β Scribed by Phoebe Kitanidis
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
I'd love a cup of coffee. . . . I wish she didn't hide how pretty she is. . . . I hope she didn't find out what Ben said about her. . . . I wish I knew how many calories were in a bite of muffin. . . .
Joy is used to Hearing Whispers. She's used to walking down the street and instantly knowing people's deepest, darkest desires. She uses this talent for goodto make people happy and give them what they want. But for her older sister, Jessica, the family gift is a curse, and she uses it to make people's livesespecially Joy'smiserable. Still, when Joy Hears Jessica Whisper I want to kill my Hearing dead, and kill me too if that's what it takes, she knows she has to save her sister, even if it means deserting her friends, stealing a car, and running away with a boy she barely knowsa boy who may have a dark secret of his own.
Whisper is an exhilarating debut novel from talented newcomer Phoebe Kitanidis.
**
Grade 9 UpLike her mother and her sister, Joy can "Hear" the "Whispers" of others, thoughts just barely in their consciousness. Now that she is 15, her gift enables her to know not only the lighter side of internal monologues, but also the darker onesthoughts of violence, lecherous impulses, and criticisms of Joy herself. As she works to navigate her new "Hearing," she must also cope with increasingly intense headaches, an antagonistic relationship with her sister, and friendship problems. There is also the mystery of Jamie, an unusual boy with a secret of his own. When Joy is at her most confused, her sister goes missing, and only Jamie can help her. Despite the fantastic premise, it's hard not to read this novel as an analogy for maturity, the archetypal move from innocence to experience. Joy has been a pleaser, working hard to use her power to make others happy. But when she can "Hear" the good and the bad, and even her parents are unable to help her deal with her overwhelming feelings of frustration and insecurity, she must strike out on her own to do what needs to be done. Despite a somewhat typical YA story structure and an ending that may have been tied up a bit too easily, these common conflicts are nuanced by Kitanidis's intriguing construction of Joy's powers, unexpected plot moves, and strong characterizations.Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA
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Any family that harbors a psychic gift in its DNA is going to have some troubling offshoots. In Kitanidis' debut novel, two sisters work the family inheritance of being able to hear what other people are thinking. Joy, the novel's 17-year-old narrator and heroine, uses what she picks up on to help others. Her older sister, Jessica, a Goth dreadlocked stoner, has always used her gift to torment Joy. It's a fascinating premise, and the girls are a promising Jekyll and Hyde pair, but it takes awhile for things to get moving. Once they do, however, with Joy's realization that she has overheard one of Jessica's own Whispers, what she hears confirms that Jessica is in deep trouble. Joy sets off with a boy who is almost a stranger, and harboring his own secrets, to save her sister. Heart-pounding suspense, realistic sibling tension, and a good mix of psychic powers make this perfect for readers of Anastasia Hopcus. Grades 8-12. --Connie Fletcher
Library : Fantasy
Universes : Whisper [01]
Formats : EPUB
ISBN : 9780061799259
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