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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book encapsulates one of the things I love about romance fiction; the ability to introduce readers subjects that are very real and not often addressed and present them in a fun story format. As I've encountered more hearing impaired people in my life I've become increasingly interested in the subject matter and I appreciated the author conveying a variety of experiences through Lilah and the cast of characters. That being said, I'm also aware that presenting information on a subject such as this via a YA romcom may not be the most reliable source as it's not always easy to tell what is accurate to real life and what is thrown in for extra conflict.
But I did enjoy the story. I feel like, for the most part, there was a decent balance of story, romance, character relationships, and information. This was a fun and cute read that would be especially good to pick up in the Summer season.
Side note: I listened to the majority of the book via audiobook and read some of it in ebook format and I appreciated how both formats approached the sign language and Lilah's struggle to understand what characters were saying both verbally and through sign. It felt especially immersive to be learning alongside her.
But I did enjoy the story. I feel like, for the most part, there was a decent balance of story, romance, character relationships, and information. This was a fun and cute read that would be especially good to pick up in the Summer season.
Side note: I listened to the majority of the book via audiobook and read some of it in ebook format and I appreciated how both formats approached the sign language and Lilah's struggle to understand what characters were saying both verbally and through sign. It felt especially immersive to be learning alongside her.
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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:
Yes
When you’re a teenager, it pretty much always feels like there is no place where people understand you. Or where you understand others. It’s a muddled pit of confusion and emotions. For Lilah, add in that she often literally cannot understand people because of her hearing loss and life is even tougher. Desperate to find a place where she doesn’t have to adapt for other people’s comfort, she gets a job as a junior counselor at a summer camp for the Deaf and Blind. But, whoops turns out even among people more like you, there is plenty of room for miscommunication. This book is a sweet summer romance, but it’s also mainly about a character coming to understand how she is most comfortable with herself. And how she will accept the burden society places upon her due to her disability but also the many joys of connections it brings in this setting.
For a older middle grade or younger YA audience, I think this book offers a pretty nuanced, in-depth look into the struggles of Dead and HoH individuals. It does come across a bit like a lecture every once in a while, but I think with a YA audience there is more room to get away with that sort of thing. And, there are some subjects where it’s good to impart the learning. There may not always be many opportunities in real life to hear this perspective. I think for many readers, they will have never thought about the lives Deaf folks; I did not meet a deaf person until I was in college and even now have never had a close friendship with a Deaf or HoH person. It’s a complex world that I have very little experience in and I think this book present the fears and the connections it brings very well.
I really liked Lilah as a main character; I like that she is equal parts mischievous and people-pleasing, much like most teenagers. She can be totally oblivious and self-absorbed (also like most teenagers) but also has a great ability to self-reflect and change. I wish we’d seen a bit more of the relationship with her and her brother; they start to highlight how different the Deaf experiences can be but it doesn’t get a lot of time on the page. I do have to gripe that the pace is a little off and length a little long here. For a big cast, I was able to keep all the character straight, which speak to how well-drawn this world was. But I did think we could’ve moved certain things along, even if it meant having quicker, more dramatic solutions earlier on. Also, this is very nitpicky of me but I am from the Midwest, tornadoes move very fast! It’s kind of their whole thing; this section was a good example of where momentum slowed and we could have cut some of this to get to the action.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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:
No
I loved this book so much! Finding a good book with a deaf main character is tricky and this one is even better having a deaf author who adds so much authenticity to the story. I wish everyone would read this. It would be such a rich lesson in empathy for so many.
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced