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Show Me a Sign #2
Set Me Free
A riveting standalone companion to the Schneider Family Book Award winner, Show Me a Sign by Deaf author and librarian, Ann Clare LeZotte.
“Instantly captivating…will keep readers hooked until the very end…A simultaneously touching and gripping adventure.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“Full of adventure and twists…a gripping tale of historical fiction.” -- Booklist
"Mary seems set to become a true hero-adventurer, an almost larger-than-life sleuth, teacher, and woman of action; and while the story’s subject matter is serious in its engagement with history’s ills, LeZotte conveys a sense of real enjoyment in having Mary disrupt…the prejudices and expectations of the status quo." -- The Horn Book
Three years after being kidnapped as a "live specimen" in a cruel experiment to determine the cause of her deafness, Mary Lambert has grown weary of domestic life on Martha's Vineyard, and even of her once beloved writing.
So when an old acquaintance summons her to an isolated manor house outside Boston to teach a young deaf girl to communicate, Mary agrees. But can a child of eight with no prior language be taught? And is Mary up to the task? With newfound purpose, Mary arrives only to discover that there is much more to the girl's story--and the circumstances of her confinement--than she ever could have imagined. Suddenly, teaching her and freeing her from the prison of her isolation, takes on much greater meaning, and peril.
Riveting and complex, delicately nuanced and fervently feminist, Set Me Free is a masterful stand-alone companion to Show Me a Sign, and a searing exposé of ableism, racism, and colonialism that will challenge you to think differently about the dignity and capacity within every human being.
“Instantly captivating…will keep readers hooked until the very end…A simultaneously touching and gripping adventure.” -- Kirkus Reviews
“Full of adventure and twists…a gripping tale of historical fiction.” -- Booklist
"Mary seems set to become a true hero-adventurer, an almost larger-than-life sleuth, teacher, and woman of action; and while the story’s subject matter is serious in its engagement with history’s ills, LeZotte conveys a sense of real enjoyment in having Mary disrupt…the prejudices and expectations of the status quo." -- The Horn Book
Three years after being kidnapped as a "live specimen" in a cruel experiment to determine the cause of her deafness, Mary Lambert has grown weary of domestic life on Martha's Vineyard, and even of her once beloved writing.
So when an old acquaintance summons her to an isolated manor house outside Boston to teach a young deaf girl to communicate, Mary agrees. But can a child of eight with no prior language be taught? And is Mary up to the task? With newfound purpose, Mary arrives only to discover that there is much more to the girl's story--and the circumstances of her confinement--than she ever could have imagined. Suddenly, teaching her and freeing her from the prison of her isolation, takes on much greater meaning, and peril.
Riveting and complex, delicately nuanced and fervently feminist, Set Me Free is a masterful stand-alone companion to Show Me a Sign, and a searing exposé of ableism, racism, and colonialism that will challenge you to think differently about the dignity and capacity within every human being.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2021
20 people are currently reading
2771 people want to read
About the author
Ann Clare LeZotte
8 books292 followersDeaf--bilingual, bicultural. Author of T4: A Novel in Verse (Houghton, 2008) and Show Me a Sign (Scholatic, 2020). Library Youth Services for 11 years and counting. Focus on underserved populations and inclusion. Lives with her family in Gainesville, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
June 10, 2022
3.5 stars
Set Me Free takes place in the early 1800’s and is the sequel to ‘Show Me a Sign’. I find these books so interesting, not just for the historical aspect, but the own voices deaf representation. I liked the first book a bit more than this, but still a good read. Overall I would recommend these books.
Set Me Free takes place in the early 1800’s and is the sequel to ‘Show Me a Sign’. I find these books so interesting, not just for the historical aspect, but the own voices deaf representation. I liked the first book a bit more than this, but still a good read. Overall I would recommend these books.
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Nora Hunter
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Historical middle grade
Length: 7h 3m
June 20, 2024
I loved the first book Show Me a Sign in what promises to be a trilogy.
This book picks up three years after Mary was kidnapped by an ill-intentioned scholar studying the deaf. Mary is determined to make her way in the world and find her calling.
She is given an opportunity when an old friend invites her to work as a teacher for a young girl that is suspected to be deaf. Mary seems the perfect person to be a teacher. But when Mary arrives at the large estate outside of Boston, things are not quite what they seem. Mary makes it her mission to save her young pupil she calls Ladybird.
The ending definitely leads me to believe we'll find out what happens to Mary in her life. I think this one didn't have the heart of the first, but I still loved spending time with Mary and a tiny bit of time with Ezra.
This book picks up three years after Mary was kidnapped by an ill-intentioned scholar studying the deaf. Mary is determined to make her way in the world and find her calling.
She is given an opportunity when an old friend invites her to work as a teacher for a young girl that is suspected to be deaf. Mary seems the perfect person to be a teacher. But when Mary arrives at the large estate outside of Boston, things are not quite what they seem. Mary makes it her mission to save her young pupil she calls Ladybird.
The ending definitely leads me to believe we'll find out what happens to Mary in her life. I think this one didn't have the heart of the first, but I still loved spending time with Mary and a tiny bit of time with Ezra.
September 21, 2021
Happy pub day to this fabulous sequel to Show Me a Sign!
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.
.
Why I love Set Me Free:
✅ historical mystery
✅ explores marginalized populations in early America
✅ weaves together the effects of racism, ableism and colonialism, as well as early feminism
✅ fascinating look at dDeaf culture and MVSL in particular
✅ could not put it down!
✅ interesting look at the limits of friendship and the inability to ever fully understand someone else's situation
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.
.
Mary Lambert is one of my favorite characters from 2020, so I'm very happy to revisit her world again. Readers should likely read both books, but Set Me Free stands alone as its own story. These books are wonderful readalikes to The War that Saved My Life, which is wildly popular in our school. Both series are historical fiction books about disability, abuse, and personal transformation.
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.
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#middleschoollibrarian #middleschoollibrary #library #librarian #futurereadylibs #iteachlibrary #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #librariesofinstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariesfollowlibraries #librarylife #librarianlife #schoollibrarian #middlegrade #middlegradebooks #iteach #librarylove #booksbooksbooks #amreading #bibliophile #schoollibrariansrock #bookreview #bookrecommendation #igreads #malibrary #msla #mediaspecialist @annclarelezotte
.
.
.
Why I love Set Me Free:
✅ historical mystery
✅ explores marginalized populations in early America
✅ weaves together the effects of racism, ableism and colonialism, as well as early feminism
✅ fascinating look at dDeaf culture and MVSL in particular
✅ could not put it down!
✅ interesting look at the limits of friendship and the inability to ever fully understand someone else's situation
.
.
.
Mary Lambert is one of my favorite characters from 2020, so I'm very happy to revisit her world again. Readers should likely read both books, but Set Me Free stands alone as its own story. These books are wonderful readalikes to The War that Saved My Life, which is wildly popular in our school. Both series are historical fiction books about disability, abuse, and personal transformation.
.
.
.
#middleschoollibrarian #middleschoollibrary #library #librarian #futurereadylibs #iteachlibrary #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #librariesofinstagram #librariansofinstagram #librariesfollowlibraries #librarylife #librarianlife #schoollibrarian #middlegrade #middlegradebooks #iteach #librarylove #booksbooksbooks #amreading #bibliophile #schoollibrariansrock #bookreview #bookrecommendation #igreads #malibrary #msla #mediaspecialist @annclarelezotte
June 10, 2022
THREE POINT FIVE STARS
Set Me Free is an #OwnVoices about 14-year-old Mary who lives on Martha’s Vineyard. This is the second book and takes place 3-years after the first book.
In the first book, Mary was kidnapped and was a "live specimen." They used her to experiment on trying to figure out why so many people in Martha's Vineyard happen to be deaf. Now, it's 3-years later she's been asked to return to the mainland to help a girl who is uncommunicative. During her time trying to help this girl, she learns there's a lot more to this girl's story.
The first book Show Me a Sign won the 2021 Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grades. (The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth.)
Set Me Free is an #OwnVoices about 14-year-old Mary who lives on Martha’s Vineyard. This is the second book and takes place 3-years after the first book.
In the first book, Mary was kidnapped and was a "live specimen." They used her to experiment on trying to figure out why so many people in Martha's Vineyard happen to be deaf. Now, it's 3-years later she's been asked to return to the mainland to help a girl who is uncommunicative. During her time trying to help this girl, she learns there's a lot more to this girl's story.
The first book Show Me a Sign won the 2021 Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grades. (The Schneider Family Book Award is an award given by the American Library Association recognizing authors and illustrators for the excellence of portrayal of the disability experience in literature for youth.)
Audiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Nora Hunter
Length: 7H 03M
July 7, 2021
I was very lucky to get my hand on an ARC of this much anticipated sequel thanks to a loan from a dear friend. The universe blessed me with a great rainy day after - so I finished this in one sitting!
The story follows Mary who is still recovering from the traumas of Show Me A Sign and is now also trying to answer the big question - what will she do with her life? Will she have a vocation? Will she get married like her mother wants her to? Mary is an incredibly introspective and honest character for a young teen, yet her emotional outbursts remind us of her youth. There are some really great, but also painful moments, where she clashes a bit with her mom on her purpose in life.
Luckily for Mary, she is invited to teach a girl on the mainland who is believed to be deaf. The letter is mysterious and vague, but Mary chooses to chase after the call anyways. Mary takes a big leap of faith in leaving the safety of her home, where she is surrounded by a community who can sign and understand that her deafness is not an affliction. She believes she is prepared to enter back into a world where deafness is looked down upon, but what she finds of the girl’s predicament is shocking and horrific in ways that Mary never expected. Mary is challenged throughout the book to overcome societal expectations of women and their power, to hold on to truth in the face of evil, and to do what is right even when it puts you and others at risk.
Mary’s story is one of adventure - without shying away from the racism, sexism, and colonialism rampant in the world. If you liked the first companion novel, you will certainly love this one.
The story follows Mary who is still recovering from the traumas of Show Me A Sign and is now also trying to answer the big question - what will she do with her life? Will she have a vocation? Will she get married like her mother wants her to? Mary is an incredibly introspective and honest character for a young teen, yet her emotional outbursts remind us of her youth. There are some really great, but also painful moments, where she clashes a bit with her mom on her purpose in life.
Luckily for Mary, she is invited to teach a girl on the mainland who is believed to be deaf. The letter is mysterious and vague, but Mary chooses to chase after the call anyways. Mary takes a big leap of faith in leaving the safety of her home, where she is surrounded by a community who can sign and understand that her deafness is not an affliction. She believes she is prepared to enter back into a world where deafness is looked down upon, but what she finds of the girl’s predicament is shocking and horrific in ways that Mary never expected. Mary is challenged throughout the book to overcome societal expectations of women and their power, to hold on to truth in the face of evil, and to do what is right even when it puts you and others at risk.
Mary’s story is one of adventure - without shying away from the racism, sexism, and colonialism rampant in the world. If you liked the first companion novel, you will certainly love this one.
September 15, 2021
In Show Me a Sign, Ann Clare LeZotte introduced us to Mary Lambert and the people of Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1800s, where nearly everyone signed and deaf islanders were fully integrated into the life of the island. The Mary we meet in Set Me Free, three years after she was kidnapped and dragged to the mainland to be experimented upon, is warier and wiser. When she is offered the chance to tutor an eight-year-old deaf girl who seems to have no access to communication, she says yes, though she has no idea of the web of secrets and lies she will uncover when she leaves the island to go to the fine manor house. Mary relies on her wits and her own internal moral compass to communicate with the hearing people in the house, always determined to reach the girl - determined not to give up on her, even if her own family already has. Along the way, Mary must confront old friends and enemies, and reckon with the web of prejudice around her, even in her own family and history. LeZotte once again offers a nuanced picture of history, naturally incorporating characters of many backgrounds into the story and showing how the lives of the Wampanoag, black, and white characters are intertwined both on the island and the mainland. Mary remains both passionate and compassionate even as she learns greater patience for those whose minds have not been opened as much as her own. At a family dinner, Papa toasts Mary by signing, “To our Mary, in all her beautiful contradictions.” LeZottte’s work, in turn, shines a light on the beautiful contradictions in every one of us.
March 19, 2022
After being saved in the first book, Mary receives a letter asking for help. Knowing that another girl might need saving, she has to go, even though her mother is not happy about it.
October 25, 2021
Mary Lambert is back on the island after her horrific kidnapping ordeal of a couple of years ago. She still has terrible nightmares from that time and feels adrift now her schooling has finished and her best friend Nancy living off the island. What is her place? What is her role in society as a Deaf young woman? In spite of everyone in her town on Martha's Vineyard knowing how to sign and accepting Deafness as normal, Mary chafes at the idea of staying home forever or marrying some farmer. She's certainly not cut out to be a nursemaid, as their farm hand's mischievous young nephews drive her crazy. Yet, when her mother reveals Mary has had a letter from her former friend and helper, Nora, and has kept the letter from Mary, Mary is surprised her mother would keep correspondence from her. Nora's letter reveals she's in service to a new family at The Vale, near Boston. The absent family has left behind a girl whom Nora believes is a deaf mute. She asks Mary to come take charge of the girl's education and help her. After much thought Mary accepts the challenge and is eager to bring this child into the light. A warning from her old sailor friend Ezra Brewer about how the world sees people like Mary spooks her but she's determined to go on. At The Vale, Mary soon realizes something sinister is going on. The house holds secrets, not the least of which is her charge, a girl without a name, without language. Who is she? Where did she come from and can Mary help set her free?
This story is part Jane Eyre, a bit of The Secret Garden, part The Miracle Worker: A Play, part women's rights manifesto, partly an expose on American ableism, racism, slavery, sexism, patriotism and prejudice. I got caught up in the gothic suspense of the story, wondering who Ladybird was and how she came to be there. The villain was SUPER obvious and cartoonish so I guessed that right away but Ladybird's story was a surprise. This novel contains many disturbing elements and way too many issues. There was too much going on and I would have preferred a narrower focus on the attitudes towards the deaf and hard of hearing without the feminist manifesto. Of course the indigenous people must be included, they're still there and I drive past the Mashpee Wampanoag meeting house frequently and of course the plight of the Wampanoag must be included in the story but maybe not so prominently. The villain's story needed to be shown rather than told secondhand after the fact to keep the focus on The Vale and Ladybird's story.
If your school district teaches the critical race theory, they'll probably carry this book in the school library. If your school district is opposed to teaching the critical race theory, they need a copy of this book in the school library. For me, as an adult reader and historian, I found it over-the-top and over-corrected. While I don't know if a girl like Mary would be more sympathetic towards Sally, "Sissy" and people of color because of her deafness, I know the Skiffes' indifferent attitude is more accurate for New Englanders of the period. (Raise your hand if you shop at certain stores or buy certain brands that will make your descendants cry "shame on them! How COULD they?") Jeremiah Skiffe even echoes the sentiments of President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a complicated, conflicted man who often contradicted himself but I bet people listened and believed what he had to say because he was president - "Why should the Indians keep their land? They aren't using it productively and therefore, their day is done. They'll die out and a new day will dawn with America as a great civilization." We KNOW those attitudes were wrong. We don't need to be hit on the head with the opposite viewpoint. It takes me out of the story, making me feel as if Mary is a time traveler from present day back in the early 1800s imposing her morals on people when she herself is a flawed heroine.
Mary is a very flawed heroine. She's confused, lonely and bored with her life as is but scared to take risks on her own. She has PTSD from her ordeal and it makes her wary of outsiders. She's a young woman of firm moral convictions and frequently turns to Rev. Lee for guidance. Mary seems confident but also insecure. She looks to her former teacher, now Mrs. Pye, for help. Mrs. Pye offers kindly advice based on research but only Mary knows how the girl must feel and only Mary can see the situation and make judgments. Sometimes her decisions make her self-righteous. She's certain her way is the right way forward. When she makes mistakes, which is frequently, she feels bad but charges ahead with her plans. Mary is a child herself and impatient. Her impetuosity could come at a cost- not just for herself but also for the girl and for Nora and the other servants. Her decisions do come back to haunt her.
What I liked about this second book is how Mary explains why her sign language sounds like fluent 19th-century English. Mary and Nancy usually communicate in their own shorthand but sometimes they like to spell everything out to make their communications sound like fancy oral speech. I suppose Mary must feel like she has to do that with the written word as well for Nora's letters are WAY too "high-falutin'" for someone who only learned how to read and write a few years earlier.
Nora means well. She's naïve about Mary's abilities. Nora has no idea what's really going on in the house and she needs to protect herself and her job. She was already turned away without a reference from Dr. Minot's (cue feminist manifesto subplot) and now she has to be careful. She's very sweet, kind and caring towards Mary but sometimes her actions are careless. The other servants at The Vale are two-dimensional. Walter, the driver, comes across as arrogant and a willing henchman. Stephen, on the other hand, is courteous but also willing to do what he's told even if it's morally wrong. We don't know whether he does it to keep his job or if he truly believes people who are deaf and hard of hearing are "mad" and dangerous or is there ANOTHER reason why the girl may be seen as "mad" and dangerous? I wish THAT had been addressed rather than the feminist subplot, even though that's my favorite topic. Mrs. Collins is kind and motherly. Elsie the maid is shy and tries to hide her cleft lip. Mary helps make the girl feel more comfortable. Ben, the gardener, is also kind and understanding even though he could get into serious trouble for helping Mary. Of course Mr. Norwich, the butler, is the villain! He's SOOO obvious and SOOO cartoonishly evil! More character development was needed with him to make the reader understand his motivations. Is he devoted to his family, vowing to keep their secrets at all costs or is he on some ego power trip? Or both?
Mary's friends on the island are charming. Her parents love her but I think her mother is smothering. Her mother, having her hearing, doesn't fully understand how Mary experiences the world and what she's feeling. Of course her mother would be more aware of how outsiders would see her daughter and want to protect her only surviving child at all costs. I also think she's overprotective because of George's death. Mary is her only child living and if Mary leaves, that leaves her mother and father without any children at all. I'm sure her mother is scared Mary will leave and never return. It's easier to be sympathetic to her mother in this second volume. Her Papa is always loving and understanding. Eammon, their farmhand, has three young nephews who have come from Ireland to stay with him. They're little rascals and would be enough to try the patience of any saint. They're the types that have figured out how to exploit Mary's weakness. I hate bratty little boys but I suppose they might be charming to some. Mrs. Pye is a good teacher and friend to Mary. She understands Mary's dream and knows Mary can achieve it if she works at it. Mrs. Pye is aware it won't be easy but there IS a school for the deaf, in France, pioneering research in education. Rev. Lee is a kindly minister but preachy. Is the author aware the island was founded by Puritans? He is not a Puritanical type minister but a "benevolent" Christian. (Mary ruminates on the nature of Christian charity though). Sally, a Black-Indigenous woman, seems to be the one person looking out for Mary and truly helping because it's the right thing to do.
Mary's best friend Nancy, always an adventurous, wild young girl, is growing up. She now lives with her wealthy uncle Jeremiah and studies music. Nancy has joined a bluestocking club of devotees of Mary Wollstonecraft. I want to join! Where is Mercy Otis Warren? She may be elderly but I bet she would be a member. Abigail Adams is mentioned but we don't meet her. (We do meet John and his grandson, George Washington Adams, in some weird, random cameo). (Note to Nancy: corsets, or stays as they were called in the early 1800s, are not for constricting the waist. Before the War of 1812, Nancy, as a teen girl, might wear something like a sports bra. Or because she's larger, she might want to wear something like a modern shaping garment to give her support. NOT wearing a corset is like not wearing a bra and her gowns wouldn't fit right. Everyone I've talked to says the "Regency" stays are comfortable.) The bluestockings talk the talk but when it comes time to actually do something that would change a girl's life, they balk at actually doing something because the timing is inconvenient, etc. etc. excuses excuses. Nancy, too, is indifferent to the plight of others. She shrugs off Mary's question about a Black servant's real name and is all too quick to turn her back on a situation once the adrenaline rush is over. It makes her distasteful and modern day young readers probably won't like her much but she's far more realistic than Mary! Nancy's uncle, Jeremiah, is still trying to atone for the hit-and-run accident that killed Mary's brother George. He feels guilty and feels the need to help Mary to pay a debt to her family. He doesn't really care about the issues at all and his behavior on Cape Cod, while typical, is appalling in more ways than one. Again, though, he comes across as realistic!
Because this book has a secondary plot about women's rights, I'm left with a huge burning question.
Ultimately, this book wasn't for more but I'm sure it appeals to the target age group of Gen Z. changemakers. (Ages 12-14)
This story is part Jane Eyre, a bit of The Secret Garden, part The Miracle Worker: A Play, part women's rights manifesto, partly an expose on American ableism, racism, slavery, sexism, patriotism and prejudice. I got caught up in the gothic suspense of the story, wondering who Ladybird was and how she came to be there. The villain was SUPER obvious and cartoonish so I guessed that right away but Ladybird's story was a surprise. This novel contains many disturbing elements and way too many issues. There was too much going on and I would have preferred a narrower focus on the attitudes towards the deaf and hard of hearing without the feminist manifesto. Of course the indigenous people must be included, they're still there and I drive past the Mashpee Wampanoag meeting house frequently and of course the plight of the Wampanoag must be included in the story but maybe not so prominently. The villain's story needed to be shown rather than told secondhand after the fact to keep the focus on The Vale and Ladybird's story.
If your school district teaches the critical race theory, they'll probably carry this book in the school library. If your school district is opposed to teaching the critical race theory, they need a copy of this book in the school library. For me, as an adult reader and historian, I found it over-the-top and over-corrected. While I don't know if a girl like Mary would be more sympathetic towards Sally, "Sissy" and people of color because of her deafness, I know the Skiffes' indifferent attitude is more accurate for New Englanders of the period. (Raise your hand if you shop at certain stores or buy certain brands that will make your descendants cry "shame on them! How COULD they?") Jeremiah Skiffe even echoes the sentiments of President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a complicated, conflicted man who often contradicted himself but I bet people listened and believed what he had to say because he was president - "Why should the Indians keep their land? They aren't using it productively and therefore, their day is done. They'll die out and a new day will dawn with America as a great civilization." We KNOW those attitudes were wrong. We don't need to be hit on the head with the opposite viewpoint. It takes me out of the story, making me feel as if Mary is a time traveler from present day back in the early 1800s imposing her morals on people when she herself is a flawed heroine.
Mary is a very flawed heroine. She's confused, lonely and bored with her life as is but scared to take risks on her own. She has PTSD from her ordeal and it makes her wary of outsiders. She's a young woman of firm moral convictions and frequently turns to Rev. Lee for guidance. Mary seems confident but also insecure. She looks to her former teacher, now Mrs. Pye, for help. Mrs. Pye offers kindly advice based on research but only Mary knows how the girl must feel and only Mary can see the situation and make judgments. Sometimes her decisions make her self-righteous. She's certain her way is the right way forward. When she makes mistakes, which is frequently, she feels bad but charges ahead with her plans. Mary is a child herself and impatient. Her impetuosity could come at a cost- not just for herself but also for the girl and for Nora and the other servants. Her decisions do come back to haunt her.
What I liked about this second book is how Mary explains why her sign language sounds like fluent 19th-century English. Mary and Nancy usually communicate in their own shorthand but sometimes they like to spell everything out to make their communications sound like fancy oral speech. I suppose Mary must feel like she has to do that with the written word as well for Nora's letters are WAY too "high-falutin'" for someone who only learned how to read and write a few years earlier.
Nora means well. She's naïve about Mary's abilities. Nora has no idea what's really going on in the house and she needs to protect herself and her job. She was already turned away without a reference from Dr. Minot's (cue feminist manifesto subplot) and now she has to be careful. She's very sweet, kind and caring towards Mary but sometimes her actions are careless. The other servants at The Vale are two-dimensional. Walter, the driver, comes across as arrogant and a willing henchman. Stephen, on the other hand, is courteous but also willing to do what he's told even if it's morally wrong. We don't know whether he does it to keep his job or if he truly believes people who are deaf and hard of hearing are "mad" and dangerous or is there ANOTHER reason why the girl may be seen as "mad" and dangerous? I wish THAT had been addressed rather than the feminist subplot, even though that's my favorite topic. Mrs. Collins is kind and motherly. Elsie the maid is shy and tries to hide her cleft lip. Mary helps make the girl feel more comfortable. Ben, the gardener, is also kind and understanding even though he could get into serious trouble for helping Mary. Of course Mr. Norwich, the butler, is the villain! He's SOOO obvious and SOOO cartoonishly evil! More character development was needed with him to make the reader understand his motivations. Is he devoted to his family, vowing to keep their secrets at all costs or is he on some ego power trip? Or both?
Mary's friends on the island are charming. Her parents love her but I think her mother is smothering. Her mother, having her hearing, doesn't fully understand how Mary experiences the world and what she's feeling. Of course her mother would be more aware of how outsiders would see her daughter and want to protect her only surviving child at all costs. I also think she's overprotective because of George's death. Mary is her only child living and if Mary leaves, that leaves her mother and father without any children at all. I'm sure her mother is scared Mary will leave and never return. It's easier to be sympathetic to her mother in this second volume. Her Papa is always loving and understanding. Eammon, their farmhand, has three young nephews who have come from Ireland to stay with him. They're little rascals and would be enough to try the patience of any saint. They're the types that have figured out how to exploit Mary's weakness. I hate bratty little boys but I suppose they might be charming to some. Mrs. Pye is a good teacher and friend to Mary. She understands Mary's dream and knows Mary can achieve it if she works at it. Mrs. Pye is aware it won't be easy but there IS a school for the deaf, in France, pioneering research in education. Rev. Lee is a kindly minister but preachy. Is the author aware the island was founded by Puritans? He is not a Puritanical type minister but a "benevolent" Christian. (Mary ruminates on the nature of Christian charity though). Sally, a Black-Indigenous woman, seems to be the one person looking out for Mary and truly helping because it's the right thing to do.
Mary's best friend Nancy, always an adventurous, wild young girl, is growing up. She now lives with her wealthy uncle Jeremiah and studies music. Nancy has joined a bluestocking club of devotees of Mary Wollstonecraft. I want to join! Where is Mercy Otis Warren? She may be elderly but I bet she would be a member. Abigail Adams is mentioned but we don't meet her. (We do meet John and his grandson, George Washington Adams, in some weird, random cameo). (Note to Nancy: corsets, or stays as they were called in the early 1800s, are not for constricting the waist. Before the War of 1812, Nancy, as a teen girl, might wear something like a sports bra. Or because she's larger, she might want to wear something like a modern shaping garment to give her support. NOT wearing a corset is like not wearing a bra and her gowns wouldn't fit right. Everyone I've talked to says the "Regency" stays are comfortable.) The bluestockings talk the talk but when it comes time to actually do something that would change a girl's life, they balk at actually doing something because the timing is inconvenient, etc. etc. excuses excuses. Nancy, too, is indifferent to the plight of others. She shrugs off Mary's question about a Black servant's real name and is all too quick to turn her back on a situation once the adrenaline rush is over. It makes her distasteful and modern day young readers probably won't like her much but she's far more realistic than Mary! Nancy's uncle, Jeremiah, is still trying to atone for the hit-and-run accident that killed Mary's brother George. He feels guilty and feels the need to help Mary to pay a debt to her family. He doesn't really care about the issues at all and his behavior on Cape Cod, while typical, is appalling in more ways than one. Again, though, he comes across as realistic!
Because this book has a secondary plot about women's rights, I'm left with a huge burning question.
Ultimately, this book wasn't for more but I'm sure it appeals to the target age group of Gen Z. changemakers. (Ages 12-14)
September 12, 2021
"A person is intelligent even if they don't have language." p.46
"She's reawakening. A child I'm not acquainted with but would like to know." p. 237
"The attainment of a purity that's never existed poisons the people and land we share..." p. 253
"She's reawakening. A child I'm not acquainted with but would like to know." p. 237
"The attainment of a purity that's never existed poisons the people and land we share..." p. 253
July 19, 2021
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book. This is a truly wonderful sequel to Show Me A Sign.
Mary is still recovering from her harrowing journey home after being kidnapped as a test subject, when she receives a mysterious letter requesting her help. She travels from her home to the mainland, where she arrives at a mansion with a terrible secret. Inside this beautiful manor, known as the Vale, is a child. Mary gives her the nickname Ladybird. The child is believed to be a deaf mute and Mary has been hired to teach her sign language as a way to communicate. What Mary did not expect from her new job was the squalor and abuse that Ladybird is being forced to live with.
After many attempts to understand what’s really going on, Mary realizes that Ladybird is literate when she writes her name, Beatrice. She also sees a horrible scar on Beatrice and seeks more answers from those working in the manor. Just as she thinks she’s learning Beatrice’s real story, Mary is fired from her position and told to leave. With the help of her friend and an unexpected ally, she must return to The Vale to rescue Beatrice once and for all. But will Mary rescue her from one bad situation just to throw her into another?
While keeping you on the edge of your seat with adventure, this book looks deeply into issues of racism, bias, and discrimination. It’s a great continuation of Mary’s story.
Mary is still recovering from her harrowing journey home after being kidnapped as a test subject, when she receives a mysterious letter requesting her help. She travels from her home to the mainland, where she arrives at a mansion with a terrible secret. Inside this beautiful manor, known as the Vale, is a child. Mary gives her the nickname Ladybird. The child is believed to be a deaf mute and Mary has been hired to teach her sign language as a way to communicate. What Mary did not expect from her new job was the squalor and abuse that Ladybird is being forced to live with.
