Silver

Theodore Year 8

I really enjoyed Silver, especially the plot. When I started reading Silver, I thought I wouldn’t really like the book because of the element of aliens and science fiction. However, as the book progressed, I started enjoying it, especially as Silver started to understand that Charybdis was lying to her the entire time. It was interesting to see the perspective of an alien, to see their reaction to all human traditions. Also, the plot twist at the end when Silver understood that her resistance from shielding and following Charybdis’ instructions had paid off and allowed her to be the first of her kind to fully turn into a human. I would definitely recommend.

Otto year 8

I really enjoyed Silver. Silver was a really great book that blended sci-fi and emotion. It showed emotion where you least expected it. The alien, unlike the stereotypical “mindless devouring scary alien creature trying to kill everything” was quite nice. I thoroughly enjoyed Silver and it took me through a whole load of emotions and it is definitely worth reading.

Vanshika Yr 9

I really enjoyed reading Silver because of the thrilling plot and the element of romance. I loved each and every plot twist that kept me engaged . My favourite character was Silver because of her humour and sassiness. However I thought that the first couple of chapters weren’t as pacey as the rest of the book. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would because I usually don’t like Sci-Fi. Overall I really liked Silver despite the slow start and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Conrad year 8

I liked the book and how it had a massive plot twist at the end, I also liked how it showed that Silver being a alien was accepted by the people around her for what she was and not what she really looked like. I liked the bit where Silver goes and buy all the toys for Doodles. The end caught me by surprise because I really wasn’t expecting the founders to have been the Barbed ones. For these reasons I enjoyed the book.

Felix Year 8

I think Silver was a really good book because there was always a part that you could not stop reading. It goes from Silver wanting to gather information for the Charybdis to take over earth. At first she did not know much English and did not know what the humans did so she learned and failed a few times. Then she fell in love with a boy named Finch, that ended up to be VERY romantic especially towards the end of the book. I love the plot twist at the end when she realises that the Charybdis is actually the Barbed Ones ( the ones who destroyed the Charybdis ). This has been a amazing book to read and I really enjoyed it!

Kasia Yr 9-St Paul’s

Silver has been my least favourite book so far due to Sci-fi not being my favourite genre, however I think the slow burn of romance between Silver and Finch did keep me interested. At points I was slightly annoyed with the characters (especially Silver) due to their embarrassing actions and things they said. I did get quite a bit of second hand embarrassment! The concept of the aliens coming to take data from the humans is interesting even though I did struggle to finish the book. My favourite moment in the book was when Silver and Finch had their first kiss which then started their relationship. Although I didn’t enjoy the book that much I think it would still be a great read for someone who enjoys Sci-fi books!

Lily Year 8

I don’t usually like sci-fi but this book was impossible to put down. With the slow burn romance keeping me on my toes and Silver’s journey to finding herself this is the perfect book to get you into sci-fi. I love the symbolism of not the aliens invading the humans but the humans invading the aliens as they take over human bodies. My favourite part had to be the first kiss it was like everything was finally coming together. Even though the ending was heart-breaking, I like that it isn’t just a generic happily ever after. I would definitely recommend this book if you like sci-fi or romance.

Sylvia y9

The sheer emotional depth of this book was astounding; I didn’t adore the plot (it was fairly cliched and the characters were quite annoying), but the power of the characters’ feelings was pretty incredible. A brilliant book to build empathy in any reader, with the complicated relationships and achingly necessary ending.

Phoebe YEAR 8

Silver was gripping and heart-breaking even though I’ve never really liked sci-fi. Reading this book, I felt like I was making friends with the characters because they were written so well. My favourite part was when Finch and Silver kissed for the fist time in the gallery, although I enjoyed the ‘before’ parts as well. when I read the fight at the end, I couldn’t pull my eyes away.

Silver deserves more than wow – and I wish it never ended and it NEEDS a sequel!

Olly Year 8

I personally thought that it was a decent book, but some elements of it were overused, and others a bit underdeveloped. I did like the ending though because it wasn’t just all “and they all lived happily ever after”, which I like in a book. I also think that it uses quite a generic structure, with the whole “person who isn’t who they say they are, but they fall in love with someone they shouldn’t.”. I understand that it is a romance book, but the romance aspect of the book seems to tower over everything else. I really like the sci-fi part, as it is also well developed and very original, although a bit vague and it really feels like a real society, with propaganda and lies. All in all, even with its flaws, it is a good book, with characters with a personality, which is hard to get in a book.

Anna – Y9 Warden Park

The character arcs and sci-fi themes in this book were brilliant! The characters were easy to get attached to, and so leaving them when I had finished reading felt far more difficult than it should have been. I don’t usually read a lot of romance novels; I was very much invested in the progression of Silver and Finch’s relationship, however. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like space and sci-fi, and fluid, poetic storytelling – from quiet moments to tense fight scenes.

Clea Year 8

Silver was a really great book that blended sci-fi and emotion. I love how the perspective of the book is twisted to the aliens’ point of view which is quite unusual so it is definitely worth reading.

Barney

I really enjoyed Silver. It is a great book for anyone who loves sci-fi and romance novels. It follows the story of Silver from her time as an infant to becoming part of a family to fighting for her home, and over this time you start to feel as if you know Silver, making every emotion stronger. It will make you nervous for what will happen next going from ‘before’ to ‘now’ while always leaving you wanting more. I would recommend

Gabriella Ardingly College Y9

I really enjoyed reading “Silver”. The book was humourous, emotional and captivating, and it had a fantastic plot. I don’t usually enjoy Sci-Fi, but I think because of the romance element, I really liked “Silver”. I have to admit, at the start, the book was a little slow, but when Silver settled in at her new home, the book got a lot more interesting. There were many moments that made me smile, in particular when Finch told Silver that she could always hang at the pub, but Silver thinks he means “To dangle. To fall. To suspend.”. There were also many moments that were heart breaking, especially at the end. Overall, I really enjoyed reading “Silver” because of the emotional and captivating plot.

Anonymous

Brilliant romance with a lovely plot to a sad ending should read

Alexandra Year 8

Silver was a wonderful experience, it showed emotion where you least expected it. My favourite part was when Finch first found out what Silver was. The book captured a great mix of sci-fi, and romance. It’s a really great read and I’d recommend it to anyone, for no matter what genre you like, Silver is sure to satisfy.

Adrian YR8

This book is from the POV of the Alien, who unlike the stereotypical “mindless devouring scary alien creature trying to kill everything” alien, this one questions the orders of her leaders and directives which, like a vine to a tree, she was taught to grow up with. What happens when the tree is removed then? The alien, Silva, has to deal with the guilt of pretending to be someone else, deceiving everyone, while being hunted and questioned just because she dared to make a stand. As she tries to conceal her alien traits, her “mantra”, a set of directives that she was taught was the untouchable truth, say otherwise to her experiences, and so she is labeled a traitor to her home just because she tried to feel, to touch, to love. The conclusion is simply EPIC, heartwarming yet sorrowful.

Charlotte Year 8

I thoroughly enjoyed Silver and it took me through a whole load of emotions. I loved the character of Doodles and her bubbliness and was gob-smacked and depressed when she got taken onto Charybdis. Although, I didn’t like it when Nat came into the story, as soon as she came through the door I knew that she was an alien like Silver! I really liked the romance element of this sci-fi book. As I normally would not pick up a sci-fi book when I read the blurb I knew instantly I would love this book, and I did! I would recommend this book to anyone.

Emma

This book is a really good book and I would recommend it because one night I was reading it and I couldn’t put it down! I got lost in the story and even in year 7 could love this book. It is an amazing story about a human and someone from a different planet and different land… It is full of love, life and university. It is definitely worth reading.

Emma Ardingly

SPOILER ALERT!

I found Silver a very interesting book. I don’t usually read sci-fi but it was very hard to put it down. I really enjoyed how at the start Silver would talk about how she messed up the selection for the Charybdis and how she had to follow the mantra before we knew what was going on and then she explained to us a bit later which I found really good as it gave a kind of tension to the book. One of my favourite parts was at the start when she couldn’t inhabit the boy. My favourite character was her love interest Finch and when he touched her and it didn’t hurt and she was exploring emotions when she found that humans touch doesn’t really hurt Charybdis. At the ending I found it very interesting and tense how she confronted them for lying and then got “dissolved”. I really enjoyed how Finch was caring for her after she stepped into the vortex. At the start of the book I could have never predicted the end. One of the lines at the end when she says “I’m Silver and I am human” shows how she cares for the people she has met throughout the book. Overall it was very unexpected and an amazing book.

Dasha year 8 St Paul’s

This book was out of this world, literally.
I’m not a fan of sci-fi generally but this plot had me screaming. I think that one of the reasons I liked it was because it had romance. I can’t exactly say it was light nor spicy, I think it was like in the middle. This book was about longing to belong and to fit in. The main character didn’t exactly fit into the world, but fit into the family. I would recommend this to romantasy fans just because of the heart-wrenching romance.
8/10 for me!

Quinn – Park Community School

This book brought so many emotions and feelings. It had so many moments that made my heart-wrench, but so many moments that made me smile. I loved that this story really tells us about the quest of finding your identity, finding where you belong and what it means to be human. But also, the power of love itself, is shown greatly throughout this novel. Overall, an incredible book and I would recommend to people that love reading heart-rending novels that have greater meanings.

Etta

I thoroughly enjoyed the book Silver, I loved how it made the aliens ‘normal’ and the humans were the weird ones coming into the aliens’ life instead of the aliens being the ones coming into the humans’ life. I really enjoyed how it twisted your perspective and how it was from the alien’s point of view. I loved how the aliens were so similar yet so different from humans, they followed the mantra very closely – it was their bible and their religion just like humans have their one. I think my favourite part of the book is the way it makes you think from a different point of view on humans and it really makes you wonder if there is anything else out there. I would definitely recommend it.

Niamh year 8 St Pauls

I really liked this book, despite not being a big sci-fi fan myself. The characters were very well written, and the plot definitely drew me in to the story; I did not see the plot twists at the end coming! I liked the romance subplot very much as well. I would recommend to fans of sci-fi.

Lara year 9

I really liked this book; I loved all the wholesome moments and the message it told. Although I did get a little second hand embarrassment when she was learning to become a human. The ending was also well written as I could predict what would happen but it still made me shocked and wanting more. So I would definitely recommend it.

Tabitha year 9

The book blends sci-fi and emotion with a great outcome; it makes you think about what it means to belong and feel. It’s almost lyrical, especially in Silver’s gradual awakening to the human world and the exploration of touch, empathy, and identity, which make it interesting even if you don’t particularly like sci-fi and romance novels normally. One critique I do have is that the plot leans on familiar tropes that have been done a lot but it was written miles above the rest. it’s definitely worth a read