What do you think?
Rate this book
Silence is Goldfish
'I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in - to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.' Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?
365 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2015
121 people are currently reading
3778 people want to read
About the author
Annabel Pitcher
9 books507 followersAnnabel Pitcher studied English at Oxford and has since worked as a script writer and an English teacher. She lives in Yorkshire with her husband. MY SISTER LIVES ON THE MANTELPIECE was her first novel. She is a full-time writer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
September 15, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley.)
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who stopped talking.
I felt quite sorry for Tess, the information that she stumbled across on her dad’s computer was quite sensitive, and to find out in such a harsh way couldn’t have been easy for her.
The storyline in this was about Tess suddenly stopping talking as a form of protest, and I totally got why she did it. I did find the way that she talked to a plastic goldfish flashlight in her head a bit weird though!
The ending to this was pretty good, and I was satisfied with the way things worked out for Tess.
7 out of 10
“I might not always pay attention in Biology, but I am pretty certain that two blue-eyed parents cannot produce a brown-eyed child.”
This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who stopped talking.
I felt quite sorry for Tess, the information that she stumbled across on her dad’s computer was quite sensitive, and to find out in such a harsh way couldn’t have been easy for her.
The storyline in this was about Tess suddenly stopping talking as a form of protest, and I totally got why she did it. I did find the way that she talked to a plastic goldfish flashlight in her head a bit weird though!
The ending to this was pretty good, and I was satisfied with the way things worked out for Tess.
7 out of 10
March 23, 2016
I wandered familiar streets feeling lost in the darkness, too scared of the stuff inside my head to be afraid of anything outside it. And now here I am with a plan that involves a goldfish, who looks shocked because this is not at all what he thought was going to happen when he woke up this morning next to the bottles of de-icer at the Texaco Garage that is the only home he’s ever known.
Tess has just read something shocking. Six hundred and seventeen words in which her father revealed that he wasn’t actually her father, and that his first feeling when she was born was one of disgust.
Tess wasn’t meant to read this, and her father… no, not her father, Jack, doesn’t know she saw it, doesn’t know why she’s suddenly stopped talking and is refusing to follow instructions. She’s defiant, she’s distant, she’s possibly lost it.
There were a lot of interesting themes within this novel, and it had the building blocks to make something amazing, but it came together as a rather uneven story.
Multiple things within this novel suggested that, perhaps, the main character might have started out as a lot younger, and been aged to fit slightly more adult themes.
The rest of this review can be found here!
----------
Before Reading
There must be a list on the Internet of what to buy when you're running away, but my phone is typically dead, like I swear it just passes out whenever things get stressful. It's unconscious in my pocket so I can't look up a list of essential items for life on the road, but a children's torch in the shape of a goldfish seems a very sensible choice.
Yeah, I think I'm going to enjoy this one!
September 16, 2016
***Mildly Spoilery***
Tess Turner has just discovered something terrible. She read her dad’s blog and six hundred and seventeen words later her world is kind of coming apart at the seams. Soon she retreats into a world of silence, communicating only with her plastic goldfish torch, as she tries to make sense of what she’s found out.
I liked the theme of the book, which was all about identity and how where we come from shapes who we are. There’s also the nature versus nurture debate and the question of what constitutes a ‘real’ parent - the person whose DNA you share, or the person who raised you? These questions are dealt with in depth, albeit through the eyes of an emotional fifteen year old.
And this brings me on to Tess. Unfortunately I didn’t find Tess very relatable. I think maybe it’s because she’s only fifteen, and a fairly immature fifteen, but this felt more like an MG novel than YA, especially the internal dialogue with her goldfish torch. She was a bit self-pitying and instead of just questioning her parents about what she had read (and she seemed to have a fairly strong relationship with her parents, even though her dad was a bit of a prat), she just bottled everything up. What she found out was shocking, no doubt, and it would have taken some getting used to but at the end of the day she still had two parents who were invested in her. People go through worse and manage to deal.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m very much on the side of nurture that I struggled to see Tess’s viewpoint. Your parent is the person who changes your nappy, sits through your nativity play, tells you you’re gorgeous when you look like a minger, nurses you through chickenpox and norovirus and show up every day. The casual way Tess ignored everything her mum and dad had done for her (her dad’s knobbishness notwithstanding) annoyed me and after the three amazing characters Annabel Pitcher put together in Ketchup Clouds, this felt a little disappointing.
And don’t get me started on the instant, all-consuming fixation on the supply teacher she becomes convinced is her real dad. Really not sure where that came from.
I’ll tell you who I did like, though - Isabel. She was cool. I liked her very much. She was uber geek and proud of it (correct) and funny and loyal. I was glad she was included in the book, not only because I always like to see non-toxic female friendships but because she reminded me that this author really can do quirky, totally real characters. Awesome. More like Isabel, please Ms Pitcher.
2.5 stars
Tess Turner has just discovered something terrible. She read her dad’s blog and six hundred and seventeen words later her world is kind of coming apart at the seams. Soon she retreats into a world of silence, communicating only with her plastic goldfish torch, as she tries to make sense of what she’s found out.
