Publishers Weekly - Audio
Sonia Ocampo, born in a storm, is believed by her fellow villagers in an unnamed Latin American country to be a prophet from God. As a girl, she is burdened by the responsibility her community places on her during times of great need. Sonia also thinks the esteem of her peers is misplaced and feels like a fraud. Eventually, she flees to work for a wealthy woman in the city. But when a tragedy befalls her own family, she must return and confront what she knows is true about herself and the expectations placed upon her by others. Narrator Cristina Panfilio's performance is a treat. She ably brings to life each of the book's varied characters—even the tertiary ones. Her narration is equally good—her reading of the story (written mostly in close third-person) subtly indicates Sonia's anxieties, her uncertainties, and even the butterfly feelings she gets when she sees a boy she likes. Ages 14–up. A Candlewick hardcover. (Mar.)
Publishers Weekly
Hints of magical realism infuse Medina's story, set in an unnamed Latin American country. Teenage Sonia Ocampos lives with her family—including her handsome rakish brother, Rafael—in a tiny village where the residents struggle daily against poverty and natural forces. According to the villagers, Sonia is special, endowed from birth with the power to answer prayers. Sonia walks through life wrapped in a shawl that grows ever heavier with the metal milagros (prayer charms) bestowed upon it. The opportunity to serve as apprentice housemaid in a wealthy home in the capital brings new discoveries and obstacles, particularly in the form of the owner's lecherous nephew. When Sonia learns that Rafael has gone missing, presumably seeking a brighter future, she must look beyond her powers of prayer to rescue him. Touches of romantic longing between Sonia and a poetically talented orphan boy create an enticing undercurrent; secondary characters reveal unexpected aspects of their personalities as the suspense builds. Medina persuasively depicts the sights, rhythms, and relationships of both village life and the servants' world at Casa Masón, but her story is missing the spark that would make it truly engrossing. Ages 14–up (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Medina creates a compelling narrative within a Latin American culture where parents cling to old ways and their children thread their paths between hope and despair, trying to find a viable future. Though touches of magical realism appear in the novel, the real magic here arises from the story of a girl struggling to see beyond others’ perceptions and find her own way in a society that seems to offer few options.
—Booklist Online
This multilayered debut novel is particularly successful in presenting the complexities of Sonia’s thoughts as she tries to understand her identity and her social role. As the town mystic, she never allowed herself to consider the possibility of a future of her choosing, and her experience in the city finally allows her to dream.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Medina’s writing is fluent and lovely, weaving Spanish words in with the English text to paint a heartwarming story of a girl’s journey to find out who she is.
—School Library Journal
Medina breathes life into Sonia and many of the secondary characters, and the vivid descriptions and touches of magical realism will enthrall readers.
—Kirkus Reviews
Medina persuasively depicts the sights, rhythms, and relationships of both village life and the servants' world at Casa Masón...
—Publishers Weekly
With a hint of magical realism and a Latin influence, THE GIRL WHO COULD SILENCE THE WIND tells the story of 16-year-old Sonia Ocampo with an enchanting narrative... Sonia's satisfying story of self-discovery combines friendship, family, love and adventure. A book for those fond of alluring storytelling.
—Shelf Awareness
The plot of THE GIRL WHO COULD SILENCE THE WIND is highly plausible, with down-to-earth characters and situations highlighting how a young woman learns to find her place and happiness in her world.
—The New York Journal of Books
Sonia is an endearing protagonist with whom many readers may identify.... THE GIRL WHO COULD SILENCE THE WIND is a charming story of hope, courage, dreams and identity.
—TeenReads.com
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 7–10—Sonia Ocampo, 16, has been told she's blessed, but she knows she's a fraud. She was born during a frightful storm and her entire village believes that after her birth she was responsible for silencing the wind. Now people travel from all around to leave their hopes and wishes with her so that she can bless them and their families. Sonia doesn't believe she's special and wants a normal life. So, she leaves her family and her village of Tres Montes to work in the house of a wealthy family in the city. All is well until her brother is kidnapped. Cuban-American author Meg Medina's first YA novel (Candlewick, 2012) has just a touch of magic and romance. Will Sonia adjust to life in the city? Will she be able to help her family and friends during their time of need? Cristina Panfilio blends the English language with the Latin accents of the characters smoothly and effortlessly. Teens will enjoy the cultural nuances and the romantic portion of the story. A fine addition to school and public library collections.—Elizabeth L. Kenyon, Merrillville High School, IN
FEBRUARY 2013 - AudioFile
When the birth of Sonia Ocampo seemed to quell a terrible storm, she was designated the magical protector of her Chilean village. Cristina Panfilio’s easy transitions between the Spanish and English words woven throughout this story hold a similar magic. Her gentle timbre and fluid reading create a strong sense of Sonia’s character and her village. Panfilio manages Sonia’s altering moods just as easily she portrays Sonia’s need, at age 16, to go away and work in the city before one more person can pin a prayer charm to her shawl. Panfilio’s narrative flow prepares listeners equally for the story’s bursts of magical realism and Sonia’s realistically tangled feelings as she seeks to find her place in the world. S.W. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
Laden with the hopes and fears of her village, a 16-year-old girl casts aside her appointed calling to discover her true destiny. "The curse on Sonia Ocampo's life came without warning before she was even born, cleverly disguised as good luck." Sonia's birth marked the end of the colossal storm that had been ravaging the village of Tres Montes. From that day on, she carried the prayers of Tres Montes in the form of milagros, small, metal prayer charms, sewn into her shawl. When her prayers fail to save the life of young village boy, Sonia questions her supposed gifts. With the help of her spirited Tía Neli, she finds a job in the capital city as a wealthy woman's maid. She leaves behind her parents, her brother and her schoolgirl crush, Pancho Muñoz, and joins three other village girls in service at Casa Masón. Soon word of her brother's disappearance reaches her, and Sonia must decide how much she is willing to risk to save the ones she loves. Medina breathes life into Sonia and many of the secondary characters, and the vivid descriptions and touches of magical realism will enthrall readers. However, teens may find themselves with more questions than answers as the novel builds towards a hasty resolution and a tidy epilogue. A worthy effort weakened by a rushed conclusion. (Magical realism. 14-18)
