Thank you Netgalley for the eARC of this book. A fantastic read which I eventually bought in physical form. Would definitely recommend.

The Movement follows Sara Javed, an author who became famous due to writing a book about her experience as a minority female, however, as time moves on she realises that everyone is talking about something and all these voices are just getting mixed up together creating chaos. In her mind words are losing meaning, thus she decides to stop talking and stop communicating. Her silence quickly grows into a movement called Non-Verbalism, and it all suddenly becomes very political. However, Sara’s choice to become silent doesn’t only affect her, it affects millions of other people, including those of Grace and Zeinab.

The premise of this book intrigued me so much and honestly, I had quite high hopes for it. It just sounded so unique and unusual, so I had to pick it up…The story and characters had so much potential to be explored in depth, however, sadly that didn’t happen, at least for me. The author, instead of exploring characters in the story in more depth, chose to talk more about politics and societal implications surrounding the so-called ‘Non-Verbalism Movement’ that the main characters in this book partake in. Although all of the social and political commentary in the book on important issues, such as feminism, freedom of speech, and oppression is very important to talk about and to explore, it made me not care about the characters and their stories. I felt that if that social and political commentary were more intertwined with certain characters or communicated by them, then the book would’ve been 5 stars for me.

The writing however was brilliant, the book flowed very well and it was quite a quick read. I also liked how the book didn’t shine away to show how we as a society are interconnected and how someone’s even the smallest decision can affect us all. Characters in this book also reveal how much we depend on technology and communication in the 21st century and how much our lives would be different if those changed.

In terms of the characters, I wanted more from the main character Sara. With her, it just didn’t feel like she grew as a character, and from the very beginning, there were times when she was quite insufferable. That said, the other characters, especially Zeinab and Grace, had amazing character development and even though I wanted more depth in their stories, their character development was brilliant.

Overall: It was a very intriguing premise and idea, excellent writing and issues discussed, but, for me, the book felt flat. However, if you like books with in-depth political and social commentary then I would recommend this book, as it does discuss quite a few important and controversial topics of the 21st century.

A very powerful read which I found very thought provoking. I thought the writing was witty and smart. A book for our times.

What a quirky, completely relevant and fascinating premise for a novel - particularly in todays world wher 'who shouts loudest' seems to be the norm.
Ayisha, with wit, directness and perspicacity cuts through the clamour in this gem of a novel which embraces three women embracing a change in their lives that becomes a global concept.
The sad thing about this theme is that , although fiction, it desn't read as altogether unbelivable and that is quite a chilling concept.
The message I took from this was that how you say something - how you express yourself is as important as what you say.
I found The Movement put a timely spotlight on the value and power of voice.
This will be a novel that stays with me for some time to come.

The Movement by Ayisha Malik is absolutely bloody brilliant! It's an extremely powerful and thought-provoking story. It asks the questions, Who is heard? Who is silenced? Who has a voice? Who is spoken over? If you're not going to be heard, why talk?

While the story is about three specific women and how this movement of silence effects their lives, it was absolutely fascinating to see who chose to be silent, why they chose to be silent, and those who were against them. I loved how Malik used non-verbalism as a stand in for various social issues or forms of activism. How she uses it to exaggerate attitudes on both sides, a mirror reflecting valid opinions and beliefs, but also the level of absurdity some will go to. But also the seriousness of protest. Are we allowed to live in a world without uttering a single word ever again? What would that world look like? How would that effect everything? What would the government's stance be? It's epic in scale, looking at protest, beneficial ways to protest, and our rights.

But I also loved how Malik used non-verbalism not as a form of protest to highlight wanting to be heard, but of wanting *not* to speak. Sara also chooses silence because she is a woman of colour who, as an author, has a platform, and is expected to use that platform. Sara has experienced being reduced to being a woman of colour for diversity reasons, and as such, is often expected to give her opinion on related topics, to be a spokesperson. She has a platform, and so she should use it for those who don't. But what if, actually, she doesn't want to? Doesn't want to be that person? What if she just wants to write her books?

Malik has a fantastic way of injecting humour into her stories. She writes awful characters in such a way that we are angered by them, but Malik uses humour to show how ridiculous they are, inviting us to laugh at them along with her. There's very much a sense of the saying, "If you don't laugh, you might cry." So why not laugh? I really enjoyed one of the ways Malik did this, with asides in brackets from an almost omnipresent narrator, commenting briefly on what just came before.

Malik has always wrote in some way about the clash between culture and the modern world in all of her books. There is love and respect, as we fall in love with her protagonists' family members in all her books, but there's also an acknowledgement that some attitudes - especially around women - aren't ok. Usually, they're dealt with, with Malik's usual wit, as they're almost small, old fashioned attitudes. With The Movement, she tackles cultural attitudes around women and rape, and a hierarchy of wrong doing. What I read in The Movement broke my heart, and I cried. It's not my place to comment on cultural attitudes, but with The Movement, Malik does, and this time, without humour. She interrogates those cultural attitudes, and makes it very clear what she thinks. It's powerful and important - and probably in a way that I, outside of the culture, don't fully comprehend.

The Movement is absolutely incredible, and without a doubt, Malik's best book yet.

Thank you to Headline via NetGalley for the eProof.

Trigger/Content Warnings: This book features birth, death, bereavement, mention of racial abuse, and rape.

This is such an interesting and powerful concept, being totally silent when everywhere around you there's so much noise, most of it unnecessary and overburdening.
Sara has become media-famous for her writing and for her opinions, when one day she writes to the world - Ive decided to shut the f'ck up, A revolutionary action. What's become the purpose of words'
She sparks a movement on Non-Verbal Action around the world; the book follows two of the followers of the Silent Movement, Grace and Zainab, over months and years as they commit to their non-verbal decision.
Can they make their voice heard by being utterly silent?
I was hooked from the beginning - the storytelling was powerful and compelling with huge ideas being thrown about and discussed.
Well worth reading, thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it

I'm not going to give this book an official star rating because this clearly just wasn't to my taste. I would be giving it two stars otherwise.

The writing is intelligent, insightful and thought provoking. But did I enjoy it? No. The emphasis for me, was too much on the political and societal implications around the 'movement' and not enough regarding the stories characters. Thus resulting in me just not caring.

"I have suffered so long from an inclination to tell people to shut the fuck up that I've decided to take my own advice. I have decided to shut the fuck up."

Sara has had it with words. They don't mean anything, they don't do anything. So one fateful night when she is supposed to accept a prestigious book award, she explodes into silence.

One year on, non-verbalism has taken root in wider society. People have come together in solidarity, to connect with humanity on a deeper level beyond words. Grace is risking everything for her faith in the movement and connection with her non-verbal son. Zainab has been told by men who is so often she isn't sure if her words hold any meaning now. And journalist Aadhi is trying his best to keep his voice raised and speak out against the movement, and it's originator.

Along with Sara's old friend Roxy, Aadhi is working to create a documentary that will break Sara's silence and reveal everything she's never said. If silence can really give somebody a voice. And what would happen if that silence breaks.

"Silence had been called many things: a subtraction; a bewitchment; an oppression; a reflection. But, in the unravelling of the self and of lives, one could not deny that it had, to so many, been a revelation."

The Movement is an intersectional feminist power house of a novel. Creating a speculative world where people seize their power using quiet weapons - silence becoming a form of solidarity for every person who doesn't have an equal voice. It becomes a way to connect, a way to reflect and truly think about how we interact without filling the silence.

Raising dangerously sharp observations about systemic racism, sexism and the outdated justice system that plagues society. Told through captivating snapshots of past and present from multiple points of view, interspersed with press releases, documentary snippets and media creating a fully immersive world. Capturing not only the people who find piece and connection in the movement, but the side of oppressors and bigots scared of losing control in a world where people are embracing difference as well as similarity.

The characterisation was masterful - each personal crafted perfectly to create a visceral, gut reaction from the reader. Every woman will deeply recognise the anger and fury in their souls, sick of being told they're difficult, or too emotional, or being treated as an object by the overbearing patriarchy.

This powerfully polarising story is not only a statement on contemporary culture, but a strikingly real statement on the power of human connection.

