The Movement

by Ayisha Malik

With words come power. But do you speak out or shut up?

Everywhere Sara Javed goes - online or outside - everyone is shouting about something. Couldn't they all just shut up? One day she takes her own advice.

At first people don't understand her silence and are politely confused at best. But the last thing Sara could anticipate is becoming the figurehead of a global movement that splits society in two.

The Silent Movement sparks outrage in its opposers. Global structures start to shift. And the lives of those closest to Sara - as well as strangers inspired by her act - begin to unravel.

It's time for the world to reconsider what it means to have a voice.

A sharply observed novel, charged with compassion and dark wit, that will spark important conversations about how we live, relate and communicate now.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Feminism, Adult, Science Fiction, Literary Fiction

448 pages, Hardcover

First published July 22, 2022

About the author

Ayisha is a British Muslim, lifelong Londoner, and lover of books. She read English Literature and went on to complete an MA in Creative Writing (though told most of her family it was an MA in English Literature – Creative Writing is not a subject, after all.) She has spent various spells teaching, photocopying, volunteering and being a publicist. Now, when she isn’t searching for a jar of Nutella in her cupboards, she divides her time between writing and being managing editor at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy.

Ayisha is one of WH Smith's Fresh Talent picks, Winter 2016.

'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' is her first novel and will be published by Bonnier in Jan 2016.

'Fun, Fresh and Funny' – MHAIRI MCFARLANE, bestselling author of 'You Had Me At Hello.'

'Malik achieves the perfect balance of romance and humour' – INDEPENDENT

'In creating a host of characters that are normal in their abnormality, relatable yet individual, Malik is undoubtedly making a difference.' – NEW STATESMAN

'Thoroughly engaging and laugh-out-loud funny from the off, this witty, unapologetic, honest, fun and feisty tale fully deserves the buzz it's getting' – HEAT MAGAZINE

'Feisty, funny and relatable it’s the feminist romantic comedy you’ve been waiting for' – ELLE MAGAZINE

'This fictional diary of the dating travails of one righteous romantic is snort-diet-Coke-out-of-your-nostrils funny and will resonate with any woman who’s looking for love' – RED MAGAZINE

'...an entertaining debut with laugh-out-loud moments – a contemporary love story you won't want to miss' – CANDIS MAGAZINE

'Refreshing and funny' – SUNDAY MIRROR

'Fun, feisty and addictive. It deserves to be read' – IRISH EXAMINER

'A courageous, revealing, fiendishly funny and important book. Genuinely ground-breaking” – VASEEM KHAN, bestselling author of 'The Unexpected Inheritance of Mr Chopra'

'...everything about this novel challenges expectations...a sharp, funny but ultimately very normal portrait of life as a British Muslim' THE NATIONAL

'Must-read... Liven up your daily commute or boost your bedtime routine with [this] page-turner' – MARIE CLAIRE

'Best of the New Books Hot List... For fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary' – GRAZIA

Part of 'a new wave of female-focussed fiction... Bridget Jones-esque' – STYLIST

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Intriguing premise - an award-winning litfic author (a brown woman) decides that everyone ought to #ShutTheFuckUp, with hashtag, and starts with herself. She just stops talking, or writing. As she does this at a huge event, and then a white influencer copies her without attribution, this catches on, and we see Non-Verbalism sweep the globe.

This opens up some fascinating vistas and questions - what does it really mean to renounce speech, or all verbal communication? Is it an act of overweening privilege when so many people are denied a voice, especially POC and women? Or is it the only protest that really means anything? Do we *really* have a voice now or are we just permitted endless talk to distract us from what people in power are doing? What would life be like without the constant babble and yattering? How do you know what really needs saying? What would life be like if we all had to think more, and to show ourselves in action, not soundbites and claims? How much of all this is navel gazing, or snobbery, or a mass fad? It's a profoundly intriguing concept, brilliantly explored from multiple angles, with a gloriously sour view of people underpinned by a profound need for improvement and justice.

In the olden days this would have been called a Novel of Ideas, as it's more a philosophical/psychological exploration (the characters are great fun, but we're really here to watch Non-Verbalism play out). Do not be offput by this: it's a tremendous philosophical piece, and also highly entertaining on book-publishing bullshit, absolutely skewering the ludicrous way British publishing treats people of colour. If you're looking for a book that's funny, absorbing and intensely thought-provoking, here you go.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great bookclub discussion! So many things to talk about in this book: female oppression ; privilege ; media influence ; family dynamics ; manipulation; reality versus the truth; love and relationships; and so much more!
We all took away much from The Movement. Sara inadvertently started something that once released and set into social media took on a momentum of its own. As she tries to be silent for her own reasons, other take up the 'movement' and the world begins to change.
As we see the stories of Roxy, Grace, Zainab and Aahdi unfold as the book travels back and forward through time to explore how we got to where we are today. Each has their own story to be told and maybe through silence or speaking their story can best be relayed. Without the crossing back and forth in timelines we would perhaps not fully understand how the characters got to where they are and why they have reacted to the Movement in particular ways.
I made me so angry at times, the way women are silenced and looked over. How it doesn't matter how quiet or loud a voice is, you can still not be heard.
Definitely one to read and discuss

[On the Same Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

But how had society ever expected the human mind to absorb this volume of information, reflect upon it, when seconds later we’d be bombarded with another headline, a trending hashtag, people hitching themselves to one or the other bandwagon. What we said had become the sum of us.

This book is an interesting thought exercise: what would happen if half the people in the world decided to voluntarily stop communicating?

The answer Malik came up with is fascinating, especially considering the current political climate. She explores the way governments react (badly), the discrimination Non-Verbal people end up facing, the impact on social media companies when people decide they're not interested in using the platforms anymore, and whether there can be power in silence. The last point is probably the trickiest, and it's what causes the most discussion in the book. The main character, Sara Javed, who started the movement, is a WOC, and there is a lot of discussion about how she is giving up her voice when it took so long for the world to even listen to WOC. The way the tension between the two camps escalated was horrifying, but also all too realistic. And maybe it's because of the times we live in, but I found this a very compelling read.

[Sophy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cleverly divisive.

I love the premise of the whole story, that someone is so sick of all the bullshit in the world that they go silent, prompting a global movement of "Non-verbals".

I have seen some other reviewers saying they didn't like the writing because it felt too political and not character-centric enough. I think Ayisha Malik meant for her writing to be political. I think this was the whole point. The story brings up some good points in that women have been silenced for centuries and our voice means everything, because without our voice we are powerless and paralysed. But on the other hand, silence is a powerful weapon, silent protest, bearing witness without speaking.

I found the book very pertinent, drawing reference to Trump, the vehemence of the vax/anti-vax stance, the dwindling rights of the public in the face of shady governments passing through archaic laws behind the scenes that cripple the right to protest.

It resonated with me particularly now, with the absolute debacle of the perpetuating fuckery at the head of the country, parading from city to city whilst thousands of sheeple queue to view a box or fall at the feet of a tax avoiding multi-millionaire. Meanwhile those that speak out in logic are arrested under trumped up "breach of the peace" charges or threatened with arrest for holding an empty placard!! And while the sheeple weep for the death of a privileged 96 year old, a young black man is shot by the Met police who happen to "misplace" the body cam footage of the officers involved!

My take from this is that fuckery will always continue, governments will always try and silence the masses, there are always shady deals going on in the background and major players with vested interests.

Initially I was disappointed by the ending of the book, but then I realised Malik has it right. Women of importance do fade into the background over time. They are forgotten and consigned to the pages of some dusty book. Or in the future just a faded pixel on a long defunct Insta page.

Clever, divisive, right on point.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A case of "it's not you (the book), it's me"

The writing is intelligent, insightful and thought provoking. But did I enjoy it? No. The emphasis for me, was too much on the political and societal implications around the 'movement' and not enough regarding the stories characters. Thus resulting in me just not caring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.

[SK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Movement begins with Sara Javed, an author about to win a coveted literary award, deciding to become silent. What follows is a new movement that shakes the world; people everywhere are divided and tensions are rising between Verbals and Non Verbals.

The observations made in this were really eye opening, with obvious parallels to contemporary issues such as Brexit or vax/no vax Malik handles these topics with care and provides some honest ideas from both sides. I found the conversation regarding brown women not using their voice particularly informative.

I would highly recommend this read to anyone, there is a lot to be learnt from this work of fiction.

[Elanor Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot to like about this book. The concept-- a world where nearly half of society decides to become "Non-Verbal" and simply stop speaking-- is fascinating, and the bitty nature of the story, with multiple narratives and excerpts from interviews and newspapers, allows for a more nuanced exploration of how this change would impact society. I liked most of the characters, even as I found them frustrating at times, and I appreciated how race was a significant (but not the sole) factor in the novel. Malik writes well and her story kept me engrossed.

The downside, as other reviewers have noticed, is that there is so much extra stuff here, so many newspaper clips talking about the prime minister, too much about votes and elections, too many characters, that at times we do lose the our connection to the main characters. It doesn't help that the main character is Non-Verbal from the start, so obviously any sort of conversation with her is impossible, except in flashbacks. When the character moments do come, particularly the relationship between Sara and Roxy, Malik handles their interaction with an impressive understanding of love and hurt, but the novel as a whole fails to sustain these emotions because it spends so much time away from its main characters.

That, in itself, wouldn’t necessarily be a problem if the political discussions were a little more thought-through. The central premise of the novel-- that millions of people would voluntarily choose to be silent and manage to actually stick with it for longer than a few hours-- requires significant suspension of disbelief. Similarly, much of the political response is overblown, with all the world leaders making speeches simultaneously about how they're going to deal with this new phenomenon. If covid has taught us anything, it's that there's no way the world would come up with a unified response to anything like this! These, any other similar elements, meant that I spent the majority of the novel thinking, "that would never happen" rather than "that's so true."

(and a very small, irrelevant point… in the acknowledgements, Malik thanks a friend for helping her with the ins and outs of the UK immigration system, yet, as someone who's recently gone through that system, her depiction of the immigration process seemed vague and inaccurate. I was never sure exactly where in the process Zainab was; she mentions getting her citizenship, but to be applying for citizenship she'd already have Indefinite Leave to Remain, in which case she wouldn't be in danger of being deported. So I can only assume she's in the process of applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain, in which case I don't understand why they keep referring to it as citizenship or naturalisation. Not a big deal, but for a novel that's trying to be realistic about our political/judicial system, it seems like a missed opportunity for detail.)

Overall, I realise this review is quite a negative one for a four-star book. I think my frustration is that there's so much good stuff here, and Malik is so obviously a talented writer, that I just feel the novel could have been better. A little more focus on the characters' storylines, a little more believability in the political landscape, and this would have been a really powerful novel. As is, though, it's still a solid, thought-provoking read.

[Niamh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so well paced and had a fresh narrative with lots of representation.
✨INTER✨SECTION✨ALITY
I did race through it at the end, but I didn't know exactly how it would close up.
I find it unlikely that Aadhi and Sara end up together (?), plus I actually felt Sara's character was a bit flat. My favourite was Zainab's story.
My edition from the library had a number of typos (but I'm that kind of reader).
Definitely recommend this - a mix of feminism, dysphoria, fantasy.

[G.J. Minett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will come as something of a surprise to readers who have enjoyed the light-hearted tones of the Sofia Khan novels but not to anyone who has read between the lines and picked out the subtext and thought through the implications of Sofia's chaotic life. 'The Movement' is a fiercely critical examination of the same world but much more direct in its approach to capturing the zeitgeist. It's not entirely without humorous touches but it's an altogether more acerbic examination of the world we now live in, written with fierce intelligence and a sharp eye for detail.

