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The Silenced
Dr. Vera Holloway has spent her entire life doing exactly what the Island asked of her.
Born into the lowest class, she rose through obedience, discipline, and unwavering loyalty to become one of the most respected women in society. The Bloom keeps citizens compliant. The hierarchy keeps order. The Herald promises safety.
As it should be.
But when a resistant patient arrives at The Restoring claiming everything Vera believes is a lie, cracks begin to form in the carefully controlled world she has spent decades protecting.
A missing sister.
Forbidden histories.
Strange sounds during the Dim.
Questions the Island was never meant to answer.
As Vera begins pulling at the threads of her reality, she discovers that the greatest threat to the Island may not be rebellion—it may be the truth.
Blending literary fiction, psychological suspense, and dystopian storytelling, The Silenced is a haunting exploration of control, identity, generational trauma, motherhood, and what happens when people finally begin to question the systems that raised them.
Perfect for readers who enjoy The Handmaid's Tale, Never Let Me Go, and thought-provoking dystopian fiction that lingers long after the final page.
Born into the lowest class, she rose through obedience, discipline, and unwavering loyalty to become one of the most respected women in society. The Bloom keeps citizens compliant. The hierarchy keeps order. The Herald promises safety.
As it should be.
But when a resistant patient arrives at The Restoring claiming everything Vera believes is a lie, cracks begin to form in the carefully controlled world she has spent decades protecting.
A missing sister.
Forbidden histories.
Strange sounds during the Dim.
Questions the Island was never meant to answer.
As Vera begins pulling at the threads of her reality, she discovers that the greatest threat to the Island may not be rebellion—it may be the truth.
Blending literary fiction, psychological suspense, and dystopian storytelling, The Silenced is a haunting exploration of control, identity, generational trauma, motherhood, and what happens when people finally begin to question the systems that raised them.
Perfect for readers who enjoy The Handmaid's Tale, Never Let Me Go, and thought-provoking dystopian fiction that lingers long after the final page.
402 pages, ebook
Published September 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Silenced by Natasha Shyan | ⭐️ 3.7/5
There was something so beautiful and quietly heartbreaking about The Silenced. Natasha Shyan has such a beautiful way of putting into words the things both men and women experience every day, and somehow she captures those emotions so effortlessly. There were moments where I found myself really thinking about the message behind the story and how much of it reflects the world we live in.
For me, the story had a very slow start. It took me a while to fully become invested, but once I connected with the characters, I found myself genuinely caring about them. I fell in love with them in their own ways and became attached to their journeys, which made certain moments hit a lot harder emotionally.
What really stood out to me was the dynamic and structure of the book. I was fascinated by the corrupt, highly controlled society and the way it functioned. I wanted to understand how this world had become what it was and what was happening beneath the surface.
Overall, The Silenced was beautifully written and emotionally inspiring. It wasn't a book that completely grabbed me from the beginning, but it slowly grew on me, and by the end, I was glad I stuck with it. There was so much heart behind this story, and I really appreciated the way the author made me stop, think, and feel. ❤️
There was something so beautiful and quietly heartbreaking about The Silenced. Natasha Shyan has such a beautiful way of putting into words the things both men and women experience every day, and somehow she captures those emotions so effortlessly. There were moments where I found myself really thinking about the message behind the story and how much of it reflects the world we live in.
For me, the story had a very slow start. It took me a while to fully become invested, but once I connected with the characters, I found myself genuinely caring about them. I fell in love with them in their own ways and became attached to their journeys, which made certain moments hit a lot harder emotionally.
What really stood out to me was the dynamic and structure of the book. I was fascinated by the corrupt, highly controlled society and the way it functioned. I wanted to understand how this world had become what it was and what was happening beneath the surface.
Overall, The Silenced was beautifully written and emotionally inspiring. It wasn't a book that completely grabbed me from the beginning, but it slowly grew on me, and by the end, I was glad I stuck with it. There was so much heart behind this story, and I really appreciated the way the author made me stop, think, and feel. ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was an arc copy I received.
My rating is a 3.75.
This story follows a society where to think on your own is frowned upon. So the architects make sure to control it. If you step out of line then there are consequences.
Each person carries the sins of their family, even if they aren't their own. Women look upon other women and compare. Men are just worn down. Children are tended.
When some start to realize what is going on, they have the idea to initiate change. Even that is out of reach.
What got me was a certain couple kept stating they needed to make things better for their offspring. But that ending... what was it all for, I kept asking myself. I felt like one step forward and three steps back all the way through, with no light at the end of the tunnel... just more grief.
There were a few twists that I enjoyed and didn't see coming.
I do get where the author was trying to go with it, and the basis of the story was interesting. Like I said, that ending threw me completely off. That is why I rated it as so.
I do think people should read it and see how they feel.
My rating is a 3.75.
This story follows a society where to think on your own is frowned upon. So the architects make sure to control it. If you step out of line then there are consequences.
Each person carries the sins of their family, even if they aren't their own. Women look upon other women and compare. Men are just worn down. Children are tended.
When some start to realize what is going on, they have the idea to initiate change. Even that is out of reach.
What got me was a certain couple kept stating they needed to make things better for their offspring. But that ending... what was it all for, I kept asking myself. I felt like one step forward and three steps back all the way through, with no light at the end of the tunnel... just more grief.
There were a few twists that I enjoyed and didn't see coming.
I do get where the author was trying to go with it, and the basis of the story was interesting. Like I said, that ending threw me completely off. That is why I rated it as so.
I do think people should read it and see how they feel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5☆
As a woman who not only survived 2 shitty parents but also inherited their shit. This book has been such a therapeutic healing experience. I've worked so hard to make sure my children never have to carry the burdens I do. This book is amazing Natasha. Its a creepy, culty vibe. That has you guessing and still not seeing it coming. I cannot wait for book two.
QUOTES THAT HIT ME DEEP:
•“Resentment. And control.”
“Where did they come from?”
Nessa swallowed.
“From the same place I’m passing them on.”
•"What you carry alone becomes heavier.”
• “I’ve been paying for their sin my whole life.”
•“I thought those were the ugliest things about me.”
•The way children learn danger before language.
•“Which one did you survive?”
The room went still.
“Both.”
“And which one did you inherit?”
•The bloom had not protected them from illness
• permission to exist beyond the version of herself the island had named for her
•I've spent most of my life trying to prove i deserve things. Proving in not what my family was
•I feel guilty whenever im happy. Like surviving her somehow means im betraying her.
•"So I think maybe." She paused. "Maybe broken things and up in a place like this. "
•Its like something was taken from him that can't be given back
•The bloom is what keeps us safe. It keeps us united. women are too emotional without the Bloom- they make irrational decisions. They destabilize families. They create chaos.
•More blooms still there. Future doses. White. Glossy. Waiting to make her forget again
•Because the woman she would be tomorrow need the woman she was tonight to keep going.
•" the difference between you and Dr. Reeves," thr herald said quietly, "is not virtue. Not intelligence. Not even courage." He let the silence hold. "You were useful." A beat. "She became a problem. "
• so she made herself difficult to reach before anyone else could abandon her first.
•he chose her quietly.
Completely.
Without demanding she know how to choose him back the same way.
• the Bloom is protection. Clarity is a symptom. You are not well enough to trust yourself right now
•a girl. She knew what this island did to girls.
•the girl who had taught herself how to survive because survival was the only thing available
• the way women protected each other when survival depended on silence
"The little girl at the gate had finally found the door. And violet had been waiting in the other side of it her entire life" 😭
"My mother's love had conditions." Vera continued, her voice dropping. "You earned it. You provided yourself useful enough. Good enough. Small enough " her voice tightened. "And then my father - our existence alone bothered him." Another tear slipped down her face. "And then there's you. I met you ans its like everything I ever craved from him you gave it to me instead." She paused "unconditionally. Without keeping score."
•she had been too defended to receive it. Too armored. Too certain that love came with conditions because every love she had ever been given before his had come with conditions
• and there was nothing left to do but step fully into the fire.
• I knew the second I saw her that she would survive me. That she would be stronger than me. That she would be everything that I couldnt be
•With a particular exhaustion of a girl trying to keep her mother alive
•Because somewhere in this island women were making up every morning believing they were malfunctioning instead of transforming.
• the sins pinned in her badge were not her family's sins. They were the islands.
•keep a person focused on the shame they inherited and they will spend their entire life trying to outrun themselves instead of questioning the system that placed the shame there to begin with.
As a woman who not only survived 2 shitty parents but also inherited their shit. This book has been such a therapeutic healing experience. I've worked so hard to make sure my children never have to carry the burdens I do. This book is amazing Natasha. Its a creepy, culty vibe. That has you guessing and still not seeing it coming. I cannot wait for book two.
QUOTES THAT HIT ME DEEP:
•“Resentment. And control.”
“Where did they come from?”
Nessa swallowed.
“From the same place I’m passing them on.”
•"What you carry alone becomes heavier.”
• “I’ve been paying for their sin my whole life.”
•“I thought those were the ugliest things about me.”
•The way children learn danger before language.
•“Which one did you survive?”
The room went still.
“Both.”
“And which one did you inherit?”
