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Hannah's Voice by [Robb Grindstaff, Lane Diamond, Megan Harris]

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Robb Grindstaff

Hannah's Voice Kindle Edition

by Robb Grindstaff (Author), Lane Diamond (Editor), Megan Harris (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

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When six-year-old Hannah’s brutal honesty is mistaken for lying, she stops speaking. Her family, her community, and eventually the entire nation, struggle to find meaning in her silence. All she wants is to find her momma, a little peace and quiet, and maybe some pancakes.

WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Summer 2014 -- Best Fiction

Hidden in protective foster care for twelve years, Hannah loses all contact with her mother and remains mute by choice. When she leaves foster care at age eighteen to search for her momma, a national debate rages over her silence. One word would put an end to the chaos... if only Hannah can find her voice.

“This book is so well written and Hannah is so compelling, her voice lingers in my mind long after I have finished reading. If Hannah’s Voice doesn’t end up on the bestseller’s list, on every notable list... I will be shocked. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more from Robb Grindstaff!” ~ Michelle L. Johnson

“Hannah’s Voice is a beautiful story, and I’m going to tell you about it, but before I do: seriously, you guys, read it. I’m not kidding. You’ll be changed forever, inside... it’s not a book with such strong thematic material that it will make anyone cringe, but it will be burned into your brain for eternity in such a delightful way. Touching, moving, funny, awesome. I can’t say it enough: this book is revolutionary, and the best thing I’ve read in years.” ~ Naomi Sarah

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a novel that captures the heartwarming and unique voice first of six-year-old Hannah, and later of the teenage Hannah, in a story sure to bring a smile to your face, and occasionally a tear. [DRM-Free]

Books by Robb Grindstaff:

Carry Me Away
Hannah’s Voice
Turning Trixie (Coming Soon)

More Great Literary Fiction from Evolved Publishing:

The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky by David Litwack
Enfold Me by Steven Greenberg
The Atheist and the Parrotfish by Richard Barager

Length: 244 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled	Language: English

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About the Author

AUTHOR: In addition to a career as a journalist, editor, newspaper publisher, and media executive, Robb has written fiction most of his life. The newspaper biz has taken him and his family from Phoenix, Arizona, to small towns in North Carolina and Texas, and from seven years in Washington, D.C., to five years in Asia. Born and raised a small-town kid, he's as comfortable in Tokyo or Tuna, Texas. He now resides in a small community in Wisconsin where he manages a regional news media company, but he's looking forward to retirement and a full-time writing and fishing gig in the near future. ~ The variety of places he's lived and traveled serves as settings for the characters who invade his head. He's had a dozen short stories published in several print anthologies and e-zines, and several published articles on the craft of writing fiction. He has taught courses for U.S. and Australian writer organizations. He has two novels out through Evolved Publishing, with the third and fourth novels in progress. He also edits fiction and non-fiction books for authors from around the world. It helps that he's fluent in five languages: U.S. English, U.K. English, Canadian English, and Australian English, plus his native language, Texan. ~ To learn more about Robb Grindstaff, please visit www.RobbGrindstaff.com.

EDITOR: Lane Diamond has over 160 published books to his editing credit, including many multiple award-winners, across many genres and styles. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 3673 KB
Print Length: 244 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Evolved Publishing LLC; 1 edition (13 January 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Australia Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00B0PZ0WW
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:

Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Customer Reviews: 50 customer ratings
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,288,137 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #21319 in Literary Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #48975 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #13555 in Coming of Age Fiction

Customer reviews

5 star 62% (62%)		62%
4 star 27% (27%)		27%
3 star 11% (11%)		11%
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Top international reviews

Irene

An absorbing read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 September 2013

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I usually read for an hour or so a night, before I go to sleep but Hannah's Voice was so intriguing, I found myself thinking about Hannah and wanting to know how she was doing. As a small child, she reacts to events outside her control by deciding not to speak, as she feels everything she says makes things worse. Actually, this isn't true, her life REALLY spirals out of her control following this decision. This is a story with many layers and can be read from different perspectives.......I was more interested in the characters drawn, such clever writing - I really cared about Hannah and Daniel and the Lyons and Dunleavys amongst others. The dangers encountered from the fanatics was very real and even when Hannah grew older, she seemed a pawn in other people's 'games'. Not that she is drawn as a weak person - far from it - she is brave, honest, loving and very determined. I have had this book sitting in my Kindle for a while.......I was a bit reluctant to begin it as I didn't see how a story, told from the point of view of the main character who doesn't speak, could hold my attention. How wrong I was! Highly recommended.

