February 28, 2022
A man sets out to find the one who got away in Fell’s sweet debut. Arlo Dilly, a 23-year-old deaf and blind Jehovah’s Witness, has been sheltered and isolated under the guardianship of his uncle, Brother Birch, and longtime interpreter, Molly. After he enrolls in a summer writing course, he searches for another interpreter to assist Molly in class. Cyril Brewster takes the gig and alerts Arlo to the extent that Molly had been derelict in her interpreting duties, making decisions on Arlo’s behalf without consulting him. Meanwhile, a school assignment stirs up Arlo’s memories of Shri, the girl he fell in love with at a boarding school for the deaf, and the events that led to his expulsion. Then, a reunion with an old friend reveals that Shri might still be alive, contrary to what Molly and Brother Birch had told Arlo, so he enlists Cyril’s help to find her. But after Brother Birch catches wind of the plan, he fires Cyril and restricts Arlo’s limited independence, prompting Arlo to strike out for New York City alone and leaving Cyril and Molly to team up to find him and then reunite him with Shri. Fell writes with a deep compassion and keen attention to the experiences of living with deafness and blindness. This heartfelt romance is hard to resist.
Starred review from June 1, 2022
In this delightful coming-of-age debut novel, 23-year-old Arlo excitedly begins his first college writing class with the help of his new sign language interpreter, Cyril, a disillusioned and heartbroken gay man who isn't used to working with the DeafBlind. Arlo's Jehovah's Witness upbringing stifled his success: his main translator Molly selectively interprets for him, and his uncle shelters him from sinful technology, as well as making him eat too many bologna sandwiches. Arlo's teenage life included a secret love lost, as well as lost friendships, and Cyril is determined to help Arlo reconnect with his past. Their working partnership blossoms--Arlo learns about the American Disabilities Act and new technology for the DeafBlind, while Cyril matures and helps Arlo fight for what is right. Author/narrator Fell (who is an ASL interpreter) wonderfully narrates the novel, complete with accents, anguish, and joy. Arlo's disjointed way of speaking through Cyril with incorrect verb tenses and short sentences is perfect for audio. Fell's narration is similar to that of Odyssey award winner Tim Federle--expressive, earnest, and heartwarming. VERDICT Perfect for any reader wanting an enjoyable, sweet listen.--Sarah Hill
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