•The bloom had not protected them from illness
• permission to exist beyond the version of herself the island had named for her
•I've spent most of my life trying to prove i deserve things. Proving in not what my family was
•I feel guilty whenever im happy. Like surviving her somehow means im betraying her.
•"So I think maybe." She paused. "Maybe broken things and up in a place like this. "
•Its like something was taken from him that can't be given back
•The bloom is what keeps us safe. It keeps us united. women are too emotional without the Bloom- they make irrational decisions. They destabilize families. They create chaos.
•More blooms still there. Future doses. White. Glossy. Waiting to make her forget again
•Because the woman she would be tomorrow need the woman she was tonight to keep going.
•" the difference between you and Dr. Reeves," thr herald said quietly, "is not virtue. Not intelligence. Not even courage." He let the silence hold. "You were useful." A beat. "She became a problem. "
• so she made herself difficult to reach before anyone else could abandon her first.
•he chose her quietly.
Completely.
Without demanding she know how to choose him back the same way.
• the Bloom is protection. Clarity is a symptom. You are not well enough to trust yourself right now
•a girl. She knew what this island did to girls.
•the girl who had taught herself how to survive because survival was the only thing available
• the way women protected each other when survival depended on silence
"The little girl at the gate had finally found the door. And violet had been waiting in the other side of it her entire life" 😭
"My mother's love had conditions." Vera continued, her voice dropping. "You earned it. You provided yourself useful enough. Good enough. Small enough " her voice tightened. "And then my father - our existence alone bothered him." Another tear slipped down her face. "And then there's you. I met you ans its like everything I ever craved from him you gave it to me instead." She paused "unconditionally. Without keeping score."
•she had been too defended to receive it. Too armored. Too certain that love came with conditions because every love she had ever been given before his had come with conditions
• and there was nothing left to do but step fully into the fire.
• I knew the second I saw her that she would survive me. That she would be stronger than me. That she would be everything that I couldnt be
•With a particular exhaustion of a girl trying to keep her mother alive
•Because somewhere in this island women were making up every morning believing they were malfunctioning instead of transforming.
• the sins pinned in her badge were not her family's sins. They were the islands.
•keep a person focused on the shame they inherited and they will spend their entire life trying to outrun themselves instead of questioning the system that placed the shame there to begin with.
September 13, 2026
This island wants to keep it " As it should be" as they say. No one thinks twice about repeating this daily ... until one day Vers starts "waking" up and opening her eyes to whats going on. Why is she starting to feel things she hasn't felt since she was a child ? why is she now questioning everything ?
But The Island is always watching and they will not have anyone who threatens the balance they created to roam freely.
This book brought out so many emotions throughout and was so relatable.
If you like dystopianesque books, found family and all the emotions then you have found your next read.
Fav quotes :
And then he saw the other half.
Women receiving Bloom.
Men living under constant hormonal suppression.
Both pulled further from themselves.
Both taught the distance was normal.
Both wondering why intimacy felt so difficult.
The island had engineered loneliness...
Then called it human nature.
"They separated everyone.'
"So we'd never compare what was happening to us."
Peter nodded.
"They gave us different explanations for the same pain."
"The women were told they were emotional."
"The men were told they were weak."
"They medicated one."
"They exhausted the other."
"And then they sent us home to each other."
"They didn't build one prison."
"They built hundreds of tiny ones."
"And convinced everyone they were living freely."
But from love.
The most dangerous thing the island had ever created.
A woman who could finally feel it.
And refused to suppress it anymore.
Just love.
Simple enough to exist without ownership or transaction attached to it.
The Ordinance had tried to erase this from people.
Not love itself.
The instinct toward it.
The instinct to care for someone simply because they were human.
Because someone decades ago had decided human beings could be documented like inventory if the language sounded clinical enough.
"The goal isn't to die for the truth."
"It's to stay alive long enough to share it."
"A body remembers what the mind forgets.'
"I've spent so many years becoming what everyone needed..."
Vivienne looked down at her hands.
"...that I don't know what's left when no one is watching."
"When I was your age," she said quietly, "I thought changing the world meant finding the right answer."
She smiled to herself.
"I was wrong."
She turned back toward them.
"It begins by finding the right people."
But The Island is always watching and they will not have anyone who threatens the balance they created to roam freely.
This book brought out so many emotions throughout and was so relatable.
If you like dystopianesque books, found family and all the emotions then you have found your next read.
Fav quotes :
And then he saw the other half.
Women receiving Bloom.
Men living under constant hormonal suppression.
Both pulled further from themselves.
Both taught the distance was normal.
Both wondering why intimacy felt so difficult.
The island had engineered loneliness...
Then called it human nature.
"They separated everyone.'
"So we'd never compare what was happening to us."
Peter nodded.
"They gave us different explanations for the same pain."
