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sreddous's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In general, this book feels like a good and pretty-realistic lens into the mind of a middle-schooler who is struggling with social interactions, subjects at school, and a mental condition that makes her life/makes learning hard in ways. The way the colors and other symptoms of synesthesia are described is very poetic and beautiful, and it feels like a lot of research went in to describing what it really can be like for different people, which is really cool. The slice-of-life plot doesn't really have "enormous stakes" but that's really okay; it's nice to watch a character deal with their feelings and with learning to communicate and such.
This book gets pretty intense sometimes. This is a good thing in a lot of ways, in that it takes its audience seriously and goes over difficult and emotional topics that kids and young people really do face, such as the deaths of parents, grandparents, and pets. In that sense, I respect that this book doesn't shy away from how painful all of those events can be. But, whew. There's a relatively-detailed description of a family putting down their dog at the vet's office that made me have to take a deep breath and put the book down for a second about, so heads up if that kind of thing is difficult for you/for a young reader who you otherwise might get this book for.
This is a four-star experience for me instead of a five- because, honestly, I think maybe a few too many things were going on in this book, and maybe trimming a few characters or plot threads could make things a little more emotionally impactful. The way things wrapped up with Adam and the support group made me literally say out loud "that's all?", and the sort of love-triangle stuff just made things feel cluttered.
Also, I feel like a lot of the bullying stuff felt a bit generic and actually not super believable -- I was bullied in school too and I know peers can be cruel, but I feel like the "freak" stuff is maybe a bit not-super-believable. Characters like Amy are interesting since I can see why she'd say the things she'd say, but the other generic bullies/classmates aren't really given that kind of insight, and there's enough drama and hardship in Mia's life without also having generic bully memories and encounters.
Overall, this is emotional and difficult in good ways. I'd recommend this to any middle-grade reader who is ready to handle some difficult topics.
This book gets pretty intense sometimes. This is a good thing in a lot of ways, in that it takes its audience seriously and goes over difficult and emotional topics that kids and young people really do face, such as the deaths of parents, grandparents, and pets. In that sense, I respect that this book doesn't shy away from how painful all of those events can be. But, whew. There's a relatively-detailed description of a family putting down their dog at the vet's office that made me have to take a deep breath and put the book down for a second about, so heads up if that kind of thing is difficult for you/for a young reader who you otherwise might get this book for.
This is a four-star experience for me instead of a five- because, honestly, I think maybe a few too many things were going on in this book, and maybe trimming a few characters or plot threads could make things a little more emotionally impactful. The way things wrapped up with Adam and the support group made me literally say out loud "that's all?", and the sort of love-triangle stuff just made things feel cluttered.
Also, I feel like a lot of the bullying stuff felt a bit generic and actually not super believable -- I was bullied in school too and I know peers can be cruel, but I feel like the "freak" stuff is maybe a bit not-super-believable. Characters like Amy are interesting since I can see why she'd say the things she'd say, but the other generic bullies/classmates aren't really given that kind of insight, and there's enough drama and hardship in Mia's life without also having generic bully memories and encounters.
Overall, this is emotional and difficult in good ways. I'd recommend this to any middle-grade reader who is ready to handle some difficult topics.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Bullying and Ableism
colorwriter's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
For a book meant for children and younger readers I enjoyed this even as an adult. I remember enjoying this book as a child but reading through adult eyes with recent experiences with grief this book does an excellent job of presenting grief and growth as an individual through the eyes of a pre teen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Grief
Minor: Bullying
ash_ton's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wish I could rate this higher, but a few things annoyed me. I know in her acknowledgments she says she talked to people with synsthesia, but I'm really wondering...
I have synesthesia and while I can't speak for all synesthetes, I have never heard of real life people saying that it affects their life this badly. Or that it's that intense. Mia is full on hallucinating shit at points like be so serious. Mine isn't as intense as some people's but good lord ain't no one lost in some LSD-like haze. I also hate that even Mia's doctor and therapist were acting like synesthesia was just so outlandish. Here are a couple quotes I found in this article from MIT:
"Modern scientists have been studying synesthetic children in depth, including neonates, since 1980."
"By the early 2000s, the brain pictures that a critical establishment had demanded for decades were at last at hand, and in abundance. Critics were silenced, and long-standing dogmatic notions of how the brain is organized were out. The meaning of the paradigm shift lay in realizing just how consequential synesthesia is. Far from being a mere curiosity, it has proven to be a window onto an enormous expanse of mind and brain."
This article was literally the 4th result of the Google search "when did synesthesia become known."
Here's the article link if anyone cares: https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/a-brief-200-year-history-of-synesthesia/
Also the Adam kid was kind of a freak. Team Roger or wtvr.
I have synesthesia and while I can't speak for all synesthetes, I have never heard of real life people saying that it affects their life this badly. Or that it's that intense. Mia is full on hallucinating shit at points like be so serious. Mine isn't as intense as some people's but good lord ain't no one lost in some LSD-like haze. I also hate that even Mia's doctor and therapist were acting like synesthesia was just so outlandish. Here are a couple quotes I found in this article from MIT:
"Modern scientists have been studying synesthetic children in depth, including neonates, since 1980."
"By the early 2000s, the brain pictures that a critical establishment had demanded for decades were at last at hand, and in abundance. Critics were silenced, and long-standing dogmatic notions of how the brain is organized were out. The meaning of the paradigm shift lay in realizing just how consequential synesthesia is. Far from being a mere curiosity, it has proven to be a window onto an enormous expanse of mind and brain."
This article was literally the 4th result of the Google search "when did synesthesia become known."
Here's the article link if anyone cares: https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/a-brief-200-year-history-of-synesthesia/
Also the Adam kid was kind of a freak. Team Roger or wtvr.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Bullying
thatchickengirl23's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Bullying
augustar14's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is the second or third time I've read this book. Wendy Mass does a really great job. The upturn after the major drama of the story did feel a little sudden this time around, especially listening to the audiobook. But overall, well written, gives very accessible information and life to synesthesia and grief.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Grief
Minor: Slavery, Death, Cancer, Bullying, Vomit, and Death of parent
azyef's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death and Grief
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, and Bullying
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