First published 2011
Grace Williams cannot speak. Born with cerebral palsy, she communicates through gestures and expressions that few people understand. At eleven, her parents place her in an institution for disabled children. There she meets Daniel, a boy with epilepsy whose cheerful spirit transforms her world. Daniel sees past Grace's physical limitations to the person inside. He fills her days with stories about Paris and distant places, creating a shared universe where their disabilities disappear. Through Daniel's eyes, Grace becomes an ordinary young woman capable of adventure and romance. She experiences her first love within the gray walls of the institution. Daniel fights for her when others dismiss her intelligence. Together they build moments of joy and intimacy that transcend their circumstances. Grace narrates her story with humor and insight, revealing the gap between how others perceive her and who she truly is. Her voice emerges through her observations about disappointment, small victories, and profound loss. This is ultimately a love story about two people who find each other despite a world that overlooks them.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, disability
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, overcoming-adversity
Setting: Paris
Period: 20th-century
347 pages · Paperback · Artemis