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okezie's review against another edition
4.0
I have not read it yet but I opened a copy at Barnes and Nobles and there was a Weezer reference within the first 5 pages. 10/10
maferchan's review against another edition
5.0
The book was great, the authors note at the end had me in TEARS.
maryandherlibrary's review against another edition
4.0
One of my 2022 reading resolutions is to pick up more books that sound interesting to me and that I’ve never heard of since I so often only reach for very hyped new releases. I don’t even remember how I stumbled upon it but when I read the synopsis of Who Put This Son On?, I knew it’d be up my alley so I was really excited when I saw that the audiobook was available at my library.
What I expected and was right about:
- a realistic portrayal of a teen struggling with depression
- a coming-of-age story that made me think a lot but that also had a lot of humor and an overall hopeful tone
What really caught me off guard:
- this book is set in 2008 - it doesn’t seem like that long ago but I thought I was picking up a book set in 2019 and the slurs and sometimes unchallenged bigotry really threw me off at first (I also think that - considering the target audience for this book is young adults and teens and they were toddlers or babies in 2008 - some of the offensive lines could’ve been challenged bit more)
- the way the book deals a **lot** with religion (especially in the first half): Morgan lives in a very Christian community and goes to a Catholic school → there’s a lot of mental health stigma, racism and homophobia rooted in religious bigotry and I did not expect that
What pleasantly surprised me:
- I really liked how Morgan’s journey of trying to find something to be passionate about leads to her researching Black history in the US; the discussions of how Black history is often not talked about at school and also told from a very specific (white) lens were so important
- Morgan’s friendships really brought the story to life and I loved their banter, their more serious talks and their relatable teenage struggles
- it’s obvious that Morgan Parker is a poet from her writing style and it translated so well to the audiobook: the narrator did an incredible job and I liked that some of the emails and extra material was narrated by an additional cast
- I quite enjoyed Morgan’s development and how she learned to be kinder to herself and that her depression is a part of her that she doesn't need to hide but that it’s also not the only aspect of her identity
What I didn't love:
- some of the scenes felt a bit random and disjointed and I kind of wish that some of the elements of the story (including the characters) had been developed a bit more
Overall, I quite enjoyed Who Put This Song On? and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I definitely recommend checking it out but encourage you to read the quite extensive list of trigger warnings. Despite it being set in 2008, this almost-memoir raises many issues and themes that are still relevant today. I think that if you go into it knowing what you can expect, Who Put This Song On? is a thought-provoking coming-of-age story about mental health, religion, racism and activism that will make some readers feel seen and force others to confront their privilege but that will definitely be a memorable read for everyone.
tw (this is everything that I could think of but I might’ve forgotten something): racism, homophobia, racist and homophobic slurs, depression, suicide attempt (in the past), suicidal thoughts, religious bigotry, encounter with a cop, underage drinking, smoking, pill abuse, brief sexual content
What I expected and was right about:
- a realistic portrayal of a teen struggling with depression
- a coming-of-age story that made me think a lot but that also had a lot of humor and an overall hopeful tone
What really caught me off guard:
- this book is set in 2008 - it doesn’t seem like that long ago but I thought I was picking up a book set in 2019 and the slurs and sometimes unchallenged bigotry really threw me off at first (I also think that - considering the target audience for this book is young adults and teens and they were toddlers or babies in 2008 - some of the offensive lines could’ve been challenged bit more)
- the way the book deals a **lot** with religion (especially in the first half): Morgan lives in a very Christian community and goes to a Catholic school → there’s a lot of mental health stigma, racism and homophobia rooted in religious bigotry and I did not expect that
What pleasantly surprised me:
- I really liked how Morgan’s journey of trying to find something to be passionate about leads to her researching Black history in the US; the discussions of how Black history is often not talked about at school and also told from a very specific (white) lens were so important
- Morgan’s friendships really brought the story to life and I loved their banter, their more serious talks and their relatable teenage struggles
- it’s obvious that Morgan Parker is a poet from her writing style and it translated so well to the audiobook: the narrator did an incredible job and I liked that some of the emails and extra material was narrated by an additional cast
- I quite enjoyed Morgan’s development and how she learned to be kinder to herself and that her depression is a part of her that she doesn't need to hide but that it’s also not the only aspect of her identity
What I didn't love:
- some of the scenes felt a bit random and disjointed and I kind of wish that some of the elements of the story (including the characters) had been developed a bit more
Overall, I quite enjoyed Who Put This Song On? and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. I definitely recommend checking it out but encourage you to read the quite extensive list of trigger warnings. Despite it being set in 2008, this almost-memoir raises many issues and themes that are still relevant today. I think that if you go into it knowing what you can expect, Who Put This Song On? is a thought-provoking coming-of-age story about mental health, religion, racism and activism that will make some readers feel seen and force others to confront their privilege but that will definitely be a memorable read for everyone.
tw (this is everything that I could think of but I might’ve forgotten something): racism, homophobia, racist and homophobic slurs, depression, suicide attempt (in the past), suicidal thoughts, religious bigotry, encounter with a cop, underage drinking, smoking, pill abuse, brief sexual content
simoneclark's review against another edition
5.0
See, that is why I love my reading challenges! If I hadn't needed to find a book to fit a particular prompt in my reading challenge, I would not have found this gem! What a fantastic book! I love everything about it--the characters, the writing, the mental health aspects portrait in this book, the plot, the ending ... literally everything! I will check out more books by this author for sure!
agmeade's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes it’s worth staying up until 2 in the morning to finish a book. This is one of those. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so completely able to just be okay with Who I Am. Loved this book. Everyone should read it.
dejahentendu's review against another edition
3.0
Sweet, honest, somewhat raw coming of age story. Heavy on the religion without proselytizing.
bidoofaloof's review against another edition
5.0
I'm such a fan of this book. The word I associate most with this book is precise — the depiction of depression, the significance of music, Morgan as a character. The music especially struck me: I can't remember another book I've read that so fully captures how deeply embedded and significant music was within my teenagedom. I also loved the structure, how it felt less like a single curve than a succession of waves.
courtneyps's review against another edition
There are a bunch of experiences I didn’t share with teenage Morgan Parker, but I read most of this book thinking *this is me too*. She made me hugely nostalgic for 2008 high school in suburbia, and being an awkward indie-kid with friends you’d die for, more Important Thoughts than you know what to do with, and soooo many feelings. She writes about all of it—plus navigating depression, religion, and being one of the only black kids in school—explosively and beautifully, with no easy plot but all the good good complications.
chelsbethbaute's review against another edition
I really didn’t understand this book. It was a novel, but it was a fictionalized version of the author’s life when she was in high school. The book was more of a collection of short stories. There was legitimately no plot (not being dramatic) and a lot of stories didn’t get tied up. The one thing I did like about this book was the focus on mental health. Mental health matters and is crucial to talk about.