The Sign For Home

As a former ASL/English interpreter, I'm always eager to read books featuring Deaf characters, Deaf culture and ASL. The Sign For Home is written by ASL interpreter Blair Fell who uses his experience working with the Deaf, and knowledge of ASL and Deaf culture to write a story that is equally heartwarming and thought-provoking as it brings readers into the lives, struggles and bond between ASL interpreter Cyril and Deaf-Blind Arlo whose lives are each changed by the other.

The story is told by both Arlo and Cyril. Cyril's POV is in the first person, and I related to his challenges as an interpreter. I never had the opportunity to work with Deaf Blind or use TSL (Tactile Sign Language) so I enjoyed learning about it as well as Protactile and Haptics, methods of relaying environmental cues to Deaf Blind people. It is fascinating!

The second POV is Arlo, a 23-year-old Deaf Blind man whose Jehovah's Witness faith plays a major role in his life. The religious aspect got a bit heavy at times, but its inclusion allows readers to see how its strict rules are used by his controlling uncle and his long-time interpreter (who are both JW) to restrict Arlo's life down to socializing with only a few people. Arlo's POV is written in the second person narrative which was an odd choice and one that made me feel a bit disconnected from him, but through his POV we learn about his early life and get into the headspace of teen boys in all their *gulp*​ glory. 

Readers who are not well-versed in ASL syntax may struggle with Arlo's voice in the book which is written in ASL format. It gives the reading experience a choppier feel since ASL is not in English word order. I personally appreciated that Fell acknowledged this difference, giving Arlo's character an authentic feel. Fell also includes Deaf idioms/phrases that will go over non-ASL users' heads ('touch-finish', 'fist-kiss', 'PAH' ...) but I don't think a lack of knowledge of ASL will be a hinderance and, in fact, I hope that this book will inspire people to learn ASL (from an accredited Deaf teacher).

This is a heart-felt, emotional and empowering coming-of-age story that has a lot of topics and strong representation packed within its pages. From the inclusion of Deaf Blind culture, and a healthy dose of heart, readers get a vivid idea of what it is like to live as a Deaf Blind person and how with access to their culture, language, and resources, they can lead independent and productive lives. I hope readers are encouraged to think about the importance of early language acquisition, the vital need for everyone to have a sense of belonging in society and the innate value of accessibility.  

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Blair Fell

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: eBook from NetGalley

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

First Published: April 5, 2022

Opening Lines: Sniff. The air of your room. The odor of 

sheets and blankets, hot summer dust, old technology 

equipment, an Old Spice deodorant stick worn to a nub.

Book Description from GoodReads: When Arlo Dilly learns the girl he thought was lost forever might still be out there, he takes it as a sign and embarks on a life-changing journey to find his great love—and his freedom.

Arlo Dilly is young, handsome and eager to meet the right girl. He also happens to be DeafBlind, a Jehovah’s Witness, and under the strict guardianship of his controlling uncle. His chances of finding someone to love seem slim to none.

And yet, it happened once before: many years ago, at a boarding school for the Deaf, Arlo met the love of his life—a mysterious girl with onyx eyes and beautifully expressive hands which told him the most amazing stories. But tragedy struck, and their love was lost forever.

Or so Arlo thought.

After years trying to heal his broken heart, Arlo is assigned a college writing assignment which unlocks buried memories of his past. Soon he wonders if the hearing people he was supposed to trust have been lying to him all along, and if his lost love might be found again.

No longer willing to accept what others tell him, Arlo convinces a small band of misfit friends to set off on a journey to learn the truth. After all, who better to bring on this quest than his gay interpreter and wildly inappropriate Belgian best friend? Despite the many forces working against him, Arlo will stop at nothing to find the girl who got away and experience all of life’s joyful possibilities.