Review: Unspoken

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Format: eBook
Print Length:370 pages
Publisher: K-Teen
Published: Sept. 11, 2012

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

My Thoughts

Can you imagine being able to have a conversation in your head with someone you’ve never met?  Can you imagine thinking that this person doesn’t really exist and yet still be comforted by their presence?  Imagine this person being always on your side.  The one person you could always count on.  Imagine having to pretend this person isn’t real!

Imagine growing up with one person who always believed in you.  A person that regardless of everything was on your side.  A person you loved, who loves you back unconditionally.  Someone who comforts you when you’re scared, laughs at your jokes and listens to you babble.  The only problem- you’ve never met and no one else has spoken to him.  For 16 years you have talked to this person in your head- your imaginary friend.  You’ve hid them away from everyone else to avoid being labeled crazy.

Then one day out of the blue, the voice has a face.  An actual face attached to a body standing right in front of you.  What would you do?  Would you stay away from him or would you try to get closer?  Would you be too shocked to do anything?

As your shock wears off and you get to know the real person behind the voice, you begin to see just why you love them.  You understand why they need you to love them.  Yet, people talk.  With talk comes doubt.  They say your connection could kill him.  They say that you could control him.  They say that it is best if you break away from him.  What would you do? 

Kami is strong, and smart.  She does not listen to idle gossip- instead she investigates it.  Only her investigation is causing attempts on her life.  Jared just moved to the Sorry-in-the-Vale.  He looks rough, not as polished as his uppity cousin.  They are blaming him for the bad things that are happening.  His only concern is protecting Kami.  He is wary of their connection, but clings to it.  She is his one and only- she just has to acknowledge it.  Until she does he will protect her, watch over her and maybe just maybe love her.

Unspoken blew my mind away.  What a fabulous story.  I absolutely adore Kami.  Jared is the perfect non-perfect hero.  Their relationship before they meet is one of the most solid and real relationships ever portrayed on paper.  The distance between them that meeting causes is believable and heartbreaking.  At the end of the book, my heart ached for Kami.  How?  Why?  Seriously how much long do I have to wait for the sequel?  Will what happened get fixed?  Can someone please do away with Ash- he was the annoyingly perfect cousin.  Of course, I have a soft spot for Kami’s best friend Angela.  She well, she hates people and I love that.  Hilarious!  Run do not walk to the bookstore and grab this book.  It will be well worth it.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Holly- beautiful  gal at Kami’s school that cons her way into their group.
Angela- Kami’s anti-people best friend.
Ash- Jared’s perfect cousin, me hates him.

Before you read this amazingly fabulous story- you could preview the characters with the short stories that are linked below.


Jared's story: The Spring Before I Met You













Kami's story: The Summer Before I Met You