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mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
It was a nice book, I didn't think I would like it. And I did.. mostly. Though I disliked Elsie for a big part of the book. I can imagine she is stressed, has lots of pressure and more, but still she acted like a bitch a lot. She was mean to people who meant nice, who tried to be her friends.
I think she should have stopped and thought about things. Should she really do all that or just drop one or two things, sure her parents might have not liked it, but hey, she is still young and has all the time of her life.
I think she should have stopped and thought about things. Should she really do all that or just drop one or two things, sure her parents might have not liked it, but hey, she is still young and has all the time of her life.
stephwiesman's review against another edition
2.0
Protagonist was a pompous brat. Not much else to say.
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is this is not that great. Dionne usually does a much better job with dialogue and realistic setting (Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet remains one of my favorite books for kids). And although this book is a freshman girl in high school, I think it's much better suited to the middle school set (or the high school clean-reads set, possibly). But is there a demographic for this? A demographic so big I don't know which of my die-hard band teens to give it to first? H yes, there is!
brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars really
Originally posted at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Notes from an Accidental Band Geek by Erin Dionne is a book I wanted to read because, I'm not going to lie, I was a band geek. Even after I quit band and wasn't in it anymore I was still a band geek. That's where all my friends were. It's like the mafia. Once you're in, death is the only way out.
If you aren't or weren't in band much of this novel will be meaningless to you. You will wonder why these people do what they do. Why on earth would you do something that makes you pass out (band camp-she locked her knees) and come back the next day? What is a drill formation? What does any of it matter? There was also a lot of time spent on the tension between Elsie's marching playing and her concert playing. Having been a person who played in a band that did both competitively there is a big difference. There is a totally different mindset and technique and when you are a perfectionist like Elsie is who wants to impress her Boston Symphony Orchestra father it's a big deal. People who don't get musical performance might not understand why-you play the instrument standing, you play it sitting-so much time is spent on Elsie's obsession over time to practice her concert and classical pieces.
I enjoyed it lots. It was a fun quick read and I liked how Elsie was a very flawed character. She is incredibly self absorbed and manages to alienate people a lot. But she is also vulnerable and terrified of failure making her sympathetic.
This book reads a lot like Dionne's earlier novel The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet (my review). It has many of the same elements but I believe they were better executed here. If you know young people who enjoyed that they should enjoy this as well.
Note on Age: Elsie is a freshman in high school but this is most definitely a middle grade level book. There is a dance, a first crush and a first kiss but nothing that makes this YA. Some teens may enjoy it simply for the band experience so I'm labeling it as both.
Originally posted at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Notes from an Accidental Band Geek by Erin Dionne is a book I wanted to read because, I'm not going to lie, I was a band geek. Even after I quit band and wasn't in it anymore I was still a band geek. That's where all my friends were. It's like the mafia. Once you're in, death is the only way out.
If you aren't or weren't in band much of this novel will be meaningless to you. You will wonder why these people do what they do. Why on earth would you do something that makes you pass out (band camp-she locked her knees) and come back the next day? What is a drill formation? What does any of it matter? There was also a lot of time spent on the tension between Elsie's marching playing and her concert playing. Having been a person who played in a band that did both competitively there is a big difference. There is a totally different mindset and technique and when you are a perfectionist like Elsie is who wants to impress her Boston Symphony Orchestra father it's a big deal. People who don't get musical performance might not understand why-you play the instrument standing, you play it sitting-so much time is spent on Elsie's obsession over time to practice her concert and classical pieces.
I enjoyed it lots. It was a fun quick read and I liked how Elsie was a very flawed character. She is incredibly self absorbed and manages to alienate people a lot. But she is also vulnerable and terrified of failure making her sympathetic.
This book reads a lot like Dionne's earlier novel The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet (my review). It has many of the same elements but I believe they were better executed here. If you know young people who enjoyed that they should enjoy this as well.
Note on Age: Elsie is a freshman in high school but this is most definitely a middle grade level book. There is a dance, a first crush and a first kiss but nothing that makes this YA. Some teens may enjoy it simply for the band experience so I'm labeling it as both.
kawarwick's review against another edition
4.0
Love the way Erin can get in the minds of a highschool freshman. This book should be read by every junior high band members. Heck, highschool ones would like it too. A great story about a young girl trying to fit in at school and home.
pershie13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My childhood self would have given this book five stars every time I read it...which was at least three or four times in middle school. As a horn player myself, I loved to see someone along a similar life path to me represented in a book, and while Elsie and I were quite different, I loved this story and related to her in many ways. I loved watching her experience marching band despite not wanting to be involved in an ensemble where she had to play a new instrument or step outside of the orchestral realm. I enjoyed the experiences and emotions that the band went through, individually and collectively, throughout the season. And I loved the themes of friendship and growth that bloomed in this coming-of-age story. When I read this as a middle schooler, I had no experience in marching band but knew the joy that playing in a concert group could bring. Now, after playing in concert groups for over 10 years and experiencing two years of college marching band, I can appreciate this middle grade book in a new way and think back to some of my memories as a band kid, both as a concert player and as the new kid in a college marching band as one of very few players with no experience on mellophone or marching drill. I appreciate what marching band gave me in terms of section bonding and forming lifelong relationships with my band mates, and some of those memories came flooding back while reading this book. It may be a middle grade book intended for a much younger audience than a master's student long done with marching band, but I enjoyed it just as much as I did as I did as a teenager - just with a new perspective and some incredible memories. I love this book so much and am glad that I was able to enjoy it again after all these years.
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Toxic friendship
minty's review against another edition
3.0
I had never thought about marching band before. This book was cute, the character seemed appropriately teenaged, and it made me wish I'd read it before thanksgiving so I would have made the effort to watch the parade this year.
ashareads's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kellyjcm's review against another edition
3.0
Funny and endearing. Instant connection due to my band geek years. Another solid read from Erin Dionne. However, did not like the protagonist, which interfered with my enjoyment at times.
saffie95's review against another edition
4.0
First of all: can I just say, that as a former drumcorps kid, how incredibly HAPPY I am to finally read a (marching) band book??
This was such a fun read. It would be just as fun reading this from a non-band perspective, since the MC doesn't know anything about band, but as a former band member, I just found myself sitting here like; "accurate (.....) Jup, that's band alright" I was laughing and smiling through the whole book, while I definitely relived some memories of my own time with the band. It was great.
I just thought that halfway through the book, the MC was literally the worst. But that was all part of character building and stuff, so I forgave her.
I think my favorite quote of the book was (slightly spoiler-ish, so don't read if you don't want to know ANYTHING about the book):
βI've kind of always wanted a blue-haired, facially decorated sibling.β He patted my head. βAt your service, petit poulet.β
This was such a fun read. It would be just as fun reading this from a non-band perspective, since the MC doesn't know anything about band, but as a former band member, I just found myself sitting here like; "accurate (.....) Jup, that's band alright" I was laughing and smiling through the whole book, while I definitely relived some memories of my own time with the band. It was great.
I just thought that halfway through the book, the MC was literally the worst. But that was all part of character building and stuff, so I forgave her.
I think my favorite quote of the book was (slightly spoiler-ish, so don't read if you don't want to know ANYTHING about the book):
βI've kind of always wanted a blue-haired, facially decorated sibling.β He patted my head. βAt your service, petit poulet.β