Ayisha Malik has taken a simple premise - the despair of a young, prize-winning novelist at the constant scream generated by social media and the ruthless hijacking of a simple gesture by others seeking to further their own agendas - and produced a fierce indictment of the world we've created for ourselves. Ten years ago it might have been dismissed as fanciful but you only have to look at the events of the past few years to appreciate the prescience and intelligence that has gone into the writing of this novel and anyone who comes away from it without feeling uncomfortable about his own passive response to what has been happening around us is almost certainly sleepwalking.

I wasn't sure this was going to be my sort of novel when I tackled the first few pages. By halfway I'd realised these reservations said all I needed to know about my own complacency. I really think this ought to reach as wide an audience as possible.

5 stars for me.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

One phrase to describe this novel? Thought provoking.
The Movement begins with Sara Javed, a successful author, on the eve of her winning a coveted literary award, when Sara decides to become silent. This means so more social media but also, and more importantly being non-verbal. A decision by Sara to gain some control and peace in her life from the constant voices, some escalates and becomes a global movement with people fiercely divided between bing verbals and non-verbals. Sara ha d never intented for her actions to be followed by anyone else, nevermind being the figurehead (or spokesperson so to speak) for this huge movement and subject to such tense political debate.
Laik uses the novel to address several contemporary and controversial topics such as the covid-19 vaccination debate, Brexit and UK politics and she is careful to provide opinions and ideas from all ideas so as to avoid being politically biased herself in the novel.
Certainly a though-provoking read in a time where power of remaining silent proves to be as powerful as shouting.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I have suffered so long from an inclination to tell people to shut the fuck up that I've decided to take my own advice. I have decided to shut the fuck up."

Sara has had it with words. They don't mean anything, they don't do anything. So one fateful night when she is supposed to accept a prestigious book award, she explodes into silence.

One year on, non-verbalism has taken root in wider society. People have come together in solidarity, to connect with humanity on a deeper level beyond words. Grace is risking everything for her faith in the movement and connection with her non-verbal son. Zainab has been told by men who is so often she isn't sure if her words hold any meaning now. And journalist Aadhi is trying his best to keep his voice raised and speak out against the movement, and it's originator.

Along with Sara's old friend Roxy, Aadhi is working to create a documentary that will break Sara's silence and reveal everything she's never said. If silence can really give somebody a voice. And what would happen if that silence breaks.

"Silence had been called many things: a subtraction; a bewitchment; an oppression; a reflection. But, in the unravelling of the self and of lives, one could not deny that it had, to so many, been a revelation."

The Movement is an intersectional feminist power house of a novel. Creating a speculative world where people seize their power using quiet weapons - silence becoming a form of solidarity for every person who doesn't have an equal voice. It becomes a way to connect, a way to reflect and truly think about how we interact without filling the silence.

Raising dangerously sharp observations about systemic racism, sexism and the outdated justice system that plagues society. Told through captivating snapshots of past and present from multiple points of view, interspersed with press releases, documentary snippets and media creating a fully immersive world. Capturing not only the people who find piece and connection in the movement, but the side of oppressors and bigots scared of losing control in a world where people are embracing difference as well as similarity.

The characterisation was masterful - each personal crafted perfectly to create a visceral, gut reaction from the reader. Every woman will deeply recognise the anger and fury in their souls, sick of being told they're difficult, or too emotional, or being treated as an object by the overbearing patriarchy.

This powerfully polarising story is not only a statement on contemporary culture, but a strikingly real statement on the power of human connection.

"If people didn't have an equal voice, then silence was solidarity."

[Karen Mace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! This has gone straight into my favourite books of 2022!! This is one of those books that is perfect for the times we are living in as it balances out so many pros and cons of this ever increasingly loud world that we live in nowadays. Once I'd started this book I just couldn't put it down!

Sara is a successful author, but she's sick of the shouty world she finds herself living in. People jostling for their opinions to be heard and shared online and IRL - something I think we can all relate to! - so she does the unthinkable and takes a vow of silence. Much to the disgust of her Publishers who want her to accept awards, make speeches etc about her book. So The Silent Movement begins and her silence gets the world talking, and makes a lot of people worry.

Two women she inspires, Grace and Zainab, then share their stories of their journey into the Silent Movement and I loved seeing different perspectives of other characters and the dialogue it sparks between people. Women have fought so hard to have a voice so is the actions of people joining this movement, undermining all that women fought for?! Or is there more power in silence?

The story is told over a number of years and follows these women on their different paths and the reactions over the world are quite staggering. A lot of powerful people are worried, and the parallels with how we found ourselves living fairly recently with strict guidelines really struck home with me. The governments try banning the movement, the resistance grows - it throws up so many moral questions that you will find yourself for and against it at some point as you read!

it also throws out the dilemma that are some people just making noise for the sake of it? By people being quiet they find themselves with more time to think, and deleting social media also makes them happier individuals.... so very true of our reality now!

This is an epic book that centres on the right to choose, something also very central to the world of today. This is a book that made me think so much about what I say, how to say it and how our actions can impact so much, especially around the subject of feminism and women's rights. A staggering book that needs to be read by all!! Go buy it!! Thank me, silently, later!!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone has a voice, but it's your choice whether to use that voice or not.
When Sara Javed, an up and coming author is about to win the literary award of her dreams, she chooses to stop talking. This has far reaching consequences and divides and changes the world with people choosing to be verbal or nonverbal. Verbal and nonverbal cafe's, restaurants, maternity units and offices spring up and people choose this way to make a stand.
Very soon Sara finds that she is the figurehead of ' The Silent Movement '. How did that happen? In this role Sara soon finds out that there is tension and uncertainty as protests increase and the future for all is uncertain.
This book is certainly written for our times with references made to Brexit etc. Very thought provoking. How easily can something take over and in how many directions can it go?
Silence can be deafening as shown in this gripping novel.

[Linda Amos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Javed is to receive a prestigious book award. Turning up late is one thing but in jeans is a scandal. She says nothing to anyone, even on stage, and walks off. She has taken a vow of silence, which starts a polarising movement in her own world and globally. Confusion reigns around the world as people are divided into Verbal, Non Verbal and Semi-Permanent Non-Verbal who choose to speak at certain times. Simple things like ordering a coffee is now fraught with uncertainty. We also meet Grace, a single mum, who has to leave her legal job when she chooses to become Non-Verbal. Zeinab, a newly married woman, whose husband abuses her has to find a way out of her marriage and stifling extended family.
I found this a thought-provoking story. How would my world be affected if I stopped communicating? How could I do my job? The extent to which everyday life would change makes you think. It could be quite a sombre book but really shines a light on how connected we are to technology and what feminism means to some people. We found our reliance on the internet and mobiles during the pandemic was considerably increased so perhaps this story is a gentle warning that we should get back to being human again and use technology for the tool it is rather than being slaves to it.
Thank you for a free copy from Bookends in exchange for a review.

[Catherine Clapperton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intelligent, insightful book that really captures the current political situation in such a masterful way. Ayisha manages to cover themes such as feminism and the power in using your voice or indeed the consequences and/or power of remaining silent.

The book cleverly explains that people are deciding to be either verbal or follow the "Silent Movement". This is exactly as you imagine in that those practicing the silent movement are precisely that, silent, to varying degrees. Some completely so whilst also abandoning social media, to those who speak for a set amount of time i.e. in work hours or a particular number of hours throughout the day to those who speak freely.

As a reader, it was fascinating to think of the power of these options. For example if you choose to only speak for a set amount of time, I imagine you'd feel a lot of pressure to make those words count.

