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Fragile
The debut novel from a publishing industry veteran tells the "thought-provoking and heartbreaking" story of friendship, love, and the struggles of finding yourself.17-year-old Ava Collins grew up constantly reminded that she wasn't - and couldn't - be normal. A deaf student in public high school, her entire life was spent feeling like she needed to be 'fixed', but it wasn't until she met Theo De Vries that she learned the truth. Ava is learning that her life is her choice, that she gets to decide what she wants from her future, and that maybe we're all a little bit broken. And normal? Well, normal is whatever you decide.
- GenresYoung Adult
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2018
9 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Jandra Sutton
3 books41 followersJandra Sutton is a writer, entrepreneur, and founder of The Wildest Co, a creative agency offering web design, branding, and business strategy for busy entrepreneurs and small business owners.
She's also the host of The Wildest Podcast, a weekly personal development podcast in 10 minutes or less, and her work has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Business Insider, Refinery29, Real Simple, mindbodygreen, and more.
In her spare time, Jandra enjoys training krav maga, reading, and playing her Nintendo Switch. She lives in Nashville with her husband and their two dogs.
She's also the host of The Wildest Podcast, a weekly personal development podcast in 10 minutes or less, and her work has been featured in Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Business Insider, Refinery29, Real Simple, mindbodygreen, and more.
In her spare time, Jandra enjoys training krav maga, reading, and playing her Nintendo Switch. She lives in Nashville with her husband and their two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 4, 2017
I don't normally read many contemporaries, but when I do they usually end up crippling my heart. 'Fragile' was no exception to this rule. When Jadra Sutton contacted me on Instagram to have me join her book tour, I was especially wooed in by two factors:
1) The protagonist of this story is a deaf girl, and it is not a common thing to have a person with disabilities as a protagonist of a book;
2) This book was not a time consuming read. It is long enough to be read in 1-2 sittings and that makes it a good choice to fit into a busy schedule.
As it turns out, I finished this book in one sitting, which by itself is something that happens very rarely for me. The truth is, I couldn't get enough of this story. Jandra's writing flows so well it is not hard at all to follow and what I especially l0ved was how well Ava's voice was developed.
Ava does not feel "less" because of her disability. You don't have the feeling that she is "lacking" something--you don't even have the feeling that she has something "more" than others. Ava is simply a girl, just like every other girl. You don't feel sorry for her lack of hearing, but you do feel sorry for the people around her who define her by her handicap. I found that to be very beautiful and it also gave way to some introspection. How many times have we treated people with disabilities with pity? How many times have we ignored them all together because we didn't know how to act around them?
There is also an undercurrent of romanticism. I enjoyed the love story in this book SO SO SO SO SO MUCH! Theo is everything that a girl could want and the kind of person that we all should be. I am not going to say anything more about it because I could end up spoiling because of too many emotions.
Bottom line is, I love this book. I highly recommend it for a short but powerful read that will make you laugh, cry and, most importantly, think.
1) The protagonist of this story is a deaf girl, and it is not a common thing to have a person with disabilities as a protagonist of a book;
2) This book was not a time consuming read. It is long enough to be read in 1-2 sittings and that makes it a good choice to fit into a busy schedule.
As it turns out, I finished this book in one sitting, which by itself is something that happens very rarely for me. The truth is, I couldn't get enough of this story. Jandra's writing flows so well it is not hard at all to follow and what I especially l0ved was how well Ava's voice was developed.
Ava does not feel "less" because of her disability. You don't have the feeling that she is "lacking" something--you don't even have the feeling that she has something "more" than others. Ava is simply a girl, just like every other girl. You don't feel sorry for her lack of hearing, but you do feel sorry for the people around her who define her by her handicap. I found that to be very beautiful and it also gave way to some introspection. How many times have we treated people with disabilities with pity? How many times have we ignored them all together because we didn't know how to act around them?
There is also an undercurrent of romanticism. I enjoyed the love story in this book SO SO SO SO SO MUCH! Theo is everything that a girl could want and the kind of person that we all should be. I am not going to say anything more about it because I could end up spoiling because of too many emotions.
Bottom line is, I love this book. I highly recommend it for a short but powerful read that will make you laugh, cry and, most importantly, think.
July 11, 2017
Jandra has an incredible ability to make you connect with her characters so much quicker than most YA authors around. Her story is 150 pages but the range of emotions you'll go through is that of a sweeping trilogy. You'll find characters to love, hate and feel sympathetic towards but where Jandra truly shines is how she explains to readers what it means to be deaf. The ability to hear is something many of us take for granted and deafness is rarely shown in literature and even more rarely shown in a main character.
