Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Louise "Lou" Manson is the MC in this dual-timeline thriller dealing with sexual abuse at an exclusive parochial school in Ireland in the 90s. Lou is the lower-class daughter of an alcoholic single mum on scholarship (or so she thinks) at prestigious Highfield, and she's there to entrap the swim coach who abused her best friend and drove her to suicide. Her plan works a little too well.

In the present, the brother of Lou's classmate, popular, pretty, athletic, swim-team goddess Shauna Power wants Lou to testify in a case being brought against Highfield regarding another coach abusing a teenager, this time a boy.

McPhillips takes her time weaving the two stories together, allowing only snippets of the past to touch the current timeline, to the extent that it feels disjointed. It's only when she starts focusing on the past timeline in earnest that the story picks up. The treatment of the "sting" Lou fancies herself putting together is very typical teenage thinking to me and comes off as believable, as does the intensity of her friendship with Shauna (despite her ultimately not knowing all that much about her). A story about just that would've been better, I think. The timeline in the present day is less compelling and the addition of Lou's 14 year old daughter just muddles the story (and how did her wife not really know much of her past? Seems like it would have been unavoidable). The current-day story sort of flutters to a close with the only really compelling bit being the fate of Shauna.

McPhillips is definitely a writer to watch; hopefully her next book will be sharper in focus. India Mullen does a good job of demonstrating teenage angst with a beautiful accent. 3.5 stars rounded down

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio & Fiona McPhillips for an audio ARC of When We Were Silent in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Lou who is a new student at an exclusive private school in Dublin. While attending school there, she discovers a dark secret & decides she needs to expose said secret, which leads to problems for Lou & someone dead. Thirty years later, a lawyer is bringing a lawsuit against the school & desperately needs Lou's testimony. This is finally her chance to get to the bottom of the dark secret she tried to expose thirty years ago.

This book was so incredibly written. It will shake you to your core as it's very dark & intense for the majority of the book. Many relevant issues are at the heart of this story: wealth, privilege, mental health, #METOO, to name a few.

It took me just a minute to become completely engrossed as the novel starts out in present day. It really got going for me when we were taken to the past. This book was so gripping & difficult to put down. There was true nail-biting suspense throughout and the twists & especially the ending will leave jaws on the floor.

I HIGHLY recommend this book.

I had a really hard time following the story as I feel like there was so much happening and it could’ve been separated into multiple books. There was a lot of things happening that I just don’t necessarily agree with and I don’t love when books have political or touchy subjects as I don’t feel it’s necessary to the story.

Page-turning novel about sexual abuse and its effects on the victims. The timeliness of the subject and setting (a school covering up the crimes) is certain to resonant with many readers. Others may take offense at some of the sexual aspects, but I feel there was nothing gratuitous about showing the brazen brutality of the perpetrator. While the reader may figure out “the twist”, the deft writing that unspools the mindset/motivations of the various girls makes for a riveting, poignant read. The narrator also did an excellent job of bringing their voices to life.

Gripping story of an elite private school with a dark history and the student who could expose everything. Expertly narrated and well paced.

This book did not appeal to me the way I hoped it would. This book was very slow and I feel like it dragged for me. I almost gave up several times, but I kept going. This was just not for me. I did think the narrator was good.

I wish I could say I loved this book. The topic is an important one, but overall this book didn’t work for me.

We have the ubiquitous two timelines, with the before being Louise’s experience in high school, and the present being when the past comes back to haunt her thirty years later.

I was surprised by the heavy YA vibe. Most of this story is told in the before timeline. We see the high school situation play out in much more detail than I needed, including lots of meandering and repetitive day-to-day activity. Pacing is quite slow. Lou’s choices often didn’t make sense. I never understood what she expected to accomplish by putting herself in that situation.

I wanted so much more from the after timeline. I wish we’d seen the lingering effects of all the high school issues on Lou as she aged. I wanted to understand how she got to where she was. The story missed a major opportunity to show the long-term harm of abuse.

Every single character, including Lou, was unlikable. I struggled to find any connection.

The side story with Lou’s daughter, in the present timeline, was unnecessary and odd. Neither the girl’s character nor the storyline were well developed. Also, something major happened with the daughter that should have been a bright, flashing, glaring red flag, which Lou inexplicably chose to ignore. This didn’t sit well with me at all.

On the bright side, I loved India Mullen’s audio narration. Had I been reading this instead of listening, I probably wouldn’t have finished.

This is Fiona McPhillip’s debut and I’m looking forward to her next!

Louise Manson is a successful academic writer and teacher moving through her life when she receives a phone call from an attorney. Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school is the center of another scandal and her help is needed.

Louise has spent the last thirty years trying to forget what happened there all those years ago and is unsure she can take being dragged back. To do so could completely unravel her life.

When We Were Silent is told from two time periods.
The present – Louise struggles with the potential consequences should she decide to testify. But, if she doesn’t, can she live with herself? Not to mention, she’s being threatened. If she aids the defense, everything she did will come out. Is there some other way she can help the cause without testifying?
The past – Louise was able to attend Highfield as a scholarship student (or so she thought). She’s from the poor side of town and is an easy target for her wealthy classmates. She quickly befriends a few girls, makes the hockey team and even falls in love but soon everything comes crashing down and she is left in a place of despair and uncertainty.

