ARC Review: Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Title: Speechless 

Author: Hannah Harrington 

Rating: 4.5 Stars 

Release Date: August 28th, 2012

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I dove into Speechless. I picked it up for one reason and one reason alone – Hannah Harrington had written it. I knew, from the moment I requested it, that I would love it, but I never expected just how much. Harrington has a habit of surpassing even my wildest expectations – she did it with Saving June and she constantly does it again, every time I re-read her debut novel. Thus, while I was expecting nothing short of brilliant when I began this story, I was still awed, shocked, and, yes, speechless as I read the remarkable and richly woven new tale that she had created.

Speechless is one of those few novels that needs no introduction, no synopsis, and no plot summary to come before it. It is a story that demands to be delved into blind-folded and will be all the more appreciated for that, hence the reason I refuse to rob you all of the opportunity to read and love this story in all its raw beauty. In fact, all I can tell you about the plot of this story is that it revolves around Chelsea Knot. Chelsea is a girl we all know – she’s that girl in high school who knew all the latest gossip and didn’t hesitate to spread it around. Yet, when one tiny rumor has deadly repercussions, Chelsea decides that it would be far more prudent of her to be silent than blab her big mouth, so she takes a vow of silence.

While Speechless is, in many ways, Chelsea’s journey of silence, it is never portrayed thus. Admit it – when you think of a vow of silence, you think of monks in Tibet remaining silent to become closer to God or to gain higher spiritual truths, don’t you? Yet, Harrington never portrays Chelsea in this light and maintains that she is simply a teenage girl trying to find her way in the labyrinth of life. Chelsea isn’t perfect for taking a vow of silence – if anything, her faults are constantly thrown in her face, her failures never leave her, and she is never able to forget about the guilt she carries; but all these qualities only make Chelsea all the more real and tangible to the reader. Yes, Chelsea is a dangerously flawed and unlikable character, but that is exactly why I love Harrington so much – she has a talent of taking seemingly terrible people and showing us their more vulnerable, better, and kinder side. Each and every one of her characters contains an immense amount of depth and I loved reading Chelsea’s narration of this tale – it is brutally honest, raw, and truly eye-opening.

I have to admit that Saving June still remains to be my favorite Harrington novel, but Speechless is an impeccable sophomore novel regardless. It is one that explores the complex hierarchy of high school, that analyzes human nature, and that reveals some of the most basic truths behind happiness. Prior to the scandalous event that forced Chelsea to take her vow of silence, she used to be one of the most popular students in school but just as quickly, she fell faar down the ladder. Nevertheless, while Speechless seems like your usual run-of-the-mill high school tale, except with a slight twist, it goes much deeper than that and explores themes such as popularity, superficiality, and what it means to be yourself and find a niche that accepts you for you. It is an integral message that deserves to be heard and Harrington conveys it in a very subtle and beautifully written manner.

Speechless also contains one of my favorite cast of characters ever. Asha, the petite Indian girl who befriends the now silent Chelsea, is exactly the type of best friend you want for yourself. Plus, she’s Indian! I feel as if authors always think diversity means Japanese, Chinese, European, or African-American characters, but it’s so rare to see other races also portrayed and I was thrilled by Asha’s appearance. In addition to Asha though, Chelsea winds up becoming very close friends with Sam who is a total sweetheart. I usually have a problem with guys who are too-good-to-be-true, but Sam has his flaws as well, even if they are harder to see. Furthermore, his romance with Chelsea developed wonderfully, starting out as a strong friendship, and I loved the fact that it never detracted from the overall story in the least. Chelsea also carries on extremely complex friendships with all the members of Rosie’s Diner, the restaurant where she eventually finds a job, and with her parents too. I was glad to see them appear and make such a marked impact on Chelsea’s life which was a nice change from the usual Missing Parent Syndrome.

Ultimately though, Speechless shines, not because of its rich characters or subtly woven messages, it shines because of what it enables the reader to take away from it. More than anything, this is a story of forgiveness – of forgiving yourself, of accepting your mistakes and moving on from them, and of realizing that everything happens in life for a reason. Speechless is more than just a novel about a girl who chose to be quiet; it’s a novel about accepting your sexuality, being brave, facing your fears, and becoming a better person. It’s about not conforming with society and in many ways, it reminded me of a teenage Scarlet Letter or silent version of “Easy A” but so much better than what you could imagine those books to be like. While I did dislike the rather stereotypical portrayal of Kristen, Chelsea’s ex-best friend who shuns her, it is a small qualm to have in a novel this wonderfully written. Hannah Harrington was already one of my favorite authors, but with Speechless, she dared to explore something entirely new and take her trademark genre to new levels, which has consequently earned her my respect. I am waiting, with bated breath really, to see what she comes up with next and am utterly confident that it will be just as spellbinding and speechless-inducing as her previous works. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.