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batbaby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This actually took me a while to read, I wish it had more about silence’s nonbinary/gender queerness because really he read as a trans man for the majority of the book. And their gender non comformity/discussion only came about by Merlin going yeah but you’re not a man are you. This isn’t to invalidate silence’s gender experience I just wish they came to the development of their own volition. I wish we explored more romance towards the end like maybe going back to Ame or Alfred. I enjoyed the magical elements of the book especially hearing about the selkie or the nymph I just wish it had more of the fantasy element. I enjoyed this book but it definitely had its faults and the cover “a tale of a non-binary knight” feels misleading for the majority of the book Silence is a trans masculine minstrel but hey-ho
Also the man-in-a dress trope was annoying and harmful at the end and I was just expecting it to be sapphic.
Also the man-in-a dress trope was annoying and harmful at the end and I was just expecting it to be sapphic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, and Gore
Moderate: Deadnaming
Minor: Animal cruelty, Dysphoria, and Animal death
mal_eficent's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Myers is a very clever writer, and his grand, non-linear writing style really suits the mythic, story within a story narrative he builds. It absolutely fits the theme and events of his books and compliments the messages he's working to get across...But it's not my favourite thing to read.
Does it feel chivalric and Romantic? Yes. Does it also make me feel like I'm reading short poems from Tumblr? Yes. Thankfully, for me, in The Story of Silence that style slowly gives way to a more straight forward narrative after about 100 pages. The cleverness of reading stories woven into each other, from different perspectives and giving different messages, was just losing its lustre when we started seeing things entirely from Silence's past perspective.
I enjoy character focussed books that work to show you how the setting functions, and this delivered all of that more. There's knight training, medieval courts, dragon slaying, tournaments, and a child just trying to find their place in it all. Importantly for people who don't like detail driven settings there's no getting bogged down in details. You won't find yourself rereading descriptions of characters doing the same activities over and over, no training montages that repeat teaching the same motion or anything like that. There's also a nice balance to Silence's story being driven by just having to exist in the setting and specific plot events.
Other reviews talk about the gender representation better than I can, but I will say that it was reminiscent of classic fantasy 'grow into who you are' story arcs that are absolutely my wheel house.
If you've read Myers' newer book, Symmetry of Stars, and wanted something with the same clever plot and pacing but in a less literary style, try this one instead. I loved this way more than I was expecting to upon starting and it's managed to work its way off my unhaul pile back into my shelves.
Does it feel chivalric and Romantic? Yes. Does it also make me feel like I'm reading short poems from Tumblr? Yes. Thankfully, for me, in The Story of Silence that style slowly gives way to a more straight forward narrative after about 100 pages. The cleverness of reading stories woven into each other, from different perspectives and giving different messages, was just losing its lustre when we started seeing things entirely from Silence's past perspective.
I enjoy character focussed books that work to show you how the setting functions, and this delivered all of that more. There's knight training, medieval courts, dragon slaying, tournaments, and a child just trying to find their place in it all. Importantly for people who don't like detail driven settings there's no getting bogged down in details. You won't find yourself rereading descriptions of characters doing the same activities over and over, no training montages that repeat teaching the same motion or anything like that. There's also a nice balance to Silence's story being driven by just having to exist in the setting and specific plot events.
Other reviews talk about the gender representation better than I can, but I will say that it was reminiscent of classic fantasy 'grow into who you are' story arcs that are absolutely my wheel house.
If you've read Myers' newer book, Symmetry of Stars, and wanted something with the same clever plot and pacing but in a less literary style, try this one instead. I loved this way more than I was expecting to upon starting and it's managed to work its way off my unhaul pile back into my shelves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Transphobia, War, Violence, and Outing
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
wordsofclover's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is the story of a child called Silence who is born a daughter to Earl Cador and his lady wife but because of a degree by the King that girl children will never inherit, Silence is raised as a young boy. As Silence gets older and learns the truth about who he is, he dreams of becoming a knight only his father's fear of discovery holds him back until he runs away.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was a fine listen - the story is entertaining and there is an earnestness to the good old fashioned medieval tale of knighthood and virtue that lends a charm to the overall tale.
Silence's story is a unique one and it's hard at times to see him suffer from both the confusion of being in two places at once with a body that does not quite match how he feels about himself, and also the constant fear of what would happen if his truth was found out. But I loved how Silence proved himself, to his own self and to others, again and again whenever there was a doubt about his ability to be a knight and he was kind, talented, strong and brave for the entirety of the tale.
I think there were parts of this book that the pacing suffered a little bit and it feels like some of the things Silence really wants for himself take a long time to come around, and then when they do enter Evil Queen.
I did find the ending slightly depressing though (more so in character reactions rather than anything else) though there were good points made, and I loved Silence's final acceptance of who he was and how he wanted to live in the future.
I listened to this on audiobook and it was a fine listen - the story is entertaining and there is an earnestness to the good old fashioned medieval tale of knighthood and virtue that lends a charm to the overall tale.
Silence's story is a unique one and it's hard at times to see him suffer from both the confusion of being in two places at once with a body that does not quite match how he feels about himself, and also the constant fear of what would happen if his truth was found out. But I loved how Silence proved himself, to his own self and to others, again and again whenever there was a doubt about his ability to be a knight and he was kind, talented, strong and brave for the entirety of the tale.
I think there were parts of this book that the pacing suffered a little bit and it feels like some of the things Silence really wants for himself take a long time to come around, and then when they do enter Evil Queen.
I did find the ending slightly depressing though (more so in character reactions rather than anything else) though there were good points made, and I loved Silence's final acceptance of who he was and how he wanted to live in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Sexual harassment
dnlrbchd's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Death, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy
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