The day after his thirteenth birthday David Rothman a violin virtuoso learns that not only is he blessed with his family's musical talent, he is also destined to be stricken with the family's curse. He suddenly finds himself stuck in a world of total silence. Can he ever learn new ways to communicate or will his depression drag him to the bottom? This is a wonderful heartfelt book about self-discovery and recovery, and I enjoyed it very much. I can not even begin to imagine never being able to hear the violin again. I would recommend this book to any adolescent who is struggling to find balance in their lives. ( )