Broken

August 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Milan is a teenage model who happens to be deaf. She's been dealing with her disability and stardom as best she can, but when a romance with a cute, older boy enters the picture, it's time for Milan to come to terms with her deafness and see that she is as capable as everyone else. The protagonist is a deaf girl who wants to prove to the world that a person with a disability is just as worthy as a person without one. Unfortunately, Milan's deafness is mentioned a few times in the opening pages, and then is conveniently set aside until it is needed to add some perfunctory drama to this shallow novel. The plot is lacking, told primarily with stilted dialogue that is confusing to read; conversations happen one after the other without moving the story forward. The characters come across as robotic and the novel ends on a cliff-hanger that seems entirely unnecessary. Search elsewhere for books featuring strong characters with physical disabilities.-Paige Garrison, Aurora Central Public Library, CO

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