I had this book sitting in my TBR pile for quite a while, and I'm not sure what took me so long to pick it up. I was not expecting all the emotions this story put me through, but it was a book that I couldn't put down once I started it. There were parts that dragged, but it didn't cause me to detach for the read. It was real, and does give a great look into the world of someone living with a disability.

I was given a copy of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this book!

I don't know why it took me so long to read this book, but I ended up purchasing it so I could share it with my friends! Delightful, heartfelt, and unexpectedly moving, this story gave me so much more than I was ready for. In a good way! Not to mention being educational, but not in any sort of overt way. Truly wonderful.

Such a great read! I had so many emotions reading this one! I felt like I knew the characters personally and the author took so much time to make sure to depict every description very carefully. Highly recommend!

I loved this book! It was heartbreaking, funny and eye-opening for me. I fell in love with Arlo and the other characters who helped him along the way. This was beautiful! As Arlo would say: Impressive! Wow!

I wasn't ready for this book! love love love! I couldn't get enough and I was always left wanting more. the characters were so cute and I really enjoyed the story line.

*4.5 stars rounded up. One of my favorite reading experiences is one that expands my knowledge of the human experience. From the cover, one might expect this to be a rom-com but it's so much more.

Arlo Dilly is a young man who is DeafBlind and a Jehovah's Witness. His uncle, who is called Brother Birch, has been appointed Arlo's guardian because of an incident at school five years ago. He tries to control Arlo's access to the world, grooming Arlo for a JW mission to Ecuador and filling the boy's head with messages of guilt, sin and damnation. We hear Arlo's personal point of view in second person narrative as he yearns to be free to experience life fully.

The other narrator is Arlo's new ASL interpreter, Cyril, who is gay and agnostic, and soon realizes how little his young client knows about the world around him because of his uncle's restrictions and lies. When Arlo reveals the heartbreaking story of his first love, Cyril wants to help but is torn between his profession's ethical rigidity and empathetic advocacy. Which will win out?

This debut novel brought the experience of being DeafBlind to me in ways I've never considered before--especially how much they have to rely on the people who interpret the world for them. The story is heartbreaking, frustrating and funny in equal measures. Arlo is brave, willful, and stubborn and an absolute delight to meet. I am grateful to the author and publisher for offering me an arc of this novel via NetGalley. I apologize for the delay in getting it read. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

A lovely read into the nuance of someone living with a disability. I would say that I did feel the story dragged on during large parts of the book and I struggled with motivation to keep reading it. With that being said I think this book just wasn't for me. The story itself and Arlo's journey was incredible and if you want a coming of age and self novel this is for you!

I found this to be a fun and quirky story. This book did take me a bit to get into it, but once I did, I enjoyed it. It does not have as much romance as I thought it would. But overall I enjoyed it!

This was a good book with a lot of real and diverse representation which I can appreciate. However, there were aspects of the book that just didn't do it for me. I also wish this book was edited a bit more.

Thank you for Atria Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my review. This novel released on Apr. 5, 2022.

I adored this novel. It came to me at a great time, as I'm trying to learn ASL so I was very interested in the topic. Arlo is DeafBlind and under guardianship from the head of the Jehovah's Witness church (who is also his uncle). He wants to meet a girl and fall in love like he did once when he was younger. When he goes to start a writing course at the local college, he needs help from an interpreter. This is where Cyril comes in. Strapped for money, he agrees to take this interpretting gig thinking that it'll be just that - a job. However, the more he gets to know Arlo and how sheltered he lives his life, the more Cyril ends up accidentally (or on purpose) giving advice and ideas.

This book was very interesting. I really enjoyed getting to follow along with Arlo as he begins to learn more about the way he's lived, the lies he's been told, and the world that's really out there. You can just feel him blossoming into who he's meant to be. There were a lot of flashbacks which could sometimes be a little confusing to figure out where they're at at that time, but for the most part it was easy to follow.

Very fun story about someone who won't take no for an answer. Well written and absorbing. The main character is awesome@

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

Look, this title is a fascinating idea for me...however...it was soooooo sloooooow. I eventually put it down.

Oh my, I devoured this book like candy! It is seriously so unbelievably good as it speaks to so many relevant themes! Cyril is a gay interpreter for the DeafBlind community and is working with Arlo, a sweet and genuine young man who lives with his "uncle" Birch, a devout Jehovah's witness advocate. But things spiral out of control when Arlo comes to find out some things in his past are not as true as he'd thought, and Cyril is determined to help him. That's all you need for plot; Fell examines sexuality, underrepresentation, stereotypes, heartbreak, familial love, and oh so many more! Know. that this book will change how you perceive the world and especially now, when the world is on the brink of so many tragedies, this is a shining star in an otherwise-often bleak sky! This novel broke me and then put me back together again with a renewed sense of self and discovery...not to be missed!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I had to DNF this one -- I first wanted to stop reading about 10% in and said "no, I'll push through, i'm sure it gets better" but it continued to drag. I ended up DNFing around 45%. This needed to be shorter and have more engaging events in the beginning/middle.

