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Gloria Don't Speak: A Novel
An electrifying, singular debut novel about a minimally verbal woman in working class London who falls in with a volatile man, leading to an act of violence that upends her life
It’s 1999, and Gloria has finished school for good. She spends her days wandering the streets and parks, watching the boys play football and the girls share cigarettes, and making sure she gets back before Mum is home, so she don’t worry about Gloria too much. She tries to entertain herself and stay out of trouble. But mostly she goes round with Jack.
Jack, who takes walks with her, who plays the radio and smokes out the window, who gives her Cokes from the fridge. Jack, who stirs feelings in her that are new and compelling. Jack who talks a lot about the breaking point that’s coming, how everything is bound to snap when the year 2000 arrives. Gloria don’t always know what he means, but Jack always talks and he likes her to listen, which is good, because Gloria don’t speak much. This is the world – hot days and rainy ones, fat chips and cold sodas, long, ambling walks – until one day, despite all his predictions, Jack breaks before the world does. That late summer evening and the violence it brings stops time and changes Gloria forever.A work of profound and moving empathy, Gloria Don’t Speak is a heartbreaking portrait of a remarkable but vulnerable woman, the sanctuary she tenuously cultivates, and her fight to exist in the world after her safety is ripped away.
It’s 1999, and Gloria has finished school for good. She spends her days wandering the streets and parks, watching the boys play football and the girls share cigarettes, and making sure she gets back before Mum is home, so she don’t worry about Gloria too much. She tries to entertain herself and stay out of trouble. But mostly she goes round with Jack.
Jack, who takes walks with her, who plays the radio and smokes out the window, who gives her Cokes from the fridge. Jack, who stirs feelings in her that are new and compelling. Jack who talks a lot about the breaking point that’s coming, how everything is bound to snap when the year 2000 arrives. Gloria don’t always know what he means, but Jack always talks and he likes her to listen, which is good, because Gloria don’t speak much. This is the world – hot days and rainy ones, fat chips and cold sodas, long, ambling walks – until one day, despite all his predictions, Jack breaks before the world does. That late summer evening and the violence it brings stops time and changes Gloria forever.A work of profound and moving empathy, Gloria Don’t Speak is a heartbreaking portrait of a remarkable but vulnerable woman, the sanctuary she tenuously cultivates, and her fight to exist in the world after her safety is ripped away.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 26, 2026
About the author
Lucy Apps
2 books32 followersLucy Apps is from East London. She is a GP, and volunteers with women with learning disabilities. Gloria Don't Speak is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
March 2, 2026
I love it when a book promises something not widely covered in fiction yet is something that affects many in real life. ‘Gloria Don’t Speak’ is such a book and it does what it promises so very well!
Gloria has a learning disability and at the start of the book she is 19, living at home with her working single mum. This means, that having finished college, Gloria is on her own during the day. She lives near a park in, what I perceived to be, a deprived area of London and it is here where Gloria meets Jack.
Gloria is mostly non verbal and can be easily overwhelmed in certain situations, resulting in a physical reaction but Jack lets her be herself. He doesn’t make her speak and just enjoys having company even if quiet. But Jack’s life’s been hard for different reasons and he is unpredictable and angry. And one day this pent up anger results in a terrible tragedy, a moment Gloria cannot forget, and Jack ends up in prison. The years pass, Gloria moves into a supported living accommodation but Jack remains in her mind and when she hears that he is out of prison, her past becomes her present again.
There’s so much packed into in this relatively short but powerful book (256 pages). I love the writing style whereby the author managed to make me feel like I was in Gloria’s head one moment but then the outside world the next. To see the world through Gloria’s eyes but then to see her from the viewpoint of others too.
It highlights the so many difficulties faced by those living with such disabilities, the impact of the lottery of life and who it brings you in contact with. This book is tender and heartbreaking at the same time and the author’s real life experience of volunteering with women with learning disabilities is evident in every page.
Gloria will sneak into your heart in this beautiful portrayal of loneliness, the need for human connection and the challenges of navigating a world not centred around the way Gloria’s mind works.
Gloria has a learning disability and at the start of the book she is 19, living at home with her working single mum. This means, that having finished college, Gloria is on her own during the day. She lives near a park in, what I perceived to be, a deprived area of London and it is here where Gloria meets Jack.
Gloria is mostly non verbal and can be easily overwhelmed in certain situations, resulting in a physical reaction but Jack lets her be herself. He doesn’t make her speak and just enjoys having company even if quiet. But Jack’s life’s been hard for different reasons and he is unpredictable and angry. And one day this pent up anger results in a terrible tragedy, a moment Gloria cannot forget, and Jack ends up in prison. The years pass, Gloria moves into a supported living accommodation but Jack remains in her mind and when she hears that he is out of prison, her past becomes her present again.
There’s so much packed into in this relatively short but powerful book (256 pages). I love the writing style whereby the author managed to make me feel like I was in Gloria’s head one moment but then the outside world the next. To see the world through Gloria’s eyes but then to see her from the viewpoint of others too.
It highlights the so many difficulties faced by those living with such disabilities, the impact of the lottery of life and who it brings you in contact with. This book is tender and heartbreaking at the same time and the author’s real life experience of volunteering with women with learning disabilities is evident in every page.
Gloria will sneak into your heart in this beautiful portrayal of loneliness, the need for human connection and the challenges of navigating a world not centred around the way Gloria’s mind works.
March 18, 2026
One of the reasons I read the Women's Prize every year (or try to) is to find books I would never have picked up on my own, especially from the small and indie presses. This is one such read.
Gloria, our main character, is predominantly non verbal and socially isolated, yet forms an unlikely, and unhealthy attachment, to volatile Jack. It's not quite a friendship, but rather a bonding of two people who are desperately trying to seek something from the other than they are unable to give. And then Jack commits a violent crime that upends Gloria's small world.
The writing in this is really interesting, reflecting and using Gloria's echolalia to demonstrate her struggle with communicating. I also felt able to understand, and feel as though I was inside Gloria's head, even despite this obvious struggle she has with expressing herself.
I did feel at times this was a book very much of two halves - the before and after of Jack's crime, and the first half was a lot stronger than the latter. I felt like Gloria started to fade away the further she got from 1999, and her constant remembering of the past, and mixing of the timelines, didn't help to propel the story in the way I would have liked.
A really interesting read, and I'm glad I picked this up.
Gloria, our main character, is predominantly non verbal and socially isolated, yet forms an unlikely, and unhealthy attachment, to volatile Jack. It's not quite a friendship, but rather a bonding of two people who are desperately trying to seek something from the other than they are unable to give. And then Jack commits a violent crime that upends Gloria's small world.
The writing in this is really interesting, reflecting and using Gloria's echolalia to demonstrate her struggle with communicating. I also felt able to understand, and feel as though I was inside Gloria's head, even despite this obvious struggle she has with expressing herself.
I did feel at times this was a book very much of two halves - the before and after of Jack's crime, and the first half was a lot stronger than the latter. I felt like Gloria started to fade away the further she got from 1999, and her constant remembering of the past, and mixing of the timelines, didn't help to propel the story in the way I would have liked.
A really interesting read, and I'm glad I picked this up.
April 22, 2026
This is a book about social exclusion, the feeling that you don’t fit in, and the desperation of loneliness. It is exceptionally crafted from a psychological point of view. It is a challenge to create a character like Gloria - so unavailable, and yet feeling and trying so much. I expect to see this on the Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Mariner Books and HarperAudio Adult for the gifted advance copies of Gloria Don’t Speak, a debut novel by Lucy Apps. I'd heard a lot about this book from my British friends so I was really glad to get access to an advance copy from the US publisher!
This book explores the life of a teen girl/young woman who is mostly nonverbal. Once she graduates from her school, she’s at loose ends while her single mother works. She spends her days wandering around her section of London, sitting on a bench in a park, and so forth. One day she is befriended by a young man, Jack. They walk together, he buys her Cokes and more. He talks and she listens. Jack’s life hasn’t been easy; he talks to Gloria about losing jobs, etc. The year is 1999 and Jack thinks things are going to fall apart once it becomes 2000. When Gloria goes to Jack’s apartment, things I thought were going to happen didn’t, but I still felt uneasy about Jack. Then an act of violence by Jack turns both of their worlds upside down. We then see how the aftermath affects Gloria.
The writing was just gorgeous. I loved being inside Gloria’s head for a lot of the book. The story really highlights how “the system” underserves/doesn’t serve people with disabilities once they become an adult. Another book that highlights this is Upward Bound by Woody Brown, which I read earlier this year. (That one takes place in the US, so you can see that this issue isn’t limited to the UK.)
I mainly listened to the audiobook which was beautifully narrated by Olivia Vinall. I loved hearing her accent, which made the story really come alive for me.
This book explores the life of a teen girl/young woman who is mostly nonverbal. Once she graduates from her school, she’s at loose ends while her single mother works. She spends her days wandering around her section of London, sitting on a bench in a park, and so forth. One day she is befriended by a young man, Jack. They walk together, he buys her Cokes and more. He talks and she listens. Jack’s life hasn’t been easy; he talks to Gloria about losing jobs, etc. The year is 1999 and Jack thinks things are going to fall apart once it becomes 2000. When Gloria goes to Jack’s apartment, things I thought were going to happen didn’t, but I still felt uneasy about Jack. Then an act of violence by Jack turns both of their worlds upside down. We then see how the aftermath affects Gloria.
The writing was just gorgeous. I loved being inside Gloria’s head for a lot of the book. The story really highlights how “the system” underserves/doesn’t serve people with disabilities once they become an adult. Another book that highlights this is Upward Bound by Woody Brown, which I read earlier this year. (That one takes place in the US, so you can see that this issue isn’t limited to the UK.)
I mainly listened to the audiobook which was beautifully narrated by Olivia Vinall. I loved hearing her accent, which made the story really come alive for me.
March 11, 2026
The moment I heard about this book I thought of the Women’s Prize. I was pleased when it ended up on the longlist because it gave me the excuse to prioritize it.
Our protagonist is Gloria, a nineteen-year-old with a learning disability. She enjoys exploring the neighborhood while constantly being told by her mother to stay out of trouble. “You need to get used to amusing yourself, Gloria. You're an adult now, no one's gonna entertain you. I've gotta go work. I've gotta be able to trust you.”
In walks Jack. A young man who forms a friendship with Gloria. He’s constantly going on about the end of the world while exhibiting a dangerous demeanor that Gloria is drawn to. Eventually, his attitude towards her becomes possessive and she finds herself co-dependent on him. The story takes an explosive turn once Jack erupts into an unforgivable act of violence.
