Whispers Through a Megaphone

Intriguing and quirky, sometimes charming novel of dysfunctional families. Miriam, at 35, speaks only in whispers - a product of an abusive mother. She hasn't left her house in three years and has decided to go outside. Ralph, who used to be a gardener and is now a psychotherapist, has decided his marriage is not what he wanted. Ralph's wife Sadie is addicted to tweeting and tweets everything in her life. Sadie has mixed emotions about her sexuality. A very interesting and though-provoking read! Congratulations to Rachel Elliott for her first novel!

Many thanks to Rachel Elliott, Steerforth Press ONE / Pushkin through NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely a quirky little book with extra quirky characters. I wasn't sure I would enjoy it at first, given the depth of some of the challenges faced by the characters, but Miriam and Ralph grew on me after a while. It's also very British but still very accessible to others. I like that the ending was a little unpredictable yet still very heartwarming.

Nominated for the Bailey Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2016 (which is a great way to discover books by the way), Ms. Eliot’s book is rich in both character and humor. A psychotherapist herself, her book showcases a depth and quirkiness that not many possess. Both Miriam and Ralph are battling their own issues, and Ms. Eliot takes what could be a dark and twisty book and makes it wonderfully humorous.
Miriam hasn’t left her house in 3 years, is immensely socially awkward, literally talks in whispers, and has suffered childhood trauma at the hands of a crazy and mostly absent mother (she was once found sweeping the corridors of Miriam’s school, naked). Being told to stay quiet all the time, Miriam has grown into an adult who whispers. She, however, does have some connection to the outside world through her friend, Fenella. The narrative truly begins when Miriam decides she wants to renter the normal world and do things like shopping and Zumba.
Ralph is the father of 16 year old twins, and is unhappily married to a closeted lesbian, Sadie. When one day he opens the doors of the closet, literally, and discovers that his wife never loved him, that he cannot relate to his sons, and that his life is a mess, he packs his bags and moves to a shack in the woods with a cat called Treacle. A chance meeting with Miriam leads to the start of an unlikely friendship, and the story of when Miriam met Ralph.
What I really loved about the book was the switch in perspectives – maintaining this shift without a narrational break is a difficult task, but Ms. Eliot manages it quite well. This is also where her background as a psychotherapist comes in play. Whispers through a Megaphone is written in a way which makes the reader delve into the psyche and the quirks of the human mind – and realise that at the end of the day, we all are a little dysfunctional.
It’s a great debut novel, and Ms. Eliot’s books (I’m hoping for more!) are going to be a regular feature on my bookshelf from now on. From the whimsical to the crazy, with a little bit of childhood abuse thrown in, Whispers through a Megaphone is a good read!

This is a most unusual book! It is very quirky and yet believable. There are three main characters and they all have major issues to say the least. The male character feels lost and numb and has no idea what he wants from life, his wife has decided she wants to be with a woman that she went to college with and the third person was raised by a mother who would only let her speak in whispers and she has not stepped outside her home in three years. All of them have major changes to their norm and their lives become a little less bizarre. I would highly recommend this book for people who love to read fiction that is not cookie cutter. Its great!

There were times when I loved this book, and other times that made me cringe. It certainly contains quite a few different 'trigger subjects,' and might not be appropriate for anyone who has experienced past trauma. However, the characters were written beautifully, and I really enjoyed the way the characters' lives were intertwined. If you can handle the dark points of abuse, then you will enjoy this book.

The writing of this book is well done. The characters are well developed and interesting. The characters are very engaging, I would have to say hat Miriam is my favorite. he best way to describe this book is to say it is about 2 dysfunctional families, Ralph's family and Miriams family. This book is well written and very much worth a read.

Miriam did something three years ago that has made her frightened to leave the house. On top of this, she is still dealing with the memories of her abusive and mentally ill mother. Ralph is depressed. He wants to be a gardener but is stuck as a psychotherapist. His wife Sadie is struggling with her relationship with her husband and her own sexuality. Then Ralph runs away from home and his own birthday party. Miriam decides that she is finally going to leave the house. The two have a chance meeting in the woods and find each other as unlikely supporters. Their friendship, how they deal with their individual issues, and the greater story around them make for a great read. Ms. Elliott tends her characters gently, lovingly, as she guides them through their difficulties and does an amazing job of presenting even the minor characters in true colors. Just a wonderful book!

Miriam, an agoraphobic woman, is staying at home all the time. Ralph learns a shocking revelation about his partner. The two have a chance meeting and strike up a friendship, of sorts. The characters are lovable but damaged; each one has to overcome regret and decide if they will stagnate or grow. Miriam is a three dimensional person and not just the paper victim of a mentally ill parent. "I'm not agoraphobic. I'm not scared of public spaces." She has an entirely different reason for her self-imposed isolation.