Sophie has been having problems with her hearing for a while but when she wakes up one morning to discover that she is completely deaf, her entire life changes. How is she going to be able to play her guitar? And with the Battle of the Bands competition looming, what is she going to do?
Can I just say from the get-go that Can you Feel The Noise is a phenomenal book? Foster's portrayal of Sophie is superb and his attention to detail really helps the reader to understand exactly what she is going through. It wasn't until I had finished the book and I was reading the author's note and acknowledgements at the end that I discovered that Stewart himself is hard of hearing and I began to realise that this must have been an incredibly personal book to write - it's no surprise that it moved me so much.
For me, it was the details like the different noises that Sophie still heard in her head, the fact that eating crisps 'sounds like bones are crunching inside your head' and being afraid to go outside that helped me to begin to understand what she was going through. She is an incredibly strong character, even if she doesn't know it. Her entire life changes overnight and the things she loves to do most - play and listen to music - are no longer available to her. I can understand her wanting to retreat to her bedroom and not to want to come out, but she has a set of amazing friends (existing ones and new friends she meets on her journey) that help her find her way. I love the vulnerability that we see in Sophie and the portrayal of her doubts and fears; of having to learn how to do things like going for a walk again - it really gives readers a true idea of what losing your hearing must be like. I also like the fact that we get to see the effect it has on Sophie's friends: Mai is a huge support to Sophie but even she doesn't always get it right (do any of us?), but it's Rocco that made me smile the most: he seems determined to find ways to get it wrong at every turn! At first, I thought it was just insensitivity and him being too wrapped up in his dream to win Battle of the Bands but actually, as the book progressed, I began to think it was more than that, and in fact, he just didn't know how to handle the situation.
I found the book compelling, even though it's not an action-packed adventure book. I was desperate to know more of Sophie's story and to discover how she was coping, and I found myself thinking of her when I wasn't reading, particularly whilst I was at school where I began to think about how many things would be different for a child in my class in the same situation (I need to mention Mrs Hopkirk here: everybody needs a teacher like her in their lives) . Although I have never had hearing problems, I found myself being able to empathise with Sophie and, at times, felt almost panicky at what she was going through. There were numerous times I wanted to reach into the book and just give her a hug, and too many times to mention when I shed a tear for her.
I also liked the references to other famous musicians who haven't let their disability stop them doing what they love, but the references in particular to Evelyn Glennie whose story I have been interested in since reading about her in the 2006 KS2 SAT reading paper!
Stewart Foster is one of those authors whose books I know I'm going to enjoy even before I start reading them; however, Can You Feel the Noise, I think, is his best book yet. It's a book full of heart and hope; it's a powerful yet sensitively told story about what happens when you think your life has been turned upside down and it's a story about resilience and realising that life-changing events may lead to exciting new beginnings.
Due for release on the 7th July, this is absolutely a book to pre-order.
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