I won't spoil what happens to the characters in each of their scenarios, but this is one book that'll get you thinking and stay with you long after you finish the last page

[Zoe Radley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a book. It’s powerful, moving and also incredibly relevant for today. Would going totally silent by influencers or celebrities really make a difference? And if it did would it happen like this… managing to change a government and societies way of life. I am not sure it would be that simple or that sudden and even then am not sure it would go quite as this book says. What I loved about it was how it forced you to look at how we view each other and how our differences can be manipulated quite easily to force a divide such as Brexiteers Alva Remainers being one. There are so many strong characters within this story and some that have a lot more empathy and emotional maturity than others. This book is a brilliant and thought provoking novel and one that will stay with you for a long time.

[Amanda Huggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, bold and smart, The Movement is a thought-provoking work that packs a really hard punch. Sara Javed, an author about to win an important literary award, chooses to stop speaking and discovers that silence can be truly deafening. She becomes the figurehead for ‘The Silent Movement’ inspiring others around the world. As silence gains strength, division and uncertainty grow, and the lives start to fall apart, including those close to Sara. A novel for our messy times, this is a truly original book filled with eye-opening observations. It wasn’t what I expected, and I’m not sure I would have picked it up in a bookshop because it isn’t my usual type of novel, but I found it an absorbing read and finished it really quickly.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 23%. I'm not a fan of books with timelines that jump around. I'm sure it's very rewarding when they all slot together and you understand why that one character in 2010 was important to the story in 2022, and if you like this kind of book more power to you! This is a great example of one. I'm grateful for the chance to try it out, but it just wasn't for me, sadly.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a brilliant and thought provoking story, perfect for this age of noise. It's a strong novel, a novel about choices and how women's choices are always subject to critics.
I liked the storytelling and the style of writing, it's an interesting and engrossing book. even if a bit slow at the beginning.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Yassmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a bold idea, thought provoking and really well done. Congratulations, Ayisha!

[Jenifer Lavery · Rating 4 out of 5]

The silence

Interesting and provocative I enjoyed this whilst disliking most of the characters. The ending surprised me though .worth a read

[Puddles]

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc.

Sara Javed has had enough of echo-chambers, of not being heard above the noise and being forced to comment on things when she has nothing to say. So she does the only thing she can: she stops talking. But her vow of silence doesn’t bring her the peace she is looking for and before she knows it she is the head of a movement that sweeps the nation. And then, the world.

Malik imagines how silence pulls us together and pushes us apart, its power in sending a message and the self-contained echo-chamber you find yourself in when faced with silence. The concept of the silent movement spreading like a virus, mutating through its different forms was not one I initially found appealing but Malik really makes it work, exploring different narratives and creating a multifaceted and layered novel. I especially liked women, who have traditionally been silenced, reclaiming this silence for themselves and being the subject of outrage, the ultimate metaphor of women being unable to do anything without facing criticism.

The Movement is slightly reminiscent of “Beautiful World, Where Are you?” in that it contains the pressures authors face when their books start to garner recognition and audiences become fascinated with their lives. However, unlike Rooney, this remains a small portion of the book and Malik uses this to explore the responsibility authors have to society, if at all - which is something I found deeply fascinating.

This novel draws many parallels to this day and age and ultimately is essential reading. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if people started to withdraw from the world, this is certainly the book for you.

[Helen Fincham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great concept with distinct and likeable or questionable characters, mainly women, based across the U.K. not just in London! The beginning was far too slow, but it picked up and became really interesting until the last 40 pages, which were anticlimactic and undeveloped really.

I found myself questioning what needs to be said and who needs to be listened to, and indeed wishing some people would shut the f up 😂 signs of the author’s brilliant philosophising. Twitter/Facebook etc. absolutely have problems of provoking narcissism, popularism, lack of nuance and empathy, flash judgements, news being a flash in the pan. The author highlighted many ways we can look inwards for improvement.

I definitely read traces of a fantastic book The Power by Naomi Alderman, but I wouldn’t call The Movement that feminist… there was a lot of talk about women BEING oppressed, but not how, except for Zainab’s story.
Incidentally, I powered through Zainab’s story and Grace’s was rather interesting. I really liked Aadhi because of how annoying yet real he felt + his redemption.
Sara’s, however, always felt dull in comparison.
I’m not a fan of the writing style, it doesn’t flow for me.

Grace should have had a Mancunian accent and mannerisms. Zainab’s husband should sound Glaswegian. Her mother Pakistani. Instead they all just sounded like Londoners, which always takes me out of the scene.

[Toni Kely-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a big reader of contemporary fiction, but occasionally read the genre for a change. I went into this book expecting an “okay” read but I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. The premise is of an award winning POC author who makes a vow of silence as a form of protest. The movement then goes viral (ironically only after a white influencer claims they are “non-verbal”)

I enjoyed the social, cultural and political insights through the different characters (all women of colour) included in this book. Whilst at times the premise felt more of a satire (eg. corporations being “inclusive” by employing and valuing “non-verbals”) it also (like good satire does) demonstrates how extremes are hurting us and whilst women have been silenced and not allowed a “voice”, silence can also be powerful (particularly when “non-verbals” aren’t on social media and it impacts the vested interest of companies wanting to sell us things!!!)

I wasn’t disappointed by the ending either because it felt so authentic and true – what is so important to us now will become a part of history and the majority of us we will be forgotten (I do sometimes wonder what will happen with all the social media photos and comments, etc. we feel is so important now will mean for future generations – maybe they will be consigned to some dark corner and forgotten like out-of- print books from the past…..lol)

[Hafsa Lodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so grateful to have been introduced to Ayisha Malik at Bradford Literature Festival because although I had seen the book cover for “The Movement” making the rounds and was intrigued by the story, becoming acquainted with the author IRL gave me the motivation to finally read it!

What a thoughtful, layered story about one woman’s decision to just “shut the f*** up”, provoking a GLOBAL movement of “non-verbalism.” While Sara embarks on this journey for her own personal reasons, it sparks a social and political revolution that threatens to topple the world order. I loved that the main characters were all diverse, people of colour, that they were writers. The thought and detail that went into Sara’s family background was also refreshing to read. These are not the stereotypical Brown characters in Britain that we often read about; Ayisha’s characters are as boundary-pushing as her storylines.

“The Movement” is not just a story of a hypothetical trend that could rock the foundations of society – it is a lesson for all of us to reflect on how, and why we use our words.

[Liz Mistry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a quirky, completely relevant and fascinating premise for a novel - particularly in todays world wher 'who shouts loudest' seems to be the norm.
Ayisha, with wit, directness and perspicacity cuts through the clamour in this gem of a novel which embraces three women embracing a change in their lives that becomes a global concept.
The sad thing about this theme is that , although fiction, it desn't read as altogether unbelivable and that is quite a chilling concept.
The message I took from this was that how you say something - how you express yourself is as important as what you say.
I found The Movement put a timely spotlight on the value and power of voice.
This will be a novel that stays with me for some time to come.

[Helen Salsbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comparable to Naomi Alderman's The Power in scope, but with far more engaging characters and a gentler, far more engaging concept. I was so drawn to the alternative world Malik created, to the ideas she explored. And yet, this is no escapist novel. Because Malik doesn't flinch from exploring the more destructive aspects of the way we live now. And even though this is in effect a parallel world - it's a parallel world which has a lot to say about our world. It's a brilliant piece of writing, and in my opinion Malik's best yet.

[Jamie Klingler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was really interested in this; especially given that I unexpectedly found myself in the middle of a movement for the last fifteen months and all of the upheaval and expectation that comes with that. There are moments where she strikes with absolute clarity about infighting and hypocrisy and confusion- but lots of other places where she completely lost me. Think the book had incredible ambition, but got muddled along the way.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really unusual and interesting plot. The book had written in ‘modern day speak’, which made it feel current. The dystopian society scenario fired up my imagination, and I really wanted to know how it all resolved. However, the characters were less well developed, to the extent where I felt little connection with any of them.

[Arc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise but just too long for me