Review of Voiceless

[Jorge Leon Salazar]

It is difficult to imagine the tough challenges the author has faced for not being able to speak. Without a doubt, her story is an example of perseverance in the face of hardships and believing in oneself.

[Brienna Cooper]

Great review! Right off the back, this story is WILD. However, just based on human nature alone, it’s unfortunately very real and believable. It’s great to know that there’s more awareness and progress with not only the disabled themselves, but also with just how consciously or unconsciously one can engage in acts of ableism. We need books like this one to continue putting all of this at the forefront.

Congrats to the author on BOTD!

[williams Emerald]

I haven’t read Voiceless by Marie McCreadie yet, but the story of her navigating life without a voice sounds incredibly moving. I’m inspired by her resilience and how she adapted to her new reality. This book is definitely on my reading list now.

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Voiceless" by Marie McCreadie.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Voiceless by Marie McCreadie is a nonfiction book that provides insight into the author’s life during an extremely challenging time. When Marie was a teenager, she became extremely ill with a sore throat. Although she eventually became well enough to resume school and other normal activities, she did not regain her voice. At first, it seemed temporary; however, as days and weeks went by it became obvious that she would have to learn to live with her new reality. She continued to attend her Catholic school but could not participate in class the way she once did. Instead of speaking in class, she had to write everything down. She always carried a tablet and pen with her so that she could communicate with teachers and classmates.

Marie shared some of the harsh treatment she was forced to endure by classmates and adults who thought she was faking her illness for attention. It was shocking to learn that priests and nuns at her school told her God was punishing her for being evil and that is the real reason she could not speak. It was heartbreaking to read how some people treated a young girl going through such a challenging time in her life. Marie’s parents wanted what was best for her, but with conflicting opinions from doctors, psychologists, and the school, they seemed overwhelmed with how to help her.

What I loved most about this book was the honesty with which the author told her story. At times, it was like reading a diary of Marie’s innermost thoughts and fears. At other times, it was an expose of the treatment of people with disabilities. She had help from honest people who saw her potential. She was always very smart and learned quickly. However, some people took advantage of the fact that she could not speak. They either treated her as less than them because she could not talk, or they saw ways to take advantage of her because she could not respond vocally. I lived that her parents gave her a whistle to always have with her when she moved away from home for work. Since she could not scream for help if she ran into trouble, this provided her with a way to combat that limitation.

There is nothing that I disliked about this book. It is an honest account of the author’s unique experiences living with a disability. People take for granted their ability to speak. The author’s experiences convey the unique challenges she faced. Marie was a very social person. She loved music and dancing. She loved spending time with her friends but had difficulty participating in conversations. She would write everything down but if the conversation moved too fast, then it would be too late to add to the conversation by the time she wrote down everything she wanted to say. It was an eye-opening book that puts the reader in Marie’s shoes to understand her challenges.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy nonfiction stories about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself. No matter how bad things got, Marie was a strong person. She learned to depend on herself to get through the challenging times. I saw only a few errors in the book, so I believe it was professionally edited. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars. I would not rate it any less than 5 stars because it is beautifully written and provides an honest depiction of the challenges the author faced during her life.

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Voiceless
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Most readers can speak, so this book allows them to step into the shoes of those who cannot. Those who cannot would be glad that this book is an accurate representation of their lives. Gotta remind ourselves never to take our gifts for granted. It is great to see the author overcome her obstacles from her muteness. Congratulations on winning Book of the Day!

[Abhishek Kumar Gupta]

"Voiceless by Marie McCreadie sounds like an incredibly powerful and inspiring read. The raw honesty with which Marie shares her story and the unique challenges she faced are truly moving. It's heartbreaking to hear about the misunderstanding and mistreatment she endured, but her resilience and strength shine through. The book not only sheds light on the struggles of living with a disability but also highlights the importance of empathy and understanding. I appreciate your detailed review and am definitely adding this to my reading list. A 5 out of 5 stars rating is well-deserved for such a beautifully written and impactful story."

[Julius Peters]

Reading about how Marie’s parents equipped her with a whistle for safety was touching. It highlights the small yet significant ways people can adapt to their circumstances.

[David Driskill]

The review is very well-written and adds to my interest to read the rest of the book. I enjoy reading about stories where the protagonist overcomes adversity and difficult life experiences. I myself have a disability and books like this inspire me to write my own memoir.

[Seetha E]

A young girl named Marie McCreadie developed a sore throat and lost her ability to speak. She endured harsh treatment from people who assumed she was faking it. To make matters worse, the people from the House of Faith said that she deserved what was happening to her as punishment for her supposed bad behavior. I am interested to read about Marie.
...the review provides a great summary of the book.

[Dheera Kalota]

From your insightful review, Voiceless by Marie McCreadie seems like an inspiring tale of courage and determination. All of us face some difficult times in our life but her story is really inspiring. Thanks OBC for selecting it as book of the day.

[Pranav Dewangan]

It sounds like a powerful and inspiring read. The author’s honest portrayal of her struggles and resilience in the face of adversity is truly moving. I’m impressed by how she navigated her challenges and the support she received

[Obido Samuel Chiemerie]

Marie McCreadie’s strength and resilience in ‘Voiceless’ is deeply inspiring. Her story shows how one can persevere and find ways to communicate despite immense challenges.

[Gladis Ratish Kumar]

The review offered valuable insights. The book appears intriguing, especially as it explores the author's personal life experiences and struggles with a sudden speech disability. I am eager to delve into the book to learn more.

[Nemanja Jankovic]

"Voiceless" by Marie McCreadie is a book in which the author writes about challenging periods in her life. When Marie was a teenager, she experienced sore throat, but even when she recovered, it was not complete because she never regained her voice. At school, for example, she could not talk to teachers and schoolmates.

[Olga Markova]

I enjoyed reading your review, Theresa! I sampled this story, and the account of the hardships Marie's Nana and parents endured before they left for Australia felt very sad. I have yet to read the episode you mention of the whistle Marie's parents gave her to protect her as she could not scream if in trouble, but I agree that it was a very wise act of parental care!

[LaShanna Tripp]

I cannot imagine the pain and horror of confronting a loss of voice at such a young age! And this was a time when cell phones didn’t exist so Marie faced a battle contributing to conversations in her attempts to write down her thoughts. This book could be a welcomed read in high schools so students and adults learn not to judge and make assumptions.

I find it appalling that not even the adults in her life could be positive examples to her and encourage her during such a challenging time. I look forward to diving into this book even more and sharing it with my own children. I am most certain this affliction wasn’t a curse, but a spiritual coming-of-age to prepare Marie for the pruning of false friends from her life who couldn’t be with her on her journey to ultimate success. God bless you, Marie!