I’ve been having a lackluster reading month and was craving something engrossing, and True Biz ended up fitting the bill perfectly. Set at the fictional River Valley School for the Deaf, True Biz is effectively a love letter to deaf culture, couched in a coming of age narrative mostly focusing on the budding relationship between two teenage students, Austin and Charlie. Austin comes from generations-old deaf family, whereas Charlie is the first deaf member of her own family; she was never taught sign language and was forced to grow up having very little communicative ability as her cochlear implant is barely functional. The novel also follows February, the school’s headmistress, dealing with her failing relationship, her mom’s poor health, and the potential imminent closure of the school. The novel’s prologue also introduces the fact that three of the students at the school have just gone missing; we then go back in time six months to see the factors that led up to this event.

So, naturally, there’s a lot going on in this book, and where it succeeds is in the thorough immersion it provides in deaf culture (Nović herself is a deaf author). This book informs and engages in equal measure; it’s a crash course in deafness for those of us who are lacking in knowledge of deaf culture and history, but none of it feels rushed or underexamined or patronizing. (It’s not for me to decide, but I can imagine that this book will be as much of a joy for deaf readers as it is for hearing readers.) That said, Nović’s dedication to giving the reader the most thorough portrait of deaf culture possible was often to the novel’s disadvantage; it resulted in a few unfortunate side effects, one of which was a Black character only receiving one single point of view chapter, which existed solely for the benefit of giving the reader a quick lesson on BASL (Black American Sign Language). The differences between ASL and BASL and the stigmas attached to the latter are fascinating, but it felt really shoehorned in, in an attempt to leave no stone unturned—I ultimately just wished that that character had more of a role in the narrative.

This novel isn’t plot heavy, and for the most part, that works well. The quieter approach to depicting daily life at the school suits Nović’s aims with this novel perfectly. That’s why it’s unfortunate that the decision was made to use the framing device which positions this book as some kind of mystery. I’ll just say right now that the reality behind the disappearance of the three students is very anticlimactic, and I’m guessing the end of this book wouldn’t have felt like such a whimper if we weren’t told from the beginning that the whole novel was building to this event.

But critiques aside, I actually did really enjoy spending time with this book and I do think it’s going to be a big hit when it publishes. Its characters are mostly complex, its style is compulsively readable, and its depiction of deaf culture is multifaceted and warm and unlike any other book I’ve read on the subject.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

TRUE BIZ follows multiple characters at a boarding school for Deaf students in Ohio as they navigate the messy business of growing up and finding a place in their community (or, finding their community at all). February, the headmistress of the school, is the hearing child of Deaf parents and has a lot on her plate--a strained relationship with her wife, the painful realization of her mother's worsening dementia, and a budgetary crisis that might mean the end of her beloved school. Austin is Deaf teen royalty--a 'legacy' child of multi-generational Deaf family--who is nursing a broken heart and tasked with being a role model-slash-tour guide for his troubled roommate and the new girl in school. Charlie, the aforementioned new girl, has been Deaf all her life but muddled through the hearing world with a combination of lip reading and a faulty cochlear implant; when she's sent to her new school, she's suddenly plunged into an entirely new world of ASL and Deaf culture and accessibility aids, and she struggles to sort out her feelings about what has been withheld from her for so long. When Austin, Charlie, and Austin's roommate go missing, February has yet another crisis on her hands...

Overall, I found TRUE BIZ to be an immensely enjoyable read, with complex characters from all different walks of life, all with different views on the politics of Deafness. As a hearing person with relatively little knowledge of the Deaf community, I learned a ton from this book, from Deaf history to the basic mechanics of ASL to the ethical debate around CI. Like Charlie, I was surprised to learn that Alexander Graham Bell was an anti-Deaf eugenicist! I loved the various plot threads and how Novic wove them together to an explosive conclusion (even if I did think the last few chapters were a bit rushed). All in all, I loved this book!

This is a very enlightening book for someone that really doesn’t know much about the deaf community. I actually used to pass the school for the deaf in Columbus, OH all of the time. I never really thought a lot about it, but I’ll look at it in a whole new way. This was a little slow to actually get somewhere, but still enjoyed it. Plus, I love a book that teaches you something new!

I love the cover.

I was not sure what to expect from this book but what I discovered was a profound book that engaged me and educated me simultaneously.

The book tells its story by utlitzing multiple character points of view, all revolving around an established residential school for the deaf that is intimately tied into their lives.

