What a great read! Blair Fell thrusts you into the deeply felt world of the "DeafBlind," men and women who rely on people, some trained better than others, and dogs to break through the dark silence they otherwise inhabit. Although it feels at time like a young adult novel more focused on storytelling than literary polish, Arlo, Cyril, Hanne, Molly and even Snap (Arlo's guide dog, with her gray muzzle, pink nose, and intensely languid eyes, stared up at me almost witheringly, like she was the canine equivalent of a beleaguered and bored secretary portrayed by Agnes Moorehead) are vividly drawn and completely believable. A touch-too-melodramatic ending betray's Fell's profession as a TV writer--his credits include Queer As Folk, and I won't lie that Cyril's homosexuality adds a resonant dimension to the book--but he also functions as a terrific advocate for the DeafBlind community, particularly with this speech:
Everyone, sight-hearing, able-bodied or not--we all use tools to live. That's why the ADA law needs to be amended so every DeafBlind person can have access to the world, including orientation and mobility training, Protactile training, and the right to co-navigator services every wee. Access must be considered a human right. We're not going to get these things overnight. But like the wise person who taught me how to navigate the world with a cane once said, 'You swing right, you swing left, you steer clear of obstacles, and one step at a time you can make your way across a continent.'
Bravo, Blair!
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