The Whispers by Ashley Audrain: Book Review

The Whispers follows four suburban families and the choices they make after a child ends up in the ICU.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to my local library for purchasing this audiobook.

From The Publisher:

The Loverlys sit by the hospital bed of their young son who is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night; his mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night: the warm, altruistic Parks who are the Loverlys’ best friends; the young, ambitious Goldsmiths who are struggling to start a family of their own; and the quiet, elderly Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability, and who pass the long days on the front porch, watching their neighbors go about their busy lives.

The story spins out over the course of one week, in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face the secrets within the walls of their own homes, and the uncomfortable truths that connect them all to one another. Set against the heartwrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between death and life, or a life changed forever, The Whispers is a novel about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children’s. Exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy, this is a novel about the reverberations of life’s most difficult decisions.

My Thoughts:

If you enjoyed the author’s book “The Push” you will be happy to know that “The Whispers” has the same feel. I love the combination of Women’s Fiction and Thriller which will make you want to read this book in one sitting.

The book is character-driven. The reader is introduced to several characters from the neighbourhood each holding their own secret which include infidelity, sudden death, and fetal loss. We learn of the challenges of motherhood, particularly of those with children with special needs, and the regret that sometimes accompanies it.

The neighbourhood is also full of gossip and the need for perfection. A mother hosting a birthday party is heard berating her child through an open window and feels humiliated and embarrassed. She knows that the women will be talking about her. When this same child ends up in the ICU a few weeks later she knows the neighbourhood will question her involvement. The reader does not know the events that led to the cause of the child’s injuries nor if any other person was involved. That is, until the last sentence of the book.

I listened to the audiobook version of The Whispers which was narrated by Jill Winternitz. Her tone was pleasurable and I appreciated the enthusiasm for the book palpable in her performance. I would not hesitate to recommend this format to those that enjoy audiobooks.

I highly recommend this book to those readers who enjoy propulsive thrillers set in neighbourhoods.

Another Book I’ve Reviewed Written By Ashley Audrain:

The Push