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Amazon Customer

Compelling

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 March 2014

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The subject matter had me curious. A protagonist who won't speak, who happens to be a six-year-old girl... A bit of religious controversy as well...
There's good and less good in this book. Some of the characters are incredibly well drawn and compelling - even when I was cross with what they did I still cared what happened to them. Some (by no means all) of the peripheral characters were a bit thin, but that's being a bit picky. The last few chapters did feel a little rushed, and a few things were just stated and not explained - yet it all came to a good clean end and the last scene was lovely.
The real triumph of this book wasn't the portrayal of religious people, either the nasty or the nice kind. It wasn't the fact that the protagonist doesn't speak at all during most of the story. It wasn't even the fact that much of the story could be seen as a metaphor for the religious misunderstandings that plague the world today.
It's that the author speaks with the voice of a six-year-old girl, bewildered by the contradictions and confusions forced upon her by the world of adults, who want her to be grown-up and responsible at the same time as being innocent and childish. The voice of an adolescent, who knows that life has thrown her some challenges, and has found a path through with the help of some good people. The voice of a young woman who has to face the fact that the monsters of her childhood, long locked away in the darkest of memories, are coming back to haunt her. That's the triumph.
Nicely done.

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Amazon Customer

A Christian view of Hannah's Voice

Reviewed in the United States on 30 June 2013

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This book was so riveting and well-written, it should be a classic. The character of Hannah is original because her interactions with almost everyone else in her life never convey what is going on within her. She is completely misunderstood throughout the whole book, and so the reader feels her frustration. Her voice has become an absent secondary character that we miss and long for its return, to save the day by explaining herself.

The beginning of the book is set when Hannah is a six-year-old child. We immediate deduce that Hannah is really a brilliant girl, but is surrounded by many adults who don't take her seriously. They can't comprehend her maturity. Maybe because I have a daughter who is six (and also one named Hannah!) I cried even before the end of the first chapter and continued through most of the book. I wanted to shake the adults for misunderstanding her and treating her wrongly. But it also made me appreciate characters such as her father (in flashback appearances) and Brother Ronnie, the only ones sane enough to understand her and comfort her. Later, she is able to find this same comfort in Daniel, another mistreated youth.

Looking at mental illness (or selfishness) from the perspective of a child was humbling. It made me look at myself and realize that sometimes I don't give my own kids enough credit for knowing what they know. Adults can be so wrapped up in ourselves, we don't see the rapid growth in the spirits of our children.

As the book processed, we find many more characters in Hannah's life that also range from the self-centered ones who need her only to use her and exploit her selective mutism to benefit their own causes, to others not completely accepted by society who seem to accept her for who she is and see the normalcy in her. Hannah, of course, clings to the latter, while not always hiding from the former.

When I began the book and saw how much fundamental Christianity was involved, I was excited as a Christian to see how religion affected Hannah's life. Many of her religious leaders as a child completely let her down. A Christian needs to read this with an open mind, more as a reminder of how we shepherd children in Christ's love, like Brother Ronnie, rather than the others who did not see the person of Hannah at all. It was a reminder to focus on the importance of individuals over what may be perceived as "the great good." I would also like to note that Biblical references in the book were very accurate.

Another note to Christians who might read this work, there are several instances of vulgar language. It made me blush, but it contributed to the reality of the circumstance which Hannah faced. A reminder of the world we are in and need to face, even when we want to put our head in the sand.

Bravo to this author for an excellent work.

11 people found this helpful

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DaveL

An original, well-written novel that transcends genre

Reviewed in the United States on 22 August 2013

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Hannah's Voice is an original, well-written novel that, like most good books, transcends genre. The main character, Hannah, is a complex and endearing young girl who is struggling to come to terms with a painful past. The story is a little reminiscent of The Secret Life of Bees, as we follow Hannah's journey of discovery of the good and bad in life. On the way she encounters some who will help, some who would exploit and some who expose her to the more bizarre aspects of humanity.

