*Synopsis*
Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Tate sits outside Nate Foster's house, clutching a gun. After serving ten years for the drunk driving accident that killed Alex's family, Nate has been released from prison. Every night, Alex waits out of sight, building up the courage to exact her own justice. There's just one problem: Forgiveness. Alex has been able to see personified Emotions for as long as she can remember, and Revenge is her best friend. But when Forgiveness suddenly appears, he offers Alex a choice--getting even or moving on. It's impossible to decide when Revenge whispers in one ear . . . and Forgiveness whispers in the other.
*My Thoughts*
"Where Silence Gathers" is the companion novel to "Some Quiet Place" and not a direct sequel. It is set in a totally different place, with a totally different lead character, but with the same personified emotions. Where in SQP Elizabeth Caldwell didn't feel any emotions and but could still see them and met her match with Fear, Alexandra Tate sees and feels all the emotions, and is forced to choose between Revenge, and Forgiveness in determining her future.
Alexandra truly is her own character, and nothing like Elizabeth. After a drunk driver took her family away at age 12, she was left living with her aunt Missy and uncle Saul who do their best for Alex. She is pushed by her so called best friend in Revenge who doesn't sugar coat anything. She is pushed by the memories of being left alone, and watching her family die by her side. She feels guilty that somehow she survived. The release of Nate Foster from prison 6 years after her families deaths, pushes Alexandra into seeking revenge for her families sake.
Alex sits outside Nate's home with a fully loaded gun she stole from her uncle, wanting to pay him back for all the hurt and suffering he's caused. She throws herself so much into ending Nate, that she misses the fact that she's pretty much turned her back on everyone except Revenge who came into her life when she needed him the most. The story really is about choices. Does Alex really go through with her Revenge, or will Forgiveness warm her cold, dark heart and make her choose an entirely different course?
Once again, I guess I read a totally different book than the synopsis says, or what other reviewers are saying about the book. I say this knowing that I wrote down that Alex was actually EIGHTEEN since she celebrated a birthday and is a High School Senior who intends on graduating when we first meet her. The other thing I found different from others is that Nate Foster didn't spend 10 years behind bars for vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. Remember, Alex was 12 at the time of the of her parent's deaths, and was shocked to learn that he had been released from prison so soon.
**Please note; Ms Kelsey was good enough to respond to my questions, and I was right on the money!*
I am not sure how to take Alex. While I absolutely understand her desire for revenge, I also saw a girl who pushed away everything that was good in her life, which includes her best friends Georgie, Briana, Uncle Saul, and Aunt Missy for her mission. She even pushed away her little neighbor who didn't exactly have the best home life with two parents acting like complete idiots not understanding the pain they were causing their son.
Kelsey Sutton creates a world where there are Emotions, Elements, and Choices come from another plane of existence. The Emotions all appear in human form, and in different shapes, and sizes. There are few people in society who can actually see them. Alex has the ability to see each and every single emotion that comes her way. Her obsession with Revenge, had me asking if perhaps her vision was a bit clouded by thoughts other than hers.
What I will take from this story, is that it is very easy for a person to lull themselves into believing that revenge is a dish best served cold. I think that Alex allowed herself to be used, and pushed into making silly mistakes, and when all is said and done, there are way more important things that needed to be addressed that could have changed her life and perhaps even shortened it had she not had a bit of assistance.
I, unfortunately, do have a few minors thoughts on some hiccups. I do understand that this copy was an ARC, and therefore I can only hope that in the finished copy of the book, we won't find Alex throwing away her phone into a river one minute, and plugging in an address into her GPS on HER phone the next. Then, a few minutes later, she is using the house phone to make her calls.
*Again, Ms Kelsey tells me that this was in fact, fixed, and the finished copy caught this error!* Thank you, Kelsey!*
Although Where Silence Gathers wasn't as good overall as Some Quiet Place, I would definitely consider, and recommend reading any future works that Ms. Sutton releases in the future.
Author - Kelsey Sutton
Title - Where Silence Gathers (Some Quiet Place # 2)
Published by Flux
Released: July 8, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Format: E-book 360 pages
Unfortunately I couldn't continue with this one. I read and loved the first one - but as you aptly pointed out she seemed to do everything she possibly could to destroy her own life with her bad behavior, ill treatment of the family she has left, drinking, etc. I just don't sympathize with destructive behavior like that no matter the loss the person suffered so had to give it up cause I was irked two ways constantly.
ReplyDeleteGlad you still enjoyed it.