White as Silence, Red as Song: A Novel

Written by Alessandro D'Avenia

Narrated by John Behrens

Hailed as Italy’s The Fault in Our Stars, this Italian bestseller is now available for the first time in English.

“I was born on the first day of school, and I grew up and old in just two hundred days . . .”

Sixteen-year-old Leo has a way with words, but he doesn’t know it yet. He spends his time texting, polishing soccer maneuvers, and killing time with Niko and Silvia. Until a new teacher arrives and challenges him to give voice to his dreams.

And so Leo is inspired to win over the red-haired beauty Beatrice. She doesn’t know Leo exists, but he’s convinced that his dream will come true. When Leo lands in the hospital and learns that Beatrice has been admitted too, his mission to be there for her will send him on a thrilling but heartbreaking journey. He wants to help her but doesn’t know how—and his dream of love will force him to grow up fast.

Having already sold over a million copies, Alessandro D’Avenia’s debut novel is considered Italy’s The Fault in Our Stars. Now available in English for the first time, this rich, funny, and heartwarming coming-of-age tale asks us to explore the meaning—and the cost—of friendship, and shows us what happens when suffering bursts into the world of teenagers and renders the world of adults speechless.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: Sep 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9780785217084

Alessandro D'Avenia

Alessandro D’Avenia holds a PhD in Classical Literature, and teaches Ancient Greek, Latin and Literature at a high school in Milan. White as Silence, Red as Song was his first novel,published in Italy in 2010. It sold a million copies in Italy, has been translated into over twenty languages and was released as a film in 2012. Alessandro has since published four more books, the latest of which, Every Story is a Love Story, was published in October 2017.

Reviews for White as Silence, Red as Song

[grgenius_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

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

[hes7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I have never read or seen the movie for the Fault in our Stars. Therefore, I can not compare this book to it as some other readers have. Yet, I will tell you that this book didn't really deliver for me. The theme is "love makes everything possible". Thus the reason that Leo felt he could do anything including being Beatrice knight in shining armor. Here is why this book didn't really work for me. I felt a bit uncomfortable to the point that Leo came off as kind of stalkerish. He kept obsessing about Beatrice. Yet, he didn't have for a good portion of the story a "real" connection with her. Well not face to face when she was aware of Leo. He visited her in the hospital while she was sleeping. Additionally, the way the book was written kind of like a poem, made it kind of hard to stay grounded in the story. Plus, it moved really fast. This book was a good effort but it missed the mark.

[ekanderson_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The promotional copy for WHITE LIKE MILK, RED LIKE BLOOD aptly compares this story to THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. And while, stylistically, Alessandro D’Avenia, bears little resemblance to John Green, the voice of his protagonist resonates in the same way that John Green’s characters do. This is a book that has already found mass appeal in Europe, and I’m excited that it’s been translated into English and distributed in the US.WHITE LIKE MILK, RED LIKE BLOOD is the story of a high schooler in love. Leo hasn’t ever really talked to Beatrice, but he’s infatuated by her beauty. He adores her. And he is determined to get her to fall for him. But when she stops showing up to school, Leo realizes something is wrong. And it’s not long before it’s revealed that the beautiful redhead he’s devoted to is deathly ill. She has cancer, and her chances aren’t great.With a fabulous supporting cast — including a wonderful teacher, an adoring female best friend, and a group of soccer buddies — WHITE LIKE MILK, RED LIKE BLOOD is the kind of book that throws back to the YA of the 80s, with touches of Judy Blume and John Hughes. But Alessandro D’Avenia has a new voice in his own right, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he’ll have to offer in years to come.