Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

42 reviews

jainabee's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful fast-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

The story is a very sweet and fun teen romance romp, even as it weaves in very serious and challenging themes and topics. Nuanced characters emerge through confronting their own presumptions about each other and about themselves.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Vomit, Racism, Addiction, and Rape

Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Drug use, Homophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny

Minor: Kidnapping, Cursing, Abandonment, Biphobia, and Cultural appropriation

Remarkably realistic and accurate portrayal of rape, dissociation, gaslighting, addiction, and moving through various stages of trauma. The challenging material is handled with great care and shows healthy, functional family and community responses to trauma.

hemelseridan's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Incredible. Just incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, and Racism

pitsikakku's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-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? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Racism, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Bullying

zefancifulreader's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Walked into this book thinking I was going to get a fun queer summer romance, set on a food truck. NOPE. 
This is a book about two, flawed, struggling, gay boys on the edge of manhood who desperately need to go to therapy. (I’m happy to report that at least one of them is seeing a councillor by the end of the story.) 
In all seriousness, this book really dives into the mess of grief, toxic masculinity, consent without sinking too far into the darkness, which I appreciated. Huge salute to the author for tackling consent and toxic masculinity as a main theme. I don’t see it enough, especially in queer books. 

I’m not sure if I’m totally on board with the “it’s all meant to be” message at the end but I loved the softness that the author wove into the hearts of Jordan and Max. 
Not a huge fan of the carbon copy best friends thing that was going on, it felt a bit lazy, but I’m relieved that the superficial relationships grew into more as the story progressed, even if it felt a bit forced.
The pacing was a bit odd, which sort of messed with the plot twists and relationship developments for me.

I also felt like Jordan was in a much chiller, “look on the bright side” head space at the end of the book, for all the bullshit that had landed on him without any therapy and not near enough process time. It’s super unrealistic. Like one kickboxing session with Max is not going to cure your abandonment and grief at the loss of your Dad, Mom, and Home. 🙄

 
I loved experiencing the slow vulnerability that Jordan and Max showed one another. It was like watching the walls of toxic masculinity quietly crumble to the ground. 
Overall, it was a surprising and lovely story. One prickly pear lemonade for me! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Death of parent, and Misogyny

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, and Suicidal thoughts

atsuanna's review against another edition

funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

This was written like a bad fan fiction and girl I love fanfic! The book explored so many topics in a short time that when it got to the  deep stuff, it felt insensitive. The plot had so much going on it got confusing. Plus I felt like the bigotry from the side characters and even the MC’s was never properly dealt with? Nor with the care I expected. But I still enjoyed some of the poetic parts and will definitely be playing Sonic Flight with my gf! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abandonment and Racism

Minor: Misogyny, Homophobia, and Sexism

a_l_reads's review

challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Racism, and Chronic illness

Minor: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Outing, and Homophobia

readingcavern's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racism, Racial slurs, and Rape

Minor: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia

mengzhenreads's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted 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

3.75

My favorite part about this was the personal growth that the two main characters showed. Honestly it was really beautiful to see how these characters really blossomed, and by the end of it I was 100% on board.

Max was the golden star of this book for sure, I just loved reading about his character and thought that he was wonderfully complex and super endearing. Jordan was also very well written, but something about him just vaguely annoyed by me for absolutely no reason (probably the fact that his narrator in the audiobook had an irritating voice). But, the fact that he was unlikeable in the beginning really showed his growth, as by the end of the book I genuinely felt him maturing.

Initially a bit basic, but really hooks you in and becomes really addicting and heartfelt.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Addiction, and Rape

Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, and Death of parent

Minor: Homophobia

_yeenaw's review against another edition

emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Racism, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Addiction

Minor: Toxic friendship

taigah's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

Minor: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism