Review | More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
Title: More Than We Can Tell
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Genre/s: Contemporary, Young Adult
Expected UK release date (paperback): 8th March 2018
Expected US release date (hardcover): 1st April 2018
I was thrilled when my request on NetGalley for this book was accepted and I am even more thrilled now that I've read it, because this was a seriously wonderful read. This is filled with both an extremely deep and impactful plot and a lovely set of characters that are so well developed. Since reading Letters to the Lost I've been waiting for more from Brigid Kemmerer. That book was one of the best books I read last year so the fact that this was almost as good is phenomenal. I do think I still prefer it to More Than We Can Tell, but I can't pick any faults with this book though as it was so well written. I just preferred the storyline in LTTL.
“We all push sometimes, just to make sure someone is on the other side, pushing back.”
The book follows Rev Fletcher a guy battling demons from his past that threaten to become a present problem in his life. While he has supportive adoptive parents he still struggles to confide in them when he receives a letter from his abusive father and the trauma from his childhood suddenly comes rushing back. And Emma; a girl who spends most of her time working on her own computer game that she built, hiding from the fact her parents marriage is crumpling. Without anyone to confide in about the online harassment she constantly is the recipient of, everything begins to get a little to much for her to handle. When Emma and Rev meet, they both see in each other someone whom they could lift the burden of their secrets on to. But will their trust in each other be enough?
I loved how the author put so much into developing the family relationships in addition to the relationship between Rev and Emma, it's something I often feel is lacking in young adult literature so this was one of my favourite parts of the book. We didn't get a quick brush over, we got the depth I've been looking for in a book for what seems like the longest time. Also I have to say Brigid Kemmerer is fantastic at character building, because both Emma and Rev are characters I won't easily forget, just as Duncan and Juliet are characters I will always find myself thinking about. I wasn't taken straight away by Emma but it didn't take me long to warm to her character. On the other hand, I was instantly gripped when I read from Rev's point of view. We got a little bit of a hint at Rev's character first in Letter's to the Lost which is what at first excited me about MTWCT; getting to read from his perspective, but I have to say that I was not expecting things to go in the direction they did. It was different but also brought recognition to abuse in a way that really makes you think. I think that made this a very important read and is just one of the many reasons I will be recommending this book to everyone that I know.
“Sometimes events are set in motion from so far away that it’s almost impossible to draw connections until well after the fact.”
Overall the plot was slower than I would have liked, yet it just worked. I think that the fact that it kept at that pace and didn't jump around too much made it very enjoyable in my opinion. And when it did pick up in places it wasn't jarring, and flowed well, if that makes sense. In addition, the writing was both beautiful without being overly flowery and also, straight to the point, which is something I always enjoy. So if you're not a fan of extremely complex writing or the more simple kind this might be the perfect in-between for you. It also meant that this was a very quick read I finished over the course of a day.
“He says the Internet makes too many people loud, and too many people silent, but the loud ones are all we hear... We have to ask questions to hear the silent people.”
More Than We Can Tell is a very character driven story so there wasn't much in terms of world building, or complex plot development, however the little amount we did get was done amazingly well and didn't deter from the focus of the story; the characters. The flashbacks also worked well and I think they added a lot to the story, without them this would definitely not have worked as well.
“You are not stubborn and rebellious. You are kind. You are thoughtful."
As a whole, this book was fabulous and if you can't already tell; I loved it! I would highly recommend this book and can't give the author enough praise. Brigid Kemmerer is now officially on my favourites list.
(Trigger warning for physical and emotional abuse, graphic violence and online bullying.)
Thank you to Brigid Kemmerer, Bloomsbury and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this beautiful book!
Rating: 85%
Thank you so much for reading! I'll be back with more reviews and bookish posts soon.
- Sophie
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