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kcmmp13's review against another edition
3.0
I'd give this book 3.5 stars. While the topic can be quite heavy, I think it was dealt with in a mature way. There were no graphic scenes and it was more of a coming of age book then anything. Bea becomes a new person after meeting Dane. She's more honest with herself and others. She goes for what she truly wants and opens up to those around her. This book is a quick read and it really pulls you in. I saw aspects of myself in Bea and was able to relate with how she was feeling. I'd definitely recommend this book.
thequeenreads's review against another edition
3.0
It started out okay, like I really wanted something much more sinister or bad to happen than can justify the initial secrecy of the book. But I think this will have a sequel right? right? full review after booktubeathon.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Consent by Nancy Ohlin is an incredibly thought-provoking young adult novel about an affair between a high school student and her teacher. Well-written and impossible to put down, readers will be thinking about this story long after the last page has been turned.
Beatrice "Bea" Kim's life is full of secrets but she has trouble keeping her crush (and subsequent relationship) with her music teacher, Dane Rossi, under wraps. Bea cannot help but notice how sexy and good looking her substitute teacher is but their interactions are at first innocent and focus on her extraordinary talent for playing the piano. His praise and interest are just the inspiration she needs to consider pursuing a future as a concert pianist and their shared passion for music easily bridges the age gap between them. The attraction between Bea and Dane simmers in the background until the two take a trip to New York so Bea can audition for a professor at Julliard. Careful to keep their distance from one another upon their return, a careless moment of passion sparks an investigation into their affair.
In spite of her less than happy home life, Bea manages to excel at both her school work and playing the piano. Bea's relationships with her father and brother are distant and the reasons for the rift between the family members remain unclear for a good part of the story. Although she is essentially a piano prodigy, she has ever received any type of formal training nor much encouragement to nurture her natural abilities. The one bright spot in her life is her friendship with Plum but despite their close relationship, Bea is less than forthcoming about many details of her life.
The various story arcs are interesting and the characters are relatively well-developed. The music aspect of the storyline is possibly a little too detailed for a layperson but music enthusiasts will certainly enjoy the close attention to detail. Bea and Plum are vibrantly developed characters that are three-dimensional and quite likable. Bea's brother and father are not as fully fleshed out and for the most part, they remain on the periphery of the overall story. Dane remains enigmatic despite his rather prominent role in the storyline and some of the questions raised about him are never clearly answered. Nonetheless, he is a larger than life character whose obvious charisma and charm make it very easy to understand why Bea is so attracted to him.
The questions swirling around Bea and Dane's relationship and the age of consent are extremely insightful and thought-provoking. Viewing the romance through Bea's eyes, it is easy to understand what she is thinking and feeling from their very first meeting until the novel's end. Her perspective during the investigation is intriguing and it is not until she learns unexpected information about Dane that Bea sees their relationship more clearly and with this newfound knowledge, she makes a rather surprising decision about their future. While most of the storyline is resolved, a few lingering questions remain about certain individuals and their actions.
Consent by Nancy Ohlin is an adeptly written novel about uncomfortable subject matter that is guaranteed to generate interesting discussions between parents and their teens. An outstanding portrayal of a sensitive topic that I highly recommend to readers of all ages.
Consent by Nancy Ohlin is an incredibly thought-provoking young adult novel about an affair between a high school student and her teacher. Well-written and impossible to put down, readers will be thinking about this story long after the last page has been turned.
Beatrice "Bea" Kim's life is full of secrets but she has trouble keeping her crush (and subsequent relationship) with her music teacher, Dane Rossi, under wraps. Bea cannot help but notice how sexy and good looking her substitute teacher is but their interactions are at first innocent and focus on her extraordinary talent for playing the piano. His praise and interest are just the inspiration she needs to consider pursuing a future as a concert pianist and their shared passion for music easily bridges the age gap between them. The attraction between Bea and Dane simmers in the background until the two take a trip to New York so Bea can audition for a professor at Julliard. Careful to keep their distance from one another upon their return, a careless moment of passion sparks an investigation into their affair.
In spite of her less than happy home life, Bea manages to excel at both her school work and playing the piano. Bea's relationships with her father and brother are distant and the reasons for the rift between the family members remain unclear for a good part of the story. Although she is essentially a piano prodigy, she has ever received any type of formal training nor much encouragement to nurture her natural abilities. The one bright spot in her life is her friendship with Plum but despite their close relationship, Bea is less than forthcoming about many details of her life.
The various story arcs are interesting and the characters are relatively well-developed. The music aspect of the storyline is possibly a little too detailed for a layperson but music enthusiasts will certainly enjoy the close attention to detail. Bea and Plum are vibrantly developed characters that are three-dimensional and quite likable. Bea's brother and father are not as fully fleshed out and for the most part, they remain on the periphery of the overall story. Dane remains enigmatic despite his rather prominent role in the storyline and some of the questions raised about him are never clearly answered. Nonetheless, he is a larger than life character whose obvious charisma and charm make it very easy to understand why Bea is so attracted to him.
The questions swirling around Bea and Dane's relationship and the age of consent are extremely insightful and thought-provoking. Viewing the romance through Bea's eyes, it is easy to understand what she is thinking and feeling from their very first meeting until the novel's end. Her perspective during the investigation is intriguing and it is not until she learns unexpected information about Dane that Bea sees their relationship more clearly and with this newfound knowledge, she makes a rather surprising decision about their future. While most of the storyline is resolved, a few lingering questions remain about certain individuals and their actions.
Consent by Nancy Ohlin is an adeptly written novel about uncomfortable subject matter that is guaranteed to generate interesting discussions between parents and their teens. An outstanding portrayal of a sensitive topic that I highly recommend to readers of all ages.
juicelina's review against another edition
2.0
It's really hard to find student/teacher romances that are done well and I still have yet to find one as good as Boy Toy. Boy Toy has a psychological aspect and it deals with pedophilia and the aftermath. This didn't do any of that. First of all, this book is more about Bea's musical future than anything else. There are paragraphs upon paragraphs extensively describing musical terms and techniques that I didn't really understand because I'm not a musician. It was interesting at first and really added to Bea's character, but it got boring and confusing and a bit info dumping after a while. There was a lot to Bea's backstory that could've made the book interesting, but it was too jumbled and never fully explored. Bea made a lot of assumptions about how people (mainly her family) felt about her, but it was never confirmed nor denied if her assumptions were true. Then, there's the whole thing with the teacher, which is supposed to be the main part of this book, but it didn't really start showing up until like the middle/end.
The student/teacher romance had an okay start. You could see it budding, however, it escalated way too quickly for it to be believable. Bea was vulnerable though so you can kind of get past the insta love. The thing that bothered me the most though was the fact that Dane was obviously a predator and he's never punished for it?? He's hardly even confronted. Bea makes the realization, but she still looks past it and considers maybe seeing him in the future now that she's of age and he's not her teacher anymore. I feel so much more could've been explored with that. Plus the whole thing that happened with Braden was super weird.
This book had sooo much potential, but it flopped so hard. Things just needed to be developed better. The only thing that was fully explored in this entire novel was the musical aspect, which is not what I went into this novel for. It just really wasn't what I was expecting and it was ultimately very disappointing.
The student/teacher romance had an okay start. You could see it budding, however, it escalated way too quickly for it to be believable. Bea was vulnerable though so you can kind of get past the insta love. The thing that bothered me the most though was the fact that Dane was obviously a predator and he's never punished for it?? He's hardly even confronted. Bea makes the realization
Spoiler
after she is told about a previous "affair" he had with a 15 year-old girl and she confronts him about itSpoiler
He caught them and reported it and then he ended up using it to his advantage by becoming Bea's fake boyfriend to help her cover up the relationship because he had a creepy crush on her.This book had sooo much potential, but it flopped so hard. Things just needed to be developed better. The only thing that was fully explored in this entire novel was the musical aspect, which is not what I went into this novel for. It just really wasn't what I was expecting and it was ultimately very disappointing.
leathehatless's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Consent was tricky, there where a lot of grey areas and moments that made me cringe.
