Review

Silence: The Queen of the Dead, Book 1

Common Sense Media says

Paranormal adventure bogs down in details.
Age
16
Quality
 
  • Educational value4
    Although the plot is full of ghosts and necromancers, Silence does an especially good job of presenting a realistic depiction of a teen character with Asperger's Syndrome in Emma's friend Michael. He has a unique perception of the world, and the other characters treat him with respect.
  • Positive messages4
    Silence doesn't back away from the proposition that the world is a scary place, but Emma and her allies work together to keep fear at bay and offer comfort to strangers who've been traumatized. Although not overtly religious, the action explicitly posits life after death and implies that there's some final resting place akin to heaven.
  • Positive role models4
    Emma and her friends are remarkable in their resilience, bravery, and loyalty to each other. Emma shows tremendous empathy for both the living and the dead. Michael, who has Asperger's Syndrome, has a unique perception of the world, and the other characters treat him with respect.
  • Violence3
    The main subject of Silence is death, and the characters interact with various ghosts, some of whom died in horrible circumstances. The novel includes a harrowing sequence featuring a 4-year-old ghost still trapped in a burning building.
  • Sex2
    It's implied that Emma and her boyfriend Nathan were intimate before his tragic death, but no details are given.
  • Language4
    "F--k" is used fairly often, usually in instances of high emotional intensity, and there's also "a--hole."
  • Consumerism0
    Not applicable.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    One character's college-age brother shows up drunk at a party, but he's also under the influence of magic.
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Silence (the first book in the Queen of the Dead series) is an intense story of paranormal intrigue, featuring a protagonist who can communicate with the dead. There's a fair amount of profanity ("f--k," "a--hole"), some violence, and a lot of supernatural action. Characters interact with various ghosts, some of whom died in horrible circumstances, and there's a harrowing sequence featuring a 4-year-old ghost still trapped in a burning building. One character's college-age brother shows up drunk at a party, but he's also under the influence of magic. Silence is especially sophisticated in its portrayal of a supporting character who has Asperger's.

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