Annie can blame a lot of the attitudes towards her on Aristotle, who over 2,000 years ago, believed and taught that “Deaf people cannot be educated without hearing…those born deaf become senseless and incapable of reason.” Accepted as accurate until 16th century in Europe and this influence until true deaf education began in the late 19th century. Aristotle’s views seriously damaged expectations for the deaf for almost 2000 years (Gallaudet). The Christian Churches paid almost no attention to born deaf people considering them “little better than animals.” (Deafhistory.eu)

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Annie was not educated to speak and learned only rudimentary sign language, her family not being able to afford the little deaf education that existed in late 19th century Canada. Her voice was literally not heard. Prejudice against Annie came from several fronts: she was victiized because she was a woman, poor and deaf, among other traumas in the plot.

 

Author Tammy Ottenbreit brings to our modern readers this knowledge, this pain and injustice. “Life was hard…. [W]hen I was researching the book, these were the thoughts that filled my mind. I've read too many novels that aren't grim enough or real enough but were romanticizing the time to appeal to the more populist audience.”  Tammy wanted her readers to feel what her characters did, from terror, to pain and to the resilience that lifted them from their difficult lives.

 

Tammy Ottenbreit discovered this story from her family. She shared with me, “Annie Hochban was my paternal great-aunt. She was deaf. I vaguely remember her; she did live with my grandmother in a small village. … The tragedy of Annie's story was only revealed to me about 7 years ago when my sister and I were visiting our Aunt Lou, who is in her eighties. She heard the story from her mother….So, we heard this story almost 100 years after it had happened!”

 

Tammy used family history as a jumping off point for her historical novel. Not only did she do research about the historical background needed, she took a DNA test herself to understand how this search would feel. She also reached out to a member of the deaf community to guarantee an accurate depiction of Annie’s character​

 

There are four timelines in this novel, from family immigrating from Hungary in the late 19th century to the early years of Annie’s life, to her later years and to the 21st century. Claire, living in 2016, begins the story with a DNA test and discovers she is not who she thinks she was. Where we belong and to whom we belong is woven throughout the novel in different ways, as the story goes back in time to reveal the difficult experiences of her forebears and how the plot especially focuses on Annie, giving her the voice that she never had.

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This important story depicts the unfairness of those voices that are not heard, at that time and place and continuing today. Voices of those who are raped, impoverished and thousands of others not heard for so many reasons. Young women and men who are trafficked, those who are enslaved, those who are hostages and those imprisoned in unhappy and difficult lives all deserve to be heard. We know that not all will be. Tammy’s historical novel reminds us that listening to others is also a redemption and a beginning to healing.

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This Sourdough Potato Rye recipe, originally from Hungary where Annie and where part of my family came from, is a delicious, crusty, hearty bread, sure to fill you up and provide that wonderful comfort we all need in our lives.