Jandra provides a look into a world that so few people understand. Listening to a lesson from a teacher is impossible in a dimly lit room if you can't see their lips. If someone turns their back on you and keeps talking you have no way of knowing. Balance can be severely impaired because of your inner ear so bumping into someone in the halls of a busy high school is a constant worry.
There are so many things people never consider when thinking about someone who is hearing impaired but the most important thing that Jandra conveys with Fragile is that being deaf doesn't make you less. It's a part of who you are but it isn't entirely who you are.
This story is inspiring and thought-provoking and heartbreaking and I can't recommend it enough. Spend an afternoon with Jandra's story. You won't regret it.
Jandra provides a look into a world that so few people understand. Listening to a lesson from a teacher is impossible in a dimly lit room if you can't see their lips. If someone turns their back on you and keeps talking you have no way of knowing. Balance can be severely impaired because of your inner ear so bumping into someone in the halls of a busy high school is a constant worry.
There are so many things people never consider when thinking about someone who is hearing impaired but the most important thing that Jandra conveys with Fragile is that being deaf doesn't make you less. It's a part of who you are but it isn't entirely who you are.
This story is inspiring and thought-provoking and heartbreaking and I can't recommend it enough. Spend an afternoon with Jandra's story. You won't regret it.
July 7, 2017
Also published here: https://thedailyplanets.wordpress.com...
Jandra Sutton contacted me and asked if I wanted to join her Instagram book tour. Of course I said yes, because it sounded like so much fun (and it is!) And well, Theo de Vries is a Dutch name and the main character is deaf, so that was very promising.
But then I started reading the book. Fragile takes you on its own rollercoaster and you love the ride. You don't want it to end, because it's so joyful and beautiful and then suddenly you go down and down and you want to jump out of the wagon, but you can't, because it's so mesmerizing.
It made me think about the important things in life and what it is to be normal. I mean, define normal. Aren't we all different in our own ways?
Fragile is beautifully written and took my heart with it along the ride. I highly recommend it and do wish it had more chapters, because I couldn't get enough.
Jandra Sutton contacted me and asked if I wanted to join her Instagram book tour. Of course I said yes, because it sounded like so much fun (and it is!) And well, Theo de Vries is a Dutch name and the main character is deaf, so that was very promising.
But then I started reading the book. Fragile takes you on its own rollercoaster and you love the ride. You don't want it to end, because it's so joyful and beautiful and then suddenly you go down and down and you want to jump out of the wagon, but you can't, because it's so mesmerizing.
It made me think about the important things in life and what it is to be normal. I mean, define normal. Aren't we all different in our own ways?
Fragile is beautifully written and took my heart with it along the ride. I highly recommend it and do wish it had more chapters, because I couldn't get enough.
March 10, 2018
ugh. its just too great.
go buy a copy now, you won't regret it ;)
go buy a copy now, you won't regret it ;)
December 30, 2017
This story broke my heart.
We start with a character whose bitterness against the world is strongly influenced by the bullying she's being put through for being Deaf. Her father refused to allow her a cochlear implant and resisted learning sign language because "she should be normal". Meanwhile, her mother sees the cochlear implant as the only way to "save" her daughter.
Into this, our main character meets a boy who likes her, who listens to her, who learns sign language because he wants to communicate with her, and who even introduces her to her future BFF.
We start with a character whose bitterness against the world is strongly influenced by the bullying she's being put through for being Deaf. Her father refused to allow her a cochlear implant and resisted learning sign language because "she should be normal". Meanwhile, her mother sees the cochlear implant as the only way to "save" her daughter.
Into this, our main character meets a boy who likes her, who listens to her, who learns sign language because he wants to communicate with her, and who even introduces her to her future BFF.
June 18, 2017
THIS BOOK IS SO AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS THAT ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY
The style of writing that Jandra uses is mind boggling. You become immersed in the story that she is telling. You feel the emotions of the characters and you feel like they are real. One of my favorite books of all time. HANDS. DOWN
The style of writing that Jandra uses is mind boggling. You become immersed in the story that she is telling. You feel the emotions of the characters and you feel like they are real. One of my favorite books of all time. HANDS. DOWN
December 23, 2017
AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 6, 2017
Really my only complaint is that the book should have been longer. I really loved this. It was so cute.
July 17, 2017
I took a long break from Young Adult but this book made me fall in love with this genre again.
.
.
