Note: This review originally appeared at Wisconsin Writers Association
Hannah's Voice by Robb Grindstaff
Coming of age, 191 Pages
Evolved Publishing, 2013, 2020 (2nd
ed.)
Reviewed by Gloria Johntel
$4.99
Buy on Amazon
Hannah’s Voice is
a poignant coming of age tale about a girl who was forcibly ripped away from
her home and her mother when she was a small child. The story follows her
through to adulthood as she seeks answers to this tumultuous beginning and
searches for her lost mother. Robb Grindstaff writes a surprisingly strong
female protagonist with plenty of complexity, tenacity, and faith in God and
family, without being overly political or religious, despite the religious and
political roots of the story. Throughout, the author does a good job of
examining different sides and all the grey areas and taking a neutral stance in
between the political and religious upheaval that surrounds the protagonist for
the duration of the book.
From an early
point in this story, Hannah is forced to deal with death and suspicion. As a
six-year-old, she has to deal with the recent death of her father, and as the
beginning unfolds, she is closely related to the deaths of her classmate and
her father’s best friend. She is also forced to deal with her mother’s faulty
memory and aggravating repetition. The loss of these things that are dear to
her and the accusations against her involving the classmate’s death play a part
in her decision to stop speaking. Through the exchanges with her teacher, the
principal, the school counselor, and her Sunday school instructor, Hannah
begins to feel bullied and misunderstood.
The feelings of
being misunderstood and unheard are powerful ones and feelings that many people
can relate to. One thing about Hannah’s voluntary muteness that was bothersome
throughout the book was that no one seemed to have bothered to teach her sign
language, and even when she has a deaf roommate, even though the roommate can
read lips and speak, no sign language is used and is hardly even mentioned.
Although Hannah
takes it to a new level, the psychological impact of grief and trauma are
discussed reasonably in this novel. Her silence invokes the attention of two
different groups of people: the radical religious nutcases and the radical
political ones. While these two communities clash heads over the reason Hannah
doesn’t speak, Hannah takes solace in the comfort of her friends, and they
heroically defend her right to live her life as she pleases.
Overall, Grindstaff
does a fantastic job with inclusivity and the importance of family and
diversity. He captures the emotional turmoil of the foster system and being
bounced from one family to the next, all the while clinging to the hope that
Hannah’s mother is out there somewhere, waiting for that joyous reunion.
About the author
Robb Grindstaff is a southern contemporary writer, an award-winning novelist and short-story author who pens stories you can’t put down filled with three-dimensional characters you’ll never forget. He is also a fiction editor and writing coach. Visit the writing page to learn more about his books, his editing page if you’re seeking professional assistance with your writing, and his blog for writing tips and techniques.
Reviewer Gloria Johntel lives in southern Wisconsin and is an aspiring writer. She loves to read books of all kinds. She has been writing novels since high school. She enjoys talking to authors about their publishing journeys as one day she hopes to publish some of her vast collection of novels.