"If people didn't have an equal voice, then silence was solidarity."

This book is an interesting thought exercise: what would happen if half the people in the world decided to voluntarily stop communicating?

The answer Malik came up with is fascinating, especially considering the current political climate. She explores the way governments react (badly), the discrimination Non-Verbal people end up facing, the impact on social media companies when people decide they're not interested in using the platforms anymore, and whether there can be power in silence. The last point is probably the trickiest, and it's what causes the most discussion in the book. The main character, Sara Javed, who started the movement, is a WOC, and there is a lot of discussion about how she is giving up her voice when it took so long for the world to even listen to WOC. The way the tension between the two camps escalated was horrifying, but also all too realistic. And maybe it's because of the times we live in, but I found this a very compelling read.

It's a brilliant and thought provoking story, perfect for this age of noise. It's a strong novel, a novel about choices and how women's choices are always subject to critics.
I liked the storytelling and the style of writing, it's an interesting and engrossing book. even if a bit slow at the beginning.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc.

Sara Javed has had enough of echo-chambers, of not being heard above the noise and being forced to comment on things when she has nothing to say. So she does the only thing she can: she stops talking. But her vow of silence doesn’t bring her the peace she is looking for and before she knows it she is the head of a movement that sweeps the nation. And then, the world.

Malik imagines how silence pulls us together and pushes us apart, its power in sending a message and the self-contained echo-chamber you find yourself in when faced with silence. The concept of the silent movement spreading like a virus, mutating through its different forms was not one I initially found appealing but Malik really makes it work, exploring different narratives and creating a multifaceted and layered novel. I especially liked women, who have traditionally been silenced, reclaiming this silence for themselves and being the subject of outrage, the ultimate metaphor of women being unable to do anything without facing criticism.

The Movement is slightly reminiscent of “Beautiful World, Where Are you?” in that it contains the pressures authors face when their books start to garner recognition and audiences become fascinated with their lives. However, unlike Rooney, this remains a small portion of the book and Malik uses this to explore the responsibility authors have to society, if at all - which is something I found deeply fascinating.

This novel draws many parallels to this day and age and ultimately is essential reading. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if people started to withdraw from the world, this is certainly the book for you.

What power do words have? Is silence more or less powerful? These questions are at the centre of this novel, where we find the population of several countries divided between Verbals and Non Verbals. Sounds familiar? Echoing the Stay/Remain, vax/no vax etc. polarisation of the public's opinion, this is also a novel about choice and respect, among many other themes.

Now I'm curious though... in a world where you could choose to speak or not, what would you choose?

DNF at 23%. I'm not a fan of books with timelines that jump around. I'm sure it's very rewarding when they all slot together and you understand why that one character in 2010 was important to the story in 2022, and if you like this kind of book more power to you! This is a great example of one. I'm grateful for the chance to try it out, but it just wasn't for me, sadly.

The Movement begins with Sara Javed, an author about to win a coveted literary award, deciding to become silent. What follows is a new movement that shakes the world; people everywhere are divided and tensions are rising between Verbals and Non Verbals.

The observations made in this were really eye opening, with obvious parallels to contemporary issues such as Brexit or vax/no vax Malik handles these topics with care and provides some honest ideas from both sides. I found the conversation regarding brown women not using their voice particularly informative.

I would highly recommend this read to anyone, there is a lot to be learnt from this work of fiction.

In this divided age of opinions - vax/anti vax, masks/anti-mask, Brexit/Remain - it's a really interesting concept to see the nation polarised in the way that the book depicts. It's thought=provoking too; is your voice louder and more effective when you don't use it at all? A clever idea that is slightly fragmented but leaves you with plenty to think about

Initially I did find the book a bit slow, however as it went on and the concept of Verbals and Non Verbals was established I enjoyed the conversation and debate surrounding it. I also enjoyed each Pov (I just wish they had flown together slightly more as it seemed a bit disjointed at times). The political talk regarding choices made by brown women and being treated as monoliths was quite eye opening and relatable. I did feel several moments in the book were slow and wordy but I was enjoying it throughout.
The ending was fitting and Zainab's story will stay with me for years to come.