From this point onwards, the novel morphs into a story of trauma and its lingering effects. We see how Gloria’s structured set of routines begins to crumble. She’s suddenly exposed to a world that doesn’t make sense to her, a system that’s unfamiliar, a darkness that wasn’t initially a part of her worldview. Not only can the aftereffects of trauma cause one to feel isolated and alone, what can it do to someone who already has difficulty expressing themselves? This novel presented some really interesting questions.
Gloria Don’t Speak is heartbreaking. The mood is quite atmospheric. The voice is consistently compelling. The plot goes into some unexpected places. A story about loneliness, trauma, codependency, and self-discovery. Impressive debut.
Our protagonist is Gloria, a nineteen-year-old with a learning disability. She enjoys exploring the neighborhood while constantly being told by her mother to stay out of trouble. “You need to get used to amusing yourself, Gloria. You're an adult now, no one's gonna entertain you. I've gotta go work. I've gotta be able to trust you.”
In walks Jack. A young man who forms a friendship with Gloria. He’s constantly going on about the end of the world while exhibiting a dangerous demeanor that Gloria is drawn to. Eventually, his attitude towards her becomes possessive and she finds herself co-dependent on him. The story takes an explosive turn once Jack erupts into an unforgivable act of violence.
From this point onwards, the novel morphs into a story of trauma and its lingering effects. We see how Gloria’s structured set of routines begins to crumble. She’s suddenly exposed to a world that doesn’t make sense to her, a system that’s unfamiliar, a darkness that wasn’t initially a part of her worldview. Not only can the aftereffects of trauma cause one to feel isolated and alone, what can it do to someone who already has difficulty expressing themselves? This novel presented some really interesting questions.
Gloria Don’t Speak is heartbreaking. The mood is quite atmospheric. The voice is consistently compelling. The plot goes into some unexpected places. A story about loneliness, trauma, codependency, and self-discovery. Impressive debut.
April 20, 2026
4.25 ⭐️’s
This is a small book, but it landed heavy for me.
I came into it with a lot of tenderness and a lot of guardrails. I live in this world. My son is disabled, and advocacy isn’t theoretical, it’s daily, it’s personal, and it’s protective.
Gloria’s interactions with Jack made me feel sick at times. It landed in a place I know too well.
This population is so often mistreated, misunderstood, and taken advantage of, and the book doesn’t let you look away from that.
This highlights the broken systems of care.
But I don’t come to that observation from the outside, I live inside it.
Gloria being non-verbal didn’t phase me at all. It felt natural. Familiar.
And I appreciated how Apps gave her an interior life we could actually feel into. That felt careful and well done, a real attempt to let Gloria exist beyond how others see her.
And still, I held a tension the entire time.
When you write into a space like this, it matters.
These stories often become the lens people carry.
That comes with weight.
I’m really glad to see this on the 2026 Women’s Prize longlist, and I genuinely hope it makes the shortlist.
Books like this open doors that need to be opened.
And for some of us, this isn’t just a story.
It’s a life we’re constantly trying to protect.
This is a small book, but it landed heavy for me.
I came into it with a lot of tenderness and a lot of guardrails. I live in this world. My son is disabled, and advocacy isn’t theoretical, it’s daily, it’s personal, and it’s protective.
Gloria’s interactions with Jack made me feel sick at times. It landed in a place I know too well.
This population is so often mistreated, misunderstood, and taken advantage of, and the book doesn’t let you look away from that.
This highlights the broken systems of care.
But I don’t come to that observation from the outside, I live inside it.
Gloria being non-verbal didn’t phase me at all. It felt natural. Familiar.
And I appreciated how Apps gave her an interior life we could actually feel into. That felt careful and well done, a real attempt to let Gloria exist beyond how others see her.
And still, I held a tension the entire time.
When you write into a space like this, it matters.
These stories often become the lens people carry.
That comes with weight.
I’m really glad to see this on the 2026 Women’s Prize longlist, and I genuinely hope it makes the shortlist.
Books like this open doors that need to be opened.
And for some of us, this isn’t just a story.
It’s a life we’re constantly trying to protect.
March 29, 2026
Longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize in Fiction
‘Okay,’ says Gloria.
Okayo kayo kay.
Sharp crack in the middle. She plays it round. She likes it.
2026 Women’s Prize—Fiction
in-progress rankings; shortlisted books are numbered
—Gloria Don't Speak, Lucy Apps (5⭐️)
—Audition, Katie Kitamura
1. Dominion, Addie E. Citchens
2. Kingfisher, Rozie Kelly
—Paradiso 17, Hannah Lillith Assadi
—A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing, Alice Evelyn Yang
—A Guardian & a Thief, Megha Majumdar
3. The Correspondent, Virginia Evans
4. The Mercy Step, Marcia Hutchinson
—Moderation, Elaine Castillo
—Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy
5. Heart the Lover, Lily King
6. Flashlight, Susan Choi
[13 read; up next: The Benefactors, Wendy Erskine & The Others, Sheena Kalayil]
‘Okay,’ says Gloria.
Okayo kayo kay.
Sharp crack in the middle. She plays it round. She likes it.
2026 Women’s Prize—Fiction
in-progress rankings; shortlisted books are numbered
—Gloria Don't Speak, Lucy Apps (5⭐️)
—Audition, Katie Kitamura
1. Dominion, Addie E. Citchens
2. Kingfisher, Rozie Kelly
—Paradiso 17, Hannah Lillith Assadi
—A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing, Alice Evelyn Yang
—A Guardian & a Thief, Megha Majumdar
3. The Correspondent, Virginia Evans
4. The Mercy Step, Marcia Hutchinson
—Moderation, Elaine Castillo
—Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy
5. Heart the Lover, Lily King
6. Flashlight, Susan Choi
[13 read; up next: The Benefactors, Wendy Erskine & The Others, Sheena Kalayil]
October 15, 2026
GLORIA DON’T SPEAK
By Lucy Apps
Narrated by Olivia Vinall
A Character I Wanted to Protect
The story follows Gloria, a nineteen-year-old woman with a learning disability who is also minimally verbal. Written in close third person, the author has done a brilliant job of portraying how Gloria sees and interprets the world around her. When Gloria meets a shady guy named Jack, things start to take a turn and soon spiral out of control, upending her life.
We see the challenges Gloria faces and how vulnerable she is as she tries to make sense of the world around her. Gloria yearns for connection, and she believes she has found it in Jack.
Almost immediately, I felt a connection with Gloria and found myself wanting to protect her. There’s a sense of foreboding as you sense Gloria is heading for trouble.
Lucy Apps writes in short, simple sentences, focusing on physical sensations and observations of the environment. This helps keep the reader closely connected to Gloria’s perspective. The story has a slower, thoughtful pace, focusing on Gloria’s daily life and thoughts rather than fast action. This worked for me, and I was totally invested in Gloria from the start and wanted to see how things would turn out.
Though it’s a shorter book, it’s a powerful read and listen. I was impressed to learn this is Lucy Apps’ debut. The author volunteers with women with learning disabilities, and I think that knowledge and experience come through in her writing. I’ll definitely be watching for what she writes next. I also think there’s a lot to discuss in this story, making it an interesting choice for a book club.
I thought Olivia Vinall was a perfect fit for this story and did a wonderful job with the narration.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult | Mariner Books for the ALC.
Publishing November 3, 2026
By Lucy Apps
Narrated by Olivia Vinall
A Character I Wanted to Protect
The story follows Gloria, a nineteen-year-old woman with a learning disability who is also minimally verbal. Written in close third person, the author has done a brilliant job of portraying how Gloria sees and interprets the world around her. When Gloria meets a shady guy named Jack, things start to take a turn and soon spiral out of control, upending her life.
We see the challenges Gloria faces and how vulnerable she is as she tries to make sense of the world around her. Gloria yearns for connection, and she believes she has found it in Jack.
Almost immediately, I felt a connection with Gloria and found myself wanting to protect her. There’s a sense of foreboding as you sense Gloria is heading for trouble.
Lucy Apps writes in short, simple sentences, focusing on physical sensations and observations of the environment. This helps keep the reader closely connected to Gloria’s perspective. The story has a slower, thoughtful pace, focusing on Gloria’s daily life and thoughts rather than fast action. This worked for me, and I was totally invested in Gloria from the start and wanted to see how things would turn out.
Though it’s a shorter book, it’s a powerful read and listen. I was impressed to learn this is Lucy Apps’ debut. The author volunteers with women with learning disabilities, and I think that knowledge and experience come through in her writing. I’ll definitely be watching for what she writes next. I also think there’s a lot to discuss in this story, making it an interesting choice for a book club.
I thought Olivia Vinall was a perfect fit for this story and did a wonderful job with the narration.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult | Mariner Books for the ALC.
Publishing November 3, 2026
March 28, 2026
3.5 stars.
A non-verbal main was a really interesting perspective that you don’t normally get but the plot just wasn’t there for me unfortunately.
A non-verbal main was a really interesting perspective that you don’t normally get but the plot just wasn’t there for me unfortunately.
March 11, 2026
I was inspired to read this book after seeing it Longlisted for this year's Women's Prize for Fiction; what a find! This was a truly moving, original and thought-provoking novel that will stay with me for a long time! Fingers crossed that I'll see it on the shortlist too!
March 7, 2026
I’ll be thinking about Gloria for a long time. Atmospheric writing that gave such a unique perspective. A hard read at times, I almost couldn’t bear to see what happened next. A clever ending.
April 23, 2026
Was really interesting x I found the disabled rep really good
March 28, 2026
This is undoubtedly well done, and very tense - putting us behind the eyes of a largely non-verbal young woman with unspecified special needs who is largely left to her own devices in a London that can be menacing. You root very hard for Gloria, and feel the loaded frustration of her inability to- unwillingness? - to express herself, except through occasional impulsive physical outbursts.
Nonetheless, it was a bit of a slog and I found myself skimming after the razor sharp first section. Maybe better as a thought experiment- or short story - than as a novel.
Nonetheless, it was a bit of a slog and I found myself skimming after the razor sharp first section. Maybe better as a thought experiment- or short story - than as a novel.
March 30, 2026
A tough read and quite maddening and depressing at times. I can’t say I enjoyed it exactly but it was brilliantly and very effectively written. I’m very glad I read it, it’s given me a lot to think about.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm grateful to have received a complimentary eARC from Mariner Books via NetGalley. These are my honest opinions.
Gloria Don't Speak is a challenging yet tender debut novel featuring 19-year-old Gloria, a non-verbal woman living with her mum in East London on the edge of the new millennium. Yes, it is an upsetting and challenging novel with heavy topics, and I praise Gloria Don't Speak for its willingness to tackle topics like trauma, disability, and emotional distress. The complexities of Gloria's learning disabilities were handled with sensitivity and authenticity, perhaps informed by the author's experience volunteering with disabled women. What I particularly loved about Gloria Don't Speak is the way it gives a much-needed and unique voice to a young woman with a learning disability and sensory processing challenges.
Gloria Don't Speak is a challenging yet tender debut novel featuring 19-year-old Gloria, a non-verbal woman living with her mum in East London on the edge of the new millennium. Yes, it is an upsetting and challenging novel with heavy topics, and I praise Gloria Don't Speak for its willingness to tackle topics like trauma, disability, and emotional distress. The complexities of Gloria's learning disabilities were handled with sensitivity and authenticity, perhaps informed by the author's experience volunteering with disabled women. What I particularly loved about Gloria Don't Speak is the way it gives a much-needed and unique voice to a young woman with a learning disability and sensory processing challenges.
November 12, 2026
We follow Gloria, a mostly nonverbal woman doing her best in a world it seems she doesn't fully understand. We follow her as she tries to find connections and meaning in her life, only to realize the world is a more dangerous place than she can fully comprehend. We really see the works through her eyes and understanding which I really loved, even though heartbreaking at times. A powerful debut novel that examines the human experience fro a unique point of view. Excellent narration and highly recommned on audiobook. 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult | Mariner Books for the ALC. in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult | Mariner Books for the ALC. in exchange for my honest review.
April 12, 2026
This was a book that really grew on me the more I read. It is split roughly into two halves, late 90s/2000s and 2017 onwards. I generally found the second half more interesting and engaging, but I also think by that point the book had simply grown on me so I could enjoy it more
At first, I struggled to get into the writing, setting, and characters. The writing style is clearly very intentional, but it was quite difficult to get into the rhythm of it. I did enjoy Gloria’s echolalia though, the way she changed up the words and phrases she heard
Jack in particular really stressed me out and made the first half quite difficult to read. I think even if I hadn’t read the blurb and known that there is an eventual ‘act of violence’ that lands him in prison, there was so much anger, instability, and unpredictability in Jack that drew a very clear portrait of him as a character. He was so erratic and it made me nervous to read about his interactions with Gloria
I was glad when Jack was gone, but I also loved how despite that he continued to haunt the narrative and Gloria’s thoughts. He was so deeply embedded in Gloria’s mind, whether because of the friendship and feeling of independence he offered her, or because of the traumatic events she went through with him. I thought it was written really well
As for Gloria, I loved her as the main character. I haven’t read many books about or featuring characters with learning disabilities but I liked how this was written. It didn’t feel like Gloria was reduced to her disability, we got to know all about her as an individual but also how her disability affected her and her interactions with others. I found the descriptions of her sensory issues and overstimulation very relatable as an autistic person
The ending was a perfect way to conclude the story and I just loved this book
At first, I struggled to get into the writing, setting, and characters. The writing style is clearly very intentional, but it was quite difficult to get into the rhythm of it. I did enjoy Gloria’s echolalia though, the way she changed up the words and phrases she heard
Jack in particular really stressed me out and made the first half quite difficult to read. I think even if I hadn’t read the blurb and known that there is an eventual ‘act of violence’ that lands him in prison, there was so much anger, instability, and unpredictability in Jack that drew a very clear portrait of him as a character. He was so erratic and it made me nervous to read about his interactions with Gloria
I was glad when Jack was gone, but I also loved how despite that he continued to haunt the narrative and Gloria’s thoughts. He was so deeply embedded in Gloria’s mind, whether because of the friendship and feeling of independence he offered her, or because of the traumatic events she went through with him. I thought it was written really well
As for Gloria, I loved her as the main character. I haven’t read many books about or featuring characters with learning disabilities but I liked how this was written. It didn’t feel like Gloria was reduced to her disability, we got to know all about her as an individual but also how her disability affected her and her interactions with others. I found the descriptions of her sensory issues and overstimulation very relatable as an autistic person
The ending was a perfect way to conclude the story and I just loved this book
April 3, 2026
Read the whole thing in one sleepless night and wanted to cry for Gloria at the end. This was so readable and propulsive, and had such a unique narrative voice. Despite being written in the third person, you get such a clear picture into Gloria’s mind. I don’t think there’s enough fiction about people with learning disabilities.
April 16, 2026
Emotional. Tense. Outstanding.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gloria Don't Speak by Lucy Apps follows nineteen year old Gloria, a young woman with a learning disability that is minimally verbal as she meets a man named Jack. As their relationship grows, so does Gloria's distrust in Jack until an act of violence changes Gloria's world forever.
I was really interested in reading this book because it is from the POV of someone with a learning disability and I was interested in how that would be done. I think it seems to have been done in a respectful way. I think Gloria is an easy character to care about even when she doesn't always make the best decisions. Her relationship with Jack was different than I thought it would be after reading the synopsis. It is much more of a companionship which makes it even more heartbreaking when he is cruel to Gloria.
This book was pretty well paced for the majority of it but I do think some things started to feel a little repetitive. I hated the way other people treated Gloria through this novel but unfortunately, that is a realistic way of how people interact with someone with a disability.
I think the audiobook narrator really made this story for me. Her cadence and the accent she has helped me feel immersed in the story. The way the Gloria thinks is full of improper sentences and I think that if I read this physically, I would have had a more difficult time connecting to the story.
I would recommend this to people who like more slice of life stories but keep in mind that this one does get heavy.
