Book Review: A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard

Book: A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Rating: ★ ★ ★


This is one of those books that I just randomly picked up at the bookstore (using a gift card) and bought just because it sounded good. About a deaf boy and girl who doesn't talk (selective mute they call it) falling love. Cute, yes?

And yes, it was. Mostly. Sigh.

So the voice (ha! voice!) of this character was great. I related to her so much. She has massive anxiety, and while my anxiety isn't massive, it's there, and so everything she talks about I'm like... yep. That's it. Especially the negative self talk. And the physical pain of anxiety. I've never understood why anxiety has to manifest itself physically. You'd think it would just be in your head and make you wring your hands or something. But no, it's also very much in your gut. Ugh.

ANYWAY. So I really liked her. I didn't understand what makes a person not talk at all though. I do get the not talking in certain situations. But to totally freeze up. It's very intense. So because of that, she has learned BSL (this book takes place in Britain, they have their own version I guess) and so when the new boy who is deaf shows up at school, she is assigned to help him.

And they click right away because he is awesome. Sweet and happy and jovial and friendly and all the good things. Beautiful too of course.

So this is just their falling in love story. Quite simple really. And her trying to deal with getting better, which she slowly is. Doing all sorts of things and talking to all sorts of people!

He has his struggles too and has to overcome his insecurities with his own disability.

Anyway, I enjoyed it all except the part where teenage sex is described in much more detail than I would have liked. If they decide to "do it" whatever, but I'd rather most of it be left up to imagination, you know. The whole story was sort of sweet and nice and romantic, and those scenes just seemed like too much for the tone of this book. It jarred me a bit. You know? Sigh.

Other than that. I liked it all!