Whisper

Gr 8 Up—More than two years have passed since a silent, dangerous girl wound up at Lengard, an underground governmental facility. Because of her refusal to speak, her guards and evaluators refer to her as "Jane Doe," and for two years, she has lived the life of a walking corpse. But when her newest evaluator, Ward, turns out to be young, charming, and compassionate, the walls Jane has built begin to crumble. When she finally speaks, she confirms what she already knows; her words have phenomenal power, and what she intends, she can create. But nothing at Lengard is as it seems, and when Jane encounters an external group of Speakers, everything she thinks she understands about her ability changes. Fans of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard will enjoy this fast-paced work of science fiction about a girl with unexpected abilities who finds herself caught in a web of lies. Noni spends a great deal of time creating relationships among her characters, with a particularly solid emphasis on female friendship. While the story is compelling, the romantic elements fall flat, with an ending that introduces a lopsided love triangle, a villain who is little more than a trope, and the obvious segue to a sequel.