After many attempts to understand what’s really going on, Mary realizes that Ladybird is literate when she writes her name, Beatrice. She also sees a horrible scar on Beatrice and seeks more answers from those working in the manor. Just as she thinks she’s learning Beatrice’s real story, Mary is fired from her position and told to leave. With the help of her friend and an unexpected ally, she must return to The Vale to rescue Beatrice once and for all. But will Mary rescue her from one bad situation just to throw her into another?
While keeping you on the edge of your seat with adventure, this book looks deeply into issues of racism, bias, and discrimination. It’s a great continuation of Mary’s story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2021
This sequel to Show Me a Sign continues to look at the history of the Deaf community on Martha's Vineyard in the early 1800s. In addition to addressing anti-Deaf sentiment in most of the hearing world, it also looks at other types of discrimination include that against Native Americans and African Americans. Mary is still recovering from her ordeal when she is asked to come help a younger girl who may also be deaf. Although she comes from a well-to-do family, she is locked away in a room and treated like a wild animal. Because of her experience as an "experiment," Mary knows in her heart that she must try and help. But nothing is quite what it seems. Highly recommended for grades 4 and up. It can stand alone, but better to read Show Me a Sign first.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
May 29, 2021
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Excellent! Follow-ups and sequels make me a little nervous, but in this case I had nothng to fear. I loved this story of Mary's travels to help a younger girl who is deaf, and I was hooked throughout the story's twists and turns.
Excellent! Follow-ups and sequels make me a little nervous, but in this case I had nothng to fear. I loved this story of Mary's travels to help a younger girl who is deaf, and I was hooked throughout the story's twists and turns.
December 1, 2021
I am glad the author is planning a third book because I want to know what will happen to Mary but I felt this was disjointed and not as strong as the first.
January 10, 2022
I really loved the first book by this author. It introduced me to something I had never known of before (hereditary deafness on Martha's Vineyard) with a super fast-paced story. This one followed in its predecessor's footsteps, but it wasn't as polished as the first. Everything seemed to fall together at the end at a pace that didn't seem to fit. Some of the characters weren't as developed as I felt they needed to be. I still really loved the book, but I was just not 100% happy with the ending.
February 10, 2022
Middle grade and up are best audience.
February 13, 2022
I love this series. Great history, wonderful Deaf culture, and an interesting story.
March 31, 2024
Love the suspense
May 6, 2022
Loved this book so much better than the first one. But I guess the first one was needed for this one lol.
The story seemed more imaginable and wasn’t as hard to believe. Really love the look into the deaf culture and also the native people who live on Martha Vineyards and Cape Cod. And once again the epilogue was one of the best parts for me.
The story seemed more imaginable and wasn’t as hard to believe. Really love the look into the deaf culture and also the native people who live on Martha Vineyards and Cape Cod. And once again the epilogue was one of the best parts for me.
July 23, 2021
LeZotte’s follow-up to award-winning Show Me a Sign is just as exciting as her first tale of Mary when she was kidnapped to be part of a cruel research project into the frequent occurrence of deafness on Martha’s Vineyard. In Set Me Free, Mary is back home in her beloved Chilmark, writing a history of the Vineyard and yearning to do something significant with her life. When an opportunity to teach a young deaf girl arises, Mary packs a trunk and heads for a mansion on the mainland, only to discover that not only does she share deafness with the girl, but kidnapping as well. Readers will follow her attempts to free and teach Beatrice with interest and along the way, will learn much about the post-Revolutionary War time period. Target age for this book, as well as its predecessor is wide, but is likely to appeal to lovers of historical fiction from grades 5 through adult. End notes provide even more historical reference and may spur further research. No incidences of profanity, one ambiguous comment about inappropriate sexual advances, violence is necessary to the plot but is not excessive. Thanks for the advance reader copy, Scholastic.
August 16, 2021
I *adored* LeZotte's debut, so was so excited for this book (and a little nervous.) It DID NOT DISAPPOINT! When LeZotte takes on a project, she goes there with all her heart, and she brings us along for the ride. And add mystery to the list of genres Le Zotte excels at.
- Mary's a little older now, and has more control over her situation, but the stakes are still high, and now Mary's the one who needs to save someone else.
- I cheered when Ezra Brewer showed up. And the second it was described that he looked less strong than before, I knew where things were going. In a good way - it prepared me. And kids will be bowled over. Ezra!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The slow build to finally meeting Ladybird is agonizingly perfect.
- OMG, just all of it. And LeZotte doesn't shy away from serious, complex conversations at the end. I'm here for it, and the kids will be too!
The reference notes at the end are great too.
I notice some reviews say that Mary feels "modern" in her reflections on race and racism, but you know what? The readers are modern. And while it was (is) rare for a white person to be that conscientious, plenty of Black, Indigenous and mixed people have known about what's going on for a long time.
I love Mary, and I love Ann Clare LeZotte!
- Mary's a little older now, and has more control over her situation, but the stakes are still high, and now Mary's the one who needs to save someone else.
- I cheered when Ezra Brewer showed up. And the second it was described that he looked less strong than before, I knew where things were going. In a good way - it prepared me. And kids will be bowled over. Ezra!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The slow build to finally meeting Ladybird is agonizingly perfect.
- OMG, just all of it. And LeZotte doesn't shy away from serious, complex conversations at the end. I'm here for it, and the kids will be too!
The reference notes at the end are great too.
I notice some reviews say that Mary feels "modern" in her reflections on race and racism, but you know what? The readers are modern. And while it was (is) rare for a white person to be that conscientious, plenty of Black, Indigenous and mixed people have known about what's going on for a long time.
I love Mary, and I love Ann Clare LeZotte!