WWWS is not a light-hearted read. It’s poignant and deals with many difficult subjects: alcoholism, suicide, abuse, betrayal and grooming to name a few. However, it’s very well-written with believable characters and sadly, feels like something that could actually or has actually happened. I can see it being turned into a TV series.

I listened to the audio version and the narrator was amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Fiona McPhillips for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A little confusing as an audio book

I listen to a of of audiobooks while doing other projects. That means I may miss a few seconds here and there when my attention goes elsewhere. This is normally not an issue but it meant that I was confused for the first half of this book. I was not aware that it went forward and backward in time. That is totally my fault as the narrator did mention it, but it was easy to miss in an audio version. I think a written copy would have made that clear.

The story was good (and sad, I mean, a coach who abuses his students!), but not that compelling. It was easy to stop listening and forget to start again. There were a few parts that I should have listened to again, as I missed parts like who exactly was the person who was searching for young males. But, I was not that curious.

The ending was good.

I loved. the narrator's Irish lilt.

All in all, a good book, but not one I will be rushing to push my friends to read.

Have you been searching for a gripping and thought-provoking read? Look no further than "When We Were Silent" by Fiana Phillips. Despite my initial doubts about a heavy topic, I was thoroughly captivated by India Mullen's exceptional narration. Her voice is truly remarkable, and it drew me in from the start. In fact, she has now become my favorite audiobook narrator.

The novel takes place in Dublin and tells the stories of several girls who attend the prestigious Highfield Manor School. The two main characters, Shauna and Louisa (Lou), will leave you heartbroken by the traumas they have endured in their young lives. Fast forward thirty years, and Lou faces a life-changing decision that will have profound consequences for herself and her daughter. Does she have the courage to confront Highfield Manor and its current and past teachers?

Phillips' book is a potent and emotionally charged narrative, bravely tackling the challenging themes of exploitation and retribution. These are issues that often go unspoken, but this novel shines a piercing light on them. It is a must-read for those seeking a story that will leave a lasting impression. I cannot stress its importance enough. Give it a chance, and you will be moved.
I just reviewed When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips. #NetGalley

Expertly narrated by India Mullen, a pleasant Irish accented voice to share such a gripping story of Louise Manson; the newest student at a private school. Sadly and with great risk she uncovers the ongoing abuse and the exploitation of female students.
The dual timeline in this novel highlighted the problem with authority covering up their misuse of power to the detriment of vulnerable young girls.
A powerful reminder to stand in one’s truth and not allow the lies and abuse and to call out the abusers.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
#NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #Goodreads #greatnarrators #MeToo #myserynovels #FionaPhillips #greatauthors

Overall really sad story, and a super heavy topic, though important.

The saddest part is how much Lou dealt with the disbelief or betrayal from so many people. I know that is realistic and unfortunately frequent with abuse but it felt like my worst nightmare and was difficult to enjoy some of the book for that reason.

I also struggled to like all the characters, with so much mean-girl attitude even in the adults. I could not stand Alex at all to the point that she just made me angry every time she showed up. With everything Lou went thru, her selfishness and lack of grace, not to mention her utter ridiculous advice to Lou about her daughter, made me hate her character.

Important and relevant topic but not one I really enjoyed, if I’m honest.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an advance copy of "When We Were Silent" by Fiona McPhillips. This was my first experience reading one of McPhillips' works. Initially, I found it challenging to get through the book, possibly due to the weighty themes it addressed.

However, as the story progressed, I appreciated how the ending neatly tied everything together, capturing and maintaining my interest. Despite this, I felt that the middle portion of the narrative was somewhat drawn out and slow-paced.

I began listening to the audiobook about 2 weeks ago and listened to it for my entire car ride. I made it through 16%. I have picked it up once since and made it an additional 4% to get to a total of 20%. I'm just not reaching for this book. It's not gripping me like I hoped for. I wouldn't consider it a thriller from what I've heard thus far. The narrator was fine. I appreciate the authentic accent for the region where the book took place. It would be strange to have an American narrator for a Scottish book so the narration is fine. However, I typically listen to audiobooks at 2x speed but couldn't with this one. I had to slow it down to 1.75x speed to be able to fully understand what was being said. I may try to pick up a hard-copy of this one eventually, but the audio version just wasn't holding my attention.

When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips is a masterfully written story which takes place in Dublin, Ireland at the prestigious private school Highfield Manor. As the story begins, Lou, the protagonist, lives with her wife Alex and fourteen year old daughter Katie. Lou is a well-established professor of literature at Trinity College. One day she receives an unexpected phone call that catapults her back in time and forces her to confront past mistakes, old forgotten friendships, and painful memories that have long been buried. This inciting incident sets the rest of the story in motion. The plot then toggles between the present and past (December 1986 to present day) bringing the reader into Lou’s teenage years as a student and swimmer at Highfield Manor. There, Lou faces the decision to keep a horrible secret in order to maintain her position as a student and competitive swimmer on the sought after swim club at Highfield. As the story progresses, Lou must navigate both worlds (present and past) to finally expose the years of abuse, cover-up and scandal at HighField.

