This book is clearly a David Lodge book. If you didn't know the provenance of the author, it would have become apparent on reading the first chapter. Although the place the book is set in is some vague Northern Town, it still is with the main character being a retired University Lecturer in Linguistics (pretty similar to Professor Lodge).It takes a little while to get into the book, but the pun of the title points out the trials and tribulations of being deaf and how this interacts with the surroundings.
The characterisation is strong and it is an easy book to finish, although I would say that there is little deep meaningful insights in it.
I enjoyed it, but wait till it comes out in paperback.
