WHO EVOKES THE LOUDEST SILENCE?

As we enter the dystopian world of Silence, where society deems being ‘Complete’ as perfection, Che De Leon, introduces us to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique personalities and compelling back stories. And thanks to the creative input of @thegirlinyellowjacket, we can now bring these characters to life with faces.

We start off with Lily, our main female character. We follow her journey from her idyllic life by the seaside with her sister, mom, and dad, to the ruthless and cutthroat City where Incompletes are discarded and considered as walking spare parts. Out of desperation to be Complete again, she swallows her pride, strictly adheres to the rules of the City for Incompletes, and plays the game Sweater Girl forced her to play – all in the hopes of getting her tongue back to become Complete again. Throughout the book, we witness Lily’s transition from being the carefree, stubborn, and determined girl to a timid and melancholic woman, with a touch of something twisted and dark, lurking deep within. Thoroughly captured in this illustration, Lily’s eyes convey a sense of depth and wisdom shaped by the challenges and realizations from her journey to the City.

Appearing in front of Lily’s house, perfectly illustrated donning an ugly pink and green sweater and claiming that she possesses the information Lily is desperate to obtain, we are next introduced to Sweater Girl. Seemingly cunning and manipulative, she lures Lily to travel to the City to play her game, promising the coveted information as the prize if she wins the game. With Sweater Girl’s disposition of unquestionable confidence, boldness, and fearlessness, her true motivation for engaging Lily in this game remains a mystery, known only to herself. As cruel as she may seem, Sweater Girl makes sure that Lily is taken care of, as she drops her off in front of a coffee shop owned by her friend, Long Fingers.

Irritated by the sudden appearance of her friend with an Incomplete under the guise of fulfilling the ‘help needed’ sign, we are introduced to Long Fingers, the best barista in the City and the soon-to-be-employer of Lily. Rather prickly, short-tempered, and very particular with how things are done, Lily considers ‘no comments’ from the owner as a good day. As the story progresses, we unravel the real connection between him and Sweater Girl and how his presence ties into the game that Lily is playing. Despite having an Incomplete as an employee, Long Finger’s coffee shop is still frequented by regulars, including his and Sweater Girl’s friend, Ringlets.

Crowned with the perfect long, curly brown hair, we are introduced to Ringlets, a woman born with a silver spoon, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. As a coffee shop regular, Ringlets spends her time gossiping with friends or making Lily sit with her so she can rant about her life. And her philosophy? Being surrounded by pretty things all the time makes life boring. So, life exposes her to ugly things from time to time, to remind her that she is fortunate and to help her appreciate the pretty things more. Captured beautifully, this illustration reflects the life Ringlets has been living – like a princess, always daddy’s favorite girl. Seemingly harmless, her obsession with perfection is motivated by pleasing her boyfriend, Mr. Teeth.

In accordance with all the conventions of being perfect, Mr. Teeth comes in the story with his tall, muscular body and perfect smile. With his connection with the rich and coming from a wealthy family himself, he does not shy away from engaging in dangerous liaisons, confident that he will get away unscathed. The world is his oyster. With the perfect teeth, sleek blonde hair, and sculpted body, who would possibly question his credibility and strength compared to those Incompletes?

Here are more of the characters who, along with Lily, will create a silence so loud, you can feel it—each one adding something to that moment where nothing needs to be said.

This is just a glimpse of what Silence has to offer. With the beautifully curated and illustrated character guide by @thegirlinyellowjacket, readers are given the opportunity to connect with the characters on much a deeper level and help them immerse as they journey through the book. So, grab your physical copies of Silence by Che De Leon on the 8Letters website and Lazada, and eBook copies on Amazon and Gumroad.

And don’t forget to scan the Spotify codes to listen to some Silence-themed songs!