‘A Sea of Unspoken Things’ Review: A Mystery that Pulls You In and Then Leaves You Adrift

Adrienne Young, a New York Times bestselling author, is popular in the fantasy and young adult realm. However, in her recent release, “A Sea of Unspoken Things” she departs from her fantasy roots to explore a compelling story of grief, loss, mystery, and suspense while still delivering the page-turning intensity that has become her signature. The book tells the story of James Golden as she reels with the loss of her twin brother, exploring the complicated dynamic of grief for those closest to you and questioning whether one can truly know someone.

The book begins with James driving home to Six River, California for the first time since she left home at 18. While driving down the winding roads of the countryside, she is tormented by the many questions about her brother’s death and her past. James has always had a supernatural connection to her twin brother, going deeper than a “twin sense,” so when Johnny is shot in a supposed hunting accident, James has a lingering sense of doubt. Her connection with her brother doesn’t disappear; In fact, it gets stronger. This journey back to Six River not only means confronting the grief of the loss of her brother but also confronting her past. Although James thinks she left her history behind when she was accepted into art school, the forest calls her home to a past love and plummets her back into memories of a tragic accident from her high school days.

The book’s setting, with its shadowy, sprawling forests, evokes a melancholic and isolated atmosphere that enhances the story’s tone. Adrienne Young’s home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina bleeds into the pages of the book. There is an unmistakable sense of deep-rooted history and untamed wilderness in the landscape, imbuing the story with an eerie, almost haunting quality. One can effortlessly lose themselves in the book, much like wandering deep into an endless forest.

Although the mystery of her brother’s death drew James back to Six Rivers, even deeper secrets begin to unravel. While James and Johnny’s bond is described to be unbreakable, the latter’s identity begins to be questioned. The book departs from the usual mystery as the question is less a whodunit and more about uncovering who the characters are in the first place.

The mystery at the heart of “A Sea of Unspoken Things” is thrilling and gripping, though the ending leaves a sense of lingering dissatisfaction. The exploration of James’ brother’s character and the question of his morality are compelling, but once this tension is resolved, the narrative lacks significant progression. The secondary mysteries revealed through the main plot remain unresolved or conclude in a way that feels haphazard. Young excels at developing complex relationships and characters but fails to fully resolve their stories, leaving them unfinished. This makes the unresolved plot points particularly challenging as one’s initial emotional connection to the character is left hanging.

This engaging arc with a lackluster ending points to a larger pacing issue that plagues the book. The middle of the book is thrilling, causing one to turn the pages as fast as they can, yet the ending feels rushed. The book is relatively short, making it easy to read, but it feels as though Young ran out of space to fully explore the story. Upon reaching the end of the novel, the closing pages aren’t inherently a bad ending but the execution feels rushed. The reader experiences whiplash as the book transitions from a drawn-out, intricate mystery to a brief conclusion where important questions are answered abruptly, to an unexpectedly early ending.

Young’s newest novel is an exciting new addition to the young adult genre. The author approaches the challenging topic of grief in a profound way, yet the book doesn’t feel overly weighed down. At the same time, there are significant pacing issues that result in a lackluster conclusion. The novel will undoubtedly have one turning pages in anticipation, even though closing the book may not bring a sense of complete fulfillment.

—Staff writer Ava E. Silva can be reached at ava.silva@thecrimson.com.