I liked the theme of the book, which was all about identity and how where we come from shapes who we are. There’s also the nature versus nurture debate and the question of what constitutes a ‘real’ parent - the person whose DNA you share, or the person who raised you? These questions are dealt with in depth, albeit through the eyes of an emotional fifteen year old.
And this brings me on to Tess. Unfortunately I didn’t find Tess very relatable. I think maybe it’s because she’s only fifteen, and a fairly immature fifteen, but this felt more like an MG novel than YA, especially the internal dialogue with her goldfish torch. She was a bit self-pitying and instead of just questioning her parents about what she had read (and she seemed to have a fairly strong relationship with her parents, even though her dad was a bit of a prat), she just bottled everything up. What she found out was shocking, no doubt, and it would have taken some getting used to but at the end of the day she still had two parents who were invested in her. People go through worse and manage to deal.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m very much on the side of nurture that I struggled to see Tess’s viewpoint. Your parent is the person who changes your nappy, sits through your nativity play, tells you you’re gorgeous when you look like a minger, nurses you through chickenpox and norovirus and show up every day. The casual way Tess ignored everything her mum and dad had done for her (her dad’s knobbishness notwithstanding) annoyed me and after the three amazing characters Annabel Pitcher put together in Ketchup Clouds, this felt a little disappointing.
And don’t get me started on the instant, all-consuming fixation on the supply teacher she becomes convinced is her real dad. Really not sure where that came from.
I’ll tell you who I did like, though - Isabel. She was cool. I liked her very much. She was uber geek and proud of it (correct) and funny and loyal. I was glad she was included in the book, not only because I always like to see non-toxic female friendships but because she reminded me that this author really can do quirky, totally real characters. Awesome. More like Isabel, please Ms Pitcher.
2.5 stars
May 8, 2025
I loved Ketchup Clouds by the same author so was very desperate to read her entire blacklist and wow, underwhelming would be a gross understatement.
I didn’t enjoy anything about this one sadly. I rarely rate books one stars and they’re usually reserved for books that make me seethe with rage. This one is a little bit different because while I’m not particularly overly angry or irritated by it… I can’t think of a single positive. The one star comes from a complete absence of anything enjoyable or redeemable in here, which is a first for me.
While I get we’re inside the head of a 15 year old girl here and the book was written like 10 years ago, I feel like it’s still a valid criticism that it’s aged extremely poorly and some of the writing and themes in here are extremely tasteless. The endless conversations about body image and the main character being fat shamed by everybody (including her own parents) were so excessive and uncomfortable to read, I hated it. Her internal monologue and levels of self hatred as well presented an opportunity for some unlearning or character development but we start and finish the book in the same place. And I don’t think this topic was done with any degree of delicacy or given the appropriate discussion at all, it just felt thrown in for shock factor or humour… but nothing about it was coming across as funny. It just wasn’t nice.
There’s also a massive storyline in here revolving around our main character being bullied, and the amount of anti-trans rhetoric I was reading was so vile. I know it was supposed to be some sort of depiction of high school kids being cruel, but it went so far and some of the dialogue was so horrendous. The way Tess is verbally and physically abused and embarrassed throughout the story and all because her classmates think she was born a boy was so uncomfortable to read. It was relentless, and at no point is there a thorough conversation around thai either or any consequence for the characters partaking in any of it. And this goes on for hundreds of pages, just so much vile vitriol spewed at her left unchallenged and uncorrected. It left an extremely bad taste in my mouth, and I struggle to understand the point of including it. It didn’t serve the story in any way. There’s also a part in the book that uses the word ‘transvestite’ which actually made me cringe.
Apart from all of that, the book starts with Tess finding out her dad is not her ‘real’ biological dad, and then we’re strung along the entire time trying to solve this ‘mystery’. This plotline gets completely overshadowed almost immediately by her having some weird obsession with one of her teachers, and then we’re following breadcrumbs investigating him because Tess thinks he could be her dad…? But at one point she kisses his son… which she thinks could be her brother…? It’s all just so weird and convoluted for no reason. We never really get anywhere with any of these threads until the end, the effort put into developing any of the story is extremely poor, and despite it being so convoluted it was unbearably dry and boring. It was bland at best, downright weird as hell at worst. I have no idea who gave the plot of this book a green light because it was nonsensical and nothing satisfying came of it.
It was odd. And uncomfortable. And had far too much going on, and a level of weirdness I could not contend with. I feel like none of it was realistic or well written, and every single character was so deeply unlikeable. Every single character was absolutely insane, also. I still do not understand the significance of the weird talking goldfish flashlight that appears in the book, or why she stopped talking for like two weeks. None of it was really explained, and it all just felt so shallow. If you're waiting for something to happen, you'll be waiting a while. Did not enjoy. I also feel like the eventual conclusion of the dad storyline was so obvious from the very first page, so it felt like a waste of time.
Deeply saddened by this rating since Ketchup Clouds was so incredible, I have no idea what happened here. Very scared to read anymore Pitcher because it could go either way clearly…
I didn’t enjoy anything about this one sadly. I rarely rate books one stars and they’re usually reserved for books that make me seethe with rage. This one is a little bit different because while I’m not particularly overly angry or irritated by it… I can’t think of a single positive. The one star comes from a complete absence of anything enjoyable or redeemable in here, which is a first for me.
While I get we’re inside the head of a 15 year old girl here and the book was written like 10 years ago, I feel like it’s still a valid criticism that it’s aged extremely poorly and some of the writing and themes in here are extremely tasteless. The endless conversations about body image and the main character being fat shamed by everybody (including her own parents) were so excessive and uncomfortable to read, I hated it. Her internal monologue and levels of self hatred as well presented an opportunity for some unlearning or character development but we start and finish the book in the same place. And I don’t think this topic was done with any degree of delicacy or given the appropriate discussion at all, it just felt thrown in for shock factor or humour… but nothing about it was coming across as funny. It just wasn’t nice.
There’s also a massive storyline in here revolving around our main character being bullied, and the amount of anti-trans rhetoric I was reading was so vile. I know it was supposed to be some sort of depiction of high school kids being cruel, but it went so far and some of the dialogue was so horrendous. The way Tess is verbally and physically abused and embarrassed throughout the story and all because her classmates think she was born a boy was so uncomfortable to read. It was relentless, and at no point is there a thorough conversation around thai either or any consequence for the characters partaking in any of it. And this goes on for hundreds of pages, just so much vile vitriol spewed at her left unchallenged and uncorrected. It left an extremely bad taste in my mouth, and I struggle to understand the point of including it. It didn’t serve the story in any way. There’s also a part in the book that uses the word ‘transvestite’ which actually made me cringe.
Apart from all of that, the book starts with Tess finding out her dad is not her ‘real’ biological dad, and then we’re strung along the entire time trying to solve this ‘mystery’. This plotline gets completely overshadowed almost immediately by her having some weird obsession with one of her teachers, and then we’re following breadcrumbs investigating him because Tess thinks he could be her dad…? But at one point she kisses his son… which she thinks could be her brother…? It’s all just so weird and convoluted for no reason. We never really get anywhere with any of these threads until the end, the effort put into developing any of the story is extremely poor, and despite it being so convoluted it was unbearably dry and boring. It was bland at best, downright weird as hell at worst. I have no idea who gave the plot of this book a green light because it was nonsensical and nothing satisfying came of it.
It was odd. And uncomfortable. And had far too much going on, and a level of weirdness I could not contend with. I feel like none of it was realistic or well written, and every single character was so deeply unlikeable. Every single character was absolutely insane, also. I still do not understand the significance of the weird talking goldfish flashlight that appears in the book, or why she stopped talking for like two weeks. None of it was really explained, and it all just felt so shallow. If you're waiting for something to happen, you'll be waiting a while. Did not enjoy. I also feel like the eventual conclusion of the dad storyline was so obvious from the very first page, so it felt like a waste of time.
Deeply saddened by this rating since Ketchup Clouds was so incredible, I have no idea what happened here. Very scared to read anymore Pitcher because it could go either way clearly…
October 16, 2015
I think I have the maturity of a teenager as this book—and its language—very much appealed to me. In fact I was pretty much hooked from the opening page.
Tess's an outcast. After reading the book I read some reviews in Goodreads and noted that some peeps there really disliked her character. I was surprised. I found her endearing. Of course I am much older and could probably sympathise with her a lot.
She's a loner but has lied to her parents about her friends. Her dad in particular has been keen on her to 'fit in'. Although at the same time, values individuality.
There's something kinda raw about this book and (as an adult) that's something which really struck me. It touches on a lot of themes—everything from families and relationships, to trust, self-esteem and mental health. Author Annabel Pitcher doesn't pull any punches. The behaviour of teens and adults are bared in all of their (sometimes) vicious glory.
Read the full review in my blog:http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
3.5 stars
Tess's an outcast. After reading the book I read some reviews in Goodreads and noted that some peeps there really disliked her character. I was surprised. I found her endearing. Of course I am much older and could probably sympathise with her a lot.
She's a loner but has lied to her parents about her friends. Her dad in particular has been keen on her to 'fit in'. Although at the same time, values individuality.
There's something kinda raw about this book and (as an adult) that's something which really struck me. It touches on a lot of themes—everything from families and relationships, to trust, self-esteem and mental health. Author Annabel Pitcher doesn't pull any punches. The behaviour of teens and adults are bared in all of their (sometimes) vicious glory.
Read the full review in my blog:http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
3.5 stars
Read
May 18, 2016When Tess Turner learns that the man she thought was her dad isn’t her birth father, she’s shocked into silence. Literally. As she looks into her past, the truth about her real dad may uncover a lot of painful secrets. But when you aren’t talking, it’s easier to keep them. This is a fantastic contemporary coming-of-age novel about the definition of family and identity.
Backlist bump: My Sister Lives On the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...
Backlist bump: My Sister Lives On the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher
Tune in to our weekly podcast dedicated to all things new books, All The Books: http://bookriot.com/category/all-the-...
June 4, 2016
Every now and again I read a book that even when I don't relate fully with the main character, I end up completely immersed in the story and unable to think of anything else. THIS is one of those books. I had previously read (and loved) Ketchup Clouds, so I was super excited to read more from Annabel Pitcher. And now that I have, I will probably be reading everything she writes, forever ever.
The best thing about her books are that they are so full of emotion. She could be writing about something I really wouldn't even find sad normally, but her words somehow make my heart ache while reading about it. That's talent my friends.
So Tess..... she's not talking. And it's not because she can't. I thought this was going to be a book about a girl that could not speak, not that she would not speak. I guess it could be the same thing-- experiencing a traumatic event that leaves you feeling like you can't speak. Tess knows she can speak though, she just won't. I'm not sure exactly if I was down with all the specifics of that, but I was able to overlook it because the story and characters were so strong.
Tess's silence costs her her best (and only) friend. Their separation is what really hurt my heart the most. I loved reading about Tess and Isabel in their better times because they were truly soulmate-type friends-- Tess always says they were symbiotic creatures. It made me wish I had an Isabel of my own :( All the characters around Tess were truly developed. They were real people with good points and flaws.... even the villain of this book had vulnerability. I can't say enough about the range of the people in this book.
Why Should You Read This Book? It's about family stuff, but it's SO much more than that. The issue that starts the mutism isn't the biggest/toughest issue I've ever read about, but there are so many other stories involved besides this main issue. There's bullying and body issue stuff-- plus the girl talks to a plastic key chain for much of the book. Where else are you going to read something like that and it makes sense? I actually started viewing Mr. Goldfish as a real live character in this book. It was odd.
OVERALL: Another YES for Annabel Pitcher!! I loved this story about a girl going through a tough moment in her life. I know it's classified as YA, but I would totally put this in an in-between MG and YA category. It is definitely do-able for both age groups.
My Blog:
The best thing about her books are that they are so full of emotion. She could be writing about something I really wouldn't even find sad normally, but her words somehow make my heart ache while reading about it. That's talent my friends.
So Tess..... she's not talking. And it's not because she can't. I thought this was going to be a book about a girl that could not speak, not that she would not speak. I guess it could be the same thing-- experiencing a traumatic event that leaves you feeling like you can't speak. Tess knows she can speak though, she just won't. I'm not sure exactly if I was down with all the specifics of that, but I was able to overlook it because the story and characters were so strong.
Tess's silence costs her her best (and only) friend. Their separation is what really hurt my heart the most. I loved reading about Tess and Isabel in their better times because they were truly soulmate-type friends-- Tess always says they were symbiotic creatures. It made me wish I had an Isabel of my own :( All the characters around Tess were truly developed. They were real people with good points and flaws.... even the villain of this book had vulnerability. I can't say enough about the range of the people in this book.
Why Should You Read This Book? It's about family stuff, but it's SO much more than that. The issue that starts the mutism isn't the biggest/toughest issue I've ever read about, but there are so many other stories involved besides this main issue. There's bullying and body issue stuff-- plus the girl talks to a plastic key chain for much of the book. Where else are you going to read something like that and it makes sense? I actually started viewing Mr. Goldfish as a real live character in this book. It was odd.
OVERALL: Another YES for Annabel Pitcher!! I loved this story about a girl going through a tough moment in her life. I know it's classified as YA, but I would totally put this in an in-between MG and YA category. It is definitely do-able for both age groups.
My Blog:
May 21, 2022
This book was just okay unfortunately.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was a younger audience. I probably should have read it around the age of 14/15.
Because I'm 23, I struggled to connect to the juvenile and immature young characters.
I also didn't find the plot or storyline particularly interesting or engaging.
The writing style was okay. The book was easy enough to read and quick to get through.
Even though this is a YA book I think it's aimed at a slightly younger audience. Which is why I definitely didn't enjoy this book much.
However, if you are a younger teen reader or know someone in that age group, I think they will love this book.
Overall, unfortunately this book was not for me.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if I was a younger audience. I probably should have read it around the age of 14/15.
Because I'm 23, I struggled to connect to the juvenile and immature young characters.
I also didn't find the plot or storyline particularly interesting or engaging.
The writing style was okay. The book was easy enough to read and quick to get through.
Even though this is a YA book I think it's aimed at a slightly younger audience. Which is why I definitely didn't enjoy this book much.
However, if you are a younger teen reader or know someone in that age group, I think they will love this book.
Overall, unfortunately this book was not for me.
December 24, 2016
Het verhaal was best goed, maar ik vond het zo langzaam lezen. Ik zei al eerder dat de zinnen zo lang waren soms en hier ergerde ik me vaak aan. Ik ben dan ook blij dat ik dit boek eindelijk uit heb.
Ook was de verhaallijn soms langzaam naar mijn idee, er gebeurde weinig. Het einde vond ik dan wel weer origineel, maar dat was in mijn ogen weer iets te gehaast.
Tess vond ik op een gegeven moment ook vervelend worden. Ik kon me niet erg goed in haar verplaatsen, dat is vast de reden daarvan.
Het is een beetje een onsamenhangende review geworden, maar ach ;)
Ook was de verhaallijn soms langzaam naar mijn idee, er gebeurde weinig. Het einde vond ik dan wel weer origineel, maar dat was in mijn ogen weer iets te gehaast.
Tess vond ik op een gegeven moment ook vervelend worden. Ik kon me niet erg goed in haar verplaatsen, dat is vast de reden daarvan.
Het is een beetje een onsamenhangende review geworden, maar ach ;)
June 6, 2019
Stejně jako Moje sestra žije na krbové římse i tato kniha pojednává o závažném a hojně diskutovaném tématu. A je vidět, že Annabel Pitcher o těchto tématech umí psát. Dokonce takovým způsobem, že musíte číst stránku za stránkou v očekávání, co se stane potom. A že soucítíte s hlavní hrdinkou tohoto příběhu. Fakticky skvělé.
July 17, 2025
2.5 stars
Where do I start with this one?
This book follows a girl who finds the truth about something in her life that causes her to go mute. I purely read the book because I liked the concept of not talking and seeing other characters react to it, but also how does the main character overcome obstacles in silence.
But other than that I thought the story was just okay, I thought the characters were annoying and unlikeable.
I thought her talking to her imaginary friend was kinda weird but it made sense at the same time, which made it confusing
So yeah that’s all I’ve got to say
Where do I start with this one?
This book follows a girl who finds the truth about something in her life that causes her to go mute. I purely read the book because I liked the concept of not talking and seeing other characters react to it, but also how does the main character overcome obstacles in silence.
But other than that I thought the story was just okay, I thought the characters were annoying and unlikeable.
I thought her talking to her imaginary friend was kinda weird but it made sense at the same time, which made it confusing
So yeah that’s all I’ve got to say
April 22, 2024
I'm sorry but this book was horrible. So boring
February 28, 2017
Le pongo dos estrellas y estoy siendo generosa porque me ha costado la vida terminarlo. Lo cogí con muchas ganas porque Annabel Pitcher es una de mis autoras favoritas y sinceramente me ha decepcionado un montón.
La trama no está mal y me gusta el mensaje y todo lo que quiere transmitir la autora con esta historia, pero hay algo con lo que no pude: la protagonista. Tess es completamente insoportable, entiendo su situación y que sea joven y no sepa manejar muy bien el shock por lo que ha descubierto, pero madre del amor hermoso... La lectura se me hizo muy cuesta arriba por su culpa, su egoísmo y sus tonterías de niña caprichosa pudieron conmigo. Es cierto que al final hay un cambio en ella pero para mi gusto tarda mucho en llegar.
Una cosa que sí me gustó, a pesar de que en un principio no me convencía, es todo el asunto de Mr Goldfish y como ayuda a la protagonista a lo largo de la historia. De hecho, me mantuve leyendo debido a él, si hubiera sido por Tess habría abandonado la lectura en los primeros capítulos.
Así que, en definitiva, no es un libro que recomiende aunque la autora sigue siendo de mis imprescindibles. Si queréis leer algo de Pitcher, cosa que deberíais hacer, os recomiendo encarecidamente Mi hermana vive sobre la repisa de la chimenea. Yo, pese al chasco que me he llevado con este libro, estaré esperando ansiosa su próxima publicación.
La trama no está mal y me gusta el mensaje y todo lo que quiere transmitir la autora con esta historia, pero hay algo con lo que no pude: la protagonista. Tess es completamente insoportable, entiendo su situación y que sea joven y no sepa manejar muy bien el shock por lo que ha descubierto, pero madre del amor hermoso... La lectura se me hizo muy cuesta arriba por su culpa, su egoísmo y sus tonterías de niña caprichosa pudieron conmigo. Es cierto que al final hay un cambio en ella pero para mi gusto tarda mucho en llegar.
Una cosa que sí me gustó, a pesar de que en un principio no me convencía, es todo el asunto de Mr Goldfish y como ayuda a la protagonista a lo largo de la historia. De hecho, me mantuve leyendo debido a él, si hubiera sido por Tess habría abandonado la lectura en los primeros capítulos.
Así que, en definitiva, no es un libro que recomiende aunque la autora sigue siendo de mis imprescindibles. Si queréis leer algo de Pitcher, cosa que deberíais hacer, os recomiendo encarecidamente Mi hermana vive sobre la repisa de la chimenea. Yo, pese al chasco que me he llevado con este libro, estaré esperando ansiosa su próxima publicación.
