Scan barcode
A review by blairwyn
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
1.0
Trigger warning, angry language and direct quotes used.
To start off this review, I would like to first mention that I am a Deaf person, and I also do sensitivity reading for Deaf characters. While I realize this book was published in 2014 and sensitivity reading didn’t really start till a little while later. However, Actual shame on everyone involved in this book. It is beyond me how she actually won the UtopYA Con Awards with this.
Before I go into the Deaf part of this review, the story itself. I thought if anything, maybe the story will be good. No. Literally every single character is the worse possible person I have ever had the unfortunate time reading about. Which they then spend the entire book talking about how themselves, or the one other person is a super great person, with a good heart. When in all actuality, the only wholesome character was Maggie. She deserved so much better then any of these assholes, while Tori and Hunter started off being the worse, Ridge quickly climbed the latter to be on top. (and if someone ever wrote on me, with pen, or drew lines all the way up and down my body?! Actual Death. How do you have such little respect for a person personal space to write all over them!
Truly gross.
Now for the Deaf perspective.
Tip number one. Go talk to the Deaf community before writing about a Deaf person! Meet Deaf people, before writing about a Deaf person! How quickly will you learn that Deaf people DO NOT just sit around and mope about their hearing all day. We do not sit around with thoughts like “I wonder what they sound like.” “I wish I could hear this.” “I really want to hear another song” (page 110). No! We have a beautiful language and lives to live.
Tip number two, when writing a Deaf character. Do not just sit there and concentrate on the CAN’T, focus on the CAN. “What made you want to learn how to play guitar knowing you would never be able to hear it?” (Page 91) could have just asked ‘why did you want to learn?’ His ‘hearing’ does not have to be the core of every thought! “I sigh, knowing he didn’t even hear the text.” (Page 109) he turned away on his own, why did we need to point out he couldn’t hear the text? “I laugh, because I don’t know why she is yelling for him. He can’t hear!” (Page 230) by page 230, if the reader does not understand that he is a Deaf person, they need help. By page 230, if the author is STILL pointing out that Ridge is a Deaf person, She needs serious help.
Tip number three. Be careful with ableist undertones. Honestly this whole book is an ableist undertone. Sydney is an ableist. Constantly pointing out his hearing and wondering what it's like to be in such a silent world. And oh, page 90 “It makes me hurt for him, knowing what he could do with his gift if he could hear.” When in the same paragraph she is calling him a musical genius? One of these things is not like the other. Or, what could be even just a little worse than that? Internal ableism! Yeah, I’m talking about you Ridge. Think of all the times he has pointed out that he “couldn’t hear” Or “can’t” do something cause of his Deafness. “Watching those words pass your lips and knowing I wouldn’t hear them and knowing how much our heart ached in the moment-“ (page 331) I roll my eyes.
Tip number four. Most likely, If a Deaf person has the choice between A super hot Deaf girl who can fully communicate with them. And a dumb broad who never even thought of learning (despite just loving him, a DEAF person, so much, ya know?) and makes him literally type and write everything in basic communication. Why on earth would you settle for the dumb broad? Absolutely not. Oh, page 236 “She understands me. She respects me. She astounds me, she predicts me. She’s never once, since the second I met her, made me feel as if my inability to hear is even an inability at all.” 1. She has no idea what it is like being Deaf, no she does not understand. She makes him type and write everything, that is not respect, learning (before the end of the book, 354 pages to be exact) would have been some level of respect. Inability to hear? Guess Ridge does not have access to her internal monologue. Or actually took in why she was asking the questions she was asking through the whole book. Also, internal ableism.
Tip number five. It is not. IT IS NOT! A romantic gesture that a Deaf person who has chosen not to use their voice their entire life, uses it for another person. It is Toxic that they were put into the situation of having to use their voice to begin with.
Tip number six. Which brings me to my favorite line in the whole book. “ People with the advantage of hearing take so much for granted, and I’ve never understood that too the extend I do now.” I’m sorry. Advantage? Hearing supremacy much? Whoever allowed this book to be published should be ashamed. All of those who read this before print and publication, should be ashamed. The person who wrote this book, should be even more ashamed.
Maybe someday, I will forget every single word of this book. “For the first time in my life, I hear absolutely everything.” (Page 367, the last line of the book).
