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leigh_ann_15_deaf's review
3.0
Deaf reader reviewing books with deaf characters.
Written by a hearing descendent of the famous deaf painter, Albert Berg (the Swedish one, not the Indiana one who coached football at Gallaudet University), this historical fiction examines the lives of both Albert and his younger hearing sister Helena.
There's a lot about this that is realistic and sad: Albert's parents have no idea what to do with him. By the time he is five, he can only say three words, and these are just Mama, Papa, and Apa (his own name). When he becomes frustrated by his inability to communication, he throws tantrums, and his parents punish him by locking him in closets or whipping him. When he is nine, Grandfather convinces his parents to send him to the deaf institute, where conditions aren't great, but at least he finally has access to language. That, coupled with his father's money and advocacy, gets him a fantastic higher education after he graduates. He even travels abroad on his own and meets deaf people around the world, where he sees how oppressed they are compared to his own wealthy upbringing.
Eventually he co-establishes a deaf association in Sweden and fights the rise of oralism. There's also a bunch of family drama throughout the novel.
The one line that completely throws me off is: “as a deaf person, he [Albert] didn’t get seasick.” Bro what?? Huh? Where did that come from? Who in the history of deafness said deaf people don't get seasick? I sit down in a rocking chair and feel like I'll throw up, bro. Maybe ol' Al doesn't get seasick, but there are plenty of hearing people who don't get seasick, just as there are plenty of hearing people who do get seasick. It's got nothing to do with hearing.
Other than that, a deeply researched historical fiction.
Link to ranked list of deaf characters in fiction: https://modcast.blog/2022/12/17/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/
Written by a hearing descendent of the famous deaf painter, Albert Berg (the Swedish one, not the Indiana one who coached football at Gallaudet University), this historical fiction examines the lives of both Albert and his younger hearing sister Helena.
There's a lot about this that is realistic and sad: Albert's parents have no idea what to do with him. By the time he is five, he can only say three words, and these are just Mama, Papa, and Apa (his own name). When he becomes frustrated by his inability to communication, he throws tantrums, and his parents punish him by locking him in closets or whipping him. When he is nine, Grandfather convinces his parents to send him to the deaf institute, where conditions aren't great, but at least he finally has access to language. That, coupled with his father's money and advocacy, gets him a fantastic higher education after he graduates. He even travels abroad on his own and meets deaf people around the world, where he sees how oppressed they are compared to his own wealthy upbringing.
Eventually he co-establishes a deaf association in Sweden and fights the rise of oralism. There's also a bunch of family drama throughout the novel.
The one line that completely throws me off is: “as a deaf person, he [Albert] didn’t get seasick.” Bro what?? Huh? Where did that come from? Who in the history of deafness said deaf people don't get seasick? I sit down in a rocking chair and feel like I'll throw up, bro. Maybe ol' Al doesn't get seasick, but there are plenty of hearing people who don't get seasick, just as there are plenty of hearing people who do get seasick. It's got nothing to do with hearing.
Other than that, a deeply researched historical fiction.
Link to ranked list of deaf characters in fiction: https://modcast.blog/2022/12/17/ranked-deaf-characters-in-fiction/