June 24, 2017
I got this book for free, and its been Sitting in my to-read box for what seems like forever so I decided to go ahead and give myself a break from more academic books.
This book was bad. So bad. It takes like a third of the book for her to even go mute. The way her family spoke to each other was so artificial. I don't understand how she immediately starts referring to her dad as 'Jack'- cmon, he raised her. She suspects he's not her bio dad and immediately is demoted to 'Jack'? Fuck off with that nonsense. It drives me crazy in books with loners always have literally one friend. That's unrealistic. No one but Isabel ever talks to her unless it's to bully? Doubtful. Henry was never really explained. The jump to her sub being her bio dad was ridiculous. The goldfish speaking was fucking annoying.
Ugh this book sucked.
This book was bad. So bad. It takes like a third of the book for her to even go mute. The way her family spoke to each other was so artificial. I don't understand how she immediately starts referring to her dad as 'Jack'- cmon, he raised her. She suspects he's not her bio dad and immediately is demoted to 'Jack'? Fuck off with that nonsense. It drives me crazy in books with loners always have literally one friend. That's unrealistic. No one but Isabel ever talks to her unless it's to bully? Doubtful. Henry was never really explained. The jump to her sub being her bio dad was ridiculous. The goldfish speaking was fucking annoying.
Ugh this book sucked.
February 10, 2017
I've been tossing up a 2/3 star review but thought I'd give Pitcher the benefit of the doubt. So here are my thoughts...There were some nice moments and ideas in this novel- especially about fitting in and feeling unsure of your own identity. However I found the plot fairly repetitive and many characters one-dimensional. Although I understood the conceit of the goldfish torch, ultimately I felt it unnecessarily infantilised Tess. The ending was rushed and neat while the rest dragged. Certainly it lacked the impact of Pitcher's debut.
November 18, 2019
Z objektivního hlediska to zas tak dobré nebylo a od autorky jsem už četla i lepší knihy - Kečupová mračna mi rozlámala srdce, Moje sestra žije na krbové římse ho zase složila. Mlčeti zlatá rybka neudělala ani jedno, ale přesto mě autorka zase dostala. Protože v mlčení a v důslednosti a v čekání na ten správný okamžik je podle mě síla. A já prostě věřím v to, co si tahle kniha bere jako poslání. O takových rodinách by se mělo víc psát.
4/5*
// Celá recenze: https://marky-books.blogspot.com/2019...
4/5*
// Celá recenze: https://marky-books.blogspot.com/2019...
February 20, 2021
Did not enjoy this one. Although it was classified as YA it felt like a badly written children’s book. There was not really a plot and the story was unrealistic. You cannot fall for a guy who everyone loves and becomes friends suddenly with your fake father when you’ve loathed him your whole life. The aspect of a talking torch was ridiculous and although the torch turned out to be my favourite character (who knew!), I found it childish and silly. Tess as over dramatic and the fact that she thought a random dude was her dad is super creepy. Would not recommend this one.
February 17, 2016
I found this compulsively readable, even though I didn't really like what I was reading. Tess's voice in this was possibly too realistic, i.e. she's a whiny teenager and she doesn't hold back on her whine. Her immaturity and the way she leapt to conclusions was intensely frustrating. I was also left feeling unsettled by the fact that the severe bullying that goes on during the book is never actually addressed or resolved.
September 15, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
It felt like it took me ages to get into this, so the first bit of it dragged slightly for me. Unfortunately, after It did manage to catch my interest, it wasn't long before the book started struggling to keep it.
There wasn't any parts in this that I loved, but it wasn't a bad read overall.
It felt like it took me ages to get into this, so the first bit of it dragged slightly for me. Unfortunately, after It did manage to catch my interest, it wasn't long before the book started struggling to keep it.
There wasn't any parts in this that I loved, but it wasn't a bad read overall.
March 9, 2020
This is a beautifully written book and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes tragic and slightly sad books. It is a great read about a girl who finds out that her Dad is not her Dad and confers with a goldfish torch, that talks back to her as she sets out to find her real Dad. She lies, becomes mute and faces a lot of problems that all work out in the end.
August 16, 2016
3,5 sterren
Tess toch :/ Boek komt op de te-lezen-plank voor mijn dochter binnen een aantal jaar.
Tess toch :/ Boek komt op de te-lezen-plank voor mijn dochter binnen een aantal jaar.
April 19, 2019
DNF
I couldn’t get into the storing. The 15 year old narrator behaved as if she was 11, I didn’t like the writing or any of the characters.
I couldn’t get into the storing. The 15 year old narrator behaved as if she was 11, I didn’t like the writing or any of the characters.
June 15, 2020
Una novela juvenil interesante, muy al estilo de otras de la misma autora (aunque a años luz de su obra más conocida, «Mi hermana vive sobre la repisa de la chimenea»), pero se me ha hecho algo larga y repetitiva. No ha conseguido engancharme del todo porque algunas acciones de la protagonista después de descubrir que su padre no es su padre biológico (ese es el detonante de toda la novela) me han parecido extrañas e incoherentes. Lo mejor, la presencia de ese pez de colores como "personaje secundario" y el estilo de la autora, aunque en mi opinión no es su mejor historia.