To start off this review, I would like to first mention that I am a Deaf person, and I also do sensitivity reading for Deaf characters. While I realize this book was published in 2014 and sensitivity reading didn’t really start till a little while later. However, Actual shame on everyone involved in this book. It is beyond me how she actually won the UtopYA Con Awards with this.
Before I go into the Deaf part of this review, the story itself. I thought if anything, maybe the story will be good. No. Literally every single character is the worse possible person I have ever had the unfortunate time reading about. Which they then spend the entire book talking about how themselves, or the one other person is a super great person, with a good heart. When in all actuality, the only wholesome character was Maggie. She deserved so much better then any of these assholes, while Tori and Hunter started off being the worse, Ridge quickly climbed the latter to be on top. (and if someone ever wrote on me, with pen, or drew lines all the way up and down my body?! Actual Death. How do you have such little respect for a person personal space to write all over them!
Truly gross.
Now for the Deaf perspective.
Tip number one. Go talk to the Deaf community before writing about a Deaf person! Meet Deaf people, before writing about a Deaf person! How quickly will you learn that Deaf people DO NOT just sit around and mope about their hearing all day. We do not sit around with thoughts like “I wonder what they sound like.” “I wish I could hear this.” “I really want to hear another song” (page 110). No! We have a beautiful language and lives to live.
Tip number two, when writing a Deaf character. Do not just sit there and concentrate on the CAN’T, focus on the CAN. “What made you want to learn how to play guitar knowing you would never be able to hear it?” (Page 91) could have just asked ‘why did you want to learn?’ His ‘hearing’ does not have to be the core of every thought! “I sigh, knowing he didn’t even hear the text.” (Page 109) he turned away on his own, why did we need to point out he couldn’t hear the text? “I laugh, because I don’t know why she is yelling for him. He can’t hear!” (Page 230) by page 230, if the reader does not understand that he is a Deaf person, they need help. By page 230, if the author is STILL pointing out that Ridge is a Deaf person, She needs serious help.
Tip number three. Be careful with ableist undertones. Honestly this whole book is an ableist undertone. Sydney is an ableist. Constantly pointing out his hearing and wondering what it's like to be in such a silent world. And oh, page 90 “It makes me hurt for him, knowing what he could do with his gift if he could hear.” When in the same paragraph she is calling him a musical genius? One of these things is not like the other. Or, what could be even just a little worse than that? Internal ableism! Yeah, I’m talking about you Ridge. Think of all the times he has pointed out that he “couldn’t hear” Or “can’t” do something cause of his Deafness. “Watching those words pass your lips and knowing I wouldn’t hear them and knowing how much our heart ached in the moment-“ (page 331) I roll my eyes.
Tip number four. Most likely, If a Deaf person has the choice between A super hot Deaf girl who can fully communicate with them. And a dumb broad who never even thought of learning (despite just loving him, a DEAF person, so much, ya know?) and makes him literally type and write everything in basic communication. Why on earth would you settle for the dumb broad? Absolutely not. Oh, page 236 “She understands me. She respects me. She astounds me, she predicts me. She’s never once, since the second I met her, made me feel as if my inability to hear is even an inability at all.” 1. She has no idea what it is like being Deaf, no she does not understand. She makes him type and write everything, that is not respect, learning (before the end of the book, 354 pages to be exact) would have been some level of respect. Inability to hear? Guess Ridge does not have access to her internal monologue. Or actually took in why she was asking the questions she was asking through the whole book. Also, internal ableism.
Tip number five. It is not. IT IS NOT! A romantic gesture that a Deaf person who has chosen not to use their voice their entire life, uses it for another person. It is Toxic that they were put into the situation of having to use their voice to begin with.
Tip number six. Which brings me to my favorite line in the whole book. “ People with the advantage of hearing take so much for granted, and I’ve never understood that too the extend I do now.” I’m sorry. Advantage? Hearing supremacy much? Whoever allowed this book to be published should be ashamed. All of those who read this before print and publication, should be ashamed. The person who wrote this book, should be even more ashamed.
Maybe someday, I will forget every single word of this book. “For the first time in my life, I hear absolutely everything.” (Page 367, the last line of the book).