Away With Words - Sophie Cameron - ★★★.¾

AUTHOR: Sophie Cameron

GENRE: Middle-grade Fiction

RATING: 3.75 stars.

In a Nutshell: A touching middle-grade work focussing on the difficulties of traversing through new places and new experiences. What makes the whole story experience special is that it is set in a world where words appear physically when people speak. Good for the target age group.

Story Synopsis:

Eleven year old Gala’s dad Jordi has relocated them both from Cadaqués, Spain to Fortrose, Scotland, so that he can live with his boyfriend Ryan. Gala isn’t happy about the move as she speaks only Catalan. She feels quite lost in her new school and unable to express her feelings with words. Things begin to change the day she meets Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. With Natalie’s inability to speak in public and Gala’s inability to speak in English, the two form a strong bond based on their own special ways of communication. They even use words to write supportive poems for their classmates. But someone then begins writing poems with nasty messages. Will Gala and Natalie be able to speak up for themselves?

The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Gala.

Bookish Yays:

🌹 I loved the setting where words become real. They are not only visible but can also be collected and either kept or discarded into the trash. They come in varied hues, fonts, and sizes. It was quite surreal to picture, but I had a fun time imagining the same. I also pondered over whether I would like to live in such a world with visible words. I don’t have an answer to this query yet.

🌹 Through the visible words, the book also highlights the power of words, language and communication.

🌹 Gala’s frustration with her new school and new life in Fortrose because of her lack of ability to communication in English is portrayed well. The author had a smart way of indicating how Gala’s processing of people’s spoken English – she used squiggly lines to indicate the blanks in Gala’s comprehension. Any child who feels frustrated about not being able to communicate either because of a new location/school or because of innate shyness, will be able to identify with Gala.

🌹 At the same time, the book also highlights the importance of friendship, not just through Gala and Natalie, but also through their connection with some of the other kids in their class. The two Eilidhs were especially lovely.

🌹 The book also covers some important themes such as bullying and social anxiety disorders and how the latter can exist even in happy families. Natalie’s selective mutism lends itself to some thought-provoking scenes. The book also highlights how children can feel unhinged and helpless in the face of adult decisions, and how they need support and encouragement to make it through the change. The book also focusses on the difficulties and benefits of being multi-lingual speakers.

🌹 The bond between Jordi and Ryan comes out beautifully. I liked how the same-sex relationship was written without going over the top about the “two dads” factor. It was a realistic depiction.

🌹 Ryan has two fabulous dogs, one named Celine and one named Dion. Need I say more?

🌹 The location of Scotland is beautifully depicted, with the focus being not just on the places but also on the lifestyle and attitudes of the locals.

Bookish Nays:

🌵 The problem with having a first person perspective for this book was that we read all of Gala's thoughts and apprehensions in English, a language she wasn't fluent in and yet voicing her thoughts so well in. This created a jarring contradiction between what was being said and the language it was being said in. 

🌵 I am not into poems, so while I appreciated the efforts of the two girls, I couldn’t feel as emotionally moved. Somehow, the writing kept me at a distance.

🌵 The book offers a somewhat different perspective of bullying, one that I am still undecided about whether to agree with or not. I get what the author was trying to do, but I am not convinced by the rationale. Cant reveal more as I don’t wish to go into spoilers. But just want to say: a bully with a backstory is still a bully unless he/she stops being one. There’s no justification for bullying others.

🌵It goes mostly as expected, with no surprises along the way. This is why it didn’t work better for me, though MG fiction is among my favourite genres. Of course, the target age group might not have the same requirement of wanting surprises.

Overall, this is an impactful read for middle-graders, covering several important topics through two strong little girls. The quick and easy writing is a bonus.

Would recommend you read the physical copy to see the proper effect of the words and their appearance. The Kindle version didn’t create the same impact.

Recommended to middle-graders looking for an unusual story about the power of words and the value of friendship, especially in a new location.

My thanks to Little Tiger Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “Away With Words”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.