Whispers

Whispers is a 1993 domestic violence novel written by Belva Plain. It takes place in Connecticut, where the young and naïve secretary Lynn falls in love with the ambitious and handsome executive Robert. Robert seems like a marvelous partner at first, but has occasional violent outbursts. The novel brings into question whether it is okay for a partner to hit their significant other if it is only "every now and then". Summary Lynn is a middle class secretary who was born in Iowa. She simple, yet pretty and even though she's smart due to her small town upbringing she is naive. Her self esteem fluctuates between medium and low, finding herself rather ordinary and very short. At work she befriends and later falls in love with her boss, Robert, a handsome and talented young man who is destined to a great future within the company. They start dating and quickly get married. After Robert gets a promotion they move to Connecticut with her two young daughters. At first Robert is sweet and gentle, retelling his life like a fairytale with a tragic past, his parents being lovely but having an untimely death back when he was young, having been married once but tragically being left by his neurotic ex-wife. Lynn gets entangled in a web of sugarcoated lies and half truths and is dazzled by Robert's good looks and gentlemanly demeanor. Yet as time and their marriage progresses Robert lets his true colours show: he's possessive, domineering, controlling, and abusive emotionally, psychologically, and lastly physically. He's a narcissist and a perfectionist that wants to have "either the best or nothing", demanding everyone to follow the same mantra and exploding if things don't go his way. After a series of events where the truth of his former marriage is revealed he ultimately beats Lynn to near death and ends up without a marriage and without a family. Lynn learns that her self worth is not to be dictated by anyone, that being abused is not something to be ashamed of as it's not her fault, that rather she should stand up for herself and her little family and rise her voice to protect herself and her loved ones. She also realizes that she is not a helpless little woman after all, that she has an inner fire that might not be showy but is just as roaring as anyone else's, giving her the strength to stand on her own two feet, finally opening her restaurant, and letting herself seek her much dreamed happiness.