May 16, 2016
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
"At primary school when people tried to find friends, I tried to find space that my imagine could fill with whatever it wanted, nearly always butterflies because to me they were perfection, like real-life fairies with prettier wings."
Tess has always been different - she never fit in, and she has always been okay with that. She spent a good deal of time by herself while growing up, rather than with other kids, because she never really felt like she belonged. Her dad, Jack, always told her to try her hardest to fit in and make friends, because that's what you're supposed to do. In fact, he was always telling her what he expected of her and what she was supposed to do and be like - and Tess, being the dutiful, good daughter, always tried her hardest to make him happy and be the child he wanted.
However, one day, when Tess is looking at her father's computer, she comes across a blog post from him saying how he found it difficult to love Tess when she was a baby, because she wasn't his biological daughter. Hurt and confused, Tess tries to make sense of what she reads. The man who raised her wasn't her father? And then things start to make sense to Tess: both of her parents have blue eyes - so how did she get brown eyes? Many of her father's traits and features were unlike anything she herself possessed - so she wonders how she could have missed this her entire life.
After discovering this, Tess makes plans to run away - she stops at a convenience store and picks up some essentials, along with a goldfish flashlight (who will later become her confidant and best friend).
Faced with the knowledge of this, coupled with the fact that she is incredibly unpopular at school and is often made fun of - called "Man Skull" by her peers, Tess decides to take a stand - she simply stops speaking one night when she is supposed to be in a play with Jack. While everyone keeps trying to figure out why Tess refuses to speak, Tess simply does not know how to even begin telling everyone what she feels. She is hurt, she is angry, and most of all, she has been lied to all her life.
When Tess is silent and not speaking to anyone else, she is talking to her goldfish flashlight in her head (and he offers her advice and reassurance when things get bad). The longer that Tess doesn't speak, the more concerned everyone around her gets - her teachers, her friend at school, and her family.
"No one seems to understand that it's a choice. I could speak right now if I really wanted to, stand up in the middle of the restaurant and open my mouth to let out a blizzard."
Tess is convinced that she can start speaking again whenever she wants to, but as time goes on, it becomes harder and harder for her, until she no longer tries.
However, when she is getting blackmailed in school by a teacher, who is using her silence against her to be unfaithful to his wife, Tess starts to wonder if she's truly had enough. If she doesn't take a stand for herself, he will keep walking all over her, accusing her of doing things she didn't do, lying, etc., and Tess knows she must stand up for herself eventually.
"You might not be a lion, Tess. That's fine. Neither am I. But we're still cats, aren't we? Just because we don't roar, doesn't mean we have to be silent."
Armed with that bit of advice from her grandmother, Tess begins to wonder if it's possible to fix things before they go any further, and confront the man who has lied to her about who she is.
I absolutely loved this book. I found it heartbreaking and painful to read at times, especially with how cruel the kids in school were to Tess. They were pretty much relentless, and since Tess didn't talk much, it was really difficult for her to stand up for herself. Also, her best friend kind of abandoned her at her time of need (even if she did lie about her existence), not only ignoring her but becoming fake friends with someone else and flaunting that friendship in Tess's face every chance she got. Needless to say, I really disliked her character, and I felt like Tess could have done a lot better.
The whole thing with Tess and her talking goldfish flashlight made the entire book so different and fun to read. I found myself laughing at quite a few spots, and I loved the banter that occurred between the two. I mean, seriously...a talking goldfish flashlight? How can you not want to read this book, just to check out how that ends up working itself into the story? It's such a great concept - Tess found comfort in that flashlight at a time when she felt most alone, and it's so easy to feel connected to it, as well. Tess's character was so well written - I felt like I was really getting inside her head and living this along with her.
This book tried to tackle a few really difficult situations in one book, and add a bit of humor and light-heartedness to it, and it worked out wonderfully.
Silence is Goldfish is such a wonderful book - fun to read, and it left a really deep impact on me. It was powerful and enjoyable, and it brings forth what it really means to be a family and discover your voice.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
"At primary school when people tried to find friends, I tried to find space that my imagine could fill with whatever it wanted, nearly always butterflies because to me they were perfection, like real-life fairies with prettier wings."
Tess has always been different - she never fit in, and she has always been okay with that. She spent a good deal of time by herself while growing up, rather than with other kids, because she never really felt like she belonged. Her dad, Jack, always told her to try her hardest to fit in and make friends, because that's what you're supposed to do. In fact, he was always telling her what he expected of her and what she was supposed to do and be like - and Tess, being the dutiful, good daughter, always tried her hardest to make him happy and be the child he wanted.
However, one day, when Tess is looking at her father's computer, she comes across a blog post from him saying how he found it difficult to love Tess when she was a baby, because she wasn't his biological daughter. Hurt and confused, Tess tries to make sense of what she reads. The man who raised her wasn't her father? And then things start to make sense to Tess: both of her parents have blue eyes - so how did she get brown eyes? Many of her father's traits and features were unlike anything she herself possessed - so she wonders how she could have missed this her entire life.