I was really interested in reading this book because it is from the POV of someone with a learning disability and I was interested in how that would be done. I think it seems to have been done in a respectful way. I think Gloria is an easy character to care about even when she doesn't always make the best decisions. Her relationship with Jack was different than I thought it would be after reading the synopsis. It is much more of a companionship which makes it even more heartbreaking when he is cruel to Gloria.
This book was pretty well paced for the majority of it but I do think some things started to feel a little repetitive. I hated the way other people treated Gloria through this novel but unfortunately, that is a realistic way of how people interact with someone with a disability.
I think the audiobook narrator really made this story for me. Her cadence and the accent she has helped me feel immersed in the story. The way the Gloria thinks is full of improper sentences and I think that if I read this physically, I would have had a more difficult time connecting to the story.
I would recommend this to people who like more slice of life stories but keep in mind that this one does get heavy.
October 28, 2026
Gloria Don’t Speak is a relatively short book that begins in 1999 when Gloria is 19 years old. Gloria has a learning disability and is largely nonverbal and lives with her mother. After Gloria finishes her college classes, she occupies the rest of her day walking about in neighborhood parks. Gloria meets and befriends a man, Jack, who is a bit older than her, is intense, reactive, and displays a tendency towards violent reactions. After a particularly violent situation occurs, Jack goes to prison and Gloria’s life settles into new routines and friendships. Several years later, when Gloria learns Jack has been released from prison, her hyper focus on him leads to disruption in her routines and takes her down a worrisome path.
There’s a sense that largely because of her disability and communication limitations, Gloria is lonely, socially isolated, and desperate for human interaction. Because of this, her friendship with Jack is important to her even though she knows it is unhealthy and risky due to his nature. The innocence and vulnerability of Gloria allows the reader to feel a variety of emotions, to be protective of her and to feel helpless when she is struggling to communicate or understand what is happening.
I found this to be well written and engaging. I enjoyed this book via audio thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult. The narration, done by Olivia Vinall, was excellent. All opinions expressed here are my own.
There’s a sense that largely because of her disability and communication limitations, Gloria is lonely, socially isolated, and desperate for human interaction. Because of this, her friendship with Jack is important to her even though she knows it is unhealthy and risky due to his nature. The innocence and vulnerability of Gloria allows the reader to feel a variety of emotions, to be protective of her and to feel helpless when she is struggling to communicate or understand what is happening.
I found this to be well written and engaging. I enjoyed this book via audio thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult. The narration, done by Olivia Vinall, was excellent. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gloria Don’t Speak by Lucy Apps. Thanks to marinerbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gloria is minimally verbal in 1999 working class London. She becomes enamored by a volatile and angry man. Their interactions lead to an act of violence that she struggles to reconcile.
I loved the choice for the main character to be non-verbal. That made the entire plot interesting, especially seeing her interactions with others and her responses to trauma. However I didn’t really connect with her; possibly because I did not feel there was enough of a back story and didn’t quite understand her. I did enjoy the time period and seeing the UK during that time.
“Everything reminds her. Headlights at night or benches in the park or shouting or knuckles folded up and clenched with something gripped inside them. One can’t stop things reminding her.”
Gloria Don’t Speak comes out 11/3.
Gloria is minimally verbal in 1999 working class London. She becomes enamored by a volatile and angry man. Their interactions lead to an act of violence that she struggles to reconcile.
I loved the choice for the main character to be non-verbal. That made the entire plot interesting, especially seeing her interactions with others and her responses to trauma. However I didn’t really connect with her; possibly because I did not feel there was enough of a back story and didn’t quite understand her. I did enjoy the time period and seeing the UK during that time.
“Everything reminds her. Headlights at night or benches in the park or shouting or knuckles folded up and clenched with something gripped inside them. One can’t stop things reminding her.”
Gloria Don’t Speak comes out 11/3.
May 19, 2026
3.5⭐️s - really enjoyed this book! very different to anything i’ve ever read and i’m so glad the woman’s fiction long list introduced me to this title.
June 15, 2026
You just don’t encounter many books about a character like Gloria. And I think it was explored so sensitively and authentically. Fantastic debut, would love to read more books like this.
April 1, 2026
Gloria Don’t Speak by Lucy Apps — 1.5 stars
I picked this up because it was longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and I know I am in the vast minority on this one, but it really did not work for me.
Set first in 1999, the novel follows Gloria, a 19-year-old young woman with significant support needs, as she moves through London in the long, unstructured days after her final year of school ends. She lives with her single mother, who works full-time, and it is immediately clear that Gloria is expected to occupy herself, stay safe, and somehow manage more independently than she is truly equipped to do.
Gloria rarely speaks. She covers her ears when things become too loud, screams and cries when overwhelmed, and seems to experience the world through sensation, color, sound, and fragments of thought more than language. The prose reflects that interiority through short, simple sentences and a limited perspective.
Most of the plot hinges on Gloria’s relationship with Jack, an older boy she meets on her walk home from “college.” Jack is volatile, bitter, deeply unwell, and full of rage at the world. He rants about his family, immigrants, single mothers—everyone, really—and Gloria mostly absorbs his presence rather than fully understanding him. He is cruel, dangerous, and predatory, yet he and Gloria are drawn together by their mutual isolation.
There is no question that this novel evokes emotion. It is sad, unsettling, and at times frightening. Lucy Apps absolutely captures Gloria’s vulnerability and the danger of moving through a world that does not know how to protect someone like her. I can understand why that landed so powerfully for other readers.
But for me, the book’s emotional impact was not enough.
