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A review by kfriend
Whispers and the Roars by K Webster
4.0
Whispers and Roars is the type of story that reminds me just how much I love K Webster and her wicked mind- how creative, innovative, and original she is as an author. Always playing outside of trope, giving us provocative and interesting, challenging our psyche and our comfort, and pushing boundaries- K Webster’s stories are always provocative and psychologically intense, and this story is a perfect encapsulation of her dark, perverse story telling- with, of course, a twist.
And, this is also a reminder about why I know that K Webster is also not for everyone- this story isn’t her darkest or most taboo in my opinion, but it has all the hallmarks of her storytelling that make her work perhaps not for everyone- the components that some find triggering. So, take note if this applies to you.
On the surface, this seems like another dark contemporary- where our heroine Kady, broken by trauma, finds connection in childhood friend Yeo- in their second chance to connect after Yeo has gone away to school. The characters here are fascinating. Yeo is perhaps K Webster’s dreamiest man- patient, kind, supportive- he rolls with the punches here in a way that is admirable. And Kady clearly has some personal issues- rooted in her past, exacerbated by all those around her. Parts of her life and experience are just heart shattering (and will be triggering to many), but she’s also clearly a survivor with a big heart- and the love of Yeo and her friend Bones sustain her despite the pain caused by other characters.
Outside of that, I won’t say much. K Webster and those recommending this book recommend going in blind. But, I’ll be honest- I didn’t. Perhaps hypocritical since I’m not going to provide spoilers here even though I myself sought them out- but I want you to decide that for yourself. For me, I love K Webster’s dark mind- I don’t have many triggers, but I also know to expect the unexpected with her and that she will challenge my little societal contrived conception of romance. I like the challenge- in fact thats why I seek her out- she asks us to lean into our darkness, depravity, dysfunction. She asks us to find resonance and beauty in the dark and disturbing, in the wrong and taboo. And I dig it- but I also like to know what I’m getting myself into with her so I can my mind right to lean into her themes- so here, I did. And while I won’t spoil you to anything else, just know that K Webster is suverting herself here. She lulls you into the safety of her own dark romantic paradigm- so much so that you think you know exactly where this is going, and then she shatters it. And how brilliant is that? An author that has created such a deep set niche for herself, such a unique voice, that she can use her own self-created trope to subvert our expectations and shock us. Cause there is a SHOCK, and I’m not sure I would have seen it coming.
This story is definitely different, again even from K Webster’s own cannon. And that’s what I love to see an author doing- pushing not only the boundaries of the genre, but the boundaries of their own imagination, to dig into the psychology of love and connection. Something especially compelling with how proflicially K Webster writes. No matter what - she asks us to examine what unsettles us, make space for it in our hearts- and this is another success at that, just not how I anticipated
And, this is also a reminder about why I know that K Webster is also not for everyone- this story isn’t her darkest or most taboo in my opinion, but it has all the hallmarks of her storytelling that make her work perhaps not for everyone- the components that some find triggering. So, take note if this applies to you.
On the surface, this seems like another dark contemporary- where our heroine Kady, broken by trauma, finds connection in childhood friend Yeo- in their second chance to connect after Yeo has gone away to school. The characters here are fascinating. Yeo is perhaps K Webster’s dreamiest man- patient, kind, supportive- he rolls with the punches here in a way that is admirable. And Kady clearly has some personal issues- rooted in her past, exacerbated by all those around her. Parts of her life and experience are just heart shattering (and will be triggering to many), but she’s also clearly a survivor with a big heart- and the love of Yeo and her friend Bones sustain her despite the pain caused by other characters.
Outside of that, I won’t say much. K Webster and those recommending this book recommend going in blind. But, I’ll be honest- I didn’t. Perhaps hypocritical since I’m not going to provide spoilers here even though I myself sought them out- but I want you to decide that for yourself. For me, I love K Webster’s dark mind- I don’t have many triggers, but I also know to expect the unexpected with her and that she will challenge my little societal contrived conception of romance. I like the challenge- in fact thats why I seek her out- she asks us to lean into our darkness, depravity, dysfunction. She asks us to find resonance and beauty in the dark and disturbing, in the wrong and taboo. And I dig it- but I also like to know what I’m getting myself into with her so I can my mind right to lean into her themes- so here, I did. And while I won’t spoil you to anything else, just know that K Webster is suverting herself here. She lulls you into the safety of her own dark romantic paradigm- so much so that you think you know exactly where this is going, and then she shatters it. And how brilliant is that? An author that has created such a deep set niche for herself, such a unique voice, that she can use her own self-created trope to subvert our expectations and shock us. Cause there is a SHOCK, and I’m not sure I would have seen it coming.
This story is definitely different, again even from K Webster’s own cannon. And that’s what I love to see an author doing- pushing not only the boundaries of the genre, but the boundaries of their own imagination, to dig into the psychology of love and connection. Something especially compelling with how proflicially K Webster writes. No matter what - she asks us to examine what unsettles us, make space for it in our hearts- and this is another success at that, just not how I anticipated