Review: Soundless by Richelle Mead

Title: Soundless
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: November 10, 2015

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever...

I'm probably one of the few out there who hasn't read any of Richelle Mead's other books.  But I was really excited for Soundless.  

It's beautifully written and a pretty fast read (only 272 pages).  Containing lots of action, it certainly held my attention.  There were times that I felt the pacing was a little awkward.  Like some points would move by pretty quickly, and then others would go by much more slowly.  But I don't think it affected the general feel of the story that much.

When Fei regained her hearing it made me think: how in the world do you actually describe hearing to someone who has never heard before?  Mead was very creative in how she went about this.  What the heck is this new sensation?  And I applaud her.  It would be like describing sight to a blind person.  Not a very easy task.  

Overall? I enjoyed this book.  Especially all the magical elements.  Did I love it?  No, but I would certainly buy it.

Note: I received this book from Penguin Random House's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.