August 23, 2021
Not as polished as Show Me a Sign, and I'm in two minds about whether that is a weakness, or whether it opens more windows into what Deaf narrative structure feels like. Sometimes the transitions between paragraphs or thoughts feel abrupt to me, but LaZotte's storytelling is as compelling as ever and it's really good to be back with Mary Lambert again. The child she helps and the mystery she solves are all too believable examples of cruelty to the non-hearing and non-white people. Sometimes Mary's thoughtful and sensitive interactions with Native, Black and women characters in the book feel a little too modern, but there are always people who reject prejudice, and she is a believable example, as she considers the world through a lens of how she's been treated.
edited to add -- author commented that the narrative structure is deliberate, which in my mind takes this story to a whole new level.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
edited to add -- author commented that the narrative structure is deliberate, which in my mind takes this story to a whole new level.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
July 19, 2021
If you loved Show Me a Sign, then you’ll be delighted to know that Mary Lambert is back in Set Me Free. This time, Mary is using her passion & knowledge to help a young deaf girl who does not know sign language overcome isolation & so much more. Powerful #mglit!
July 25, 2021
Really interesting, but I missed reading Show Me a Sign first. I want to read that book now, but the sequel gave everything away. Librarian fail!
February 24, 2022
A second book about young Mary who now three years later (after Show Me a Sign) is bored with island life and chores expected of women, gets her chance to get away and "do more" , "be more".
To simplify the narrative - Mary takes a job on land for a young child who suffers like her - Deaf/HOH.
But what she wasn't prepared for was how the house this little girl lives in as a prisoner is so horrid. The child is chained to the walls, left in her filth, barely fed. Horrible treatment all due to her inability to speak and her scandalous heritage/parentage.
Its very similar at first to the Helen Keller story but veers off at points creating a much different story and outcome.
The closing chap has a line I really hooked on, and think it holds value to all who have been or still are, in a place they feel trapped, abused, lost:
"The difference between victims and survivors is whether you're found in time."
Being "found" may look diff for us all.
Maybe it's the love of a true soul mate?
Or the self-discovery of your own soul?
Or having a trusted friend/loved one who supports you and your healing process?
For some it is their children that keep them moving forward through the pains.
Whatever your "found" looks like, be thankful for it today. Because the alternative isn't pretty...
To simplify the narrative - Mary takes a job on land for a young child who suffers like her - Deaf/HOH.
But what she wasn't prepared for was how the house this little girl lives in as a prisoner is so horrid. The child is chained to the walls, left in her filth, barely fed. Horrible treatment all due to her inability to speak and her scandalous heritage/parentage.
Its very similar at first to the Helen Keller story but veers off at points creating a much different story and outcome.
The closing chap has a line I really hooked on, and think it holds value to all who have been or still are, in a place they feel trapped, abused, lost:
"The difference between victims and survivors is whether you're found in time."
Being "found" may look diff for us all.
Maybe it's the love of a true soul mate?
Or the self-discovery of your own soul?
Or having a trusted friend/loved one who supports you and your healing process?
For some it is their children that keep them moving forward through the pains.
Whatever your "found" looks like, be thankful for it today. Because the alternative isn't pretty...
August 10, 2022
Three years after her traumatic kidnapping and return to her family and insular community on Martha's Vineyard, she is now fourteen and expected to enter into the adult world. Her female friends have found their purpose and are making their way in the world. Mary knows she wants to be a teacher, but her fear from the kidnapping is holding her back. When the domestic worker who helped her escape asks her to take a job teaching a child who might be deaf mute like Mary on the mainland she puts her fear aside to help a child who desperately needs her. Once there, the situation is more dire than she understood and will need the help of all of her allies to return Beatrice to the family she was taken from.
I really enjoyed this sequel to the award winning 2020 novel Show Me a Sign. The three year time gap in the action has allowed for the character to mature and enough time for her to gain the skills she will need to help Beatrice. Once again LeZotte shines a light on a historical time period and how Vineyard Sign became a major step toward ASL.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by middle school and public libraries.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
I really enjoyed this sequel to the award winning 2020 novel Show Me a Sign. The three year time gap in the action has allowed for the character to mature and enough time for her to gain the skills she will need to help Beatrice. Once again LeZotte shines a light on a historical time period and how Vineyard Sign became a major step toward ASL.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by middle school and public libraries.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
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December 30, 2021It's been three years since Mary Lambert was kidnapped to be a "live specimen" to be studied by an awful man. Mary lived on Martha's Vineyard and was one of many residents born completely deaf. The deaf community there was looked at as just as normal as anyone else. The people created a sign language known as MVSL - Martha's Vineyard Sign Language which paved the way later for ASL - American Sign Language.
Mary is now 14 and has been offered a position teaching a young, deaf girl at a manor on the mainland. Mary doesn't know much about her responsibilities or the situation with the girl other than she has been known to be a difficult charge. Since Mary is independent and would one day like to adventure to other areas to teach, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to test her meddle.
When Mary arrives at the Vale, she is welcomed by a former friend but not by the head of the staff, a Mr. Norwich. He refuses to let her meet her charge for days so Mary devises a way to sneak into the third floor to see the girl. She is appalled by the girl's living conditions and to see that she is actually chained with no means of escape.
Mary is determined to make some progress with the girl, but many obstacles keep her from doing her job as she believes it should be done. The more time Mary spends at the Vale, the more she realizes there are frightening secrets about the girl and her place at the manor. Just as Mary overcame her difficulties in SHOW ME A SIGN by Ann Clare LeZotte, she demonstrates courage and tenacity as she struggles to help this young girl.
Sprinkled with historic facts about the Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod area, the native population and their mistreatment by the early settlers, and information about the deaf community, SET ME FREE is a fascinating read.
Mary is now 14 and has been offered a position teaching a young, deaf girl at a manor on the mainland. Mary doesn't know much about her responsibilities or the situation with the girl other than she has been known to be a difficult charge. Since Mary is independent and would one day like to adventure to other areas to teach, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to test her meddle.
When Mary arrives at the Vale, she is welcomed by a former friend but not by the head of the staff, a Mr. Norwich. He refuses to let her meet her charge for days so Mary devises a way to sneak into the third floor to see the girl. She is appalled by the girl's living conditions and to see that she is actually chained with no means of escape.
Mary is determined to make some progress with the girl, but many obstacles keep her from doing her job as she believes it should be done. The more time Mary spends at the Vale, the more she realizes there are frightening secrets about the girl and her place at the manor. Just as Mary overcame her difficulties in SHOW ME A SIGN by Ann Clare LeZotte, she demonstrates courage and tenacity as she struggles to help this young girl.
Sprinkled with historic facts about the Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod area, the native population and their mistreatment by the early settlers, and information about the deaf community, SET ME FREE is a fascinating read.
October 26, 2022
4.25. This was a great sequel to Show Me A Sign! The book continued to explore Deaf history, this time focussing on the historical mistreatment of Deaf family members, how they were not treated as human beings and instead were abused and neglected because they were not understood. It also highlighted the importance of being able to communicate with those around you, and the isolation that occurs when this is not possible. This was of course incredibly confronting to read about, but it is also so NECESSARY to read about, shining a light on evil history that is not often taught to middle-graders.
I loved that the social issues raised in this book were explored with an intersectional lens. For example, LeZotte shows the intersection of race, disability, and class when it comes to one important side character, illustrating how racist and classist ableism created their horrendous situation. Additionally, the author calls out how the Bluestockings' white feminism excluded women of the global majority and disabled women. Racism, ableism, classism, sexism, and the various intersections of these oppressions are, of course, all still relevant to today's society, which just underlines the strength of this book in exploring topics that middle-graders (and other readers of all ages) need to learn about.
My one criticism is that the pacing and plot structure wasn't as strong as in Show Me A Sign. But I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would wholeheartedly recommend the duology!
I loved that the social issues raised in this book were explored with an intersectional lens. For example, LeZotte shows the intersection of race, disability, and class when it comes to one important side character, illustrating how racist and classist ableism created their horrendous situation. Additionally, the author calls out how the Bluestockings' white feminism excluded women of the global majority and disabled women. Racism, ableism, classism, sexism, and the various intersections of these oppressions are, of course, all still relevant to today's society, which just underlines the strength of this book in exploring topics that middle-graders (and other readers of all ages) need to learn about.
My one criticism is that the pacing and plot structure wasn't as strong as in Show Me A Sign. But I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would wholeheartedly recommend the duology!
December 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It had a lot of diverse representation and had messages that applied to current times despite being set pretty long ago (so much so that I almost started to feel like it was unrealistic). The book also had a bit of a mystery that made me want to keep reading so I could figure it out.
I loved the three rules that Mary's teacher gives her:
"1. A person is intelligent even if they don't have language.
2. Where you come from is less important than what you achieve.
3. Never give up on a student."
I feel like they can apply to so many students, not just deaf ones (not trying to diminish the deaf experience or anything). In fact, since I have just finished a post-baccalaureate certificate in Autism Studies, those three rules really seem to apply to Autistic individuals as well.
I loved the three rules that Mary's teacher gives her:
"1. A person is intelligent even if they don't have language.
2. Where you come from is less important than what you achieve.
3. Never give up on a student."
I feel like they can apply to so many students, not just deaf ones (not trying to diminish the deaf experience or anything). In fact, since I have just finished a post-baccalaureate certificate in Autism Studies, those three rules really seem to apply to Autistic individuals as well.
September 18, 2021
I wanted to like this sequel to Show Me a Sign so much, I couldn't wait to get the ARC. But, set a few years after the first book, Mary is now 14 and out of school, but still dreams of becoming a teacher.
When an opportunity presents itself teaching a rather feral 8 year old in Boston, Mary overcomes her anxiety to be in that city again after what she experiences there before, and accepts the job. The girl is locked in the attic in the home of wealthy Bostonians who are away, but Mary is prevented from doing much for her by a cruel, sadistic butler who saw deaf people as less then hearing people.
I was disappointed that this wasn't written in free verse like the first book, because I felt the prose didn't do Mary justice. She came across as arrogant and self-righteous where I think she was meant to be caring and concerned. I would definitely recommend reading this sequel, especially if you read the first book.
When an opportunity presents itself teaching a rather feral 8 year old in Boston, Mary overcomes her anxiety to be in that city again after what she experiences there before, and accepts the job. The girl is locked in the attic in the home of wealthy Bostonians who are away, but Mary is prevented from doing much for her by a cruel, sadistic butler who saw deaf people as less then hearing people.
I was disappointed that this wasn't written in free verse like the first book, because I felt the prose didn't do Mary justice. She came across as arrogant and self-righteous where I think she was meant to be caring and concerned. I would definitely recommend reading this sequel, especially if you read the first book.
May 1, 2022
I read Set Me Free, the sequel, to Show Me A Sign, with my reading friends at #middlegradegroupies. I was captivated by the fictitious story of Mary Lambert, a deaf girl living on Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1700’s, where many in her town are deaf.
In this book Mary agrees to take on the challenge to teach a very young deaf girl with no prior language skills. Mary arrives at her first job nervous because it is near Boston, yet excited to teach and help someone else. When Mary arrives at the house, something is wrong. Things do not seem right, no one seems to really know the little girl nor do they treat her as a little girl. They treat her as a prisoner in her own home. Mary’s job has suddenly changed from teacher to someone who must find out what is really going on and find a way to help free this little girl.
This book deals with some tough subject matter. It will challenge you to think about what you believe about the dignity and the respect that each human being deserves no matter what their capabilities or disabilities might be.
In this book Mary agrees to take on the challenge to teach a very young deaf girl with no prior language skills. Mary arrives at her first job nervous because it is near Boston, yet excited to teach and help someone else. When Mary arrives at the house, something is wrong. Things do not seem right, no one seems to really know the little girl nor do they treat her as a little girl. They treat her as a prisoner in her own home. Mary’s job has suddenly changed from teacher to someone who must find out what is really going on and find a way to help free this little girl.
This book deals with some tough subject matter. It will challenge you to think about what you believe about the dignity and the respect that each human being deserves no matter what their capabilities or disabilities might be.
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