Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

14 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.

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

jesthemess's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Rape

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Violence and Vomit

alyxinthestars's review

emotional hopeful sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Addiction, Grief, Homophobia, and Death of parent

davidbythebay's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

An emotional story touching upon several difficult topics, this was a beautiful exploration of youth, coming of age, and being gay. When two gay boys take over a food truck for the summer, the story looks likes its going to be a sweet unknown/enemies to lovers trope. And it sort of is. But it's more about realizing what our boundaries are, how to communicate, the strength in speaking your truth and in supporting others' truths, and coping with significant trauma. It's about speaking what you want and having someone listen to it and abide by it. Boundaries are the key theme of this book and it handles them beautifully. Really, a sweet read that spoke volumes in a matter of pages. 

TW: parent death, grief, addiction, gambling, rape, sexual assault, gaslighting, bullying 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Addiction, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Homophobia and Vomit

bitsandbobsdivination's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

2.75

I really enjoyed Openly Straight and it’s Sequel but this one just didn’t hit right. 

The friend groups I felt really uncomfortable with right from the beginning and they never really redeemed themselves by the end. The “wives” especially as they felt so over the top and stereotyped. I know it was to make a point of GBF’s but one tiny mention at the end that it changed and suddenly all was good now was weird. 

That being said, most of the plot if this book felt so strange and out of order at times too. Especially since there were a ton of plots mixing together for a climax that never really got solved… It just kinda did an after school special introspection about the title for a moment and then ended?? Plus the mom clearly needed help the whole time and then just got shoved under the bus? It could have been handled so much better!

That all being said, the way in which rape, dissociation, toxic masculinity, and self-esteem were covered were done much better but still, kinda clunky, like it could have been expanded upon in less choppy ways. 

I’m sure I could go on about how Jordan and Max’s relationship was built up without any real chemistry, or how we had random chapters that were full on filler, but I’m gonna end it here by saying it wasn’t all bad, but I don’t plan on reading it again…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Sexual assault

Minor: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, and Homophobia

ranjanireviewsreads's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

Ever wondered what it feels like to grow up? During, it's difficult to differentiate one moment from another. In hindsight, it might be easy to merge memories. 

The Music of What Happens is what I would recommend if you want the answer to that question. Bill Konigsberg uses witty, snappy language with hidden heartfelt moments to authentically portray the joy, misery, loneliness, and connection felt in the late teen years. Growing up gay, biracial, lonely; it's not something everyone can understand, much less wonder about. 

Heartfelt, real, and incredibly beautiful; The Music of What Happens is a reflection of the teenage experience of coming of age, falling in love, and figuring out how to be your own person. A must read for the young adult contemporary reader.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Addiction, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, and Homophobia

Minor: Racial slurs, Vomit, Racism, Grief, and Body shaming

riella_reads's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

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

3.5

 This was a lot more emotional and hard hitting than I originally expected. This hit hard on "light" homophobia and racism, where friends and family are making jokes about gay sex and how the main character isn't brown even though he's Mexican. Some parts were actually pretty hard to listen to, and there were lots of trigger warnings 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Homophobia, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting

iksme's review

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-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

4.75

This book,,, this book made me cry. OMG this is the gay romance you need to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

justreaditem's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book took me completely by surprise. 

Not only does it show an honest story between two young gay boys, it shows the relationship between mother and son, father and son, and friendships. It shows how men can just as easily be sexually assaulted and raped as women; and and that addiction comes in many forms. If I didn't know any addicts, I wouldn't have been able to sympathise with Jordan's mum. For addicts to truly get the help they need, they have to want it because nothing is more important than their fix, not even their kids. I adored that Max was Hispanic/Latino, as it showed brought another layer of male posturing and homophobia, not only within sports but also within other cultures. 

Jordan and Max had a really cute relationship, the way they argued and grew as a couple, with all their own issues before realising that a problem shared is a problem halved, and eventually knew that they could rely on each other no matter what. 

I can't wait for this author's next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Addiction

Moderate: Racial slurs and Toxic relationship