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kristab_well3's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so so good. It’s one of those stories that cracks the whole world open and shows you there’s always so much more to learn and that everyone has their own story worth listening to.
cboll's review against another edition
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
4.0
knzstp's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
isbn_978teb's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
This was a really intriguing and informative read. I enjoyed the fact that although there were 3 main POVs, they each had a different relationship with deafness allowing the reader to be exposed to various realities of people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. If I had to choose a favorite character it'd have to be Charlie. Homegirl truly found her voice through ASL and I love that for her. A reminder that everyone has a voice whether you know what it sounds like or not. I love love loved the bits of history on deafness, the challenges overcome, and the strides taken from the brave individuals who refused to settle for less just because society labels them as "broken". Extra kudos for discussing the discrimination that happens within the community due to lack of ASL knowledge, RACE, class and proximity.
Now what I thought could've been handled with some more care is the underage sex and drug usage, the adult + minor relationship, and lack of clear consent. Most importantly because majority of the characters are minors and that appears to be the target audience of this book. One other thing that I'm on the fence about is the possible tokenism with the characters Kayla and Alisha. The lack of development of those characters does raise an eyebrow. I mean we even randomly got a chapter from Kayla 's pov more than 50% into the book that didn't really give us much and never to be revisited again. So while I hope that was not the intent it could've been executed better.
I briefly learned a very small amount of ASL with a friend during summer of 2018 not thinking anything would really come of it. That same summer I had the opportunity to assist a deaf customer who wanted to buy a Nintendo Switch, but was having difficulty getting help from my coworkers. All that to say I've been inspired to get back into learning ASL and I hope you read this and have the same feeling :)
Now what I thought could've been handled with some more care is the underage sex and drug usage, the adult + minor relationship, and lack of clear consent. Most importantly because majority of the characters are minors and that appears to be the target audience of this book. One other thing that I'm on the fence about is the possible tokenism with the characters Kayla and Alisha. The lack of development of those characters does raise an eyebrow. I mean we even randomly got a chapter from Kayla 's pov more than 50% into the book that didn't really give us much and never to be revisited again. So while I hope that was not the intent it could've been executed better.
I briefly learned a very small amount of ASL with a friend during summer of 2018 not thinking anything would really come of it. That same summer I had the opportunity to assist a deaf customer who wanted to buy a Nintendo Switch, but was having difficulty getting help from my coworkers. All that to say I've been inspired to get back into learning ASL and I hope you read this and have the same feeling :)
courtenymorehouse's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
laurenleigh's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was everything I wanted it to be! I love when I can learn something from fiction, and I have way more understanding of deaf culture now. Not that I’m by any means an expert, but I didn’t even know how little I knew until now! The audio version was very cool because when dialogue was signed, they actually recorded someone signing so there’s some hand sound effects behind the narration. These characters were relatable and lovable, and the plot was engaging and interesting. I highly recommend!
theblondpanda's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
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? Yes
5.0
motmoove's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
sad
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? It's complicated
4.25
amysalwaysreading's review against another edition
5.0
True Biz came on my radar as a pick for Modern Mrs. Darcy's book club, and I'm so glad it did. This book was not what I expected. I learned so much about deaf culture through reading this novel. I particularly enjoyed listening to it on audio paired with a physical copy so that I could both hear & see the signs. Highly recommend!
shhh_tamis_reading's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0