What I could not get past was the way the story ultimately handles harm and accountability. Gloria is repeatedly shown to be someone profoundly unequipped to navigate the world on her own, and the novel makes plain how inadequate the systems around her are—at school, at home, and later in supported housing. That is clearly part of the point. But by the time Gloria commits a violent act of her own, I felt the book wanted my sympathy without fully reckoning with the consequences of what she had done.
And that is where it lost me.
I did feel empathy for Gloria. I felt sadness for her circumstances, frustration at how vulnerable she was, and anger at the failures surrounding her. But empathy does not erase harm, and I struggled with a resolution that seemed to ask me to move on more easily than I could. The novel’s treatment of violence felt emotionally one-sided to me, more interested in Gloria’s internal distress than in the full weight of what her actions meant for someone else.
So yes, I can see what this book was aiming for. I can see why readers admired its emotional force and its portrait of a marginalized young woman trying to exist in a world that continually fails her. But in the end, I came away more unconvinced than affected.
I picked this up because it was longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and I know I am in the vast minority on this one, but it really did not work for me.
Set first in 1999, the novel follows Gloria, a 19-year-old young woman with significant support needs, as she moves through London in the long, unstructured days after her final year of school ends. She lives with her single mother, who works full-time, and it is immediately clear that Gloria is expected to occupy herself, stay safe, and somehow manage more independently than she is truly equipped to do.
Gloria rarely speaks. She covers her ears when things become too loud, screams and cries when overwhelmed, and seems to experience the world through sensation, color, sound, and fragments of thought more than language. The prose reflects that interiority through short, simple sentences and a limited perspective.
Most of the plot hinges on Gloria’s relationship with Jack, an older boy she meets on her walk home from “college.” Jack is volatile, bitter, deeply unwell, and full of rage at the world. He rants about his family, immigrants, single mothers—everyone, really—and Gloria mostly absorbs his presence rather than fully understanding him. He is cruel, dangerous, and predatory, yet he and Gloria are drawn together by their mutual isolation.
There is no question that this novel evokes emotion. It is sad, unsettling, and at times frightening. Lucy Apps absolutely captures Gloria’s vulnerability and the danger of moving through a world that does not know how to protect someone like her. I can understand why that landed so powerfully for other readers.
But for me, the book’s emotional impact was not enough.
What I could not get past was the way the story ultimately handles harm and accountability. Gloria is repeatedly shown to be someone profoundly unequipped to navigate the world on her own, and the novel makes plain how inadequate the systems around her are—at school, at home, and later in supported housing. That is clearly part of the point. But by the time Gloria commits a violent act of her own, I felt the book wanted my sympathy without fully reckoning with the consequences of what she had done.
And that is where it lost me.
I did feel empathy for Gloria. I felt sadness for her circumstances, frustration at how vulnerable she was, and anger at the failures surrounding her. But empathy does not erase harm, and I struggled with a resolution that seemed to ask me to move on more easily than I could. The novel’s treatment of violence felt emotionally one-sided to me, more interested in Gloria’s internal distress than in the full weight of what her actions meant for someone else.
So yes, I can see what this book was aiming for. I can see why readers admired its emotional force and its portrait of a marginalized young woman trying to exist in a world that continually fails her. But in the end, I came away more unconvinced than affected.
March 7, 2026
Gloria Don't Speak by Lucy Apps - ⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
This is a unique novel because it brings me into the perspective of someone I rarely encounter in literature: a woman with a learning disability. Gloria is almost nonverbal and easily overwhelmed in noisy environments, and the novel places us directly inside her mind.
We follow her friendship with Jack, a man angry at the world. When he becomes involved in an act of violence, Gloria’s world is completely upended. Unable to answer the police’s questions afterward, she becomes quietly obsessed with the victim’s family. Years later, when Gloria is no longer living with her mother but in supported social care, she hears that Jack has been released from prison. The news unsettles her deeply and eventually leads her to commit a small—though still significant—act of violence herself.
It is a difficult and sometimes heavy read about a woman searching for companionship and understanding, while living with the long aftermath of violence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because Gloria is portrayed with great empathy. Being inside her head helped me understand people like her better. The novel draws on Lucy Apps’s experience volunteering with women with learning disabilities, and Gloria feels very real—like some friends I have known with similar disabilities.
The title is also quite interesting. Instead of “Gloria Doesn’t Speak,” it is “Gloria Don’t Speak.” I’m still thinking about the author’s intention behind this choice. It might echo Gloria’s own relationship with language and grammar, subtly reflecting the way the novel invites us into her perspective. (Do comment I you have different interpretation about this!)
I’m also impressed that this novel comes from an indie publisher, Weatherglass Books, and I’m glad it’s receiving the recognition it deserves.
This is a unique novel because it brings me into the perspective of someone I rarely encounter in literature: a woman with a learning disability. Gloria is almost nonverbal and easily overwhelmed in noisy environments, and the novel places us directly inside her mind.
We follow her friendship with Jack, a man angry at the world. When he becomes involved in an act of violence, Gloria’s world is completely upended. Unable to answer the police’s questions afterward, she becomes quietly obsessed with the victim’s family. Years later, when Gloria is no longer living with her mother but in supported social care, she hears that Jack has been released from prison. The news unsettles her deeply and eventually leads her to commit a small—though still significant—act of violence herself.
It is a difficult and sometimes heavy read about a woman searching for companionship and understanding, while living with the long aftermath of violence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because Gloria is portrayed with great empathy. Being inside her head helped me understand people like her better. The novel draws on Lucy Apps’s experience volunteering with women with learning disabilities, and Gloria feels very real—like some friends I have known with similar disabilities.
The title is also quite interesting. Instead of “Gloria Doesn’t Speak,” it is “Gloria Don’t Speak.” I’m still thinking about the author’s intention behind this choice. It might echo Gloria’s own relationship with language and grammar, subtly reflecting the way the novel invites us into her perspective. (Do comment I you have different interpretation about this!)
I’m also impressed that this novel comes from an indie publisher, Weatherglass Books, and I’m glad it’s receiving the recognition it deserves.
April 7, 2026
This writing style was a dream to read, and as much as I’m not as high support needs as Gloria the way the author writes Gloria’s thoughts really resonated with me. I think it’s a great read for anyone wondering what it’s like to be in the mind of someone with autism, or for anyone with autism who wants to feel seen and connect deeply with a character :)
July 12, 2026
3.5
I think this book portrayed Gloria’s disability very well, that isolated feeling, disorientation, confusion and sensory overload. This was a slow paced book and more character driven. The ending wasn’t as impactful as it could have been but I still enjoyed the story.
I think this book portrayed Gloria’s disability very well, that isolated feeling, disorientation, confusion and sensory overload. This was a slow paced book and more character driven. The ending wasn’t as impactful as it could have been but I still enjoyed the story.
Read
May 20, 2026This book is a very important book that presents an often overlooked perspective - the lives of people with learning disabilities.
The main protagonist, Gloria, has a learning disability and is mostly non-verbal. Due to the social exclusion she feels after graduating from school and not having a concrete path to follow after that, she is left vulnerable and isolated for most of her days. She eventually forms an unlikely attachment with a volatile and unpredictable man who later commits a violent crime. This leaves her to deal with its aftermath in the years after.
There is a lot to unpack with this book. Lucy Apps presents Gloria as a real human being with a rich inner world and needs for emotional connection just like every one of us, despite her learning disability. I think we tend to overlook the fact that people with special needs have rich emotional lives and needs for connection. These individuals deal with loneliness and isolation and are vulnerable to trauma too, and the weight of it is a thousand times magnified due to their lack of accessibility to support. Lucy Apps masterfully brings all of this to light in this short but powerful novel.
This book also portrays the unrelenting sensory overload and meltdowns that a person with a learning disability experiences on a daily basis through Gloria's perspective. Even the happy moment at the beach with Gloria's mom was described with sensory overload due to the sand. While I 100% understood what the author was trying to portray and I even thought she did it very well, it makes for an extremely, extremely unpleasant and tough read for me (which is the point).
While I really, really appreciated that this book gave me the opportunity to walk in the shoes of someone with a learning disability, I couldn't enjoy this book at all due to how overwhelmed I was by it. Therefore, similarly to Vanishing World, I don't feel comfortable rating this book as I can't separate my reading experience from its literary quality.
Upon reflection, I'm really glad Lucy Apps, who volunteers with women with learning disabilities, wrote this book. I think the reason why books like these are so rare is because many people with similar disabilities most likely face barriers to expressing their experiences in written form. It really takes someone with a lot of empathy, someone who spends a lot of time with these individuals, to be able to write a book from this perspective. This is why I love reading - it gives me the opportunity to empathize with people of diverse perspectives. I'm glad Lucy Apps shared this perspective with the world, and I think this book definitely deserves to be on the Women's Prize Longlist.
The main protagonist, Gloria, has a learning disability and is mostly non-verbal. Due to the social exclusion she feels after graduating from school and not having a concrete path to follow after that, she is left vulnerable and isolated for most of her days. She eventually forms an unlikely attachment with a volatile and unpredictable man who later commits a violent crime. This leaves her to deal with its aftermath in the years after.
There is a lot to unpack with this book. Lucy Apps presents Gloria as a real human being with a rich inner world and needs for emotional connection just like every one of us, despite her learning disability. I think we tend to overlook the fact that people with special needs have rich emotional lives and needs for connection. These individuals deal with loneliness and isolation and are vulnerable to trauma too, and the weight of it is a thousand times magnified due to their lack of accessibility to support. Lucy Apps masterfully brings all of this to light in this short but powerful novel.
This book also portrays the unrelenting sensory overload and meltdowns that a person with a learning disability experiences on a daily basis through Gloria's perspective. Even the happy moment at the beach with Gloria's mom was described with sensory overload due to the sand. While I 100% understood what the author was trying to portray and I even thought she did it very well, it makes for an extremely, extremely unpleasant and tough read for me (which is the point).
While I really, really appreciated that this book gave me the opportunity to walk in the shoes of someone with a learning disability, I couldn't enjoy this book at all due to how overwhelmed I was by it. Therefore, similarly to Vanishing World, I don't feel comfortable rating this book as I can't separate my reading experience from its literary quality.
Upon reflection, I'm really glad Lucy Apps, who volunteers with women with learning disabilities, wrote this book. I think the reason why books like these are so rare is because many people with similar disabilities most likely face barriers to expressing their experiences in written form. It really takes someone with a lot of empathy, someone who spends a lot of time with these individuals, to be able to write a book from this perspective. This is why I love reading - it gives me the opportunity to empathize with people of diverse perspectives. I'm glad Lucy Apps shared this perspective with the world, and I think this book definitely deserves to be on the Women's Prize Longlist.
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