The Infinite Noise – Lauren Shippen

The Infinite Noise by Lauren Shippen

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Received: Raincoast Books
Published: September 24th, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen
Recommended Age: 12+
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Fantasy, High School, Bullying, Mental Health

REVIEW:

This is a story that is centered on human emotion, and we all know that teenagers have a lot of them as they are struggling to figure out who they are and where they belong and who is a friend and an enemy. This book brought me back to being a high school student and unsure of anything but still trying hard to find myself and stand out from the crowd. Caleb and Adam are two such young souls who need guidance and whose presence helps the other tremendously. Watching them grow closer made me very happy.

But this isn’t your typical YA contemporary romance. Caleb is an Atypical. That means he has a special ability typical humans don’t. He can feel/read anyone’s emotions, which affect him tremendously. So if you feel anger and you’re close to him, he will not only recognize that emotions in you but also feel it burning inside himself. I found that element really interesting and unique. Most superpowers make me curious but what I liked most about this particular one was how realistic it seemed, which made this story even more believable.

I do have to mention though that while I enjoyed the relationships being developed here and Caleb learning more about his ability, I strongly think this story could have used some more action. Because emotions are highlighted and basically put on a podium in this storyline, actual events matter much less. And those that do occur are repetitive, such as Adam’s bully picking on him over and over. This means that it took me longer to read this than the usual book I am having fun with, but I do still believe it’s a solid start to what promises to be an intriguing series.

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