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Mother Tongue
In this emotionally rich first memoir, the New York Times bestselling author of True Biz retraces her path out of the hearing world and into the deaf community - and seeks to understand the journeys her own children must take.
Sara Nović's early years were filled with music, Bible study, and a strong desire to fit in. But when she failed her school's mandated hearing test, her worldview was thrown into chaos. Desperate not to be marked as different, she told no one, staying in the hearing world for as long as she could by brute force.
Eventually unable to ignore the fact that she was deaf, Nović sought out other deaf people and was welcomed into a tight knit community rooted in the beauty and joy of American Sign Language. Nović realized that rather than maintaining the facade of her old life or trying to straddle two worlds, she would need to cultivate a life in the space between.
Now the mother of two young sons - one, biological and hearing, the other, adopted and deaf-Nović reflects on her life both before and after parenthood. She's raising her children within the deaf world, offering them things her younger self needed, all the while knowing that as her children grow, their own paths will branch off from hers in ways she cannot fully predict or plan for.
Interwoven with Novic's personal story is a remarkable portrait of America through reflections on some of its most complex the rise of the Christian right, the thorny world of international adoption, and above all, the deaf and disabled communities' stubborn survival in the face of persistent oppression.
Nović's clear, bold voice is one readers will hold onto, learn from, argue with, and be inspired by, as she asks us to recognize difference as a source of opportunity rather than fear, as a chance to draw families and communities together, and to build something new.
Sara Nović's early years were filled with music, Bible study, and a strong desire to fit in. But when she failed her school's mandated hearing test, her worldview was thrown into chaos. Desperate not to be marked as different, she told no one, staying in the hearing world for as long as she could by brute force.
Eventually unable to ignore the fact that she was deaf, Nović sought out other deaf people and was welcomed into a tight knit community rooted in the beauty and joy of American Sign Language. Nović realized that rather than maintaining the facade of her old life or trying to straddle two worlds, she would need to cultivate a life in the space between.
Now the mother of two young sons - one, biological and hearing, the other, adopted and deaf-Nović reflects on her life both before and after parenthood. She's raising her children within the deaf world, offering them things her younger self needed, all the while knowing that as her children grow, their own paths will branch off from hers in ways she cannot fully predict or plan for.
Interwoven with Novic's personal story is a remarkable portrait of America through reflections on some of its most complex the rise of the Christian right, the thorny world of international adoption, and above all, the deaf and disabled communities' stubborn survival in the face of persistent oppression.
Nović's clear, bold voice is one readers will hold onto, learn from, argue with, and be inspired by, as she asks us to recognize difference as a source of opportunity rather than fear, as a chance to draw families and communities together, and to build something new.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Sara Nović
9 books1,617 followersSara Nović is author of the novels TRUE BIZ and GIRL AT WAR, as well as the illustrated nonfiction collection AMERICA IS IMMIGRANTS. Both novels won the American Library Association's Alex Award, and True Biz was a Reese's Book Club pick and NYT bestseller.
MOTHER TONGUE, a new memoir hybrid, is out 5 May 2026 and available for pre-order now.
Sara teaches creative writing and deaf studies, and lives in Philly.
[website] https://sara-novic.com
[bsky] novicsara.bsky.social
[insta/threads] photonovic
[newsletter]: buttondown.com/signs+wonders
MOTHER TONGUE, a new memoir hybrid, is out 5 May 2026 and available for pre-order now.
Sara teaches creative writing and deaf studies, and lives in Philly.
[website] https://sara-novic.com
[bsky] novicsara.bsky.social
[insta/threads] photonovic
[newsletter]: buttondown.com/signs+wonders
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
May 27, 2026
all authors i like should be required to write memoirs
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
May 10, 2026
When Nović was a teenager, she started to lose her hearing. At first, panicked and in denial, she hid the loss, developing a robust set of tricks and tactics to pass. And then, eventually, she got herself into an ASL class and unlocked a whole new world.
I read Nović's Girl at War some years ago and loved it. (It's been almost a decade, and I still think about it sometimes. If you can stomach some intensity, go read it.) And then I read True Biz, Nović's novel set at a school for the deaf, and while it was of course written well, what has stuck with me from that is the sense that what Nović really wanted to do was write a nonfiction book about deafness and deaf culture. And, well, now we have Mother Tongue, which is partly a memoir but also partly a nonfiction book about deafness and deaf culture, and it clicked for me in a way that True Biz did not.
Don't go into this expecting a detailed memoir; some of this is Nović's own story, but she is careful about which parts of her own story (and her family's) she chooses to share. But in practical terms, this is fascinating. I'd say that I've spent more time thinking about deafness and deaf culture than the average hearing person, but at the end of the day it's still an experience that is fundamentally not mine, and there's still far more that I don't know than what I do know. I might know theoretically that people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing face discrimination, but I hadn't thought about the disconnect, for example, between the push for oral-only education for deaf children (in other words: force them to use only cochlear implants and hearing aids and lip-reading, and deny them ASL) and the enthusiasm for simple sign language for young hearing children. Or this, during the early days of the pandemic:
But as shelter-in-place orders continued to roll out across the country and deaf students at residential schools were sent home from their dorms, I heard from a friend—a hearing teacher at a deaf school—about the frantic calls they were fielding from parents: that their children were completely out of control, and they could not communicate with them. Almost none of the parents knew even basic ASL, with one woman contacting the school begging for someone to please video-chat her young child and explain that it was time to go to bed. (loc. 1424*)
I just cannot imagine. I've read enough about deafness and politics around deafness and so on and so forth to think that if I had a kid with hearing loss I'd skip the cochlear implants, tap into whatever deaf community I could find, and put us both into sign language classes pronto. And while I'm not in anybody else's head or life, and I'm not here to judge people I know nothing about, and I don't know how fluent I'd be able to get or in what time frame if I were in someone else's shoes, I just cannot imagine knowing that the best way to communicate with my kid was to learn another language and then not learning even the basics in that language. Maybe this is less about those parents itself, though, and more about what Nović talks about throughout the book: the way that society at large has pushed people with disabilities to the margins and refused to make room for them.
At times I might have liked more about Nović's story (making no assumptions here, but it was not lost on me that she says little about her parents' eventual understanding of her hearing loss), but also, I hold a firm belief that memoirs need not be tell-alls and should only share as much that is personal as the author is comfortable sharing, so I can't really fault the book for that. Overall an excellent and thought-provoking read.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I read Nović's Girl at War some years ago and loved it. (It's been almost a decade, and I still think about it sometimes. If you can stomach some intensity, go read it.) And then I read True Biz, Nović's novel set at a school for the deaf, and while it was of course written well, what has stuck with me from that is the sense that what Nović really wanted to do was write a nonfiction book about deafness and deaf culture. And, well, now we have Mother Tongue, which is partly a memoir but also partly a nonfiction book about deafness and deaf culture, and it clicked for me in a way that True Biz did not.
Don't go into this expecting a detailed memoir; some of this is Nović's own story, but she is careful about which parts of her own story (and her family's) she chooses to share. But in practical terms, this is fascinating. I'd say that I've spent more time thinking about deafness and deaf culture than the average hearing person, but at the end of the day it's still an experience that is fundamentally not mine, and there's still far more that I don't know than what I do know. I might know theoretically that people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing face discrimination, but I hadn't thought about the disconnect, for example, between the push for oral-only education for deaf children (in other words: force them to use only cochlear implants and hearing aids and lip-reading, and deny them ASL) and the enthusiasm for simple sign language for young hearing children. Or this, during the early days of the pandemic:
But as shelter-in-place orders continued to roll out across the country and deaf students at residential schools were sent home from their dorms, I heard from a friend—a hearing teacher at a deaf school—about the frantic calls they were fielding from parents: that their children were completely out of control, and they could not communicate with them. Almost none of the parents knew even basic ASL, with one woman contacting the school begging for someone to please video-chat her young child and explain that it was time to go to bed. (loc. 1424*)
I just cannot imagine. I've read enough about deafness and politics around deafness and so on and so forth to think that if I had a kid with hearing loss I'd skip the cochlear implants, tap into whatever deaf community I could find, and put us both into sign language classes pronto. And while I'm not in anybody else's head or life, and I'm not here to judge people I know nothing about, and I don't know how fluent I'd be able to get or in what time frame if I were in someone else's shoes, I just cannot imagine knowing that the best way to communicate with my kid was to learn another language and then not learning even the basics in that language. Maybe this is less about those parents itself, though, and more about what Nović talks about throughout the book: the way that society at large has pushed people with disabilities to the margins and refused to make room for them.
At times I might have liked more about Nović's story (making no assumptions here, but it was not lost on me that she says little about her parents' eventual understanding of her hearing loss), but also, I hold a firm belief that memoirs need not be tell-alls and should only share as much that is personal as the author is comfortable sharing, so I can't really fault the book for that. Overall an excellent and thought-provoking read.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
April 15, 2026
Thank your Random House for the advance copy. I found Mother Tongue to be spirited and revolutionary as well as educating. I came here for a memoir of growing up deaf in America - though Sara actually gradually became deaf. I have had some hearing / ear issues so I related to some of her school stories from secondary and college years. She is impassioned on her subject matter ableism vs rights of the deaf and disabled. She weaves this into the political history of this country and the growth of white supremicists and religious and political right - and how racism and other forms of discrimination tied in with discrimination against the deaf and how forced speaking methods rather than ASL were often pushed as society felt deaf were in some way defective without making much efforts to understand them.
As much as I learned - I would have liked a little more of her story and more of a memoir. And if that is what you are looking for - this is not it.
As much as I learned - I would have liked a little more of her story and more of a memoir. And if that is what you are looking for - this is not it.
May 13, 2026
I was very excited to read this, as an avid memoir lover and a fan of Sara Novic's past work (I really LOVED True Biz). I wanted to learn more about the author who wrote such a captivating story. Sadly, while this book was interesting and informative, the author did not deliver on the promise of a memoir. From the blurb, you'd expect a deeply personal story, but I feel like after finishing, I barely know anything about the author that I couldn't glean from a Wikipedia page.
About 10-15% of the book was about Novic, her journey to becoming deaf and toward motherhood by birth and by adoption. Each chapter had snippets about her life but then led to a long exposition about ableism, deaf history and systemic issues. Don't get me wrong - I learned A LOT. But I signed up for a memoir and this book didn't deliver on that front.
About 10-15% of the book was about Novic, her journey to becoming deaf and toward motherhood by birth and by adoption. Each chapter had snippets about her life but then led to a long exposition about ableism, deaf history and systemic issues. Don't get me wrong - I learned A LOT. But I signed up for a memoir and this book didn't deliver on that front.
May 31, 2026
MOTHER TOUNGUE by Sara Nović [Thanks to @prhaudio and @randomhouse for gifted copies of this book.]
I’ve been a fan of Sara Nović’s novels, Girl at War and True Biz, so when I saw she had a memoir coming this year, I was eager to get to it. As it turns out MOTHER TONGUE is much more than a memoir. Nović wasn’t born deaf, instead her hearing deficits were first discovered by a school hearing test when she was 12. She fought for years, to keep anyone from knowing, to stay “normal,” so she’d continue to fit in. Eventually that just didn’t work any longer and by college she had to turn to help from the deaf community and to rights guaranteed her by the ADA. Embracing her deafness served to expand her world, enriching her communications with it.
As the book opens, Nović is observing her two sons, barely a year apart. One born to her and hearing, the other, adopted from Thailand and deaf. She delves into her different journeys toward motherhood with both boys and how so much more advocating is required for a deaf child. The tight bonds within her family were truly beautiful.
A large part of this memoir traces the long and bumpy fight for deaf education that continues to this day. It also traces the many prejudices held against deaf people throughout history, and again still continuing. They have had to fight for rights along with other marginalized groups in this country. She also touches on how changes to healthcare funding, the ADA, DEI, LBGTQ rights, and the dismantling of the Department of Education under the current administration are going to affect the deaf, along with so many other populations.
I learned a lot both reading and listening to MOTHER TONGUE. I found it all at once interesting, educational, inspiring, uplifting, and scary. Whether you’re a Sara Nović fan or just interested in the world deaf people live in, I definitely recommend this memoir. She’s a fighter and an educator. I know I’m a little wiser for having read about the world in which she lives. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
I’ve been a fan of Sara Nović’s novels, Girl at War and True Biz, so when I saw she had a memoir coming this year, I was eager to get to it. As it turns out MOTHER TONGUE is much more than a memoir. Nović wasn’t born deaf, instead her hearing deficits were first discovered by a school hearing test when she was 12. She fought for years, to keep anyone from knowing, to stay “normal,” so she’d continue to fit in. Eventually that just didn’t work any longer and by college she had to turn to help from the deaf community and to rights guaranteed her by the ADA. Embracing her deafness served to expand her world, enriching her communications with it.
As the book opens, Nović is observing her two sons, barely a year apart. One born to her and hearing, the other, adopted from Thailand and deaf. She delves into her different journeys toward motherhood with both boys and how so much more advocating is required for a deaf child. The tight bonds within her family were truly beautiful.
A large part of this memoir traces the long and bumpy fight for deaf education that continues to this day. It also traces the many prejudices held against deaf people throughout history, and again still continuing. They have had to fight for rights along with other marginalized groups in this country. She also touches on how changes to healthcare funding, the ADA, DEI, LBGTQ rights, and the dismantling of the Department of Education under the current administration are going to affect the deaf, along with so many other populations.
I learned a lot both reading and listening to MOTHER TONGUE. I found it all at once interesting, educational, inspiring, uplifting, and scary. Whether you’re a Sara Nović fan or just interested in the world deaf people live in, I definitely recommend this memoir. She’s a fighter and an educator. I know I’m a little wiser for having read about the world in which she lives. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
May 17, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ Sara Novic wrote one of my favorite novels a few years ago, and so obviously her memoir was at the top of my list to read in 2026.
🗣️READ THIS BOOK. If your life in any way grazes up against the deaf and hard of hearing communities, read this book. If you work in special education, read this book. If you work in healthcare, read this book. If you are in public health, government, law enforcement, translation services, advocacy work, social work, or simply want to be bowled over by incredible writing done with incredible care and research, read this book!!
🗣️READ THIS BOOK. If your life in any way grazes up against the deaf and hard of hearing communities, read this book. If you work in special education, read this book. If you work in healthcare, read this book. If you are in public health, government, law enforcement, translation services, advocacy work, social work, or simply want to be bowled over by incredible writing done with incredible care and research, read this book!!
