Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

Man I would love if they came out with a novel of the character Echo from Marvel. Just found out about this character and she is awesome! She doesn't speak, uses ASL for the most part.

I suppose a graphic novel could work.


Echo: The Saga of Maya Lopez

Well, I was reading Playground by Richard Powers to fit the category abut taking place on a body of water. But as I read, I thought it fit this character that is nonverbal category pretty well too. So since I have others that take place on a body of water, here it is.

I read Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close for this prompt.

At first I didn't like this book but it grew on me.

I started Happiness Falls.

Laura wrote: "I started Happiness Falls."

I have that one on my plan, too.

Ron wrote: "Man I would love if they came out with a novel of the character Echo from Marvel. Just found out about this character and she is awesome! She doesn't speak, uses ASL for the most part.

I suppose a..."

I thought the series for Echo was incredible! I haven't read any of the books. But I love that they actually cast Alaqua Cox, who is deaf, instead of a hearing actor.

I just saw Soul Mirror on NetGalley, which is a horror novel about a nonverbal autistic girl. It's already out and available for free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

I'm personally going to read Dumb Witness for this prompt. The "dumb witness" from the title is a dog, but it works for me.

I think I'm going to read either Stain or maybe The Silent Patient.

I know The Stand has a nonverbal character and I saw on a list that both The Sword of Summer and Into the Drowning Deep have nonverbal characters.

As You Wish wrote:

I thought the series for Echo was incredible! I haven't read any of the books. But I love that they actually cast Alaqua Cox, who is deaf, instead of a hearing actor

OMG right! And she also has a real prosthetic leg too from what I heard (need to double check my facts on that). Even though the show was only 5 episodes, I wish it could have been longer. There was so much potential with it.

If you're looking for a short read, The Dressmaker's Doll - an Agatha Christie Standalone Short Story is a good one and under 40 pages.

I used Olive Kitteridge for this prompt. The MC's husband is non-verbal for part of the book.

Nadine in NY wrote: "I just started Wandering Stars and the main character in the first part, Jude Star, is non-verbal, so I set that book aside so I can finish it in 2025. (I, personally, only count b..."




UPDATE: turns out that Jude Star starts speaking again after about 30 pages, and he's only in the first small section of the book anyway, so now I think this book does not count for this category.


Hopefully Dorcas stays nonverbal in The Sword of the Lictor and I can use that book instead.

I have read Affogato and Free Hand by E.M. Lindsey. Both feature deaf characters who are non verbal ( i would say more in Free Hand)

Affogato's setting is a deaf cafe and features other deaf characters who are voice off. Aboslutely loved both. (romance, lgbtq)

Can someone let me know how Gallant fits? I have this on my TBR.

Marie-Eve wrote: "Can someone let me know how Gallant fits? I have this on my TBR."

I haven't read Gallant yet, but I have planned it for this category. Several of the reviews mention the main character is nonverbal.

I read My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me.

I read Out of My Mind

Finished Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just finished The Long Way Home by Louise Penny, and one section is told from the POV of Henri, the Gamache's German shepherd.

HAH So funny - I just finished the book before this one and Henri was such a big part of the book.

Cool figured out my book for this prompt:

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World

Since we're the only creatures that speak with human dialogue, I figure you can't go wrong with animals, in this case dinosaurs, as non-verbal.

Hmmm, I'm thinking Six Crimson Cranes might fit here?

If not maybe under magical creatures? Either way I'm reading it as determined to get through at least some of my physical tbr lol

can a nonverbal character be an animal?

Meenal wrote: "can a nonverbal character be an animal?"

I think quite a few people are interpreting the prompt that way, so if that's the solution that works best for you, go for it!

I just finished House of Glass and one of the main characters is a young girl who stopped speaking after going through a trauma.

I'm planning to read If You Find Me, it has a main character who is goes nonverbal after a traumatic experience.

Meenal wrote: "can a nonverbal character be an animal?"

I chose an animal as my nonverbal character.

I did Assistant to the Villain for this category. There is the character of Kingsley who is a frog that communicates with a chalkboard sign

I just finished Speak by Laurie Halas Andersen

If anyone is into Shakespeare retellings (or dog breeding- it's a huge part of the story), The Story of Edgar Sawtelle fits this prompt. It's a retelling of Hamlet set in Wisconsin in the 1950s where the main character is nonverbal

I read Black Candle Women and one of the main characters is nonverbal due to a stroke.

Is a ghost nonverbal character? 🤭

I think it depends on the ghost in a particular story - some speak, others are deadly silent.

Looking at older International Booker lists and came across this one:

The Silent Duchess by Dacia Maraini .

im wondering... an animal that plays a huge part in the story... would be consider this as non verbal character

Marie-Eve wrote: "im wondering... an animal that plays a huge part in the story... would be consider this as non verbal character"



I'd count it

The Paris Express has some sections written from the point of view of the train engine, no joke. I had mixed feelings about the book, but I did like the detail of the characters' ordinary lives. My main issue - too many characters - might be less of a problem for someone who is not AuDHD and finds it easier to remember characters and their physical descriptions.

I read The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. The nonverbal character is the house. I hated intended to use the book for a different prompt but once I realized it would work here I switched.

I'm using All the Hidden Paths. It's book two of a duology, I used book one for another prompt. The wonderful Markel is mute and created his own sign language well, actually more than one to communicate with the people most important to him. He's the most beloved character in the series by fans.

I've chosen Open Throat by Henry Hoke for this one. I tend to enjoy reading books about non-humans a great deal, and this one looks particularly interesting. I'm excited to read it!

For non-verbal character, I read the 3rd book in a series my husband and I are really enjoying listening to (the reader, Madhav Sharma, is great!). The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star (Baby Ganesh Agency Investigation #3), by Vaseem Khan.

Baby Ganesh is a little elephant, that Inspector Chopra inherits, and who ends up accompanying the inspector on his investigations. It's a very charming series.

The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star

Kim wrote: "For non-verbal character, I read the 3rd book in a series my husband and I are really enjoying listening to (the reader, Madhav Sharma, is great!). The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star (Ba..."



Oh that's a clever idea! I read the first Baby Ganesh book, it was good.

I read by Brom for this prompt.

Since Chet the dog is a fully sentient narrator in Spencer Quinn's "Chet and Bernie" mystery series, I figure it counts. I read Dog on It

http://www.lauraruthloomis.com/whats-...

Laura Ruth wrote: "Since Chet the dog is a fully sentient narrator in Spencer Quinn's "Chet and Bernie" mystery series, I figure it counts. I read Dog on It

http://www.lauraruthloomis.com/whats-......"



I read Dog On It last year for some other category (animal protagnoist maybe?) and I really enjoyed it, and I've been thinking about reading Thereby Hangs a Tail for this year's challenge. Right now I've had The Bone People on hold at my library for a few weeks - if that hold never materializes, or if I just don't like the book, Chet is my back up plan!

I was browsing my GR recommendations for the AI prompt and one of the suggestions was The Luis Ortega Survival Club. It's about an autistic girl who doesn't speak and so can't say no, but finds a community in the process. I don't think I'll use it for either prompt, but maybe it would appeal to someone.

I started out reading Pet for this prompt, and later swapped it out with Lovely Dark and Deep, both of which feature human nonverbal characters.