Nović lost her hearing later in life, but says she most identifies with Charlie’s journey and wished she could have attended a school like River Valley. But River Valley is at risk of closing - a very real problem for the schools it’s based on.
As the only deaf student at her previous public school, she didn’t have access to ASL or deaf peers. Everything is taught and communicated in ASL. The school immerses students in Deaf culture. It’s also the title of Sara Nović’s new novel.In the book, it’s a policy that Headmistress February Waters upholds for her students at River Valley School for the Deaf. At times somber, often bitingly funny, awash in playfulness and fiercely proud, True Biz is a masterfully crafted love letter to Deaf culture.In American Sign Language, the expression “true biz” translates to real talk. Though it focuses on three central characters, the story feels symphonic as the entire River Valley community comes to life. Deaf rights activist Nović incorporates so many issues that affect the Deaf community, including education inequality and the rise of cochlear implants. By the end of the book, each character is changed, and their transformations are explored with a beautifully subtle touch. The novel’s sense of emotion builds slowly, from Austin’s intensifying anger and February’s growing desperation to Charlie’s burgeoning confidence. The narrative moves in and out of the three main characters’ points of view, offering intimate glimpses into their inner lives. Interspersed among the chapters are school assignments and other ephemera that detail ASL lessons and exercises. Throughout the novel, signed conversations are translated into English, each chapter heading is an illustration of a character’s name sign, the first signed letter of their name. Though written in English, the book is bursting with ASL, offering an exploration into the power of language and the violence of language deprivation, the beauty of free and open communication, and the possibilities (and limitations) of translation.
a remarkable book that is many things at once: a primer on Deaf history, a love story, a coming-of-age tale, a riotous political awakening, a family saga and a richly layered character study.
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