I was fascinated from the first line to the last. It is just one of those reads that you need when you are having a bad day. The protagonist, Ava was a deaf teenager and the way the author described how it felt to be deaf was very intriguing.
I loved Theo. He is one of those flawless characters that you are meant to love.
What I didn't like about the book was that I believe the ending was a bit rushed. I just wanted more from it. I would definitely appreciate somthing more from the relationship between the main characters.
My favourite quote from the book is "Because, really, we’re all a little bit broken. We just have to learn that we don’t need to be fixed. We just need to be loved."
.
.
I was fascinated from the first line to the last. It is just one of those reads that you need when you are having a bad day. The protagonist, Ava was a deaf teenager and the way the author described how it felt to be deaf was very intriguing.
I loved Theo. He is one of those flawless characters that you are meant to love.
What I didn't like about the book was that I believe the ending was a bit rushed. I just wanted more from it. I would definitely appreciate somthing more from the relationship between the main characters.
My favourite quote from the book is "Because, really, we’re all a little bit broken. We just have to learn that we don’t need to be fixed. We just need to be loved."
July 5, 2017
engaging read
Good book, definitely worth your time. It was a little shallow by which I mean that the story and the characters could have been developed into a deeper more powerful tale. It was a really good book, but it could have been an early draft of something great.
Good book, definitely worth your time. It was a little shallow by which I mean that the story and the characters could have been developed into a deeper more powerful tale. It was a really good book, but it could have been an early draft of something great.
September 18, 2017
Good book
Great characters and story line.. Her parents were useless but she made it. I like how she was discouraged by hand she was dealt, but lived life.
Great characters and story line.. Her parents were useless but she made it. I like how she was discouraged by hand she was dealt, but lived life.
July 12, 2017
I was really not emotionally prepared for this book.
As someone who is hard of hearing and has many deaf and HH friends, I was extremely excited to receive an ARC of Fragile. I was so happy to find out that the author had a relative that was deaf, so I was happy to know it wouldn't be a book written by someone who didn't know the culture. The book held true to my expectations, and I was so happy because it's super hard to find accurate books focused around a deaf character!
I do have to say, I wasn't crazy about Avas narrative for a good majority of the book. She was very bitter, and OVERLY sarcastic in my opinion. I can see where she was coming from, but perhaps if the book was in a form of a letter or diary entries or the like, it wouldn't have bothered me. However, it was a bit of an odd narration and parts were a little overdone.
Aside from that, I did really like Ava. She had a really rough situation, and I thought her feelings about being deaf were very realistic. Deaf doesn't mean broken, and that message was communicated very well in the book.
Bless Theo, and bless Cora. Going into the book, I'm not sure what I expected. But to me, this book centered around friendship a great deal towards the end. Sure, no big spoiler here but Theo and Ava were pretty much a couple, but they weren't overdone Their relationship was founded on mutual comfort in one another's company, and I really liked that.
And then we have Cora. I'm Not going to spoil anything, but I loved her and Avas friendship towards the end of the book. I thought that was really important.
I will put a warning here for anyone who is looking to read Fragile- DON'T READ THE END IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS AND BE SURE TO HAVE TISSUES ON HAND! My brother came home right as I read an extremely emotional part of the story, and I was almost in tears. This book really broke my heart, But I loved the message and it defied a lot of my expectations. Overall, I personally recommend if your interested in a short read that explores the meaning of what it truly is to be loved and accepted for who you are.
As someone who is hard of hearing and has many deaf and HH friends, I was extremely excited to receive an ARC of Fragile. I was so happy to find out that the author had a relative that was deaf, so I was happy to know it wouldn't be a book written by someone who didn't know the culture. The book held true to my expectations, and I was so happy because it's super hard to find accurate books focused around a deaf character!
I do have to say, I wasn't crazy about Avas narrative for a good majority of the book. She was very bitter, and OVERLY sarcastic in my opinion. I can see where she was coming from, but perhaps if the book was in a form of a letter or diary entries or the like, it wouldn't have bothered me. However, it was a bit of an odd narration and parts were a little overdone.
Aside from that, I did really like Ava. She had a really rough situation, and I thought her feelings about being deaf were very realistic. Deaf doesn't mean broken, and that message was communicated very well in the book.
Bless Theo, and bless Cora. Going into the book, I'm not sure what I expected. But to me, this book centered around friendship a great deal towards the end. Sure, no big spoiler here but Theo and Ava were pretty much a couple, but they weren't overdone Their relationship was founded on mutual comfort in one another's company, and I really liked that.
