Killing Sound is a supernatural, chilling book about a teenager called Jodie, who witnessed a terrible incident as a young child, which has now returned to her. Something is haunting her, and she needs to find out if it has any connections with a pile of machinery which she found in the attic. But the creature has been unleashed… and has latched to the most powerful sound of all: silence.
The idea of this book was a suspenseful, frightening read, and hooked me from the first minute. It had a surprisingly sophisticated and equally gruesome storyline, and the familiar setting of London was a nice touch, something which made it slightly more relatable and believable. Although at some points the story did seem to become slightly monotonous, and extremely unrealistic (yes, I know it is fiction, but it didn't capture me to the point that I was genuinely scared for the existence of its villain), it was generally quite enjoyable.
The characters in the book were vivid and differing, although Jodie (the protagonist) was annoyingly selfish. As I usually hold massive grudges against main characters, I really felt that throughout the story, Jodie was quite relatable and sensible, however this soon turned to a kind of awe albeit exasperation at her ever-changing moods and spontaneous streak. Another character who was not well-formed was Luca, Jodie's (I think) boyfriend. I read most of the way through the book thinking that he was her best friend, reveling in this unusual and refreshing relationship, however suddenly he was referred to as a partner. My delight at having finally found a Young Adult book without prominent romance was soon crushed, and I was dismayed at having not been informed well enough by the author, Paul Southern.
Overall, I felt that the general idea of Killing Sound had the potential to be great; however it was written quite unprofessionally and in an unorganised manner. I thought that Paul Southern should have structured it more, and tried to make it more realistic and gripping. Although it did give me shivers, the utter unreality of it was enough to shake off my fears, and I slept soundly each night after reading it (much to my disappointment). I would recommend Killing Sound if you enjoy typical Young Adult fiction, with a light sprinkling of horror.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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