The Sound of Something We Refuse to See: Holly Bourne’s And Then We Screamed
Written by Katie Barr
There are books you enjoy, books you recommend, and then there are books that make you put them down and think about them long after you have finished. And Then We Screamed falls firmly into the latter category.
This was my first Holly Bourne book, and I genuinely did not know quite what to expect. What I found was a story that manages to be gripping, unsettling and incredibly clever, while holding up an uncomfortable mirror to some of the realities of the world around us. At its heart, And Then We Screamed is a psychological mystery. Girls are screaming. Nobody seems to know why. What initially appears to be a strange and isolated phenomenon begins to grow into something much larger, leaving Clover and those around her trying to understand what is happening before it reaches them.
“Beneath the questions of what is happening? and why? is a much darker examination of how society responds to violence against women.”
It is an intriguing premise, but what makes the book so effective is that Bourne doesn’t allow the mystery to exist simply for the sake of having something to solve. Beneath the questions of what is happening? and why? is a much darker examination of how society responds to violence against women.
And that is where this book really got me.
“Bourne takes something fictional and uses it to explore very real attitudes, creating a story that can be read as both a gripping piece of fiction and a warning…”
There is a horrible familiarity to the way the events unfold. The questioning. The excuses. The search for alternative explanations. The instinct to look everywhere except at the problem itself. Bourne takes something fictional and uses it to explore very real attitudes, creating a story that can be read as both a gripping piece of fiction and a warning about what happens when society becomes accustomed to ignoring what women are saying.
It never feels as though Bourne is simply standing on a soapbox, either. The message is woven into the story itself, which makes it all the more effective. You are invested in the characters and want to understand what is happening, but at the same time you begin to recognise the bigger picture emerging behind the mystery.
“Rather than giving us one straightforward version of events, Bourne allows the story to build piece by piece.”
One of my favourite aspects was the use of multiple perspectives. Rather than giving us one straightforward version of events, Bourne allows the story to build piece by piece. The interview sections were particularly effective, filling in gaps while creating an almost eerie sense of hindsight. As a reader, you sometimes know that something has gone wrong before the characters do, which makes those seemingly small moments suddenly feel much more significant.
The book also handles the spread of fear and misinformation particularly well. Social media, speculation and the desperate need for answers all contribute to the atmosphere. Everyone wants to understand what is happening, but wanting an explanation and being willing to accept the truth are two very different things.
There were, however, parts of the story that left me wanting more.
I would have loved to see more of Clover and Avery’s relationship, particularly towards the end. Their friendship becomes increasingly complicated, and I found myself wanting to see more of the aftermath and the work required to repair what had been damaged. The ending moves quite quickly towards the suggestion that everything is okay, when their relationship felt as though it deserved a little more space.
River was another character I wanted to understand better. Given the choices he makes and the ways in which he lets his sister down, I would have liked more insight into his journey afterwards. The family therapy, in particular, could have been fascinating to explore. Seeing more of his attempts to understand his actions and work towards redemption would have given his character a stronger sense of resolution.
“It is beautifully written, thought-provoking and, at times, deeply uncomfortable — but deliberately so.”
Those small reservations aside, And Then We Screamed is a book that has genuinely stayed with me. It is beautifully written, thought-provoking and, at times, deeply uncomfortable — but deliberately so. What I admire most is that Bourne has created something that works on two levels. You can read it as a compelling psychological story, following the mystery and becoming increasingly invested in the characters. But you can also step back and see the much bigger conversation underneath it: about violence against women, about whose voices we listen to, and about the dangerous consequences of choosing not to see what is right in front of us.
Sometimes the most frightening thing isn’t the screaming.
It’s how long everyone can convince themselves they don’t need to listen.
For my first Holly Bourne book, this was quite an introduction. I went into it expecting a story. I came away with considerably more to think about — and a very strong feeling that it certainly won’t be my last.
All content is original to The Literary Lounge. Review written by Katie Barr. All reviews are written without incentive.
Featured and in-article images taken from Amazon. No changes were made to these images.
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