May 12, 2026
I love motherhood memoirs but I really LOVE reading about disabled mother's experiences and Sara Novic provides a heartfelt, impactful and eye-opening look into mothering as a deaf/HOH queer woman in her new memoir.
She also is able to provide insights into both her traditional birth experience and her journey with adopting a deaf overseas child from Thailand. I enjoyed her combination of personal introspection and disability history/advocacy and highly recommend this for fans of books like Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
She also is able to provide insights into both her traditional birth experience and her journey with adopting a deaf overseas child from Thailand. I enjoyed her combination of personal introspection and disability history/advocacy and highly recommend this for fans of books like Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
May 31, 2026
I've just finished reading Mother Tongue and this memoir/essay collection has moved and fascinated me to such an extent that I'm tempted to wait on writing my review. I am not, however, giving in to that temptation. Instead, I am going to begin by noting that This. Book. Has. So. Much. Going. On. And every bit of it is important.
Among the topics Mother Tongue explores—
• Motherhood
• Adoption as a process
• Adoption as an ethical issue
• Childbirth
• Deafness
• Creating and maintaining a bilingual home where all members are fully fluent in both English and ASL
• The intersection of conservative Christianity and disability
• The impact of growing up in "purity culture"
• Deaf education
• The spotty record of what can be achieved through cochlear implants
• The hearing community's assumption about what the deaf "need"
• Questions of language development
• Fighting educational red tape
• Queer identity
• The current attacks on disabled and gender noncomforming people
• The purpose of education for individuals and the communities within which they live
I could keep going with this list, but I'll pause here.
Basically, Sara Novic—one of my favorite writers—has written a brilliant work that pulls together all these different topics in ways that make sense. That makes for complexity, but Novic has the ability to detail the complex in ways that make it accessible to readers from a variety of backgrounds.
No piece of knowledge, no part of identity lies separate from others. Moving toward understanding requires, well, the best analogy I can come up with is a compound eye of the spirit. It's like looking through one of those insect-eye educational toys or standing in front of a dressing room mirror that gives gives us an infinitude of images of ourselves, every single one of them part of a truthful whole.
I finished reading this book yesterday. I liked/loved it enough that I immediately ordered copies for two friends. One works in the field of theatre accessibility and consent. The other is a mother of children. I didn't want either of them to be without this book any longer than it would take for the book to reach them through the mail. Then, I pre-ordered a copy of the large print edition, coming out in late July, for my wife and I to share. My review copy was electronic, but there are books that a) I want to share with my wife and b) want to reread myself in physical form, not just electronic, which makes large print essential.
I don't know that I've ever spent $100+ on multiple copies of a single book in a single hour, but yesterday doing that felt essential.
I received my review copy from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
Among the topics Mother Tongue explores—
• Motherhood
• Adoption as a process
• Adoption as an ethical issue
• Childbirth
• Deafness
• Creating and maintaining a bilingual home where all members are fully fluent in both English and ASL
• The intersection of conservative Christianity and disability
• The impact of growing up in "purity culture"
• Deaf education
• The spotty record of what can be achieved through cochlear implants
• The hearing community's assumption about what the deaf "need"
• Questions of language development
• Fighting educational red tape
• Queer identity
• The current attacks on disabled and gender noncomforming people
• The purpose of education for individuals and the communities within which they live
I could keep going with this list, but I'll pause here.
Basically, Sara Novic—one of my favorite writers—has written a brilliant work that pulls together all these different topics in ways that make sense. That makes for complexity, but Novic has the ability to detail the complex in ways that make it accessible to readers from a variety of backgrounds.
No piece of knowledge, no part of identity lies separate from others. Moving toward understanding requires, well, the best analogy I can come up with is a compound eye of the spirit. It's like looking through one of those insect-eye educational toys or standing in front of a dressing room mirror that gives gives us an infinitude of images of ourselves, every single one of them part of a truthful whole.
I finished reading this book yesterday. I liked/loved it enough that I immediately ordered copies for two friends. One works in the field of theatre accessibility and consent. The other is a mother of children. I didn't want either of them to be without this book any longer than it would take for the book to reach them through the mail. Then, I pre-ordered a copy of the large print edition, coming out in late July, for my wife and I to share. My review copy was electronic, but there are books that a) I want to share with my wife and b) want to reread myself in physical form, not just electronic, which makes large print essential.
I don't know that I've ever spent $100+ on multiple copies of a single book in a single hour, but yesterday doing that felt essential.
I received my review copy from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
June 30, 2026
Sara Nović just gets it, I say entirely selfishly as somebody who shares a number of identities, thought patterns, and personality traits with Sara Nović. I wanted a great deal more memoir content out of this, again selfishly as I am simply begging to be Sara Nović’s friend. It’s quite introductory as a nonfiction foray into deaf culture & history & other sociopolitical musings, but certainly useful for those who haven’t pondered this all too deeply before.