I do appreciate this novel for teaching me about the DeafBlind community and i learned a lot!

This book really pulled me in two different directions.
As someone who isn't really involved in the BlindDeaf community I wasn't really too sure of what to expect from this book, Part of me assumed that it would be a bit lighthearted especially with the cover that they used. But no, it was definitely not a lighthearted story, it touched on multiple things that were a bit upsetting at times and you will get emotional . Mostly though it was the treatment that Arlo faced that bothered me as well as the use of religion in the book. I will not say too much because I want the review to be spoiler free but I think that the religious aspect was filled with stereotypes and I do think that the book could have been just as great if religion wasn't made to be this horrible thing. Through the story we follow Arlo, who is BlindDeaf, as he navigates his life. We start with him rebelling in small ways until he meets Cyril, his interpreter, who helps him discover that there is more to the world than what he thinks. Both characters go through a learning process where they have to let go of what they believed to be true and instead they take a leap to take control of their lives. The book is very engaging and does a good job at keeping the reader involved with the story, we feel a sense of injustice for Arlo and how he is treated as well as feeling the desperation that Cyril feels when he resorts to panicking because his work and personal life are starting to blend together. Picking up the audiobook as well as the ebook gave me a bit of perspective to how translating works, since I was able to listen to conversations or emails that Arlo wrote himself. Although sign language is not broken English or bad English you are able to see the difference at how Arlo writes since signing is his main form of communication. I will say thought that for most of the book you will feel enraged and upset at the treatment that the BlindDeaf community face. How easy it is for people to take advantage of them or not treat them fair just because it takes more effort. It was easy to follow along with the story, every sentence or conversation was meant to lead to the end. Arlo's POV was the most interesting to read, and I would assume might have been the hardest to write as well considering that Arlo is not able to see. The first chapter is an introduction to Arlo where we get to experience the world how he does. We get a description of the smell, sound and feel of the environment around him. The big secret that we are meant to figure out was a bit predictable, so I wasn't too surprised when we find out what happen, but by that point i was so invested in the characters that I didn't really care. I personally enjoyed the book, it gave me the perspective of a world that I'm not really involved in. Although I've had interactions with the BlindDeaf community before (in high school) I do think that it can be difficult to know how you are suppose to interact, and I think this book shows that there really isn't a reason why you have to treat them differently than other people because unfortunately I have seen people who prefer to avoid having to have these interactions.
The book has many pieces that I liked but it also has some things that it could have been without, overall though I think that its a book worth reading because it opens up a conversation that we normally wouldn't think about and it helps bring people closer to understanding the importance of letting everyone have access to communication.

Thank you, @atriabooks, for the gifted book.

There’s so much to love in The Sign for Home. Arlo Dilly is DeafBlind and a Jehovah’s Witness, and he needs a new interpreter when his path crosses with Cyril. Thank goodness their paths cross because Arlo is living quite the sheltered and even manipulated life by those who communicate with him, including his uncle/guardian and his other interpreter, Molly. Cyril better understands the roles and functions of an interpreter and also how to advocate appropriately for his clients in this role. Arlo only knows what is shared with him by a limited number of people and through that they control him and his every move.

With Cyril at his side, as well as Molly, he begins to take college courses. Eventually, he lets his guard down and shares more about a traumatic experience from when he lived in a residential school, a story that involves his first (and now) love, Shri.

I learned so much about the DeafBlind community from Arlo’s story. I also better learned about interpreter roles and advocacy. The story pulled on every single emotion as I was angry with how Arlo was hurt and manipulated, but then when he was given a second chance at finding his voice, and at love, I rejoiced. The author is an interpreter, and I am so grateful he shared his insights into this community with readers, as well as this heartwarming journey of a story.

By the way, The Sign for Home is the most perfect title for this book. ♥️

can easily put this book at the top of a list of books that are unique and nowhere near what you thought they’d be! What a hilarious, heartwarming, eye-opening ride this book is.

Arlo, a DeafBlind community college student and passionate Jehovah’s Witness, has his world turned upside down when he is assigned a second interpreter, Cyril, to communicate during classes. Cyril’s advocacy and perspective are not welcome to his long-time interpreter Molly and his uncle/guardian. Part comedy, part coming-of-age, and least of all a romance as the cover and synopsis may lead you to believe, this book taught me so much about the DeafBlind community and the limits we place on people due to differences. Although the end was a bit of a crazy journey and it could have been slightly shorter in length, the book was such a beautiful experience. I highly recommend this book!

A story as adorable and cute as the cover. I really like Arlo and friends. Gotta admit that Arlo stole my heart and his quest to find the girl that got away was beautiful.

The Sign for Home is an emotional love story, but so much more than just a love story. It opens our eyes to the world of the deafblind, with the struggle to love, trust and be understood. Arlo’s journey with his interpreter and friends to find his soul mate he thought he’d lost forever is filled with quirky, fantastic characters and hilarious situations. It gave me all the feels and made me happy!