It's quite a feat to tell a story in the first person point of view of a character who doesn't speak. The author not only accomplishes this in a believable and engaging manner, but also shows us three different Hannah's: the intelligent but traumatized six-year-old girl; the blossoming teen; and the young woman who finally comes to terms with the absurdity of the world around her.

The book occasionally skirts the ragged edge of social commentary and political satire by highlighting the irrationality of extremes on all sides. But the author never climbs so high on his soap box that it interferes with the story.

The success of this fine novel rests on the marvelous character of Hannah. I became attached to her in the first few pages and continued to root for her all the way through to the end.

2 people found this helpful

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Pete Morin

A superb story, meticulous writing

Reviewed in the United States on 16 January 2013

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[NOTE: Mr. Grindstaff acted as the copy editor for my own novel, and we are long-time virtual friends through our mutual presence on a number of internet sites. He has never reviewed my work, and I do not know (or care, frankly) if my review of this novel comports with Amazon's review guidelines. I am compelled to state my honest opinion based solely on my reading of it, and not out of my friendship with the author.]

I had the pleasure of reading an early manuscript of Hannah's Voice, and it deeply affected me then. Through the rewriting and editing process, it has truly been transformed into a searingly memorable story and will stay with the reader long after the novel is put down.

Ms. Kauten's review contains a fine statement of the novel's plot. The primary theme is wonderfully clever - the indelible importance of truth to one little girl, and the parodic impulse of zealous adults to defined the meaning of her silence to their own ends. In no other literary work have I ever witnessed a more eloquent example of the gravity of one's silence.

Grindstaff's prose is unadorned, deft, carefully constructed - but I think what sets this novel apart is its humor. Grindstaff has a knack for portraying the drama of Hannah's dilemma in a way that makes you giggle.

Congratulations to Robb for the release of this wonderful novel. I wish him the best.

20 people found this helpful

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Gaele

a beautiful story that will stir emotions and thoughts as you read, and will stay with you long after the last page.

Reviewed in the United States on 23 September 2013

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I have been mulling this review over in my head for days: every day I have a new approach, a new thought about the story, or a new idea that is the best thing ever about this story. There are so many things to adore about this story, which makes it more difficult to not miss an element. I should start by saying that this book will call to you if you put it down, it demands that you continue on the journey with Hannah, and doesn't allow you to savor it slowly. Were it not so beautifully written with a style that shows Robb Grindstaff as a wonderful storyteller, this would be a simple book to review. So unlike any other book I have read, yet so comfortable in its difference, it is safe for me to say that this is another of my favorite reads of the year.

Hannah is different from the other children in her community: with a father who lost a long battle with cancer and a mother who's ability to cope with the world was tenuous at best, this child grew up far too fast. She was a clever and artistic child, not comfortable with the company of other children, preferring to draw and take care of her mother to being singled out at school for her skills.

Like all children, Hannah has a singular thread of reasoning: if adults won't believe me when I tell the truth, for she always did, and their reactions cause trouble when I speak: then speaking is something I should not do to not be `trouble'. As her silence becomes more noticeable, the community becomes alarmed, and the more fundamentalist members of the church start to take action.

Hannah is always silent but never without her own thoughts and opinions, her confusion, anger and sense of unjustly being used by those who should have known better: from the self-proclaimed Christian community, to the media to an "occupy wall street" type group founded by a trust-fund baby in an obvious in-your-face to her parents. The notoriety does little but bring danger to Hannah's door: fearful people are dangerous people, fearful fanatics are deadly.

What sits at the core of this story is Hannah's commitment to truth: and we see all of the variations and manipulations that are used to spin a belief into the "truth" that all should see from the other characters she encounters. Mixing religion, media and politics in a manner that feels very now and far-reaching , yet is wholly specific to the story of Hannah, Grindstaff has penned a novel that works on several levels to expose the fallacies in the "true story" and the way that belief is manipulated and influenced by belief, dogma and even a need for power.

There are no extras added to this story: each phase of Hannah's life is solidly voiced and appropriate for her age, showing small changes in perspective without losing the core of the child we first met. There is nothing added for effect: this is a beautiful story that will stir emotions and thoughts as you read, and will stay with you long after the last page.

I purchased a copy of this title for my own library. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

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Nancy Brewster

Hannah's Voice

Reviewed in the United States on 20 January 2016

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I am sort of at a loss for words about Hannah's Voice...no pun intended. I can't say the characters or storyline are particularly believable, or that the writing appears to be deft or deep, and yet the impact is great. I find my mind constantly drifting back to ponder the thoughts, the actions and motivations of the characters, big and small...and it's not always obvious who is playing a big or small part until much later.
The larger concepts of sincerity and hypocrisy, of mainipulation and exploitation, of misinterpretation and purposeful misrepresentation for personal gain, all issues far too common in our society today, are dealt with so subtly and so deftly leaving the reader to form his or her own opinions.....it is a novel I will be pondering for a long LONG time!

One person found this helpful

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Pink Amy

Unconventional

Reviewed in the United States on 5 September 2013

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3.5 of 5 stars
Six-year-old Hannah stops talking when her honesty is questioned. People in her fundamentalist church either think she's possessed by the devil, or god-like. Flash forward ten years, she's in a foster home and an act of bravery thrusts her into the national spotlight. All Hannah wants to do is find her mother, who she hasn't lived with since age six.
There's lots to like about HANNAH'S VOICE. The beginning chapters sound like a six-year-old would think. Unfortunately, the writer didn't do as well capturing Hannah's young adult voice. The plot was at best, unrealistic, at worst, contrived. Only one of the fundamentalists is portrayed as remotely sane, the others want to exorcize or canonize her. Even Hannah's character is a bit one dimensional.
While this isn't a religious book, there is a lot of prayer and religion in parts of the book. HANNAH'S VOICE isn't particularly preachy, at times Hannah's observations are comical. This slightly better than average novel didn't make me think, as it could have if better executed.

4 people found this helpful

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W Lorraine Watkins

Interesting and Provcative

Reviewed in the United States on 30 October 2013

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At first I had difficulty with the writing style which seems heavily influenced by this blogging world we now live in. But once I settled in I do find this a very readable book and I am especially impressed with the author's facility with the third person conversations with self. He also does a good job of making Hannah normal. In fact a truth missed by many of the reviewers is that her's is a mind more normal than those around her. How many people do we have among us who like Hannah do know better; but from long ago have been told not to speak of certain things?

Abstracting some of my commentary on one of the reviews: The mutism is a powerful symbol of how, when thoughts arise that are counter the "wisdom" of the culture, we are in any number of ways compelled to be silent. How often are folks, especially children, told (even commanded) to be silent and invisible when they dare question this conventional "wisdom?" The author's description of the cultural powers in the small towns and counties of the deep south as formed and sustained by fundamentalist Christian beliefs is not fiction. It is so accurate as to cause pain; and to make those at its mercy fear speaking. I admit I momentarily sought out soft euphemisms to describe the raw primitive forces of superstitious fear and hate that destroyed those only adults who loved and defended the child Hannah.

I admire the tactic of a third person point of view, with the actor essentially passive because it reinforces understanding of the power of those bizarre passion filled projections and where they came from.

Hannah is an interesting and charming character but this is not about her nature. It is about the nature of the culture she has been set down in.

One person found this helpful

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David Schwartz

Strong Female Protagonist Propels Great Story Line

Reviewed in the United States on 23 February 2013

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Full disclosure: Robb Grindstaff has edited a manuscript of mine, and we have corresponded by email, but I have never spoken to him, nor have I met him. I'd like to think that I can be completely objective about any book, even if I know the author.

I am a sucker for strong female protagonists, from Lisbeth Salander all the way back to Jane Eyre, and even further. Hannah joins this elite club of kick-ass female characters, women who have strong voices, independent and feisty personalities, and basically take no prisoners.

Not that Hannah is a martial arts Goth with attitude. Far from it. When we meet her she is a young girl in a southern town, being raised by a devoutly Christian mother shortly after her beloved father has passed away. I'm not going to spoil the plot, except to say that a series of events causes her to decide to stop talking, with repercussions that play themselves out after about a decade.

Grindstaff has created a vulnerable, wise, caring, and thoughtful heroine, one who inadvertently finds herself at the center of a raging national debate over religion and politics. She handles her situation with grace and courage, and the plot, which unfolds with great dexterity, brings us to a satisfying conclusion. Grindstaff's writing is nuanced and subtle, and serves his purposes to a tee.

2 people found this helpful

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A reader

An unusual and compelling story

Reviewed in the United States on 30 January 2013

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This book was compared to A Prayer for Owen Meany, which immediately intrigued me. In Hannah's Voice, Hannah is a brilliant 6 yo girl who experiences multiple tragedies and makes the decision to stop speaking in hopes that bad things stop happening.

Ten years later, and a country is at war over her voicelessness, ascribing to it their own agendas and significance, while she works to rebuild her life and enter adulthood.

Beautifully written with compelling prose, vivid characterization and a gripping story that had me reading this book in one sitting, Hannah's Voice is a solid 5-star and well worth the read. Hannah's journey is heartbreaking and uplifting, and I enjoyed 'hearing' her story, as she watched the world in silence. I look forward to more from this amazing author.

2 people found this helpful

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Susan A. Coleman

Recommended

Reviewed in the United States on 31 August 2013

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The story of Hannah who, at age six, simply stops talking. I enjoyed the beginning of the book the most because it was written from a perspective that allowed me, as a reader, to speculate as to why she stopped. Some parts are hilarious. What ensues from her silence in a small, conservative North Carolinian town, is something that could only be anticipated in retrospect - she is judged to be both demon-possessed and a holy prophet who is waiting for the right time to speak. This, by separate and opposing interests who stalk her until she enters college and the beliefs and actions around her break into national attention. This was entertaining and sadly thought-provoking in terms of what passes for reason in so many people today; attitudes of those who projected their own interests onto the singular choice of a child mirror the unilateral thinking in todays's religious and political polity.

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S. J. Dunn

A lovely story with an engaging protagonist

Reviewed in the United States on 11 March 2013

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Many authors simply write to entertain; some write to comment on our world, and some of those hammer you over the head with their message or views.

Grindstaff expertly conveys his views of the world through a well-written and realistic story. No ramming his messages down your throat - and for that reason, this story works on so many levels.

With Hannah, he has created a character who is different and charming. You'll remember her; you'll wish you could meet her in real life.

This is an important book, and well worth reading. If you're looking for books that are well written and professionally presented, with stories that draw you in and keep you involved, you can't do much better than HANNAH'S VOICE.

I will definitely buy more of this author's work.

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patrick e bates

Quite Entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on 22 September 2013

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I read for entertainment, not for literary value. "Hannah's Voice" was just that ...entertaining. I had some second thoughts when the author suddenly skipped some ten years without any explanation or apology. I will admit to being not a little upset, but the author handled that ten year skip with a lot of talented writing - I forgot all about being upset.

If you want to be entertained and have some fun reading a novel, then "Hannah's Voice" should satisfy your needs, it did for me. And to show that I was entertained well enough, I'm on the lookout of more of Robb Grendstaff's writing.

I would have given this novel a rating of 5, but then what would I rate for a Pulitzer novel? I've often wondered about the way the rating scale works for some people. But, hey, I'm just a reader, not a reviewer.

Patrick

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Jen

Simply a great piece of work! READ THIS!

Reviewed in the United States on 9 March 2013

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This author took on a challenging topic and with a lot of room for potential offense to readers. He handled it masterfully. I'm a fully committed Christian and I found his descriptions of some of the extreme characters to be humorous and, sadly, accurate at on many levels.

This book was deep, beautiful, and it left me feeling as though Hannah would forever be a part of my life. The conclusion is not easy or rushed. The ending left me with a sense of satisfaction mixed with bittersweet emotions for all that Hannah faced in her young life.

My hope is that this book will be discovered and possibly made into a screenplay in the future. I encourage you to treat yourself to a copy of Hannah's Voice. You'll thank me.

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