After discovering this, Tess makes plans to run away - she stops at a convenience store and picks up some essentials, along with a goldfish flashlight (who will later become her confidant and best friend).
Faced with the knowledge of this, coupled with the fact that she is incredibly unpopular at school and is often made fun of - called "Man Skull" by her peers, Tess decides to take a stand - she simply stops speaking one night when she is supposed to be in a play with Jack. While everyone keeps trying to figure out why Tess refuses to speak, Tess simply does not know how to even begin telling everyone what she feels. She is hurt, she is angry, and most of all, she has been lied to all her life.
When Tess is silent and not speaking to anyone else, she is talking to her goldfish flashlight in her head (and he offers her advice and reassurance when things get bad). The longer that Tess doesn't speak, the more concerned everyone around her gets - her teachers, her friend at school, and her family.
"No one seems to understand that it's a choice. I could speak right now if I really wanted to, stand up in the middle of the restaurant and open my mouth to let out a blizzard."
Tess is convinced that she can start speaking again whenever she wants to, but as time goes on, it becomes harder and harder for her, until she no longer tries.
However, when she is getting blackmailed in school by a teacher, who is using her silence against her to be unfaithful to his wife, Tess starts to wonder if she's truly had enough. If she doesn't take a stand for herself, he will keep walking all over her, accusing her of doing things she didn't do, lying, etc., and Tess knows she must stand up for herself eventually.
"You might not be a lion, Tess. That's fine. Neither am I. But we're still cats, aren't we? Just because we don't roar, doesn't mean we have to be silent."
Armed with that bit of advice from her grandmother, Tess begins to wonder if it's possible to fix things before they go any further, and confront the man who has lied to her about who she is.
I absolutely loved this book. I found it heartbreaking and painful to read at times, especially with how cruel the kids in school were to Tess. They were pretty much relentless, and since Tess didn't talk much, it was really difficult for her to stand up for herself. Also, her best friend kind of abandoned her at her time of need (even if she did lie about her existence), not only ignoring her but becoming fake friends with someone else and flaunting that friendship in Tess's face every chance she got. Needless to say, I really disliked her character, and I felt like Tess could have done a lot better.
The whole thing with Tess and her talking goldfish flashlight made the entire book so different and fun to read. I found myself laughing at quite a few spots, and I loved the banter that occurred between the two. I mean, seriously...a talking goldfish flashlight? How can you not want to read this book, just to check out how that ends up working itself into the story? It's such a great concept - Tess found comfort in that flashlight at a time when she felt most alone, and it's so easy to feel connected to it, as well. Tess's character was so well written - I felt like I was really getting inside her head and living this along with her.
This book tried to tackle a few really difficult situations in one book, and add a bit of humor and light-heartedness to it, and it worked out wonderfully.
Silence is Goldfish is such a wonderful book - fun to read, and it left a really deep impact on me. It was powerful and enjoyable, and it brings forth what it really means to be a family and discover your voice.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2018
El silencio es un pez de colores de Annabel Pritcher.
Sabes que estás ante un buen libro cuando las palabras fluyen por tus ojos y la historia no te confunde ni da vueltas: es.
La autora nos revela y recuerda la frustración y el miedo que habita cuando eres adolescente,no lo justifica, pero crea una gran historia que sucede en Manchester, Inglaterra que va de una chica de secundaria quedejar de hablar como un signo de protesta.
Lectura recomendable al 💯
Sabes que estás ante un buen libro cuando las palabras fluyen por tus ojos y la historia no te confunde ni da vueltas: es.
La autora nos revela y recuerda la frustración y el miedo que habita cuando eres adolescente,no lo justifica, pero crea una gran historia que sucede en Manchester, Inglaterra que va de una chica de secundaria quedejar de hablar como un signo de protesta.
Lectura recomendable al 💯
February 21, 2020
This has been on my to read list for years and I finally got around to it. I absolutely loved My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece so was keen to read this too.
This is a great read too, not at all what I was expecting (with such an odd title I’ve never been sure what it was about). When Tess finds out something shocking about her dad she deals with it in a very surprising way. Recommended.
This is a great read too, not at all what I was expecting (with such an odd title I’ve never been sure what it was about). When Tess finds out something shocking about her dad she deals with it in a very surprising way. Recommended.
Read
July 30, 2017Check mijn recensie op mijn blog: http://allgreatleadersarereaders.jouw...
June 22, 2019
Zajímavé téma, i když mi trochu lezla na nervy hlavní hrdinka. Od Annabel jsem četla i lepší. Přijde mi, že kdyby MC trochu komunikovala, tak to hned dopadne jinak.
3.5/5*
3.5/5*
March 7, 2021
An original, young adult story of a girl coping with a family secret and navigating the struggles of adolescence.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews