Of Sound Mind [Paperback]

 

 

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For Theo, dealing with deafness is simply a way of life. Being the only hearing person in a family that includes a deaf father, deaf mother, and deaf younger brother has taken it's toll on Theo--he doesn't have his own life, not really, since he's always dealing with interpreting for his family. His mother, Palma, is a famous sculptor, and she depends on Theo to make her phone calls, deal with galleries, and basically do anything and everything that she asks. His father, Thomas, is a furniture maker who was born being able to hear but lost his hearing later in life. Thomas hates asking Theo for anything, trying his best to communicate with hearing people on his own. His younger brother, Jeremy, needs Theo's help almost daily with his fifth-grade homework. For Theo, life is pretty much divided into two categories--talking with his voice to people who can hear, and talking with his hands to those who can't.

But then Theo meets Ivy, a girl in his school who can also hear and sign. Her father is deaf, but her mother, who abandoned the family long ago, was able to hear. Ivy is a nurturer with her own small catering business, and soon her world is intertwined with Theo's. Her dad, who builds model airplanes for a hobby, even gets Thomas and Jeremy interested, and soon they're getting together as often as they can.

Then tragedy strikes when Theo's dad has a stroke. Suddenly, is demanding, diva-ish mother is acting even more incompetent than usual, refusing to even be alone in the same room as her husband once he comes home. Theo is forced to do everything from making sure his brother gets fed and off to school to hiring new caretakers for his father every time his mother fires one.

Then Ivy comes up with a plan--what about having Harry and Hazel, a brother and sister that Ivy caters for, come and take care of Thomas? They've been learning sign language from Ivy, and they know enough to communicate. Soon things are finally running smoothly in Theo's household, until tragedy strikes yet again.

OF SOUND MIND was such an interesting read, I didn't stop until I was finished. What would it be like, I wondered, to be the only hearing person in my house? What would it take to forget about being a kid and take on the responsibilities at such a young age that Theo had to, like negotiating the buying of his house at age eleven? What would I do if I believed my family couldn't survive without me? When does something like being deaf stop defining who you are?

Jean Ferris answers all these questions and more with OF SOUND MIND--a truly great book for people of all ages.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Of Sound Mind is a novel about Theo, a senior in high school, and his deaf family. He is the only in his family that can hear. He is often stuck translating and doing most of the work around the house. Theo is having complications deciding whether or not he will attend college, or stay around to help care for his family. Going to MIT has been Theo's lifelong dream. After an unexpected death in Theo's family, he feels that he could never go to college and leave the remainder of his family. Theo's girlfriend, Ivy, also has a deaf father. Ivy helps Theo to understand that his life is important also. She helps Theo to make decisions that will better him for the future. In the end, Theo has to decide whether or not he is going to live his life for his family, or if he's going to live his life for himself.
Of Sound Mind is a book written for anyone who has not made a decision about something important in his or her life and needs to make a decision before time runs out. This book is very appealing because you are left in suspense all throughout the novel. You never know what's coming next, and you are definitely left in the dark about what Theo's final decision will be.
Of Sound Mind is a book for both male and female audiences. It can be helpful to both sexes. There is actually a love story taking place, but you get the chance to explore the love story from a male's point of view. Of Sound Mind is a great novel that is destined to become a classic young adult book. There are not many authors who write novels about deafness, blindness, or other handicaps that are a reality. People of all different ages, races, sexes, and conditions can relate to this novel. Deafness may not be the problem in someone's family, but there may be other problems taking place and there are no solutions for the problems. Anyone in a situation with no solution needs to read Of Sound Mind.
(I gave Of Sound Mind five stars for being quite possibly the best book I've read, or one of the best. It is very uplifting, and one of those books that you are able to read over and over and still appreciate it.)

I thought that this book was great! It shows how Theo a hearing 17-year-old young man lives and deals with an all-deaf family. How he has to make phone calls for his mother, and help his brother with homework because he doesn't understand the teacher. Theo never goes out or hangs round with friends because everyone at home is counting on him to help him with the thing they need to do to get on with life.
I also liked this book because it shows how mature Theo is. He has to take care of his father and brother, after his father had a stroke, because their mother/ wife is too frightened to deal with the family's situation.
This was a great book and I recommend it to everyone, young and old.

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2.0 out of 5 stars Too much angst and sympathy
I was looking forward to reading this book, because I know people who are deaf and have survived strokes. Read more

Published on May 9 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars A striking story of a boy whose family is deaf
Jean Ferris' Of Sound Mind is a striking story of a boy whose family is deaf. He serves as interpreter and often as the semi-head of household in a silent world where his parents... Read more

Published on Dec 15 2001 by Midwest Book Review

4.0 out of 5 stars untitled
This book was interesting, very good. Although, the way Theo feels bad for his deaf family is the way most people would feel, and I was suprised the author made him feel this way... Read more

Published on Nov 19 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars Between two worlds
I enjoyed this book for the honest look at the feelings of the two teenagers, Ivy and Theo. Theo is angry and exhausted by the demands placed on him as the only hearing person in... Read more

Published on Nov 11 2001 by Laura Lynn Walsh

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