Book Review: Mother Tongue by Sara Nović

[ID: a bright yellow book with large black text spelling out “Sara Nović, Mother Tongue” with white silhouette illustrations of the corresponding ASL signs over each letter. The book sits on a white shelf covered in loose book pages in front of a stack of black antique books with the edges showing. A yellow rose sits on top of the book stack and another one sits to the right of the book. An origami crane made out of a book page sits on top of the book and a crumpled book page sits behind it.]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an early look at Sara Nović new memoir, releasing next week on May 5th, 2026!

I was obsessed with Nović’s novel TRUE BIZ so I couldn’t wait to read MOTHER TONGUE. This book has Nović’s signature snappy writing style that I enjoyed from start to finish. It combines memoir, sociology, and history into a compact read that is VITAL for our current moment.

Nović covers a variety of topics including deaf history, deaf identity and culture, religion, gender identity, language deprivation, motherhood, and adoption. Every section is riveting and rooted in Nović’s personal experience. I was at turns moved, intrigued, and enraged.

With everything going on in the world and all the issues that Nović discusses, it’s impossible not to feel brokenhearted and infuriated. Sometimes I feel like talking about ableism is screaming into the void, but MOTHER TONGUE made me feel seen and understood. I hope it lights a fire in others and brings more attention to what we’re facing right now.

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately but MOTHER TONGUE was exactly what I needed. I can’t wait for you all to read and ponder this book. It’s undoubtedly a favorite of 2026 for me and I need everyone to read it ASAP!

(I also recommend following Sara Nović’s social media for more of their writing and journalism.)