As an avid reader and book collector, my preference is to hold the physical book in hand, turning the pages and annotating as I go. Rarely do I enjoy audio books, but I am glad that I made an exception in this case. The book was narrated by a female voice with an Irish accent which allowed me to have an immersive experience. It made the story come to life and feel more authentic. McPhillips creates an enthralling story with rich and sophisticated language, descriptive sensory details, captivating and realistic characters with raw emotion, and plot twists that keeps the reader guessing at every turn. Her craft as an author comes to light as she masterfully intertwines both parallel structures in the end. When We Were Silent is recommended for mature young adult readers as it contains language, LGBTQ sexual content, alcoholism and sexual violence. It is a must-read and a future Netflix series in the making.

I loved this narrator! She’s amazing and her voice was perfect, but this story was a trigger for me so I had to stop listening about halfway.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

India Mullen's narration of When We Were Silent is remarkably good. She conveyed the emotions of the characters convincingly and her narration definitely added to my enjoyment of this atmospheric and tense thriller.

When We Were Silent alternates between events of the past and the present. Louise Manson was a scholarship student at the prestigious Highfield Manor, a private school in Dublin. She comes to the school with an agenda and soon finds herself deeply involved until everything comes to a head one night. Now, 30 years later, Lou has been approached by a lawyer who wants her to testify about what she experienced all those years ago. But the implications of what that means for her life and family are hard to take.

The themes of the story are disturbing including grooming, abuse of power, classism, mental health, and suicide. The author did not shy away from the darkness and I felt like it could have been a true story. It is hard to believe this is a debut novel as the pacing and writing are excepional.

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy. This is my honest review.

This storyline dragged for me. I almost gave up many times. But I keep going. It just wasn't a great page turner.

Thanks to netgalley for the prerelease audiobook

Thank you MacMillan Publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

TW: sexual abuse, rape

As I read When We Were Silent I couldn't help but wonder whether or not McPhillips was reacting to recent news from Paris Hilton and others regarding the abuse that can occur at private schools. Couple that with the well-documented abuse within the Catholic Church and a story is born.
Set in Ireland the book focuses on MC Louise and journeys with her between THEN and NOW documenting how her life as a swimmer was deeply impacted by abuse suffered at the hands of someone she should have been able to trust.
What McPhillips did well was to detail the grooming process. I do think the reader was a bit cheated here, because Louise's story picks up with her "in the know" and expecting to be groomed. Because of this I am not sure the story held the power it might have otherwise. The insidious nature of breaking down a victim is so important to truly discussing abuse. McPhillips also does a good job detailing what it can be like for the abused, especially children, to come forward. She provides a cautionary tale of how adults can miss the mark.
The character of Shauna is vitally important to the story, but I found the story didn't develop her well enough. And honestly, her story quite literally peters into nothing by the end. That seemed like an odd choice and a disservice to the reader.
McPhillips adds a layer to the story through Lou's daughter. I found this to be a bit of a throwaway storyline and frankly, I wasn't impressed. A good editor could have edited out this unnecessary bunny trail.

I think the two timelines weakened the plot somewhat. I think McPhillips was trying to show how trauma can continue infecting lives when proper help isn't received. But in moving between two different eras the story lost its plot a little. I think I might have preferred the story be told in linear form with an epilogue. As it was the epilogue was a bit too neatly wrapped for me.

All my frustrations aside I did enjoy this story told as an audiobook. I didn't consider it a "thriller", but it had many of those elements and that held my attention. This isn't really a whodunit, but the reader isn't sure how the story will end or resolution will be reached. While the storytelling isn't as strong as I thought it could be, McPhillips wove together a good story.

Narration: I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator and had no issues with the accents and voice work.

Fiona McPhillips makes a splash with her debut novel, “When We Were Silent.” The book begins with an epigraph quoting “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde: “when we are silent/we are still afraid.” The next line of the poem is “So it is better to speak,” making “When We Were Silent” that speech.
Protagonist Louise Manson narrates the story through two time periods: her first term at “Highfield,” a prestigious Dublin day school in and then 30 years later, as an adult who has remade her life following the 1986 death of one of the Highfield community. Louise, aka Lou, has put the past behind her and does not speak of it. This becomes impossible however when another scandal has rocked the Highfield swimming club. Now a mother, she knows that being silent is no longer an option.

Lou is a relatable, albeit flawed, character. While she is blinded by her campaign to forget the past, we are able to see the ripples that have impacted her last 30 years. McPhillips’ writing is elegant. While the novel suffers from more “telling” than “showing,” I have no doubt that these issues will be addressed as her writing style matures.

TW: sexual abuse, substance abuse, mental health

“When We Were Silent” will be released in the US on May 21, 2024. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.