This book has been marketed many times as a Christian YA book. I do not think it should be labeled as Christian. Rude language was used a number of times throughout this book and Leo makes some inappropriate references. I do not understand why Leo has an obsession with his dog peeing or why he idolizes (as well as stalks) Beatrice.
This book has been translated into English from Italian. The translating was better than most but there still are some rough spots. The style felt very poetic even though the book was not written in verse. ( )

Perfetto per adolescenti lobotomizzati!
Banale la trama, scontato il finale, triste e piatto lo stile di questo scrittore/professore? Bah, c'è tanto di meglio da leggere. ( )

Okay, first things first...let's talk cover and title.
The simplicity of the cover matched with the striking color palette totally drew me in. I gave pause when I saw the red butterfly fluttering among the stark whiteness of its surroundings. It made me stop and wonder, what drew it to be there? How did it feel to be standing out so boldly against its surroundings? The title...made me curious. I know some people see feelings, emotions, and situations in colors, so I was half expecting to encounter someone along those lines, though even I can see how silence may be easily interpreted as white...just like white noise, background...filler. So, from the start, it had extra points in its corner.

Second things second...let's talk story.
I admit, for a good portion of the book, I was seriously wondering exactly where we were going with this. I mean, was it something lost in translation? Was I simply not getting it? What under the heavens above was I missing that would explain all the noise I was reading into what had seemed to be such a grand story? I'll say this...it took a while...and I'm talking up until about the last 3rd or 4th or the book to really get in there, up under all the talked about feelings, and what ifs, to the nitty gritty, and begin to understand what people were really doing, really feelings, really saying as they went about their lives while others had theirs crumbling down.

I gotta say I really admired Beatrice, when we finally got to know her, for her desire to lift others up as she herself was being torn down, for her strength of faith which is hard to keep even in the best of times, and for her ability to inspire others even from afar Silvia was another favorite because despite the supposed deception, she loved with all her heart, gave with all her soul, and cared enough not to take, but to wait, until the moment finally arrived for her to have her time in the sun. Though Leo was our main voice here, I found it harder to feather out his state of mind without the echo effect created by those around him. He was so involved in his quest to have the brightest star be his that he forgot to even look at the sky. Good thing he had some great friends to fall back on, even when things looked beyond all hope.

In the end, it wasn't the glorious read I was hoping for (and no, I've not read The Fault in Our Stars --yet-- but I thoroughly loved the movie), but it was memorable. Like the constellations that dot our night skies, it is something that I can look back on and remember when, while still trying to puzzle out the mysteries that lie within...not a bad thing, just a different thing. Recommended for Young Adult fans in their teen-dom and beyond...


**copy received for review ( )

illeggibile, davvero! personaggio paranoico, un mix con tutto: paturnie, malattie ecc e un professore che dice due cavolate e per magia trasforma il protagonista. Davvero, non ce la faccio ad andare avanti. Bocciato. ( )

White as Silence, Red as Song is an odd YA story. Leo carries it with a stream-of-consciousness-esque narration, so naturally, it focuses on the aspects of his life: school, soccer, friends, and his crush on Beatrice. At times, Leo comes across immature and makes questionable decisions (he is a teenage boy, after all), but his growth through the story, thanks to injury, illness, and a teacher that makes him think, is interesting to see.

When I picked up White as Silence, Red as Song, the comparison to The Fault in Our Stars helped me to have an idea of what type of story I was entering—and kept me from fully investing emotionally with the characters, I think. Even so, I found that Alessandro D’Avenia’s novel had enough differences to make it unique. It’s a quick, thought-provoking read that YA readers could enjoy.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a complimentary copy of White as Silence, Red as Song and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )