Reviews

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

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angelborland's review

emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book has a slow start and a slow middle, but there's surprise, danger and action in the second half. I almost gave the book a full five stars, but there was something unsatisfying about the story for me. Questions about the plot lingered in my mind unresolved. (

Spoiler

Why didn't Andrew take Mary to Dr. Minot straight away? Why keep her in that filthy inn for weeks? Why didn't Mary use gestures to ask for paper and quill the first time she met Dr. Minot? Furthermore, why only send Ezra after Mary? Why not send more men from the island to find Andrew in Boston?

)

Author LeZotte (who is Deaf herself making this an #OwnVoices story) explores prejudice and disability through a historical lens but with a modern sensibility. While many people historically (and currently) see disability as a negative, the reader sees Mary as a fully capable human who happens to speak a different language and experience the world in a different way than hearing people.

hillsax's review

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3.0

3.5

dswhite's review

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5.0

I loved this story. I liked the main character and the believable relationship with her parents. I liked the contrast between the safe space of Martha's Vineyard as opposed to Boston and the prejudice faced there because Lydia was deaf. I also thought the author did a good job at showing the prejudice also faced by the Wampanoags and Freemen.

m2deloria's review

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adventurous informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

cachrysalis's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

dannithach's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

under the perspectives of a lovable, innocent but strong narrator, this book opens up my eyes to the deaf community as a resilient and inspiring community. overall an easy and relatively quick read but an inspirational one.

Content Warnings