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Whispers in Autumn is a young adult dsytopian science fiction, but don’t let that moniker scare you. While that might be it’s label, Whispers in Autumn is really the story of a teenage girl who has always known that she is different. Only her difference doesn’t just make her lonely, it’s dangerous. The locket she wears around her neck with a note tucked inside proves it. It tells her that she’s Something Else, there are more like her, but to trust no one. In Althea’s world, people are dutiful and calm and Althea has spent her entire life hiding that she is neither. She’s accepted that this is her life until things begin to change. The Wardens have suddenly announced that they will begin to question students in Althea’s grade.
And while her head is swimming with worry that she will be found out, she meets Lucas. She notices right away that Lucas isn’t quite “normal” either, but she’s been told not to trust anyone. Could he be like her? And what about the new boy Deshi? As the autumn progresses, Althea searches for answers because trying to blend in with the rest of society is no longer an option. The Others are trying to search her out and she has to find out why.
Whispers in Autumn is not only a gripping story but beautifully well written. Trisha effortlessly blends gorgeous prose with sci fi, dystopian, romance, and a mystery so that you no longer see the monikers but just the story: A girl who not only wants to survive but wants to belong somewhere.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sarah-UK
Posted September 24, 2012
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis as part of the ‘Last Year’ blog tour. Thanks to Trisha Leigh.)
16-year-old Althea has secrets. Firstly, she’s not really Althea Morgan, in fact she doesn’t know who she really is at all. And secondly, she’s not like all the other humans either.
Althea lives in a society where humans are brainwashed by alien life forms known simply as ‘others’. The Others seal the humans in an area surrounded by electric fences, claiming to be protecting them from the animals outside who carry disease. Humans are paired up at 16, are allowed one child to each pair, and always have a smile on their faces. They never feel emotion, not fear, or love, joy, or pain. It’s all bottled up inside and purged once a year by the others.
Althea is different though. The other teenagers at school look through her as if she’s not really there, they never really see her. Althea feels all the emotions that the other humans don’t, but more than anything she feels alone. Althea has a message inside her necklace that tells her that she is different and that she needs to hide this. Althea doesn’t really know what the message is about, but she knows to take its advice.
Another strange thing about Althea is that she ‘travels’. She spends springtime with the Hammonds, Autumn with the Morgans, and winter with the Clarks in Iowa. Each time she travels and wakes up in a different place Althea feels more alone than ever – who or what is she? Why does she travel between the seasons this way? Why has she never seen summer? And why does she heat up enough to melt things when she feels strong emotion?
Change is in store for Althea though with the appearance of a boy at school who smells strangely of pine, and she wonders if he is maybe like her. He seems to feel emotions too, and he isn’t like the other humans, he doesn’t always have a smile on his face.
But what is Althea really? Is Lucas really the same as her? Who are the ‘others’, and what are they doing here? And what will happen to Althea if the others realise how different she is?
I loved this book. The writing was just beautiful and flowed so well. The story was well paced, and had plenty of mystery, and even a touch of romance. The world building in this dystopian society was complex and well-thought out. There were several differences between this society and ours, and even different words for things, eg: school was called ‘cell’ (a much better description if you ask me!)
The storyline in this book was complex too, there were so many things that made Althea different, and made her life different that it is difficult to explain them concisely!
I loved Althea and Lucas, they were both just great characters, and both had their own problems, their own quirks, and their own way of dealing with things. The subtle romance between them was beautifully done, and totally left me wanting more! I loved all the little quirks each had, and how they learned to use their differences to help themselves, and I loved the constant ‘threat’ from the ‘others’. It was also great how Althea and Lucas had finally found each other, and weren’t quite so alone any more.
Overall; I loved this book, it’s one of the best that I have read this year! If you like books like ‘the hunger games’ you’ll love this!
9 out of 10.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.'Whispers in Autumn' is the first book in the Last Year series, a young adult dystopian that follows Althea and Lucas as they discover the truth about who and what they are, and as they try to bring down the Others before humanity is destroyed.
I found this to be a really engaging and interesting novel. The writing was very well done and the plot line was amazing. I was hooked from the first page and I couldn't stop reading until the last sentence. The story takes place in a dystopian future - one that is super creepy - but the author did such a great job at world building that it didn't seem impossible that it could happen in our future. The characters are unique and I immediately felt connected to Althea and her struggle with loneliness and feeling like she was somehow wrong in the world. I really liked the character of Lucas - he was the yin to Althea's yang and they make a great team in the novel. The other characters - especially the Others and those that work for them - were written in a very edgy and chilling way.
The setting was intricate and was easy to visualize, which worked well with it being set in a dystopian future. I thought the plot was refreshing and brought something really intriguing to the genre. The vocabulary that is used just added to the mystery and other-worldliness of the book, which I thought was a good fit. This book definitely leaves you at the edge of your seat, trying to figure out what's really going on and what will happen next. It was a great start to a series I'm sure will be just as amazing as the first book proved to be.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 14, 2013
I love this book and im soooooooo excited to get the second book. I cant wait to find out what happens to lucas and althea. I recommond this book if your looking for a good read that will take you a few hours to finish.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 10, 2013
I havent read the book but my name is autumn... so it MUST be cool. Buy it!!!!!!!!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 3, 2012
If you can read a book and get through it without questioning it's structure and grammar then it's a good book. When there are no forseeable holes in the storyline and it flows smooth so much you don't want to put it down, then it's a great book. If you can smell the smells, taste the tastes, hear the sounds, and feel the pain, then it's an amazing piece of art ... downright utterly amazing.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.BookWhales
Posted July 28, 2012
3.5 Stars!
There are many dystopian books out there but Whispers in Autumn has captured my interest. The blurb about aliens controlling the humans did it for me. I want something new and this book delivered something fresh.
The story is about a world run by aliens. Humans were enslaved by their mind control. Every move and emotions were controlled by them. Althea is an exemption. She’s lucid about everything. Though her uniqueness baffles her, why is she immune to their mind control? Who is this new boy named Deshi? Why are the Others searching for her? You have read this book to find out.
The world building is good. Like I said, it was new and fresh. The author took her time in describing Althea’s world. I admit that it took me a while to grasp the story. A lot of situations and mysterious characters were introduced that will build up your curiosity, which I like. Then the terms such as: Dissident, The Others, Something Else, Wardens and Cell (which is actually the word for school) confused me for a short while. The author dives into the story right away, expecting the readers to grasp it instantly. And I’ am a kind of reader who wants to be spoon feed. I eventually got the hang of it after a few chapters.
The characters were well made. They were realistic! I adore Althea. I connected to her easily. I like her uniqueness and strength to find out who she is and why she’s different from the others. Lucas is my favorite character here. I like his personality and the way he see things. His soft spot towards his fish made me smile several times. Then Deshi, the mysterious boy gave spice to the story.
As for the love angle, it was slightly okay. Lucas and Althea’s relationship didn’t give me any tingling sensation. Though I find their relationship innocently cute.
Overall, this book is a nice read. Whispers in Autumn will charm dystopian, suspense and mystery lovers. I can’t wait to read another book from this author.
Anonymous
Posted May 1, 2013
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her ...