Phantom Universe

Sold into slavery to pirates at the young age of four, Summer learns to survive the rough seas of subterfuge and thieves through silence. When the boat she’s lived on most of her life is destroyed, Summer finds herself washed up on the shore of a new world, a phantom universe full of the bizarre and extraordinary. She meets Gage, the one boy who understands the girl with no speech. But when their lives are put on the line, will Summer finally call out? Or will all be lost in the fathomless depth of silence? (blurb)

This story is about a sixteen year old girl named Summer who doesn't speak. But her thoughts and actions speak for themselves and even though I don't like stories where there isn't much conversation from the main character it didn't bother me at all. Summer is a very likeable character. With all the things that have happened to her over the course of years in slavery she stopped speaking and doesn't trust anyone except Landon, a fellow slave on the ship, he protects her and is her only friend. When a fellow slave from Summers past Jaden comes to tell her that there are people after her, the three of them escape. They lose sight of each other but ones on land Summer and Jaden find each other again then Summer gets ill and passes out. When she awakes we meet Gage and discover that things are quite different in the world. And one of those reasons is that it is now 200 years later. It seems that around 200 million people just suddenly appeared in the future and they are called 'Outlanders'. Since Summer is very ill she is send to a hospital and Jaden is send to an outlander camp. After Summer gets better she is also send to the outlander camp and this is where she finds Landon again. The one thing in this story that I liked was her relationship she is building with Gage. She doesn't know what to think of this man who rescues and helps her, keeps visiting her in the hospital, but also keeps pulling back. But somehow she knows that she can trust him.



The story is written in the here and now with chapters that go back in to some of Summers younger years. Here is when we learn why Summer doesn't speak and became the girl she is now. And the things that have happened to her are quite gruesome and graphically written but it does make you understand Summer better.
There was one thing about this book that didn't feel right and that was the rather adult thinking Summer did when she was four. I know with all the things happening to her she had to grow up fast but this just didn't quite fit. But other than that this was a very good book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I would say that I enjoyed this book very much but that wouldn't be a right thing to say considering everything Summer went trough.

My rating: 4/5

I received an unedited e-copy from the author Laura Kreitzer and publisher Obsidian Mountain Publishing for an honest review.