Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
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?
Tags
Is Phantom Universe appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 13 and up.
Readers should know this book deals with child slavery and trauma, though handled for a YA audience. The protagonist is a selective mute due to traumatic experiences, and the story centers on her healing journey in a fantastical new world.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include child abuse, slavery, and captivity (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens will connect with Summer's journey from silence to finding her voice, and the adventure of discovering a strange new world with someone who finally understands her.