Book Description:
A family with a dark secret.
A child who refuses to speak.
Rosie must help her before it’s too late.
Nine-year-old Caitlin has a secret, but she cannot tell anyone about it. When her mother is sectioned under the Mental Health Act she and her three siblings have to go and live with her grandmother Julie and grandad Ryan.
Caitlin finds her new living conditions challenging: cat poo on the carpet, rubbish everywhere and the constant stare of her grandad – she retreats more and more into herself.
When foster carer Rosie Lewis meets Caitlin she knows something is deeply wrong with this little girl, who is withdrawn, afraid and refuses to speak. Rosie decides to take her in, but Caitlin’s silence continues, and Rosie knows she must act.
Why is Caitlin so afraid to speak?
Could it be that the family has a dark secret?
One that is so shocking it can no longer be hidden?
My Thoughts:
I’ve read a few of this author’s books now and they never fail to remind me what an important role a foster carer has. This book will give anyone who is considering fostering as well as outsiders a great insight into what it all involves and have to admit Rosie deserves a gold medal for her consistent patience.
Bartley one of the boys that features in the story who is Caitlin’s brother, he would threaten the patience of a saint but through Rosie’s training, you get to see little break throughs and see what a lovely natured boy that is buried underneath. It’s actually heart-breaking to see how an adult’s actions can greatly impact a child and have such a negative effect on them. My mind was going into overdrive when it came to Caitlin as to what was really going on behind closed doors and the treatment she received from members of her own family made me sick to the stomach.
We also get some glimpses into Rosie’s own personal life with her long friend Des as well as her mum. I won’t say too much about either but lets just say I went through a range of emotions!
Silenced had me gripped to it’s pages as I became quickly engrossed in the story. I learned so much about how fostering has changed over the years by reading this author’s books and the level of paperwork and training that is a constant throughout. I love how the author shares her emotions on meeting the children she helps with and the attachments she forms over the time she spends with them. I tend to feel quite melancholy by the end as for one I have formed my own attachment with these characters but also for how hard it must be for a foster carer to say goodbye when a child either goes to a new placement or back to their own family. A page turner that pulls on your emotions!
My thanks to the author for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
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