When Henry loses his hearing at a young age, his family struggles to adapt, as does Henry, to their new normal. Henry begins only speaking to his family members after a misunderstanding and when he is to begin school, his family tries to find the place where he can get what he needs. After being labeled unteachable, Henry is sent to Riverview where he meets Victor, a conscientious objector, who helps to realize Henry's untapped potential.
Told in verse, poems come from a variety of perspectives as well as Henry's own. He is careful and cautious of new situations and people for fear of being misunderstood but upon meeting Victor his personality begins to reveal itself in small ways.
"Frost depicts one grim reality of deaf/Deaf life in mid-20th-century America in a way that is approachable for readers as she explores the rarely discussed story of conscientious objectors in World War II. The story is told in discrete poems, creating an episodic narrative that highlights poignant moments and delves into characters’ thoughts. All the characters are presumed white. However artful, the book is not without flaws. Characters repeatedly suggest that Henry’s institutionalization is particularly unjust because he is “smart,” an implicit comment on intellectual disabilities that is not adequately explored. The author’s note detracts from the story itself, raising questions that wouldn’t need to be asked otherwise, such as why the author gave Henry the ability to speak when the man he is based on could not. A sequence of poems by the author’s mother-in-law that inspired the novel are included and contain an outdated portrayal of disability that is presented without context or commentary for readers. An engaging, emotional read that tells an important story—with caveats." - Kirkus
Frost, H. (2020). ALL HE KNEW. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374312992
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