Official Review: Preda's Voice by Carolyn Gross

[L_Therese]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Preda's Voice" by Carolyn Gross.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Preda Torrance lives in silence. Afraid of the apparent destructive power of her voice, Preda chooses not to speak, instead resigning herself to perpetually hiding from the world and from her abusive father’s anger. It’s just Preda and Fiver, her pet cat, against the world until, after a particularly disastrous morning, a man with a detective’s badge pulls her out of class. Preda is about to have her eyes opened and her questions answered at last. Her name is not Preda Torrance. Her voice is much more than a bringer of misfortune. Her world is not what it appears to be. She may not even be human.

Preda’s Voice by Carolyn Gross is a fantasy novel for young adults. It is an exciting and intriguing story full of unexpected twists and turns. Ms. Gross imagines a whole other world and a complex social order complete with political machinations and maneuverings. It will keep you on your toes and compel you to turn the next page just to find out what will happen next.

In my opinion, the best aspect of this novel is the theme of growth and change. Although the core of her character remains consistent, Preda changes dramatically throughout the story, such that the Preda of the beginning would not have even dreamed that she had the potential to become the Preda of the ending. As she discovers more about herself, her voice, and the world around her, she grows and matures. Better yet, the character is periodically conscious of her own growth as she reflects on her journey. Also noteworthy is that she is not the only character to experience this kind of maturation. Since the novel is clearly aimed at a young adult readership, it is extremely appropriate to showcase character growth and evolution. After all, these young adult readers are almost definitely in a process of growth and change that will end up shaping their own characters for adulthood.

As I read this book and took notes for the review, I noticed that I didn’t have the usual smattering of negative reactions next to my list of positive ones. The novel seems professionally edited and, although there are some very dramatic moments, at no time is it inappropriate for a teenaged audience. The only weakness I can mention is a slightly overused storytelling device: the characters pass out a lot. By the final third of the book, the reader may start to notice a pattern of the narrating character (often but not always Preda) losing consciousness after an especially shocking or action-packed event. It’s a minor quibble, but the repetition brought it into focus.

Despite my caveat above, Carolyn Gross’s book Preda’s Voice has definitely earned 4 out of 4 stars. The only reason I put the book down at all after starting to read was because I had to work - and even then, I was reading on my break. As a fair warning to all readers, though, this book is the first in a series, and the ending will reflect that status. It isn’t a true cliffhanger, but it’s at least halfway there. Suspenseful endings aside, anyone who chooses to read this book will surely not regret the decision.

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Preda's Voice
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Like L_Therese's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Kourtney Bradley]

Great review! I will be adding to my list!

[AuthoressofMystery]

Sounds like an interesting read. Thank you!

[gali]

Sounds good! The premise captures my interest. The concept of "Her voice is much more than a bringer of misfortune", sounds unique.

Thank you for the great review!

[gnblackmanjr]

Nice review. Good catch on the "passing out" repetition. Thanks!

[signed]

Thanks for the review, will give it a try!

[fallenechoes]

Good review. Sounds like a good book to read even with that one "tick". I can't wait to start it. Thanks!

[TrishaAnn92]

Wonderful review! I am adding to my list!

[Vermont Reviews]

I found that you did a great review. I am glad to see that this made the cut for book of the day.
Vermont Reviews

[Strangerthanfiction]

Really great review. The book sounds really interesting. I love a book with lots of twists and turns. I grabbed a copy for myself.

[Kia]

This sounds like a really great read, thank you for your review!

[AbbyC]

Great review! Now I'm really interested in reading this!

[chocomeiske]

Thanks for your review. This sounds awesome. I'm already wondering all that she can accomplish with her voice; I'm intrigued.

[truebookaddict]

Fantastic objective review! This sounds like a YA novel that really stands out.

[MandalynnJDG]

Thank you for the review. It is great to see a young adult novel that allows the character to grow and realize that growth and reflect on it just as a normal teen would grow during that time in their life. I am glad that you were able to enjoy the book without any major flaws.