And then we have Cora. I'm Not going to spoil anything, but I loved her and Avas friendship towards the end of the book. I thought that was really important.
I will put a warning here for anyone who is looking to read Fragile- DON'T READ THE END IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS AND BE SURE TO HAVE TISSUES ON HAND! My brother came home right as I read an extremely emotional part of the story, and I was almost in tears. This book really broke my heart, But I loved the message and it defied a lot of my expectations. Overall, I personally recommend if your interested in a short read that explores the meaning of what it truly is to be loved and accepted for who you are.
July 21, 2019
Short but sweet. I really loved Fragile, and found myself quickly falling in love with the characters. Ava's personality jumped off the page, and her and Theo's relationship really tugged at my heartstrings. I found myself tearing up, like when Ava laughed aloud for the first time in years, and when Theo had a stack of sign language learning books and was putting so much effort into connecting with Ava.
It was sudden when he died and I felt like the story was cut short, but I suppose real life is like that too. This was a good snapshot of defining moments in Ava's life. I'll admit, I cried when she found out too. Even writing this review has me tearing up again.
I feel like I gained some insight into the experiences and life of someone who is deaf, and I think that alone is very valuable. Ava's mother and her push for her to get cochear implants was a good plot point and lesson too. Even though she did decide to get them in the end, I'm glad it was for her own personal reasons and that it wasn't because she felt like she needed them to be whole.
Fragile was a great read that I know will stick with me, and I would definitely recommend it.
It was sudden when he died and I felt like the story was cut short, but I suppose real life is like that too. This was a good snapshot of defining moments in Ava's life. I'll admit, I cried when she found out too. Even writing this review has me tearing up again.
I feel like I gained some insight into the experiences and life of someone who is deaf, and I think that alone is very valuable. Ava's mother and her push for her to get cochear implants was a good plot point and lesson too. Even though she did decide to get them in the end, I'm glad it was for her own personal reasons and that it wasn't because she felt like she needed them to be whole.
Fragile was a great read that I know will stick with me, and I would definitely recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2017
I don't think I've ever read a deaf MC in YA before so I liked that perspective, and particularly how Ava articulates how her deafness is part of her but not her identity. But this otherwise follows the conventions of a YA romance in terms of plot and character, with the first-person heroine insisting that she's not beautiful or special and not Bella Swan-like when she clearly is all those things, and the hot popular boy is one of the few who can actually see it and then make her feel that way.
That ending with Theo absolutely came out of nowhere, and I'm not sure what the point of it was? I wasn't necessarily expecting a HEA (it's high school, after all), but definitely wasn't expecting that. And neither was I expecting what Ava decided about her hearing after being so against it earlier in the book. That choice would have been a huge turning point in her life but it was just mentioned in the epilogue. There's lots of potential in Fragile, but it needs to be explored further.
That ending with Theo absolutely came out of nowhere, and I'm not sure what the point of it was? I wasn't necessarily expecting a HEA (it's high school, after all), but definitely wasn't expecting that. And neither was I expecting what Ava decided about her hearing after being so against it earlier in the book. That choice would have been a huge turning point in her life but it was just mentioned in the epilogue. There's lots of potential in Fragile, but it needs to be explored further.
August 4, 2020
Attached
I’m literally crying. I’m speechless. Horrified. Hurting. Grieving for these characters I have become attached to.
You will become very invested in the characters. No doubt.
You will probably skim a lot, since there is a lot of repeated “deaf doesn’t mean broken” and similar mantras - but you wont skim interactions, dialogue and when the story is shown.
The love story was adorable and the relationship development was smooth. Character development was a little iffy, but its a short book that is not dependent on development. I mean, it is, but its not. The development is summed up in the end.
You will be shocked at the end. Be warned that this book is not HEA love story.
I’m literally crying. I’m speechless. Horrified. Hurting. Grieving for these characters I have become attached to.
You will become very invested in the characters. No doubt.
You will probably skim a lot, since there is a lot of repeated “deaf doesn’t mean broken” and similar mantras - but you wont skim interactions, dialogue and when the story is shown.
The love story was adorable and the relationship development was smooth. Character development was a little iffy, but its a short book that is not dependent on development. I mean, it is, but its not. The development is summed up in the end.
You will be shocked at the end. Be warned that this book is not HEA love story.
