Review of Gloria Don't Speak by Lucy Apps

Gloria doesn’t speak much. She’s just finished full time education, is living with her mother and spending her days wandering East London’s parks. When she meets Jack, she finds him a little scary and she doesn’t understand his angry rants. But they eat chips and drink coke together and he doesn’t seem to mind her silence. They develop a friendship but this shatters when Jack commits an act of violence that sends him to prison and Gloria into a spiral.

Gloria is a vulnerable young woman who experiences trauma but whilst her story takes us to some dark places, the ending gives us a heartwarming light at the end of the tunnel. I flew through this novel, completely captivated by App’s storytelling. Inspired by the author’s volunteer work, this is an urgent, unique and empathetic debut centering the experiences of those with learning disabilities, a community of people we seldom see represented in literature. App’s writing is authentic, effortless and expertly paced but most importantly, she achieves what all great novellists set out to do - show you the world through a new lens. 

Reviewed by Abi

Published on 19/02/26 by Weatherglass Books

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