"The women were told they were emotional."
"The men were told they were weak."
"They medicated one."
"They exhausted the other."
"And then they sent us home to each other."
"They didn't build one prison."
"They built hundreds of tiny ones."
"And convinced everyone they were living freely."
But from love.
The most dangerous thing the island had ever created.
A woman who could finally feel it.
And refused to suppress it anymore.
Just love.
Simple enough to exist without ownership or transaction attached to it.
The Ordinance had tried to erase this from people.
Not love itself.
The instinct toward it.
The instinct to care for someone simply because they were human.
Because someone decades ago had decided human beings could be documented like inventory if the language sounded clinical enough.
"The goal isn't to die for the truth."
"It's to stay alive long enough to share it."
"A body remembers what the mind forgets.'
"I've spent so many years becoming what everyone needed..."
Vivienne looked down at her hands.
"...that I don't know what's left when no one is watching."
"When I was your age," she said quietly, "I thought changing the world meant finding the right answer."
She smiled to herself.
"I was wrong."
She turned back toward them.
"It begins by finding the right people."
September 21, 2026
I don't even know how to explain what this book did to me.
Being a mother of three, raised by a mother that only knew how to abandon and abuse her children, I have spent a life striving to break the cycle. So when I started The Silenced, I immediately connected with the deeper themes underneath the dystopian world. This isn't just a story about control, obedience, or a society built on keeping people in line. There is so much here about motherhood, generational trauma, identity, and the things we inherit from the people who raised us—and the choice to decide what ends with us.
And the symbolism. SO. MUCH. SYMBOLISM.
I was invested just reading the first page. There were little details that made me stop and think, and the more I read, the more I realized there was something much bigger happening beneath the surface. Natasha Shyan created a world that feels strange and unsettling, but somehow also familiar enough to make you uncomfortable for completely different reasons.
Vera was such an interesting character to follow because watching her question the world she has spent her entire life accepting felt incredibly personal. That slow realization that maybe everything you were taught wasn't the whole truth? Watching someone begin to see the cracks in something they once trusted? Yeah. That hit.
This book made me think about how easily people can be conditioned to accept what they're given, how control can become normalized, and how generational trauma can shape the way we see ourselves and the people we love. And as a mother who has consciously spent years trying to give my children something different than what I was given, those themes hit hard.
I also loved that the story doesn't hand you every answer. There is this constant feeling that something isn't quite right, and I was determined to figure out what was happening. Every little piece felt like it mattered.
And THAT ENDING.
I finished this book with approximately seventeen questions, a whole lot of feelings, and an immediate need to know what happens next.
The Silenced is haunting, thought-provoking, uncomfortable in the best way, and the kind of story that makes you look at the world around you a little differently after you've closed the book.
This is one of those books where the story is only part of the experience. It's what it makes you think about afterward that really gets you.
5 stars. Absolutely. And Natasha… I need book two. Immediately.
Being a mother of three, raised by a mother that only knew how to abandon and abuse her children, I have spent a life striving to break the cycle. So when I started The Silenced, I immediately connected with the deeper themes underneath the dystopian world. This isn't just a story about control, obedience, or a society built on keeping people in line. There is so much here about motherhood, generational trauma, identity, and the things we inherit from the people who raised us—and the choice to decide what ends with us.
And the symbolism. SO. MUCH. SYMBOLISM.
I was invested just reading the first page. There were little details that made me stop and think, and the more I read, the more I realized there was something much bigger happening beneath the surface. Natasha Shyan created a world that feels strange and unsettling, but somehow also familiar enough to make you uncomfortable for completely different reasons.
Vera was such an interesting character to follow because watching her question the world she has spent her entire life accepting felt incredibly personal. That slow realization that maybe everything you were taught wasn't the whole truth? Watching someone begin to see the cracks in something they once trusted? Yeah. That hit.
This book made me think about how easily people can be conditioned to accept what they're given, how control can become normalized, and how generational trauma can shape the way we see ourselves and the people we love. And as a mother who has consciously spent years trying to give my children something different than what I was given, those themes hit hard.
I also loved that the story doesn't hand you every answer. There is this constant feeling that something isn't quite right, and I was determined to figure out what was happening. Every little piece felt like it mattered.
And THAT ENDING.
I finished this book with approximately seventeen questions, a whole lot of feelings, and an immediate need to know what happens next.
The Silenced is haunting, thought-provoking, uncomfortable in the best way, and the kind of story that makes you look at the world around you a little differently after you've closed the book.
This is one of those books where the story is only part of the experience. It's what it makes you think about afterward that really gets you.
5 stars. Absolutely. And Natasha… I need book two. Immediately.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to be an ARC for Natasha and I couldn’t be more honored. This book was everything I expected, I mean there were definite moments where I took time to reflect on moments in my life that somehow compared to what the character(s) were going through.
The pacing felt slower at first, and there were moments where I did find myself wanting more detail, more explanation, more time spent developing certain scenes and pieces of the world. There is so much happening beneath the surface of the Island, its hierarchy, the Bloom, and the way these people have been conditioned to exist that I think I wanted to dig into all of it immediately. Because of that, the beginning occasionally felt like it was giving me pieces when I wanted the entire picture. I think that was just a preference on my part.
But the further I got, the more I understood why the story was unfolding the way it was. Watching Vera slowly begin questioning the very system she had spent her entire life believing in was probably one of my favorite parts. There’s something incredibly unsettling about watching a character realize that the things she was taught were meant to protect her may actually be the things controlling her.
And underneath the dystopian storyline, there is so much being said about identity, generational trauma, motherhood, inherited shame, control, and what happens when you begin questioning the rules and beliefs that shaped you. That’s where this book really started to hit for me.
I also really liked that the story doesn’t only focus on the obvious forms of control. There are moments where you start recognizing how deeply this system has worked its way into the characters how they view themselves, each other, their families, and even what they believe they deserve. That made the world feel much more disturbing because some of those themes don’t feel entirely removed from our own reality. Once everything started coming together, I was invested. The revelations, the psychological aspect of the story, and the direction the plot eventually takes made the slower beginning worth pushing through.
Overall, I thought this was a really solid and thought-provoking dystopian story, especially for a debut novel. And that ending?! Yeah… I have questions. 😂❤️
The pacing felt slower at first, and there were moments where I did find myself wanting more detail, more explanation, more time spent developing certain scenes and pieces of the world. There is so much happening beneath the surface of the Island, its hierarchy, the Bloom, and the way these people have been conditioned to exist that I think I wanted to dig into all of it immediately. Because of that, the beginning occasionally felt like it was giving me pieces when I wanted the entire picture. I think that was just a preference on my part.
But the further I got, the more I understood why the story was unfolding the way it was. Watching Vera slowly begin questioning the very system she had spent her entire life believing in was probably one of my favorite parts. There’s something incredibly unsettling about watching a character realize that the things she was taught were meant to protect her may actually be the things controlling her.
And underneath the dystopian storyline, there is so much being said about identity, generational trauma, motherhood, inherited shame, control, and what happens when you begin questioning the rules and beliefs that shaped you. That’s where this book really started to hit for me.
I also really liked that the story doesn’t only focus on the obvious forms of control. There are moments where you start recognizing how deeply this system has worked its way into the characters how they view themselves, each other, their families, and even what they believe they deserve. That made the world feel much more disturbing because some of those themes don’t feel entirely removed from our own reality. Once everything started coming together, I was invested. The revelations, the psychological aspect of the story, and the direction the plot eventually takes made the slower beginning worth pushing through.
Overall, I thought this was a really solid and thought-provoking dystopian story, especially for a debut novel. And that ending?! Yeah… I have questions. 😂❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to ARC read this book.
This book was insane in the best way! This book is why I love dystopian.
Let’s talk about Vera, the FMC. I think if you looked up perseverance and fortitude in the dictionary, it would be a picture of Vera. She strived and pushed for more, through all of the roadblocks and challenges. She believed in the cause, until she didn’t. Because there were something that was always scratching at the back of her mind and when she becomes fully alive and awake, the strength encouraged that she shows is so admirable.
The island - at first, I had no idea what was going on. And then for a while I didn’t care what was going on because I was so engrossed in the relational aspects of the story and then I became really curious because I had ideas about what I thought was going on, but what the reality was was so much worse. My biggest question is why? But I guess I find myself asking that in our world today all the time. I guess the answer is power, control, because they can.
The revelations about the level of control and manipulation were insane. The author did such a good job of crafting this absolute insanity, and to be honest, there are so many parallels to what we are experiencing today that it was rather frightening.
There were a few moments later in the book where I just found myself crying as I was reading. How a system so evil, and so insidious could exist, and the impact it had on people was heartbreaking.
I was screaming at the end of this book. Like I’m sorry the book cannot end that way. I’m not OK.
Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to ARC read this book.
This book was insane in the best way! This book is why I love dystopian.
Let’s talk about Vera, the FMC. I think if you looked up perseverance and fortitude in the dictionary, it would be a picture of Vera. She strived and pushed for more, through all of the roadblocks and challenges. She believed in the cause, until she didn’t. Because there were something that was always scratching at the back of her mind and when she becomes fully alive and awake, the strength encouraged that she shows is so admirable.
The island - at first, I had no idea what was going on. And then for a while I didn’t care what was going on because I was so engrossed in the relational aspects of the story and then I became really curious because I had ideas about what I thought was going on, but what the reality was was so much worse. My biggest question is why? But I guess I find myself asking that in our world today all the time. I guess the answer is power, control, because they can.
The revelations about the level of control and manipulation were insane. The author did such a good job of crafting this absolute insanity, and to be honest, there are so many parallels to what we are experiencing today that it was rather frightening.
There were a few moments later in the book where I just found myself crying as I was reading. How a system so evil, and so insidious could exist, and the impact it had on people was heartbreaking.
I was screaming at the end of this book. Like I’m sorry the book cannot end that way. I’m not OK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Silenced is a masterful and haunting dystopian debut that completely grips you from the very first page. Dr. Vera Holloway is an incredible protagonist whose awakening to the dark realities of her world feels deeply personal. As someone who grew up with a father with undiagnosed mental illness, it took me years into my own adulthood to recognize how those childhood experiences shaped my own mental health. Because of that, I found myself deeply relating to this book.
The themes of generational trauma, control, and psychological manipulation are handled with incredible depth. I absolutely love that the story is written in third person; it perfectly enhances the tense, controlled atmosphere of the world. With so many books written in first person these days, this perspective felt refreshing and needed.
What makes this debut so impactful are the eerie, mind-bending parallels to real-world structures. It is a twisty, fast-paced page turner that keeps you guessing all the way to the end.
One of the things I loved about the book Shutter Island was the massive plot twist at the end. So if you're a reader who loves that sort of huge payoff, you will love this book.
____________________________________________________________
Natasha, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be an early reader!! I wish you much success with this book and future books to come!
The themes of generational trauma, control, and psychological manipulation are handled with incredible depth. I absolutely love that the story is written in third person; it perfectly enhances the tense, controlled atmosphere of the world. With so many books written in first person these days, this perspective felt refreshing and needed.
What makes this debut so impactful are the eerie, mind-bending parallels to real-world structures. It is a twisty, fast-paced page turner that keeps you guessing all the way to the end.
One of the things I loved about the book Shutter Island was the massive plot twist at the end. So if you're a reader who loves that sort of huge payoff, you will love this book.
____________________________________________________________
Natasha, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be an early reader!! I wish you much success with this book and future books to come!
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐️ I want to start off by saying thank you to the author for this ARC. This is a story of resilience, heartbreak, hope as well as other powerful challenges to overcome in a women's world which is set in a dystopian world.
This is written in third person, in which I feel made it difficult for me to connect to the characters overall. However, the FMC was truly a power character that goes through so much trauma and control. Unfortunately, I waited for the pacing of this to pick up with a strong anticlimactic moment given the nature of this storyline and it didn't come until the bitter end, leaving me bored mostly through this. I want to stress that the end will have you gripped in tight and glued to the pages. You will have that moment of 'what the heck?!' Also, the end perfectly sums up the title to this book, which also had me staring at the wall.
What I also want to say is, I think that this book is strong in descriptive detail on the island/setting that this takes place on, and everything that happens. I believe that this one is setting the stones for the second one to come, which I believe will be an insanely traumatic, and gut wrenching read.
This is written in third person, in which I feel made it difficult for me to connect to the characters overall. However, the FMC was truly a power character that goes through so much trauma and control. Unfortunately, I waited for the pacing of this to pick up with a strong anticlimactic moment given the nature of this storyline and it didn't come until the bitter end, leaving me bored mostly through this. I want to stress that the end will have you gripped in tight and glued to the pages. You will have that moment of 'what the heck?!' Also, the end perfectly sums up the title to this book, which also had me staring at the wall.
What I also want to say is, I think that this book is strong in descriptive detail on the island/setting that this takes place on, and everything that happens. I believe that this one is setting the stones for the second one to come, which I believe will be an insanely traumatic, and gut wrenching read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an Advanced Reader Copy
The Silenced was such a thought-provoking and emotional dystopian read. It explores motherhood, generational trauma, PTSD, emotional suppression, and what happens when society tries to control how we feel.
I loved the author’s writing style. She has such a beautiful way of making you feel the story rather than simply read it. So many passages stayed with me, especially:
> “He simply loved her. Quietly. From whatever distance she placed between them.”
> “You are smart. You are kind. You are brave. You are deeply loved.”
> “The truth was still there, buried beneath everything they had been taught to forget.”
Those lines perfectly capture some of what made this story so impactful for me. My only reason for not rating it higher was the poem-like formatting. For a long story, it took me a little while to adjust to the style.
The ending definitely leaves you wanting more, and I cannot wait for book two!
Themes/Tropes
✨ Dystopian
✨ Motherhood
✨ Generational trauma
✨ PTSD
✨ Emotional suppression
The Silenced was such a thought-provoking and emotional dystopian read. It explores motherhood, generational trauma, PTSD, emotional suppression, and what happens when society tries to control how we feel.
I loved the author’s writing style. She has such a beautiful way of making you feel the story rather than simply read it. So many passages stayed with me, especially:
> “He simply loved her. Quietly. From whatever distance she placed between them.”
> “You are smart. You are kind. You are brave. You are deeply loved.”
> “The truth was still there, buried beneath everything they had been taught to forget.”
Those lines perfectly capture some of what made this story so impactful for me. My only reason for not rating it higher was the poem-like formatting. For a long story, it took me a little while to adjust to the style.
The ending definitely leaves you wanting more, and I cannot wait for book two!
Themes/Tropes
✨ Dystopian
✨ Motherhood
✨ Generational trauma
✨ PTSD
✨ Emotional suppression
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoy dystopian reads, so I was immediately intrigued by the concept of The Silenced. I loved the storyline and the whole idea of this society where so much of what Vera has been taught to believe starts unraveling around her.
I do have to say, this was a very slow start for me. It took me well into the book before I really started connecting with the characters or feeling invested in what was happening. I’m not sure if it was the writing style or more of a pacing issue but I struggled a little through that first part.
Once things started coming together toward the end though, I was much more invested. The questions I had throughout the story started making sense, there were a few twists that genuinely surprised me and I definitely wanted to know where everything was going.
And THAT cliffhanger?! Completely shook me. I was not expecting it to end there and now I have so many questions. Even with the slower start, the storyline and that ending definitely have me curious to see where this series goes next.
3.5/5
I do have to say, this was a very slow start for me. It took me well into the book before I really started connecting with the characters or feeling invested in what was happening. I’m not sure if it was the writing style or more of a pacing issue but I struggled a little through that first part.
Once things started coming together toward the end though, I was much more invested. The questions I had throughout the story started making sense, there were a few twists that genuinely surprised me and I definitely wanted to know where everything was going.
And THAT cliffhanger?! Completely shook me. I was not expecting it to end there and now I have so many questions. Even with the slower start, the storyline and that ending definitely have me curious to see where this series goes next.
3.5/5
June 8, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Author
“She reached back.”
Talk about a debut novel!!! I want to start by saying I am already eagerly awaiting book two.
Vera is every woman. Going into this, I knew very little about the plot or moral of the story… What I did know is that it involved generational trauma, the heaviness of being a woman, and themes of control. The author hit the nail on the head with her marketing.
What makes this book so relevant and appealing? The parallels drawn between the dystopian setting and how the world feels today make you open your eyes to the things happening around you. It feels hideous and strange on paper, but when you dive deeper you see that you are currently experiencing these themes, even if they are watered down.
I highly recommend “The Silenced” if you enjoy a mind-bending read.
4.5 ⭐️
Incredible read and truly impressive for a debut-novel.
“She reached back.”
Talk about a debut novel!!! I want to start by saying I am already eagerly awaiting book two.
Vera is every woman. Going into this, I knew very little about the plot or moral of the story… What I did know is that it involved generational trauma, the heaviness of being a woman, and themes of control. The author hit the nail on the head with her marketing.
What makes this book so relevant and appealing? The parallels drawn between the dystopian setting and how the world feels today make you open your eyes to the things happening around you. It feels hideous and strange on paper, but when you dive deeper you see that you are currently experiencing these themes, even if they are watered down.
I highly recommend “The Silenced” if you enjoy a mind-bending read.
4.5 ⭐️
Incredible read and truly impressive for a debut-novel.
September 1, 2026
I simply don’t have all the words. This book hit so close to home for me. Following each character was like watching a movie of my own life. The writing is SO unique, I absolutely loved it.
I loved how Natasha wrote this because it was as if I was watching characters develop, grow and think for themselves without it actually being said. I have not read a book that can captivate it like The Silenced did.
I will forever think about them as they now have a special place in my heart.
This book is a PAGE TURNER. As soon as you pick it up, I could not/did not want to put it down.
I felt ALL THE EMOTIONS. The heartwarming, the deceit, the compassion, THE UNFORGIVING LOVE.
5 stars!! I will forever recommend this.
I cried (which never happens while reading, like ever) and still the story left me with my jaw laying right on the floor.
ITS A YES FROM ME! 🫶🏼
I loved how Natasha wrote this because it was as if I was watching characters develop, grow and think for themselves without it actually being said. I have not read a book that can captivate it like The Silenced did.
I will forever think about them as they now have a special place in my heart.
This book is a PAGE TURNER. As soon as you pick it up, I could not/did not want to put it down.
I felt ALL THE EMOTIONS. The heartwarming, the deceit, the compassion, THE UNFORGIVING LOVE.
5 stars!! I will forever recommend this.
I cried (which never happens while reading, like ever) and still the story left me with my jaw laying right on the floor.
ITS A YES FROM ME! 🫶🏼
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Silenced is definitely a page turner! The island is strict & runs smoothly on keeping everyone "safe". The Bloom is to help keep eveyone safe & in line. Is there more to this world? Are they living in truth or living a lie? Follow Dr. Vera Holloway as she navigates life on the island and as she decides if everything she knows is truth or lies. This is a great read and a quick read!! It keeps you guessing as to what happens next. You love some characters & hate others. It will keep you on your toes! And boy does it land on a cliffhanger! Mark your calendars & definitely grab this one as soon as it is released!! You wont be sorry!!
(I received an advance reader copy & am leaving an honest review.)
(I received an advance reader copy & am leaving an honest review.)
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Silenced is a fascinating and haunting dystopian that stays with long after you finish it. An amazing book that really makes you question, what if, this book is very eeriely close to the representation of how society views women and the expectations of women. This book is twisty, and it is full of psychological manipulation, generation trauma in a society that traps women. Women begin waking up in this book as they begin to unravel ways of which society has silenced them.. Dr. Vera Holloway begins to slowly open her eyes to the ways of the world they are living in and then she realizes she is not alone, and if you think it's just the women who are being controlled, the men are also expected to perform and in a certain way as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ever feel like you’re just going through the motions and being forced to hide your feelings, emotions, thoughts? Feel like life has more than just to fall into step by taking meds to pull you down into a zombie? (Not that some meds aren’t good for you and regulate you, nothing against meds)
But imagine feeling like there’s something missing and constantly trying to figure out what? Come along and follow this dystopian read with Vera who knows something big is there but she just cant quite get to it yet. Be prepared to be emotionally involved and find yourself in some of the characters. This book is emotional but it’s also cathartic and healing. You will not be disappointed but you will feel all the emotions just like I did
But imagine feeling like there’s something missing and constantly trying to figure out what? Come along and follow this dystopian read with Vera who knows something big is there but she just cant quite get to it yet. Be prepared to be emotionally involved and find yourself in some of the characters. This book is emotional but it’s also cathartic and healing. You will not be disappointed but you will feel all the emotions just like I did
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review from Advanced Reader Copy!
How can I put into words the feeling of knowing everything and nothing at all.
This book left me asking more questions than I started with. Vera is truly a remarkable FMC with determination, resilience and determination. I was left wanting more. I waited for the plot twist and got it at the very end hooking me for the next.
The heartbreak, the “WTF” all of it, truly a good read ! Highly recommend.
How can I put into words the feeling of knowing everything and nothing at all.
This book left me asking more questions than I started with. Vera is truly a remarkable FMC with determination, resilience and determination. I was left wanting more. I waited for the plot twist and got it at the very end hooking me for the next.
The heartbreak, the “WTF” all of it, truly a good read ! Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Set in a gripping dystopian world, this story is a powerful journey of resilience, heartbreak, hope, and the determination to rise above impossible odds. I was completely invested from the very first chapter, and the ending left me with full-body chills. This is one that will stay with me long after turning the final page.
August 9, 2026
Arc reader review:
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this incredible book!
This was an emotional read, the trauma and breaking generational patterns. As a mom, I can connect with Vera and know that the second my first child was born I knew how I wanted to be different for them. To break the cycle and make sure life was better for them than it what I endured.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this incredible book!
This was an emotional read, the trauma and breaking generational patterns. As a mom, I can connect with Vera and know that the second my first child was born I knew how I wanted to be different for them. To break the cycle and make sure life was better for them than it what I endured.
September 22, 2026
I truly appreciate the raw emotion and relatable life experiences that Natasha has put into this book. You can tell that it came from a place that was rooted in deep trauma and authentically real. Women everywhere will relate to this book!
I will be following her closely for her upcoming releases.
She has such a strong powerful voice and speaks for women who can’t speak for themselves!
I will be following her closely for her upcoming releases.
She has such a strong powerful voice and speaks for women who can’t speak for themselves!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book and the author’s style of writing is really so different from anything I’ve read. It’s interesting, thought provoking , emotional, fast paced, and easy to read. I felt for these characters, especially Vera. I felt for all of the different characters who struggled with these terrible situations. The parallels to our world and their dystopian world , was presented in such a thought provoking and interesting way, that I could not stop reading. It was beautiful, it was scary, and it forces you to look at your own life through a different lens.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an Advanced Copy from the author and I loved this book. It was a little bit of a slow start for me, but halfway through I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend it!!
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