When a teen musician goes deaf, his quest to create an entirely new form of music brings him to a deeper understanding of his relationship to the hearing world, of himself, and of the girl he meets along the way.
Music is Simon’s life—which is why he is devastated when a stroke destroys his hearing. He resists attempts to help him adjust to his new state, refusing to be counseled, refusing to learn sign-language, refusing to have anything to do with deaf culture. Refusing, that is, until he meets G, a tough-as-nails girl dealing with her own newly experienced deafness.
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“David Linski narrates as Simon… Narrating in first person as a character who cannot hear is no easy feat, and Linski is up to the task. He makes the smart decision to speak slowly and clearly because Simon, who can talk but can’t hear himself, would do exactly that. Additionally, Linski makes the choice to only do distinct voices for characters whom Simon would have heard before losing his hearing, such as his family and friends. The rest of the cast sound almost indistinct from each other—other than there being a slight variation for gender. Linski brings the listener on a painful but beautiful ride.”
— AudioFile
“Showcasing his skill at writing realism…Williams creates a contemplative, sensitively written novel that takes readers deep into the mind of a young musician suffering an identity crisis.”
— Publishers Weekly“A thought-provoking examination of what music is and means through a well-researched portrayal of sudden hearing loss.”
— School Library Journal“An inspiring read that is told with verve and depth.”
— Booklist“Simon’s story of confronting deafness and Deaf culture feels fresh….An honest, satisfying, and surprisingly original coming-of-age story.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Sean Williams is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels for adults, as well as the coauthor of the middle-grade series Troubletwisters with Garth Nix. As a resident of South Australia—which he reports is a lovely place a long way away from the rest of the world—Sean has often dreamed of stepping into a booth and being somewhere else, instantly. This has led to a fascination with the social, psychological, and moral implications of such technology. When not pondering such weighty matters, Sean can generally be found eating chocolate (actually, he eats chocolate while pondering these matters, too).
David Linski (a.k.a. David Ligudzinski and David Atlas) is a graduate of the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. He has numerous voice-over credits, an extensive theatrical résumé, and has starred in short and feature films both in the United States and Australia.