On Bea, I think there was no need for the dramatic background, she could have a normal life and that could maybe trigger some interesting dynamics, the hardships kind of gave her a free pass.
Dane was a very questionable character and I think that as a teacher you should always try to keep a professional separation between yourself and the student, especially if the student is a teenager that can easily be persuaded.
I must say the true beauty of this melodic romance is in the discussion it brings. Are the student/teacher relationships ok? What about the age of consent? Should it be a 16? Higher? Lower? Why should two teenagers who are developing and discovering their sexuality be arrested, if their affair gets reported, if they are bellow the age of consent? Why does a country that has no problem teaching kids how to drive at 16 or handle guns sooner than that, sometimes, has a problem with letting teenagers be responsible for their sexuality?
As you can see, many questions.
I feel the novel was not one of my favorites but I will advise to read it if not to startle a reflection.
On Bea, I think there was no need for the dramatic background, she could have a normal life and that could maybe trigger some interesting dynamics, the hardships kind of gave her a free pass.
Dane was a very questionable character and I think that as a teacher you should always try to keep a professional separation between yourself and the student, especially if the student is a teenager that can easily be persuaded.
I must say the true beauty of this melodic romance is in the discussion it brings. Are the student/teacher relationships ok? What about the age of consent? Should it be a 16? Higher? Lower? Why should two teenagers who are developing and discovering their sexuality be arrested, if their affair gets reported, if they are bellow the age of consent? Why does a country that has no problem teaching kids how to drive at 16 or handle guns sooner than that, sometimes, has a problem with letting teenagers be responsible for their sexuality?
As you can see, many questions.
I feel the novel was not one of my favorites but I will advise to read it if not to startle a reflection.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
This book is formulaic and unfortunately doesn't bring new or unique content to the student-teacher romance trope.
I also couldn't stop imagining David Rossi from Criminal Minds (aka Joe Mantegna) as the teacher.
What I found more interesting was Bea's history with the piano -- I wish this had been the main focus, because I think we get a lot more out of that story, and it's more of a unique story than the tired old "precocious kid who doesn't quite fit in falls in love with a teacher" plot.
I also couldn't stop imagining David Rossi from Criminal Minds (aka Joe Mantegna) as the teacher.
What I found more interesting was Bea's history with the piano -- I wish this had been the main focus, because I think we get a lot more out of that story, and it's more of a unique story than the tired old "precocious kid who doesn't quite fit in falls in love with a teacher" plot.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
Between all of the lies she tells at school about her non-existent piano teacher and her supposedly okay home life, Beatrice Kim has a lot of secrets even before starting her senior year at Andrew Jackson High School.
Then Bea meets her music history teacher. Mr. Rossi is young, good-looking, and completely believes in Bea's potential as a professional pianist--something Bea hasn't ever allowed herself to consider.
When their shared passion for music turns into something else, Bea and Rossi begin a sexual relationship that could ruin them both. Bea thinks she knows what she is doing and what she wants. She thinks Rossi understands her and loves her. But with the threat of discovery looming, Bea will have to confront uncomfortable truths about herself and her relationship with Rossi in Consent (2015) by Nancy Ohlin.
Consent delivers two stories in one slim volume. One, reminiscent of Sara Zarr's The Lucy Variations, explores how Bea lost her love for the piano and how she can reclaim it; the other is an often uncomfortable examination of a relationship that never should have happened.
Despite the problems Bea hints at in her home life and the lies she tells, everything comes very easily to Bea in Consent. She is at the top of her class despite having no real interest in college. She is a piano prodigy with perfect pitch although she has never had formal lessons. She is also, conveniently, at a recently rebranded "Campus for Baccalaureate and Performing Arts" despite having a nearly pathological desire to avoid the piano at the beginning of the novel. Readers who can get past these contrivances will be rewarded with a layered and thoughtful contemporary novel.
