People might hear you by Robin Klein

Friday Old Favourite

Publisher blurb: "When her aunt marries the forbidding Mr Tyrell, Frances is introduced to the mysterious temple, with its strange, fanatical beliefs. At first she trustingly accepts her aunt's new life, and tries to be a 'worthy' member of the temple. But as she uncovers its sinister secrets she realises she has no escape . . ."

Frances is told her aunt is getting married, this is a huge surprise. Then she is told she will be leaving her school. After the "marriage" Frances and Aunt Loris move in to the house of the strange Finley Tyrell and his almost silent daughters. No one is allowed to know they live in the house. Very late at night the girls are allowed out to run around the block for exercise but this is closely supervised and quite terrifying. Meals are silent and lessons are from old books and are mostly about preparations for the end of the world or religious indoctrination. Frances has no idea what is going on but Robin Klein gives her reader hints through her word choices. I have highlighted these for emphasis:

"The temple was a building made of grey concrete slabs, unattractive and intimidating. Heavy metal screen meshed the windows facing the street. ... the only garden was a fringe of thick, fleshy grass blades which crept up all around the foundations."

"Her own shoes made a clatter, disturbing the quietness of the house."

"He didn't sound grouchy with her, but his personality was so strong that she didn't care to argue. He didn't even look at her to make sure she was doing as she was told, but seemed to take it for granted that he would be obeyed."

"Frances realised suddenly that Claire's speech was remarkably free from slang. She spoke as no other child Frances had ever heard, almost like a very precise adult. There was no light and shade in her voice, and no liveliness."

"If we ever had to fight for what we believe in, we'd be able to lock ourselves in and survive for a long time. And in the war, when everything else is in ruins, this house will be spared, because it belongs to the temple and has divine protection."

"There was a heavy screen door that also had to be unlocked from the inside, and then cold, dark air slashed in at them, causing Frances to plunge her hands deep into her coat pockets. There was a porch; a small yard rippling with wind-tossed, spiky bushes... "

People might hear you was originally published in 1983. I loved this book when I first read it back in 1984 and since that time I have often recommended it to students in my school library. Re-reading it over the last few days, while the story did engross me, it didn't have quite the same emotional impact. The naivety of Frances and her constant references to her friend Kerry annoyed me a little. I would still recommend this book for mature readers aged 10+ but I no longer feel desperate to see it back in print. The ending, however, is brilliant - filled with hope but also tantalisingly unresolved.

My copy also had a very condensed and small font which made reading more difficult than it should have been. Here is a review with more plot details.

I would pair this book with Grace by Morris Gleitzman.