Loved the pandemic content. Loved the adoption content. Shed a number of tears. Should make my mom read this. Shed more tears at the thought of my mom reading this. Love, overall.
Loved the pandemic content. Loved the adoption content. Shed a number of tears. Should make my mom read this. Shed more tears at the thought of my mom reading this. Love, overall.
May 10, 2026
I first encountered Sara Novic when I read True Biz, her novel about a school for deaf students. It was one of those reads I had seen hyped online, but worried it wouldn't measure up. It did. It was one of the best book club discussions my book club had because it was equal parts great fiction, following these compelling characters, and so eye-opening as we explored the world of education for deaf students.
Mother Tongue, which is Nović's memoir, feels like such a natural successor to True Biz. Nović blends history and politics with her own personal story, showing the areas where they intersect. I love the way she uses her own experiences of isolation and community to tell the history of deaf Americans and the struggle to establish a system of community in the face of so much hate and misunderstanding (and worse, but I'm afraid to use those words here). As a hearing person, I wasn't able to relate so much with Nović's experiences, but her stories and the facts she presented throughout this memoir were so well laid out that I know I'll be thinking about this all for some time to come. Especially moving were her chapters dedicated to adopting and then advocating for her son, K, Her examination of the importance of language acquisition in early life resonated particularly with me as a former TEFL teacher to early learners, and her recounting of the prejudices faced when trying to enroll K in a deaf school left me dumbfounded and enraged. And heartbroken. And inspired. In spite of the obstacles, she continues her advocacy and her children continue to thrive and I love that she took us readers on this journey.
This memoir has been illuminating, and it has humbled me-- I can say thank you and I can swear in American Sign Language, but not much else This memoir has helped me better understand the challenges of being deaf in today's world, and given me so much to think about. Nović is a strong writer and her stories about her life are sometimes heartbreaking, but also funny and self-deprecating. Reading this feels like having a drink with a friend that turns into an intense discussion about history and politics and ends with us both laughing about that one time that thing happened.
*I received a copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher, Random House; this review is entirely my own.
Mother Tongue, which is Nović's memoir, feels like such a natural successor to True Biz. Nović blends history and politics with her own personal story, showing the areas where they intersect. I love the way she uses her own experiences of isolation and community to tell the history of deaf Americans and the struggle to establish a system of community in the face of so much hate and misunderstanding (and worse, but I'm afraid to use those words here). As a hearing person, I wasn't able to relate so much with Nović's experiences, but her stories and the facts she presented throughout this memoir were so well laid out that I know I'll be thinking about this all for some time to come. Especially moving were her chapters dedicated to adopting and then advocating for her son, K, Her examination of the importance of language acquisition in early life resonated particularly with me as a former TEFL teacher to early learners, and her recounting of the prejudices faced when trying to enroll K in a deaf school left me dumbfounded and enraged. And heartbroken. And inspired. In spite of the obstacles, she continues her advocacy and her children continue to thrive and I love that she took us readers on this journey.
This memoir has been illuminating, and it has humbled me-- I can say thank you and I can swear in American Sign Language, but not much else This memoir has helped me better understand the challenges of being deaf in today's world, and given me so much to think about. Nović is a strong writer and her stories about her life are sometimes heartbreaking, but also funny and self-deprecating. Reading this feels like having a drink with a friend that turns into an intense discussion about history and politics and ends with us both laughing about that one time that thing happened.
*I received a copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher, Random House; this review is entirely my own.
May 1, 2026
If Sara Novic writes it, I read it. For that reason I was excited to read her memoir Mother Tongue.
Sara's passion for the history and culture of deaf people comes through on the pages. The information was interesting and I definitely learned by reading this book.
As a reader I was expecting to get a bit more personal insight into Sara Novic's life and experiences. I felt like she held the readers at arms length, and at the same time I understand why. Her writing gets progressively more personal as the book goes on, but I wish she had warmed up sooner.
I would say this book is more of an examination of the social, cultural, and political history of deaf people with bits of memoir sprinkled in.
Sara's passion for the history and culture of deaf people comes through on the pages. The information was interesting and I definitely learned by reading this book.
As a reader I was expecting to get a bit more personal insight into Sara Novic's life and experiences. I felt like she held the readers at arms length, and at the same time I understand why. Her writing gets progressively more personal as the book goes on, but I wish she had warmed up sooner.
I would say this book is more of an examination of the social, cultural, and political history of deaf people with bits of memoir sprinkled in.
Did Not Finish
June 29, 2026Sara Novic is obviously a very gifted writer. I just came to this book expecting a memoir, and found something much more like a history of ableism and deaf culture. Those parts were extremely well-written, but not the post-surgery summer read I need write now. Will return to this one later!
Reminds me of Lulu Miller’s Why Fish Don’t Exist. If that’s your jam, this probably will be too.