The push and pull between what is perceived and what is true throughout Consent adds another dimension to Bea's often unreliable first person narration as readers, and Bea herself, contemplate Rossi's agenda. Despite some heavy-handed moments, Ohlin delivers an open-ended novel ripe for discussion as readers follow the plot's twists and turns.
Possible Pairings: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee, The Truth Commission by Susan Juby, Boy Toy by Barry Lyga, Teach Me by R. A. Nelson, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten, The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr
*A more condensed version of this review appeared in the September 2015 issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen on various sites online*
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
Then Bea meets her music history teacher. Mr. Rossi is young, good-looking, and completely believes in Bea's potential as a professional pianist--something Bea hasn't ever allowed herself to consider.
When their shared passion for music turns into something else, Bea and Rossi begin a sexual relationship that could ruin them both. Bea thinks she knows what she is doing and what she wants. She thinks Rossi understands her and loves her. But with the threat of discovery looming, Bea will have to confront uncomfortable truths about herself and her relationship with Rossi in Consent (2015) by Nancy Ohlin.
Consent delivers two stories in one slim volume. One, reminiscent of Sara Zarr's The Lucy Variations, explores how Bea lost her love for the piano and how she can reclaim it; the other is an often uncomfortable examination of a relationship that never should have happened.
Despite the problems Bea hints at in her home life and the lies she tells, everything comes very easily to Bea in Consent. She is at the top of her class despite having no real interest in college. She is a piano prodigy with perfect pitch although she has never had formal lessons. She is also, conveniently, at a recently rebranded "Campus for Baccalaureate and Performing Arts" despite having a nearly pathological desire to avoid the piano at the beginning of the novel. Readers who can get past these contrivances will be rewarded with a layered and thoughtful contemporary novel.
The push and pull between what is perceived and what is true throughout Consent adds another dimension to Bea's often unreliable first person narration as readers, and Bea herself, contemplate Rossi's agenda. Despite some heavy-handed moments, Ohlin delivers an open-ended novel ripe for discussion as readers follow the plot's twists and turns.
Possible Pairings: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee, The Truth Commission by Susan Juby, Boy Toy by Barry Lyga, Teach Me by R. A. Nelson, Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten, The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr
*A more condensed version of this review appeared in the September 2015 issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen on various sites online*
You can find this review and more on my blog Miss Print
inkbunnie's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved it!!! the story follows a high school senior who begins to develop feelings for her music teacher after he is floored by het piano talent. Her mother didnt survive her birth and both her brother and her father blame her for. to the point where she cant even play piano in their presence because it reminds them too much of her mother.
then she meets Dane and he helps change her entire outlook on her collegiate future. their romance blossoms to fast after a super sloe start and while bea thinks shes in love she may not be the only one. i wish the conclusion gave more closure but it was an interesting look at consent through the eyes of an almost 18 year old when the age of consent in my state is 16.
definitely recommend.
then she meets Dane and he helps change her entire outlook on her collegiate future. their romance blossoms to fast after a super sloe start and while bea thinks shes in love she may not be the only one. i wish the conclusion gave more closure but it was an interesting look at consent through the eyes of an almost 18 year old when the age of consent in my state is 16.
definitely recommend.
elmmom02's review against another edition
2.0
So I'm a bookseller. I like to keep track of the "taboo" books that come out for teens because parents can be nuts. There's no way I could justify selling this to a teen. The more I think about it, I would rate this 1.5 if I could. This book felt like the author had good intentions but lost where she was going in flimsy storylines and glorifying the relationship between the two. Beatrice loses her virginity to this guy and then lies to the police to save their relationship but finds out he drunkenly had sex with another underage girl, who lied about her age and looked older, And that is unacceptable to her! It's laughable. Especially since he obviously loves her and after she turns eighteen, keeps helping her and trying to talk with her. Ultimately, this book was about a girl who lusted after her teacher and then used him.