Silent Echo: A Siren's Tale

I just finished reading the book "Silent Echo" by Elisa Freilich. When I was recommended this book I was a little apprehensive thinking it would be your typical YA romance with an element of action, but when I started reading it I was pleasantly surprised. It had the romance I was expecting, a love triangle between the protagonist Portia, her best friend Felix, and the new kid in town Max, but it also had equal parts Greek mythology and action. The book follows Portia, a mute teenager, who suddenly receives her voice and shocked to learn she is a siren. The story kept me interested until the final- shocking- page. The characters are extremely likable and unique. I haven't seen any other deaf characters in the young adult world besides for Felix. I also see Charlotte, Portia's friend and neighbor, as a role model to girls in her situation. I, a seventeen year old guy, would highly recommend this book to everyone because it has something for everyone in it. I can't wait for the sequel!

Portia Griffin has been mute for 16 years - a fact that she has gotten used to. She is content with life - has loving parents, a deaf best friend who understands her disablility, a music obsession and a love for birds. But as she turns 16, a new power seem to emerge in her - she gains her voice but she can also command people with that voice. A new guy at school, Max, is the object of her affections and he reciprocates it too. They both connect but with her Siren powers emerging and the past of the Sirens coming to haunt her, juggling a relationship with Max and her friendship with Felix are the least of her problems. Gradually, she loses control of herself - she is becoming quite wicked and even her mentor, Leto, with other immortal Gods, can't help her out. Eventually, she'll have to face her demons on her own - but can she control her own desires?

The plotline of Silent Echo is compelling, and majorly focuses on Portia coming into her powers, the fact that she has to endure immortality, and that she is on a razor's edge when it comes to good or bad. For a 16 year old girl to decide when is the right time to use her compelling voice is not easy and with the ghosts of her ancestors riding shotgun, it can't have been easy. The writing was good, not exceptional, but good enough to sustain the plot. What I really was miffed with was the singing - I get it that music was the main connection between Max and Portia and him serenading her seemed cute if a bit weird in the start. But seriously, who bursts into elaborate songs describing their feelings every 20 pages? By half the book, I was just skimming over the songs - occassional poetry is good in a book, but a book is not a musical. Between the Mac references and the pop culture shout-outs, it felt like it was trying too hard. Otherwise, I did like this book, although the writing and dialogue could have been a bit better. I haven't read The Odyssey so I don't really know the story of the Sirens other than what I know through the numerous book retellings, but I did love this spin on the tale. Extra points for no mermaid references - not that there is anything wrong with mermaids, but there have been enough of sirens and mermaids.

I had thought that this book was a stand-alone until the very last chapter but the epilogue did set the stage for the next book, which would be very intruguing considering the appearance of Khloe.