understand her better, but she isn't a child, and it was just frustrating.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, but if I have to say a positive thing, I think the cover looks good, and it was my main reason for picking up the book.
If you want to read a book about a girl who doesn't speak I would recommend 'Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson instead.
It is a long time ago since I've rated a book only 1 star, but I really don't think this one deserves more than that.
First of all, Megan is not a great character. Actually, none of the characters in this book made me feel anything. The only thing we know about Megan is that she doesn't speak, and how she blames herself of something. We don't learn what this something is until the very end of the book, and when Megan finally finds out that it wasn't even her fault, it felt so frustrating. For 250 pages she's been so hard on herself and has made everything very difficult for herself and people around her, and then it turns out to be for no reason.
The main problem was the fact that we had to wait until the end of the book to learn the truth. I didn't feel anything while reading it other than frustration.
I just wanted to finish the book, and how everything got wrapped up too quickly in the end to make a nice happy ending, did not work for me.
I never got to understand Megan, and actually I just think that she's really immature in many ways. If she had been 12 years old I might have been able to understand her better, but she isn't a child, and it was just frustrating.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, but if I have to say a positive thing, I think the cover looks good, and it was my main reason for picking up the book.
If you want to read a book about a girl who doesn't speak I would recommend 'Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson instead.
June 7, 2016
This is DNF after ~60%. I couldn't make myself read 50 more pages. Just couldn't. I tried to push myself but what for? To have more bland writing and annoying story in my life for the next hour and a half. Nope, no thank you.
That's a shame because I'm always looking forward to reading books with lesbian protagonists. However Unspeakable didn't make me feel anything but irritation and annoyance. There wasn't even one scene that made feel happy about the book or compassionate towards the characters, not a one scene that made it worth reading it. I'm so disappointed.
That's a shame because I'm always looking forward to reading books with lesbian protagonists. However Unspeakable didn't make me feel anything but irritation and annoyance. There wasn't even one scene that made feel happy about the book or compassionate towards the characters, not a one scene that made it worth reading it. I'm so disappointed.
March 3, 2016
- Very descriptive
- Beautiful storyline
- A story that sticks
- Wonderful romantic story with a hint of a thriller
I loved how the story unfolded in such a natural progressive way.
It was a beautifully written novel with perfect amounts of romance and wonder.
I hope that Abbie Rushton comes out with an Unspeakable #2 as I'd love to see what life was like for Megan in college, and ,what her and Jasmine got up to on their Cyprus holiday.
One of my favourite books of the year!
- Beautiful storyline
- A story that sticks
- Wonderful romantic story with a hint of a thriller
I loved how the story unfolded in such a natural progressive way.
It was a beautifully written novel with perfect amounts of romance and wonder.
I hope that Abbie Rushton comes out with an Unspeakable #2 as I'd love to see what life was like for Megan in college, and ,what her and Jasmine got up to on their Cyprus holiday.
One of my favourite books of the year!
June 24, 2016
Pomoc. Tohle nebylo to pravé ořechové. Nevím, jestli to bylo překladem, nebo strašnou hlavní hrdinkou, ale nemohla jsem tuhle knížku vystát. Ještě, že to mělo jen +250 stránek, a že se to dalo rychle přečíst. Umírala jsem. Zápletka zase tak špatná nebyla, ale to je tak všechno. Kdybych si knihu pořídila ve 14-15, tak by se mi to možná i líbilo. Ale dnes? Ani náhodou.
October 12, 2018
I liked it, but the plot tried to keep tension up for too much time and it lost the suspense effect. There was a moment when the plot was obvious but the story kept trying to hide it and making it mysterious and it just... didn't work out.
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