Book Review:
When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips
Published 2 May 202, Bantam Books UK

Synopsis:
Lou Manson is an outsider when she joins the final-year class at Highfield Manor, Dublin’s most exclusive private school. Beyond the granite pillars and the wrought-iron gates is a world of wealth, privilege, and potential. But Highfield is also hiding a dark secret – and Lou is here to expose it.

Review:
This debut from Fiona McPhillips is a gripping psychological thriller exploring trust, loyalty, and secrets.
Lou is an extremely likeable character, with, it has to be said, rather good taste in music of the era.
As Lou sets out to expose Highfield's secret, you feel like you're walking every step of that treacherous journey alongside her.
When We Were Silent is compelling, full of unexpected moments, and delicately written where needed. A brilliant introduction to this author!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

I absolutely devoured this book, reading it at every opportunity I could get. It’s that rare combination of brilliant writing and a compelling plot so that you have to keep reading. Set in a high school, both past and present, while the overriding theme is abuse, the novel also touches on class, addiction, friendship and relationships. A really absorbing book

This book is absolutely brilliant, one of those that you just can’t put down. I try not to have a review containing spoilers but to give this book justice I am going to have to.

This book contains two themes which have been really prevalent over the last few years in the media - sexuality (as well as people’s reactions to it) and the MeToo movement. These seem to be the subject matter of novels more and more and I sometimes find that I get pulled out of the story because I think ‘oh no not again’. However I didn’t with this book because it’s dealt with sensitively.

This is one of those books that writes about extraordinary circumstances in an ordinary way. That may sound like a detrimental comment but it is not. So many authors almost go over the top to nearly sensationalise their subject matter. This does not. For me this is the difference between a 3 star airport fiction book & a five star, gripping novel that affects you for days afterwards.

In the book, our protagonist goes through the nightmare that many victims of abuse worry they will have for speaking out. It’s almost enough to make you want to put it down as it’s a bit uncomfortable but the way this is written means you want to carry on, to finish the story and see it through. It’s easy to imagine yourself in Lou’s position, or in Shauna’s or in the shoes of many of the other characters. The descriptions of the scenes are perfect, just enough to attack the senses and make you believe that you are there, without being over the top. Framing the scenes through music is also great, you can place yourself in a gritty 80s drama. I also think that it’s set well in terms of place - sometimes books or dramas based in Ireland can seem stereotypical but this doesn’t.

I’m not really sure there’s too much more I can say on this, other than to say pick it up & read it.

Thank you to the author, publishers & NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Lou is a victim of a child abuse scandal covered up and denied by the elite private school where it happens. Years later, as an adult, she finds out that the abuse is happening again. Can she face going back into her past to uncover it once and for all?

I found it difficult to engage with this book, mainly because it jumps around in time fairly frequently and it’s difficult to link the characters as they were in the ‘past’ narrative to who they are in the ‘present’ narrative.

It’s obviously very difficult subject matter too so be warned that there are some very upsetting scenes.

Having said all that, I thought this book was very sensitively and carefully written and the plot is intricately drawn. A solid three stars.

I really enjoed this very well written, page turning thriller of a book. I started reading it going to bed Friday night and continued the next day, and didn't stop until i had finished it later the same day! The author really captures the angst of being a teenager and the twists and turns in the plot makes it difficult to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would highly recommend.

A thriller for non-thriller-readers - full of twists and shocking moments and SO well written. Complex female characters abound in 1980s Dublin of my teens surrounded by unwritten codes of power and respectability. Couldn’t recommend more. All the stars!

When We Were Silent isn’t an easy read by any means, but it is a brilliant, important one. It deals with very dark themes and issues, and it won’t be for everyone, but it’s right up my street and I’m so glad I read it. I’m still thinking about it weeks after finishing it, and that’s testament to just how affecting it is.

Set at Highfield Manor, a school in Dublin, When We Were Silent is the story of Lou and her friends, and their experiences at the hands of a man they should trust. It’s a clever exploration of two very different time periods and how each deals with abuse and rape, and the stark contrasts really show how bleak things were just a few decades ago.

All the younger characters are nuanced and realistic, showing their age and naïveté more than once. They’re living through nightmares much bigger than them, and how they take matters into their own hands is both frightening and commendable. The adults are less positive, showing just how much power age can bring, and how being believed and respected by your elders isn’t to be expected. Truly terrifying power dynamics are at play here, and it’s a real eye-opener for anyone lucky enough to have never experienced such a thing.

When We Were Silent is well-written, thought-provoking, and shocking. Again, I’ll emphasise that it depicts sexual abuse and its aftermath, quite explicitly, and how it ruins the lives of all involved. It’s a book sure to elicit discussions and debates, and I’m sure it’ll be popular as a book club choice. I’m already looking forward to more from Fiona McPhillips; after this promising debut, she’s definitely an author to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she tackles next.

4.5/5.

"When We Were Silent" is a book about so much more than high school girl drama. It's about lies, deceit, bullying, grooming, rape, friendship and moving on.
This book is a very emotional and suspenseful read. It hooked me in from page one and I honestly didn't see the story unravel as it did! The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because I did find it hard to follow at times with the way it was written in past and present, it didn't seem like a very smooth transition when it went back and forth but otherwise I loved it!

