Book Reviews

THE SILENCED by James Devita

Marena is a girl who lives under the rule of the Zero Tolerance party, an oppressive government that has swept through her nation, setting up "Youth Training Facilities," building walls around the borders, and "neutralizing," or killing, anyone who doesn't fit in or speaks out.

Marena is somewhat resigned to hiding everything -- from her writing and pencils (a law has been passed against them) to the memories of her "neutralized" mother, until Eric, a new boy, is transferred to her training facility and inspires her to resist. She creates a group called the White Rose, but before she knows it, her actions have put her, her friends, and her family, in mortal danger.

I liked this book a whole lot, you know, once I really got into it. It was modeled after the story of Sophie Scholl, a girl during the time of the Holocaust, who made a resistance group just like Marena's. So that was really cool—I mean, I went through a World War II period, just like everyone else. I read as many books about young girls in that time as I possibly could, so I was exposed to stories about governments and lives under such oppresion. So though I found The Silenced entertaining, there were a few things wrong with it. The Zero Tolerance party? As if anyone would go for a group with that label. Look at Hitler, look at Robert Mugabe, look at any oppressive government that has existed—they all had better marketing. Hitler promised to raise Germany in glory, and favor those who were tolerated. Robert Mugabe (for those who don't know; the super evil president of Zimbabwe—read up on the situation if you haven't already) resolved to strike back and free Zimbabwe from colonialism. All of these claims are appealing to people, and the Zero Tolerance Party... well, I wouldn't throw myself into that, would you?

However, other than my little issue with it, The Silenced is a thoroughly enjoyable book. You may have to suspend your disbelief for a while, but once past that, it's quite a good read! Though several hundred pages long, I barely noticed the length of it at all. It was pretty well gripping, and kept me quite interested right up until the end. The main character is pretty endearing, and I was in her head a whole lot. Quite good!

The Silenced is a good book to go outside and read. Sit under a tree, with that loverley library, all rickety and crickety in the background... listen to the cooing sounds of day owls (they're specific only to Toad Hill—yes, we're very special), and the "ribbits" of frogs and toads, all hop-ily dancing around you. It makes you thankful, you know? That you aren't stuck inside a barren metal housing unit, and that reading isn't against the law (my gosh, can you imagine?), and that you're here. At Toad Hill. Or anywhere, really.

I would recommend The Silenced to someone who is looking for a less gory/scary sort of holocaust book, even though it is not directly about the same thing. It's a book that makes you think.

Hmm. Four out of five flies!

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