Archer's voice

Mia Sheridan

Published: January 25, 2014

Genres: Romance, Disability, Drama, Adult

Pages: 377

Archer’s Voice holds a special place in my heart. I could easily revisit it over and over again, still feeling the same emotions that I experienced the first time. If I was required to only read one romance book for the rest of my life, Archer’s Voice would be the one I would choose.

With the balanced range of characters, it’s easy to fall in love with the town’s residents alongside Bree. Rather than the FMC’s social network being limited to her family which she can’t exactly do, she interacts with her neighbour, co-workers, even Archer’s family. The residents are heartwarming with their homely dialogue, rather than sounding flat. It’s a new world for both Bree and myself, as the reader, discovering the depths of the town. I could visualise the novel with ease, as if watching a movie.

The first meeting with Archer was slightly cliche with Bree’s items tumbling to the ground. Although, it’s uncommon that the MMC looks unhygienic before meeting the FMC, and I liked the acknowledgment that Archer wasn’t taking care of himself. Yet when Archer did trim his beard, he didn’t trim himself out of desiring to be attractive, but rather to open himself to Bree as she did to him. As readers, we tend to focus more on the MMC’s appearance, forgetting that depression also affects people physically. Although, strangely, his physical body didn’t show signs of stress. Unlike other MMCs, I appreciate how Archer is also depicted as a virgin. Sometimes I wonder if people associate toxic traits with masculinity, but Archer is proof that a loving, inexperienced, lonesome man is also masculine. I’m glad it was somewhat relevant to his childhood, considering he was isolated from the town.

While Archer’s Voice focused on both Bree’s and Archer’s inner trauma, I liked how it was Archer who needed to be saved the most. He had no life - Isolated from everyone with no real life experience, not even love. If Bree didn’t make the effort to interact with him, Archer would’ve remained the same until death. Not all FMC are required to be the “strong female lead”, and Bree is proof of that. She’s both vulnerable and strong, yet in a sense, it’s her revealed vulnerability that strengthen her and allowed Archer to be vulnerable himself. Despite Archer’s initial denial of interaction, Bree continued to persist onwards with determination.

With Archer’s disability, I appreciate how he wasn’t defined by his inability to speak. It does greatly affect his life, but it isn’t the disability itself that affects him, but rather the fact no one knew sign language before Bree and he was socially outcasted for it. I have to admit, unfortunately, Archer’s Voice gave me the realisation of what it means to be voiceless. I’ve always acknowledged that they cannot talk, yet I never recognised the loneliness behind it. With very few people knowing sign language, it must be difficult to find a friend outside specific locations. It must be so saddening try to cry and scream, mourn over someone, yet their voice of despair and frustration cannot be heard. Some say not speaking out loud is bottling their emotions and, in any case, that’ll be the same for mute.

I have to admit, Mia could write an entire book solely about the Hale family. Who would’ve thought a single family could contain so much drama? Although it’s unlike real life families, in a weird way, I found the Hale family to be entertaining. It’s uniquely different and refreshing, despite how strange the Hale family is. It’s definitely perfect for movie adaption, that’s for sure. Sometimes quirkiness is required to spice up a story, otherwise it becomes difficult to differentiate the story from the rest.

Amusingly, at times Bree sounds as if she’s on a Scooby doo mystery adventure by asking people information about the Hales. Ideally, I would’ve confronted either Archer or Travis. Would you even bother asking him? But it’s mostly hilarious how people happen to remember Archer’s story despite him being isolated for so long. Poor guy doesn’t even need to tell his backstory and people already know. There are weird moments where Bree, or at least the author, compares Archer to a boy, referring to him as a silent boy or even describing him as “looking almost like a little boy”. I understand it’s suppose to represent his innocence, but it’s a little unflattering knowing that he is the love interest. It’s mostly reasonable when Archer is reflecting how he is still his six-year-old self.

In defensive of Bree and Archer not getting professional help; both of them were in the wrong headspace. While the saying goes “opposites attract”, I honestly believe they are very similar. Both desired to search for something else rather than confronting their problem. Both ran away as an escape from reality, Bree ran away to the town while Archer ran away from the town. While it is not a healthy coping mechanism, some people are unwilling to get help. Many of us do things that we shouldn’t, knowing there are better solutions.

Now, the plot twists. It is a cheap tactic to get a reader hooked? Maybe, but it takes a lot of effort to get a reader emotionally invested in the plot twist. Each plot twist played on my heart strings in a way that I wouldn’t normally feel towards a novel. I was impressed by Mia’s ability to play on the reader’s lack of knowledge. With the strip club scene, I was so shocked by the turn of events. In a sense, the scene addressed male sexual assault. Archer was influenced by alcohol and pressured by Travis, who I refer to as Travsh. Many men think they need to be experienced, which is why I think Archer is so important as a virgin MMC.

The ending was almost bittersweet as I didn’t want the story to end, yet it must. Archer’s Voice, to me, is a romance novel with everything wrapped in one. Perhaps even some negatives, including the existence of Travsh, but it’s only necessary for the goodness to appear even greater.