Signal Erased (Adele Jones, Rhiza Edge)

Signal Erased is the latest YA near-science-fiction novel by Adele Jones. The story follows Anna Faraday, a high schooler with a remarkable singing voice and a traumatic past. While occupied with schoolwork and her sister’s wedding, Anna is accosted by a frantic science teacher. This teacher’s mission—to have sound alter matter—leaves Anna in the middle of a secret frequency-based experiment that goes wrong. Forced to rely on her new love-interest-slash-sort-of-brother-in-law, Rennie, to help save the day, Anna now finds herself fading from existence. Signal Erased might suit some readers who enjoy imaginative takes on sci-fi tropes and adolescent love stories. It’s perhaps in the vein of The Undercurrent and the Rephaim series by Paula Weston. However, although the novel adheres to established storylines and a proven structure, I found it lacks a compelling writing style and has a religious tone that may be unexpected for some readers. Anna often has thoughts like this: ‘How she longed to take the pain away, but there was only one person she knew who could truly do that—and Rennie wasn’t willing to let Him in, yet.’ Unfortunately (for a sci-fi novel), the most surprising part was when Anna asked Rennie if he’d ever tried praying to God about healing his diabetes. Signal Erased is for young, brave readers who don’t mind a lot of italicised dialogue and godly rhetoric.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Danielle Bagnato is a book reviewer and marketing and communications professional. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews