A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes
Christian YA Dystopian. 458 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
What happens when you live longer than you wanted to?
Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she’s being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow.
The Council is using Jude’s Clock-matching invention to force “new-and-improved” Clocks on the public. Those who can’t afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council’s purposes.
Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out?
My Review:
Okay, y’all. So many thoughts. Sooo many feelings! Let me start with the most important: I loved Solomon from the very beginning of Book 1!!! Muahahaha! I feel so justified! 😀
But for real. This was such an amazing follow up to the first book. Even more so since Nadine has said that she never knew A Time to Die would have a sequel, let alone become a trilogy! So many sequels fall short, but this one really delivered–on all fronts.
The story pacing kept me engaged. We explored different new territories and settings that just further expanded the world from the first book. The cover is stunning and perfect in so many ways. I loved the frozen wasteland and how Nadine pulled through the thread of survival in a different way from the first book. But it still itched that survival tone that I love so much. Furthermore, she really brought out the dystopian plot and world even more, expanding it and putting more pressure on an already broken world and people. So cool to see the stakes upped in a world that already feels past it’s prime.
Emotionally, this one hit some unexpected places. The first book was a roller coaster whirlwind of twists, turns, and gut punches. This one held up to that same expectation but in yet again a whole new way. I’m feeling a little repetitive here, but honestly, I’m just so impressed with how cohesive this story is. Even plotted stories sometimes don’t feel this thoughtful and intentional. They don’t always have the same elements that you loved in the first one, especially not in a way that doesn’t feel tired and worn out already. Nadine keeps us on our toes with new, unexplored pieces of her characters, world, and plot but stays true to what made the first one so lovable.
Anyway, the emotions. Without spoilers, there was a situation which felt so eerily similar to a very significant event in our own history that it really drew up the horror and inhumanity of that time, effectively stirring the reader emotions and developing Parvin’s growth simultaneously in such a beautiful way!! To see someone overcome such depravity and injustice and yet still choose to love her enemies shows a level of Christlike love that so many of us aspire to. Just thinking about it again makes me want to reread the story now! I so thoroughly enjoyed seeing the heart behind this story and the deepening of Parvin’s love for the people around her and her faith in God.
Which brings me to the themes. Oh, the themes. If ever there were a book written straight to my own heart, this trilogy was it! Words cannot express the perfection of the timing of my finally “getting around to” completing this series, including a reread of the first book. They simply cannot. As with the first, Nadine seamlessly weaves faith into Parvin’s journey in a way that is a powerful instigator of hope. Rarely have I ever seen such a natural, gradual, and yet deep growth in a character as Parvin’s journey to learning to know, hear, and obey God. Nadine, if you ever read this, please know it has been an overflowing blessing and honor to step into Parvin’s tale.
And because I cannot neglect the other characters who round out this beautiful story, SOLOMON. *cough* I mean, I adored Hawke when we first met him, but this just gives me all new hope that there are men of God who will shine the light of Christ into the world. Willow’s journey broke my heart and yet again supported and showed Parvin walking through what it looks like to learn to let go and trust God with those we love–a lesson I’ve had to learn myself. Tawny was an interesting addition! And the new family dynamics with Parvin’s parents. To see grief so tangible and handled with such nuance was beautiful. That tension of feeling like your home is no longer your home, of wondering if you’ll only ever be a failure to your parents, and of feeling replaced and looked down upon by a sibling-in-law. All deep, relatable positions that brought a connection to the reading journey.
I love Parvin’s call to stand up and speak out. It’s another theme that resonates with me. I also really appreciated how it wasn’t easy for her. That she chose to do it in spite of her fear and in spite of the poor reception she got. People didn’t just stop and listen and fawn over her and change. Parvin was faithful and obedient even when it didn’t seem like she was making any traction and getting any results.
This story feels so much like something that could happen in only a matter of years. The relationships, struggles, and yes growth all point toward the reader and challenge us to think through how we’re living our own lives. So powerful! So beautiful. An excellent sequel, and an experience I will cherish. As well as just a plain ole fun ride of a read!
Audiobook note: This narrator was different than the first! I think the narrator for Book 1 really infused passion and emotion into the story, eliciting a depth of feeling and reaction to the story. But the Book 2 narrator showcased Parvin’s sass, so that was fun too.
Content: no foul language in the book, and very subtle, but heart-focused romance. There is some violence, though nothing gratuitous. Nadine does a wonderful job of portraying the horror and the depth of grief and emotion, while balancing it beautifully with hope, healing, light, and truth. The story explores death, grief, the fear of limited resources, and uprising against corrupt government systems. There’s injustice and hatred and near death experiences that challenge characters to really live their lives in the time they’ve been given. There are deep themes of worth, purpose, humanity, life, and death. So, though the book is clean, I’d recommend it for mid to late teens and up.
More:
Book 1 in the Out of Time trilogy is A Time to Die (5 Stars)
Book 3 is A Time to Rise (5 Stars)
These must be read in order! Check out the links above for more info!
On GraceBought
Check out my thoughts on the previous book: