The Sharp Edge of Silence: he took everything from her. Now it's time for revenge...
By Author / Illustrator
Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
Genre
Suspense & Thrillers
Age range(s)
16+
Publisher
Hot Key Books
ISBN
9781471413476
Format
Paperback / softback
Published
11-04-2023
Synopsis
Students at Lycroft Phelps are marked for success. As a straight-A student and girlfriend of the school's star rower, Charlotte believes in what the school has to offer. Meanwhile, scholarship student Max is struggling. Until he's asked to join the rowing team offering him popularity - but at what cost?
Then there's Quinn, a sixth-generation legacy student, who should be able to lay claim to the school in a way others can't. Who instead must watch the boy who assaulted her continue to play at the top of the school's food chain. Only in the dead of night does Q realize the solution to her suffering: Colin Pearce must die. But Lycroft Phelps has more than one dark secret at its heart, and as the three students uncover just how far the school will go to keep those ugly truths hidden, there's a lot more than reputation at stake...
A tense and timely thriller with a revenge plot that'll have you on the edge of your seat. Perfect for fans of Kathleen Glasgow, Chelsea Pitcher and Louise O'Neill. (TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains descriptions of sexual violence that some readers may find upsetting.)
Reviews
Ruth
The Sharp Edge of Silence is a tough YA read where the cover declares that 'boys will be held accountable'. This book is a thriller where the victim of a terrible crime exacts an equally terrible revenge on their perpetrator. Intertwined are also the stories of the other two main characters whose time at their elite American college is being impacted by society and sexual politics. The change of perspective and time helps the tension build, the drama is shocking and I won't give away the ending but the ordeal is compounded by the institution's response.
This book should be read by older students, probably 16 years and up because of the harrowing nature of the story. The explicit nature of the sexual assault and the psychological aftermath make it an uncomfortable read, and trigger warnings about sexual violence should be applied plus the use of strong language noted.
The current focus on masculine toxicity and the 'Me Too' movement makes this a topical subject and the author has successfully managed to ensure anger oozes from the pages of this excellent book.
496 pages / Reviewed by Ruth Cornish, school librarian
Suggested Reading Age 14+
Love You to Death
