I thought When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips was going to be Dark Academia, but no: When We Were Silent is a Gripping Campus Novel with dark themes of grooming and abuse. Is this one for you? Let’s find out!
When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips: Overview
- 320 pages
- Published in the US on May 21, 2024 by Flatiron Books
- Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review which I accepted under FTC guidelines
Summary : When We Were Silent by Fiona McPhillips
- Set in and around Dublin
- Past- Present timeline
- Takes a while, but eventually is a mystery of sorts
- Beautifully written with a high (4.13) Goodreads rating
- Reader advisory: When We Were Silent is largely centered around the grooming and sexual abuse of students by an adult
When We Were Silent: Analysis and Review
Based on the cover and synopsis, I thought When We Were Silent was a possible addition to my Dark Academia book list.
When We Were Silent is NOT Dark Academia
It’s also not a classic mystery or suspense book but is both gripping and suspenseful.
Set around Dublin in both the 1980s and the present, When We Were Silent follows Louise, a university lecturer who is reluctantly drawn into a terrible time from her past.
Louise is contacted by a lawyer who tells her that a student at Highfield Manor, Louise’s former boarding school, is trying to sue the school for the terrible mistreatment he experienced there, part of a culture of abuse that Louise knows has been going on since at least her time there in the mid-1980s.
When We Were Silent has a past-present narrative that follows Louise in the present as she navigates her feelings about being yanked back into an incredibly traumatic time. She is older and wiser, and has a teen daughter herself. Is she finally ready to talk or is it better for her to remain silent?
The story also follows young “Lou” in the past, slowly revealing the terrible things that happened to her as a teen scholarship student at Highfield Manor.
For fans of My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell , the “looking back at boarding school trauma” reminded me a good deal of I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. It’s also a great pick for fans of Irish Noir.
When We Were Silent is a gripping feminist, victim-centered story about the courage it takes to navigate the aftermath of a terrible trauma. I highly recommend it!