Reminds me of Lulu Miller’s Why Fish Don’t Exist. If that’s your jam, this probably will be too.
June 7, 2026
This was a very informative and thought provoking read. Accounts from Novic’s life are woven in with information regarding Deaf history, culture, intersectionality, and the history and larger theme of how society at large has refused to make room for marginalized people and people with disabilities. A lot from this book will stick with me.
June 4, 2026
Fascinating. There’s so much I never knew (and never even considered) about deaf culture. Great storytelling. Highly recommend.
May 18, 2026
this was just brilliant. a beautiful cross between memoir and non-fiction about deaf history and culture. i loved getting to learn about these topics because i find them super interesting, but having nović's personal stories interwoven set this apart. this will probably be the best non-fiction that i read this year.
May 15, 2026
Part non-fiction history book with its focus on Deaf culture, language deprivation and Deaf experience and part memoir, this book was a great exploration of the author's experiences and a crash course in oppression and advocacy.
Sara Nović was born hearing and became deaf in her early teens. In Mother Tongue, she shares her experiences, struggles and successes as a friend, daughter, and mother, helping readers to better understand what it feels like to not fit in; the exhausting and constant battle to be seen and valued in a society that is heavily influenced by ableism, devaluing anyone different from the status quo.
I went into this book knowing a lot about Deaf culture, history and ASL as a former ASL interpreter, but I appreciated Novic's deep dive into the politics, her experiences with adoption and the dark hold ableism still has over society. She goes into a lot more detail with some subjects than I was expecting, giving the book a nonfiction feel, but brings it back to how history and today's politics impact her and her young family. She keeps readers a bit at arm's length, but I respect how she draws the line, sharing with her readers only the bits of her life she's comfortable with.
Compelling and informative, Mother Tongue is an exploration of disability, oppression, Deaf advocacy and history, motherhood and the long-lasting impact of language deprivation. It will be an eye-opening read for many readers, giving them a better understanding of what it means to be Deaf in today's world.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary digital advanced copy of this book which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
Sara Nović was born hearing and became deaf in her early teens. In Mother Tongue, she shares her experiences, struggles and successes as a friend, daughter, and mother, helping readers to better understand what it feels like to not fit in; the exhausting and constant battle to be seen and valued in a society that is heavily influenced by ableism, devaluing anyone different from the status quo.
I went into this book knowing a lot about Deaf culture, history and ASL as a former ASL interpreter, but I appreciated Novic's deep dive into the politics, her experiences with adoption and the dark hold ableism still has over society. She goes into a lot more detail with some subjects than I was expecting, giving the book a nonfiction feel, but brings it back to how history and today's politics impact her and her young family. She keeps readers a bit at arm's length, but I respect how she draws the line, sharing with her readers only the bits of her life she's comfortable with.
Compelling and informative, Mother Tongue is an exploration of disability, oppression, Deaf advocacy and history, motherhood and the long-lasting impact of language deprivation. It will be an eye-opening read for many readers, giving them a better understanding of what it means to be Deaf in today's world.
Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary digital advanced copy of this book which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
June 30, 2026
This non-fiction book is by Sara Novic, who lost her hearing as a teenager and now as an adult is the mother of a biological hearing child and an adopted deaf child. This book is part memoir and part more general non-fiction, as Novic digs deeper into topics as they come up in her stories that she tells - about everything from the history of sign language and the opposing movement for oralism, ableism, the way both women and deaf people are not listened to by the medical system, post-partum depression, adoption, fundamentalist religion, and more.
This was an interesting one, both the more personal parts and the various other recounting of issues as well - not one that made me unable to put it down as I read it over the course of a month, but one I always enjoyed while reading. The last few chapters about adopting her deaf son from Thailand and his incredible learning sign language right on the border of language deprivation were particularly moving.
Books about the deaf experience are of particular interest to me because I have deaf family members. Indeed, I am going to recommend this one to my aunt and hopefully we can discuss it - we had a great conversation about Novic’s novel True Biz.
Thanks to Random House for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
This was an interesting one, both the more personal parts and the various other recounting of issues as well - not one that made me unable to put it down as I read it over the course of a month, but one I always enjoyed while reading. The last few chapters about adopting her deaf son from Thailand and his incredible learning sign language right on the border of language deprivation were particularly moving.
Books about the deaf experience are of particular interest to me because I have deaf family members. Indeed, I am going to recommend this one to my aunt and hopefully we can discuss it - we had a great conversation about Novic’s novel True Biz.
Thanks to Random House for my e-ARC (out now); all opinions are my own.
June 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
What an informative, accessible, personal book. It spans a wide range of topics: from adoption, to deaf history, to discrimination and intersectionality, to religion. All of it was fantastic, but what really impacted me the most was the conclusion. Novic looks towards our future, where what lies in store for the "curing" of deaf folks is unknown. We explore some serious potential repercussions for what we consider 'disability', and a very sobering point about US military funding. Having not already read True Biz, this was a powerful introduction to Novic's life and work and it has been a great to joy to learn so much about them.
What an informative, accessible, personal book. It spans a wide range of topics: from adoption, to deaf history, to discrimination and intersectionality, to religion. All of it was fantastic, but what really impacted me the most was the conclusion. Novic looks towards our future, where what lies in store for the "curing" of deaf folks is unknown. We explore some serious potential repercussions for what we consider 'disability', and a very sobering point about US military funding. Having not already read True Biz, this was a powerful introduction to Novic's life and work and it has been a great to joy to learn so much about them.
June 2, 2026
My history-loving heart soaked up this historical-infused memoir of stories about hearing loss, finding out how to advocate for yourself, church relationship & hurt, queerness, parenting, adoption and so much more. I found so many themes and additional sources to explore.
Selfishly as a parent who has gone through the IEP-hellscape as well as navigating harmful advice from the medical community I spent the last part of the book re-living parts of my own journey of being by a parent of a deaf child. The timeliness of fighting in my state for LEAD-K legislation to pass is underscored and highlighted by this story.
Selfishly as a parent who has gone through the IEP-hellscape as well as navigating harmful advice from the medical community I spent the last part of the book re-living parts of my own journey of being by a parent of a deaf child. The timeliness of fighting in my state for LEAD-K legislation to pass is underscored and highlighted by this story.
June 26, 2026
It’s extremely disappointing that a disabled author writing about disability failed to acknowledge that the Covid-19 pandemic is a mass disabling event and that Long Covid has disabled tens of millions in the U.S. alone. She literally wrote a whole few pages about her severe Covid infection and yet couldn’t be bothered to mention Long Covid? Seriously? I’m mind-boggled.
Still giving this four stars because I really like Nović and her writing. But I like her a little less now. The omission is unacceptable.
Still giving this four stars because I really like Nović and her writing. But I like her a little less now. The omission is unacceptable.
May 13, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It was kind of a hybrid of memoir and non-fiction, and it covered a lot of ground. It felt like one of the most intersectional books I've read in a long time, Novic being queer, deaf, Jewish, and the parent of a transracial adoptee. She talks about her experience with all of these communities and identities as well as exploring their histories and putting them in a greater cultural context. I think she does a nice job of packing a lot of information into the book without it getting bogged down, feeling preachy, or taking us too far down any one road. Well done.
May 23, 2026
I began reading Mother Tongue by Sara Nović a few months ago. As someone who works within the Deaf community, I felt I had to read this book. I read True Biz a few years ago and thought I would give this memoir a shot.
This book leaned heavily into the culture and history of the Deaf community. I did enjoy hearing about Sara’s experiences, but I wish it had been a little more personal. I understand the need to keep some things private, but not using her child’s name was confusing to me. I wish she had created a made-up name instead of just using a letter.
Overall, if you are interested in Deaf history, this could be exactly what you are looking for.
Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC.
This book leaned heavily into the culture and history of the Deaf community. I did enjoy hearing about Sara’s experiences, but I wish it had been a little more personal. I understand the need to keep some things private, but not using her child’s name was confusing to me. I wish she had created a made-up name instead of just using a letter.
Overall, if you are interested in Deaf history, this could be exactly what you are looking for.
Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC.
June 3, 2026
This memoir by a (relatively) young author is both deeply personal and sociological. I appreciated learning about all the ways eugenicists & especially Alexander Graham Bell have shaped discourse around deaf and hard of hearing people. Novic was not born, but became, deaf, and her story of passing and then becoming an activist is a must-read.
June 21, 2026
I learned so much from this book and the author’s perspective of gradually becoming deaf as a teenager. She was able to get support to learn ASL and thrive in college. Her advocacy for her children is to be applauded. People who can hear should read this book and learn about the full lives of the deaf community. This book will change your perspective and hopefully develop more empathy for others.
May 16, 2026
I LOVED True Biz, so I was thrilled to read this memoir by the author. This is not a true memoir-but a memoir with added info on the history of being deaf, of life being considered disabled, of international adoption, and the struggles and triumphs of raising a deaf child (as well as a non deaf child). Eye opening and important!
June 4, 2026
Learned a lot about the deaf community and the importance of ASL. I would have liked to hear more about the author and her story, but it was still an interesting history of deafness.
June 9, 2026
i learn so much from sara novic EVERY time
June 14, 2026
Review to come
April 23, 2026
While billed as a memoir, this book is, to a larger degree, a history lesson about deafness and the mistreatment of deaf people over the years. There is a fair amount about the author’s life, especially as it relates to the adoption of a deaf child, but at times it reads more like an educational text. The author is clearly passionate about the subject matter, and her personal connection to it makes the book that much more interesting.
There is a section on the Christian right and queerness that felt a bit like filler. A tangential association with the deaf community was made, but the section felt a bit out of place and didn’t really provide valuable insight.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There is a section on the Christian right and queerness that felt a bit like filler. A tangential association with the deaf community was made, but the section felt a bit out of place and didn’t really provide valuable insight.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2026
Sara Nović's award-winning novel, TRUE BIZ, is set at a school for the deaf. Nović herself is deaf. She's also the mother of two young sons --- one, her biological child, is hearing; the other, adopted from Thailand, is deaf. It's this experience of parenting her boys and raising them within deaf culture that bookends her memoir. MOTHER TONGUE is both deeply personal --- contrasting her own youthful immersion into deafness with her son's experience --- and wide-ranging in scope.
Nović was practically dragged into her deaf identity kicking and screaming. After an initial diagnosis of hearing loss during a routine schoolwide screening, she spent years denying the truth from herself and hiding it from others, getting better at masking her growing deafness through a variety of techniques. However, she did eventually learn American sign language and is now --- as she explains clearly and consistently throughout the narrative --- a champion of preserving ASL as the best means for deaf people to communicate with one another and with hearing advocates in an authentic, fully expressive way.
I previously had seen references to some members of the deaf community criticizing the championing of technological “cures” for deafness, such as cochlear implants. But I didn't really understand the critique before reading Nović's book, which clearly spells out the limited capabilities of these devices and what the insistence on this kind of technology --- particularly for very young children who are deaf from birth or toddlerhood who don't have the ability to choose it --- means in terms of losing other access to language.
The links between language and the ability not only to communicate but also to think clearly and articulate those thoughts and feelings run throughout MOTHER TONGUE. Nović's joy is palpable as she witnesses her adopted son rapidly acquire language once he learns to sign. She also doesn't hold back in her criticism of family members of deaf children who fail to learn to sign at even a basic level, compelling their kids to conform to a hearing world rather than adapting themselves.
The memoir is even more expansive than this, as it explores the intersections of deafness with a variety of cultural and historic phenomena. They include the rates of police violence against deaf and disabled people, the enduring legacy of eugenic approaches to dealing with deafness (currently exacerbated in frightening ways by advancements in medical and reproductive technologies), and the rates at which deaf children eligible for adoption remain unplaced with families prepared to support and love them.
Those who already are part of the deaf community or adjacent to it likely will find much to relate with in MOTHER TONGUE. Hearing readers who aren't intimately acquainted with deafness (which, as Nović points out, is the vast majority of Americans) will find it as illuminating as it is affecting. At times, those less familiar with these issues may question why, for example, Nović takes exception with certain media portrayals of deafness, which are called out but not explained.
However, it's not Nović's job to connect the dots for the rest of us. It's our job, thanks to her enlightening narrative, to become aware and continue learning how we can better understand and appreciate the unique perspectives of deaf people.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
Nović was practically dragged into her deaf identity kicking and screaming. After an initial diagnosis of hearing loss during a routine schoolwide screening, she spent years denying the truth from herself and hiding it from others, getting better at masking her growing deafness through a variety of techniques. However, she did eventually learn American sign language and is now --- as she explains clearly and consistently throughout the narrative --- a champion of preserving ASL as the best means for deaf people to communicate with one another and with hearing advocates in an authentic, fully expressive way.
I previously had seen references to some members of the deaf community criticizing the championing of technological “cures” for deafness, such as cochlear implants. But I didn't really understand the critique before reading Nović's book, which clearly spells out the limited capabilities of these devices and what the insistence on this kind of technology --- particularly for very young children who are deaf from birth or toddlerhood who don't have the ability to choose it --- means in terms of losing other access to language.
The links between language and the ability not only to communicate but also to think clearly and articulate those thoughts and feelings run throughout MOTHER TONGUE. Nović's joy is palpable as she witnesses her adopted son rapidly acquire language once he learns to sign. She also doesn't hold back in her criticism of family members of deaf children who fail to learn to sign at even a basic level, compelling their kids to conform to a hearing world rather than adapting themselves.
The memoir is even more expansive than this, as it explores the intersections of deafness with a variety of cultural and historic phenomena. They include the rates of police violence against deaf and disabled people, the enduring legacy of eugenic approaches to dealing with deafness (currently exacerbated in frightening ways by advancements in medical and reproductive technologies), and the rates at which deaf children eligible for adoption remain unplaced with families prepared to support and love them.
Those who already are part of the deaf community or adjacent to it likely will find much to relate with in MOTHER TONGUE. Hearing readers who aren't intimately acquainted with deafness (which, as Nović points out, is the vast majority of Americans) will find it as illuminating as it is affecting. At times, those less familiar with these issues may question why, for example, Nović takes exception with certain media portrayals of deafness, which are called out but not explained.
However, it's not Nović's job to connect the dots for the rest of us. It's our job, thanks to her enlightening narrative, to become aware and continue learning how we can better understand and appreciate the unique perspectives of deaf people.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
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