The focus starts with February, the headmistress, and her family. Then the narrative shifts to Charlie, a new student coming in from a mainstream school system, whose story gives a powerful viewpoint on cochlear implants. And then there is Austin, who comes from a family with long-standing experience with deafness and the school at the center of this story. Numerous side characters give deeper resonance to issues involving treatment, bias, inequality, discrimination, family dynamics, education, medical inequality, communication barriers.

There are themes of coming of age, teen conflict, political activism, medical inequality and self determination. .

This is a rich, detailed, emotional story that delves into the experience of growing up deaf, the weaknesses of current mainstream school educational directives and opportunities, the divisive topic of cochlear implants, issues revolving around diagnosis and options,–all in a setting of family, relationships, teenagers, and more.

I was drawn in immediately and found it an engrossing read. The sections detailing ASL and historical issues involving the deaf community, interspersed in the narrative in the form of an ASL Manual, truly added to the depth and foundation of this book.

This book does not shy away from the tense and divisive topics that involve this population. It was eye-opening reading this and I will say it has raised many points to ponder for me now and in times ahead. The narrative has highlighted just how much more advocacy is needed and how much remains to be addressed. I feel many of us are sadly unaware of the realities and what the closure of so many schools means to those affected.

I think the book was well written, with characters who were compelling and relatable. I learned much from this read and I think this book will spark much discussion among book groups. I think its a great group read/ book club read and a worthy addition to any community or school library.

Highly recommended: 4.5 stars.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The novel centers around 3 individuals at a school for the deaf: Charlie, a deaf young woman whose hearing parents have discouraged her from learning ASL; Austin, whose entire family is deaf; and their headmistress, who is hearing and trying to keep the class of deaf teenagers together while navigating her own marriage issues.

Beyond that, this is an educational and empathic view into Deaf Culture. There are interludes throughout with illustrations and explanations of the specifics and innuendos of ASL and BASL, along with significant events in Deaf history.

Charlie’s parents have never really seemed to accept her deafness, to the point of actively discouraging her learning ASL. The result: she is falling behind, treated as unintelligent, and as she becomes a teen, her behavior gets out of control. That is, until she makes her way to the Deaf residential school where she finally finds her people, her language, and her home, where she starts to flourish. Her empowerment and her sometimes bad choices are interwoven with the fate of the school, her struggle with her cochlear implant, her ongoing battle with her family, and her romantic interests. This book is d/Deaf 101 wrapped up in a wonderful coming-of-age story written by an OwnVoices author. Intermixed with the novel are ASL signs and other informational tidbit about Deaf culture and ASL.

I didn't now what to expect from this book and I was pleasantly surprised as the core topic was very interesting and important. I had previously scanned some articles on the controversy surrounding Cochlear Implants and I have also read a bit about how societal views on deafness but this book was extremely eye opening and educational for me while telling a fictional account of a deaf school and multiple families. It would be a great book club read - so many issues to explore. I didn't love every story line but the importance of the topic made this a 4 star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Set at a longstanding but dwindling residental school for the deaf, this is an immersive, eye-opening, compelling, and truly unique story about growing up deaf, the ongoing controversey of cochlear implants, complex parent-child relationships, teenage crushes, and much more. You will not be able to put this down once you are introduced to Charlie, Austin, and February.

Novic (who is Deaf) cleverly intertwines their stories with mockups of an ASL instruction manual that end each chapter.

Librarians/booksellers: This is ideal for book club discussion. A must read for anyone who wants a realistic, honest, and unforgettable story set in a Deaf community.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a diigtal review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Illuminating and heartbreaking story about Deaf culture and education. I feel honored to read about the community and learn from Novic about what it really means to be Deaf.

I absolutely devoured this book, and will become an evangelist for it like I do for all the transformative books I read.

Nović has created a compelling and beautiful story about Deaf culture, community, and history. The novel focuses on February, a hearing daughter of two Deaf parents who is now headmistress of the River Valley School for the Deaf, Charlie, a Deaf child of hearing parents who was deprived of ASL and struggles to find her place in either culture, and Austin, the popular kid and son of a 5 generation Deaf family whose life is upended with the birth of his parents' new baby.

The story teaches so much about the tension between the Deaf community and cochlear implants, hearing culture that sees Deafness as something to be eradicated, and the overall lack of resources or understanding of what it means to be Deaf and belong to that community.

Interspersed through the compelling narrative are pages of ASL grammar, the history of discrimination against the Deaf community and ASL, and stories of Deaf protest and resilience. All of this results in a very satisfying climax, and while the ending felt a little sudden, I understand this is based on the real life closure of Deaf schools. If we want a better ending, we need to advocate for one.

Please read this book, and thank you to Nović for writing it, and giving some insight into this wonderful community for hearing people like myself.