I really struggled with the first half of this book- I only stuck with it after reading the reviews- and I am glad that I did! The latter half picked up pace and was a true page-turner. A good book overall.

The writing is this book was excellent the pace and build up of tension kept me hooked. I definitely recommend it!

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was unlike any other one I have read before. The book flicks between then and now throughout so we gradually build a picture up of what Lou has experienced growing up at an esteemed private school. From the beginning we know something terrible has happened 30 years at Highfield manor. There was a teacher who acted inappropriately towards school girls he taught including Lou, Nina and Shauna - and in Lous own words ' One man Mr McQueen ruining everything' With everyone she loves fading away - her mum and friends , because of him she needs to decide to take action.
This book covers lots of serious subjects including rape, sexual abuse and alcoholism. The writing style I enjoyed and found this a real page turner to find out what happens. I will be recommending this book to others.

The novel starts in the present day with Louise Manson remaining forever haunted by her memories of her time at the exclusive Highfield Manor School in Dublin. She has buried secrets, lived with half-truths, which she has tried so hard to suppress over the years. However, it’s happened again, there’s a lawsuit and a lawyer wants her testimony, a corroboration, focusing on her friendship with Shauna Power in the 1980s. Lou‘s head pounds as her memories take her back to the 6th of December 1986, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The story alternates between her time at Highfield Manor, and in the present day where she’s tried to build a happy life from the ashes of the of the past, Then, in 1986, she is the sixth form scholarship girl, an outsider, an outcast amongst the elite and the entitled. However, Lou has an agenda, and a deep-seated reason to be there……

Oh my word – what a book. It really packs a punch and makes you feel something as it’s so well written and powerful. It’s dark that’s for sure and very intense throughout most of the book as it not only encompasses the trauma and impact of the abuse of #MeToo but it also looks at mental health as well as class divisions. It’s a gripping rollercoaster emotional read with revenge at its core.

The novel unsettles me from the beginning, there are characters, one especially, that gives you the creeps, making your flesh crawl. There’s toxicity in the 1980s in several areas and also in the present day, though that comes principally from social media. Both timelines demonstrate just how hard it is to get justice with the unfairness breaking your heart with the victim blaming, lack of belief or of ranks closing. There are so many lies. It’s almost hard to keep track of them all. However, there are some lovely moments too especially the friendships and the deep love.

In addition, the author really captures the 1980s in a multitude of ways, such as through the music and television, giving excellent context to the storytelling.

The novel builds, situations escalate, it’s totally immersive and a very hard book to set aside as I become desperate to know the outcome and what Lou and the others will do. The twists keep on coming, parts of the ending makes you gasp in shock and the rest makes you sigh in relief.

Overall, what an amazing debut. Fiona McPhillips is clearly very talented as the strength of her prose demonstrates. Despite the fact she’s telling a tough story, she does so very sensitively . This is a terrific book in my opinion.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Whilst in parts this book was a hard read due to the sensitivity of the story, it was truly gripping and I couldn’t put it down. Lou starts her final year at Highfield Manor, where she has gone to get revenge to expose a deep secret. I’d highly recommend this book, it’s honestly an amazing read

What is it that Lou needs to avenge? What is retribution anyway?

I was immediately invested in Lou and the impossibility of her mission in this dark morality tale of sexual politics and power. Mc Phillips expertly simmers her hero in a tense turmoil of class, abuse, memory and love. With breathless momentum , the novel delivers on its contract.

The writing throughout is tight, poised and unflinching. I can't wait to see what Mc Phillips does next.

This is absolutely a powerful and gripping thriller! I had no idea where the plot was going and was kept guessing the whole time. Its well written and incredibly engaging. It's well paced and just a really original storyline woth unique and well crafted characters. A really good read!

I really enjoyed this - the Irish boarding school setting and the Olympic swimming threads injected a freshness into a story we all know well. I look forward to reading what Fiona writes next!

This was a dark read that fills you with a sense of unease. I enjoyed the back and forth of past and present and Lou fills the character’s boots perfectly. I liked her. I was never sure how things were going to pan out which made me want to carry on reading. Overall I will be recommending but would say that it could be quite triggering for some.

Having loved The Anatomy of Scandal, I was very excited for this story also set in the world of academia, when the conflict is focused around sexual assault. This is an excellent and insightful read, showing the repercussions of a crime both for the victim and the perpetrators.

A compelling, powerful read that had me gripped from the start. An edge of your seat read which i could not put down. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy. A worthy five star read.

I raced through this spellbinding, gripping thriller about scandal and secrets at a prestigious girls school. I loved the dual timeline aspect, both storylines - past and present - compelling and shocking. I loved Lou, and Joe, and felt all the anguish of the girls not being believed. I loved the courtroom aspect, the way it changed the pace, and thought the ending was beautifully done.

It’s gripping, shocking and enraging, a story of lost youth, redemption and the power of speaking out, and it’s so beautifully written. Destined to be a huge hit - I thought it was wonderful.