*rating is 3.5*

Can you imagine a society in which you can only use 500 words? It’s a scary though, words are freedom and to have that taken away would be crippling. This is the world in which Letta (play on letter I am guessing) has to live in. This book elicited some unwanted emotional responses, most was anger and disgust. I had to put the book down multiple times, read another book then come back to it. Considering this is suppose to be a children’s book (middle school grade) I was a bit shocked at some of what happens, there is multiple mentions of violence some of it a bit graphic, so if your child wants to read this you may want to double check if you are okay with this.

Forde’s writing was extremely easy to read and I really like the creative way she had the chapter titles, which was a list word and it’s definition. I think if I was in a society as this I would need to be a wordsmith, I cannot understand the whole stuttered speaking. I understand why Noa did this too, which sort of freaks me out honestly. I can say that I did not like the ending, although if this is a part of a series that leaving the end open like that is fine, however if this is a one-shot book than it stirs way more questions than it answers. I did like the characters you were obviously suppose to like and of course was disgusted by the ones you are not suppose to like. Maybe if I had read this as a child I wouldn’t have had such a emotional reaction to this book. I will say that the story and where it was going was extremely predictable, but considering what ages this book is aimed at I am completely fine with it.