Ugh, the rage I felt during the first few chapters!! I felt so angry on behalf of Charlie but it was a solid reminder that this is the every day life for so many.

I really enjoyed diving into this book and the insight it gave into the Deaf community. It was super informative - I LOVED that the illustrations and info that would've been given to the ASL students/family was given to us, without being some kind of guide on Deafness.  Nović did a great job of balancing the fact and fiction. I read the hardcover edition of the book and was glad I did. Not sure how the illustrations would translate to an ebook or audiobook. There were other stylistic choices too that I liked, especially when multiple people were signing and you could visually see them separated on the page. I thought that was so ingenious! 

The story was also very interesting with a diverse cast - not a single person felt perfect. They were all human with their own flaws and issues and I really liked. I felt the anarchy route was interesting, and added some suspense and action to the every day lives of students. However, the rather anti-climatic ending did feel a little unrealistic.

On the other hand, I liked the open-ended conclusion, especially after reading the author's note. I didnt think it was that abrupt or lacking a conclusion. It felt real. 

386 pages. 
(⚠️Content Warnings; 
Graphic: Self-harm, medical trauma, death of a parent, ableism, violence,
Moderate: Car accident, 
Minor: Racism, Drug use,)