January 1, 2018
I loved the portrayal of Ava's condition - she never saw her deafness as an obstacle, and she loved herself despite of everything. I also thought it was incredibly interesting how the people in her life handled her condition. Some weren't sensitive about the situation, while others didn't hesitate to accept Ava. Deafness isn't something that's normally mentioned in books - usually authors head towards the mental illness direction - so I thought it was brilliant and refreshing to read something new.
I do wish the book was a bit longer, considering how many things were packed in 100+ pages, but I still loved it and I highly recommend everyone to read this.
I do wish the book was a bit longer, considering how many things were packed in 100+ pages, but I still loved it and I highly recommend everyone to read this.
January 6, 2019
This was an unexpected enjoyment. I read very little YA, but I was pulled into this one. Mostly what happens is that a teenage girl and boy have a crush on each other, and the girl reflects on her identity as someone who is deaf. This is a simple story. There is something so earnest about the narrator's voice, though. And there is a sort of twist at the end. This story could have been more complicated, but it doesn't need to be. Maybe there will be a sequel following the character in adulthood.
September 26, 2017
Being deaf doesn’t mean broken...
Besides the typos, this is a well written book. It seems to be written like new TV shows are these days though - where things are repeated over & over as if all readers have a fifteen minute attention span.
Other than these minor annoyances, the main character is very real and understandably feels left out and even more invisible than most high school students. Her dysfunctional family is even familiar.
Besides the typos, this is a well written book. It seems to be written like new TV shows are these days though - where things are repeated over & over as if all readers have a fifteen minute attention span.
Other than these minor annoyances, the main character is very real and understandably feels left out and even more invisible than most high school students. Her dysfunctional family is even familiar.
March 27, 2020
I’ve been friends with Jandra for about 3 years now, and ever since meeting her on Wattpad (cringe, I know) I’ve fallen in love with her writing style. She has this ability of dropping you into a situation and immediately drawing you into the story. She is such a wonderful and inspiring person, and I hope more people continue to support her work. Just seeing how many people have read her book makes me smile :)
January 8, 2021
I loved this book and could’ve read it in one day if I didn’t have school. I read it in two days, it’s really short and somewhat rushed but I liked that. I’m the kind of person who leaves books half way through because they’re slow so this was perfect. I would give this a five stars but my heart was broken at the end. I just think there were more options for the ending, I didn’t see it coming AT ALL (maybe I should’ve ahah). This is now one of my favorite books and I’ll probably re read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
i have read this book so many times! i followed jandra from the start of her journey and was so excited to learn all those years ago that she was releasing her own book. i bought it instantly and didn’t know what to expect going into it. i fell in love with the book almost instantly and i finished it within a day. the end had me in tears the first time i read it and managed to put me in tears again times after that. i highly recommend this book!
March 30, 2018
A Great Read
I enjoyed this story very much and I was wondering whether you will write a sequel? She is such a great character!
I enjoyed this story very much and I was wondering whether you will write a sequel? She is such a great character!
May 24, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5*
HONESTLY THIS BOOK IS SUCH A WONDERFUL MASTERPIECE ICAN'T EVEN. THAT ENDING THO 😭
rtc on my blog.
HONESTLY THIS BOOK IS SUCH A WONDERFUL MASTERPIECE ICAN'T EVEN. THAT ENDING THO 😭
rtc on my blog.
November 19, 2019
THIS BOOK OH MY GOD
December 29, 2020
It's a beautiful book. I fell in love with the characters and still enjoy re-reading it every now and then.
December 30, 2021
so apparently emotionally murdering people is okay now.
November 11, 2022
Wonderfully done
I loved the book and the characters so well, the ending was sad but well done! The author did a wonderful job.
I loved the book and the characters so well, the ending was sad but well done! The author did a wonderful job.
March 8, 2022
It's nice to read books from different genre every once in a while. For someone who is always into fantasy, reading this book shook me to the core. I'm expecting an in depth perspective of someone who is deaf. However, reading this book makes me realize that just because it is not normal for us doesn't mean that there is something wrong with it. We labeled it as abnormal, but losing one sense does not lessen someone's value as a person. I like the plot, especially the idea that the protagonist is deaf but she's dealing things quite well; and as ironic as it is, the people whom we consider as normal visually, are those who are in need of help internally.
But that ending... That ending ripped my heart to pieces.😭😭😭😭
But that ending... That ending ripped my heart to pieces.😭😭😭😭
July 14, 2021
Really loved this book! Read it in one sitting, couldn't put it down. Wasn't okay, nor ready for the ending, but that just made the book that much better. Such a nice lesson to learn.
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January 12, 2018My favorite book from my favorite author!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews