A surprisingly enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
Although in many ways this co-authored novel could be seen purely as an easy-to-read story to enjoy as a holiday read, that would fail to capture the more serious, thought-provoking and ‘educational’ themes it incorporates. Very specifically I certainly learnt a lot about what it’s like to live life as a person who is deaf and the life-changing impact, as well as the various associated challenges, of having a cochlear implant fitted. Tasha Gouri’s personal experiences enabled her to create the eminently likeable Cassie, a character whose struggles to overcome these challenges, with the help of caring friends, felt heart-felt and convincing. However, for me the story’s main strength lies in the many ways in which Tasha and her co-author Lizzie Huxley-Jones created a cast of totally believable characters, many of whom were experiencing the challenges and prejudices which anyone who is ‘labelled’ as different face in their day-to-day lives, whether that’s having an immediately visible ‘disability’ like being in a wheelchair or clearly from a different racial background, or a less immediately obvious one such as epilepsy, sexual orientation or neurodiversity. Through using their multiple viewpoints to explore the idiosyncratic experiences of each of these characters, their individual struggles and their inner-conflicts, the authors created a coherent, and at times very moving, story, one which not only gives each of them a powerful voice, but which also encourages readers to be more understanding and respectful of anyone with different experiences and perceptions of the world.
Hits the Spot!
Cassie is passionate about dance, choreographs her own routines, records them on her phone and then squirrels them away. As a cochlear implant wearer she has convinced herself that she cannot dare hope for anything more.
Her adorable, non-binary bestie Pen sets the wheels in motion for Cassie to live her dream. No more kitchen porter drudgery, no more playing second fiddle to ‘let’s keep it casual’, ‘I’m all that’ boyfriend Mason, no more putting everything off until tomorrow - Ibiza here we come!
I soaked up the sun, sea and sand holiday vibes, found the behind-the-scenes preparations for a major pop concert tour fascinating and felt for Cassie as she scrambled for spare batteries and struggled to secure her implant.
Her blossoming romance with Levi plays a major part in helping Cassie learn how to love herself, believe in herself and become the best dancer she possibly can be. No more dwelling on the ‘token deaf dancer’ label.
Hits Different embraces being different – deaf, non-binary, epileptic, wheelchair user – going that extra mile to make your dreams come true, overcoming negativity and discrimination along the way and proving that with a positive mindset, hard graft and determination you can do it!
Love Island star and disability campaigner Tasha Ghouri non-binary autistic writer Lizzie Huxley-Jones have drawn on personal experience to create such credible and courageous characters. Cassie Clyne is to Hits Different readers as Rose Ayling-Ellis was to Strictly viewers and Tasha Stone was to GBBO fans in raising deaf awareness.
A sizzling summer romance with a super positive message.