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cappuccino_'s review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Death of parent
samantha_randolph's review
3.0
Bea loves playing the piano, but she feels she has to hide her desire to make a career out of playing from her father and everyone else. When Bea meets Dane Rossi, she finds someone she believes can finally understand her, and she falls quickly and intensely as they bond over music. The catch: Dane is her teacher.
Consent is not a novel to read lightly. Nancy Ohlin takes a serious issue and dives head first into it with a well-thought out story that invites, above all, room for discussion. Like most strong novels about a taboo subject, readers will find questions and more questions, instead of any one-sided answer. And, as again with most novels about taboo subjects, more than a few areas will make readers uncomfortable. I left the story myself with a jumble of thoughts and feelings that I’m not sure how to sort.
Consent is more than a story about a taboo subject, however. Bea’s personal journey outside of romance is touching. For the most part, Bea is an unreliable narrator. Herself and Dane, and the people around them, could be read an infinite number of ways, and the reader never truly gets a set answer about the heart of each character. Yet, when it comes to Bea’s musical path, she character shines off the page. She tries to hide her love for the piano because music reminds her father of her dead mother, and she struggles to both accept what she wants career/college wise and ask others, like her father, to accept it as well. Her family dynamic is realistic and sincere, never sugar-coated but has nice room for some sweetness.
Final Verdict:
Consent is a difficult novel to read. Nancy Ohlin presents a kaleidoscope of possible lens to view a student-teacher relationship, many of them more uncomfortable than the last. The strong writing and room for discussion make Consent a story about which to think long and hard, and many readers will find Bea’s struggle to accept her dreams realistic and truthful.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18982-consent
Consent is not a novel to read lightly. Nancy Ohlin takes a serious issue and dives head first into it with a well-thought out story that invites, above all, room for discussion. Like most strong novels about a taboo subject, readers will find questions and more questions, instead of any one-sided answer. And, as again with most novels about taboo subjects, more than a few areas will make readers uncomfortable. I left the story myself with a jumble of thoughts and feelings that I’m not sure how to sort.
Consent is more than a story about a taboo subject, however. Bea’s personal journey outside of romance is touching. For the most part, Bea is an unreliable narrator. Herself and Dane, and the people around them, could be read an infinite number of ways, and the reader never truly gets a set answer about the heart of each character. Yet, when it comes to Bea’s musical path, she character shines off the page. She tries to hide her love for the piano because music reminds her father of her dead mother, and she struggles to both accept what she wants career/college wise and ask others, like her father, to accept it as well. Her family dynamic is realistic and sincere, never sugar-coated but has nice room for some sweetness.
Final Verdict:
Consent is a difficult novel to read. Nancy Ohlin presents a kaleidoscope of possible lens to view a student-teacher relationship, many of them more uncomfortable than the last. The strong writing and room for discussion make Consent a story about which to think long and hard, and many readers will find Bea’s struggle to accept her dreams realistic and truthful.
Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/18982-consent
sk8rghost's review
DNF!
Honestly I should've known going into this that it would be weird. I mean a relationship between a high school student and a teacher ???? That is not something you should romanticize. EVER. This story is pedophilic in nature and trying to masquerade it as a love story is not doing anyone any favors. Just..no. Stop.
Honestly I should've known going into this that it would be weird. I mean a relationship between a high school student and a teacher ???? That is not something you should romanticize. EVER. This story is pedophilic in nature and trying to masquerade it as a love story is not doing anyone any favors. Just..no. Stop.
thereallilycooper's review
3.0
I feel like it could have gone on more, and built up to a bigger and better climax. It was a nice, quick, read though.
nahlanellie's review against another edition
2.0
Wasn't a bad book, just wasn't great and I expected more.
Because I've read better and my expectations weren't meet 2.5 stars.
Because I've read better and my expectations weren't meet 2.5 stars.
andriaerin's review
3.0
Bea is a high school senior who has no big dreams of doing much of anything after high school - until she meets Mr. Rossi, the new music history teacher who is as dreamy as Kit Harrington. Through working with Mr. Rossi, Bea finds the courage and motivation to admit her passion for music - and to apply to Juliard. But things are complicated, and Bea also finds herself falling for Mr. Rossi. When they are caught in a compromising position, Bea is unsure what will happen. Will all of her lies catch up to her?
Overall, I felt that this story was a pretty typical YA contemporary. I did love the growth that I as a reader was able to see Bea making. She grew both as a person and also in her relationships with her friends and family. It wasn't always a lot of growth, but the character didn't remain stagnant. What I wasn't blown away by was the relationship with Mr. Rossi and all of the doors he was somehow able to open for Bea. It felt a little hard to believe at some points and also just read pretty typically. While I didn't hate this book, it's not a book that I personally loved either. I enjoyed it for what it was and would recommend it to people who are interested in reading YA contemporaries.
Overall, I felt that this story was a pretty typical YA contemporary. I did love the growth that I as a reader was able to see Bea making. She grew both as a person and also in her relationships with her friends and family. It wasn't always a lot of growth, but the character didn't remain stagnant. What I wasn't blown away by was the relationship with Mr. Rossi and all of the doors he was somehow able to open for Bea. It felt a little hard to believe at some points and also just read pretty typically. While I didn't hate this book, it's not a book that I personally loved either. I enjoyed it for what it was and would recommend it to people who are interested in reading YA contemporaries.
romancelibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I have read other teacher student novels. The Slammed Series by Hoover and Unteachable by Raeder both deal with 18 year old students who unknowingly get involved with a guy who just happens to be their teacher senior year. Both of which, while they are set in a high school, are more NA than YA. Then there are stories like Easy by Webber that are set in college where it's set in college (and the relationship is a grad student TA and a student). But this one, Consent, skevved me out and made me uncomfortable - which I believe to be part of the point of this story, especially for a teen reader. Set in high school this story clearly isn't a love story, it's a cautionary tale about decisions and dangers. The voice flows well, it is laden with musical references that I didn't understand but didn't hinder my understanding of the story, and it was clear both the relevance and importance of this type of story for teen readers. I believe the agency that the author gives Bea at the conclusion of the novel is important. I also truly appreciated the diversity of the characters. Both Bea and her best friend Plum are described as biracial. And although completely on the periphery, it is mentioned that Plum's aunt is in a relationship with another woman. Definitely would give this book to some of my older teen readers who were looking for a quick read about a challenging topic/issue/situation.
smphillips's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I feel like I haven't read a contemporary in ages. Consent was a great contemporary to start with again.
In Consent , we follow seventeen year old Bea, who is a self taught piano prodigy. From the synopsis of this book you can guess what happens between her, and her teacher, Dane Rossi.
I found this book to be light. Even though the title doesn't lead you to think so. I loved the music vocabulary strewn throughout this book. It really aided the piano aspect of this book, I also loved the mentioning of composers, and the backstories to some of their pieces.
The characters in this book seemed so real, and each character has a unique. You have Plum, who reminds me of Cher Horowitz from Clueless, but less of a mean snobby girl, and more driven and sophisticated. You have Theo, Bea's brother, the classic burnout who somehow has life easy. Nelson, the horny high school jock who is always trying to hit on Bea. Braden, the nice guy with a twist. Lianna, the cocky, and shallow mean girl everyone has to put up with. And Bea, who is super wishy washy, and kind of the cliche main female protagonist in YA.
Overall, this book is a fast and light read. The musical element truly sets it apart from other contemporaries. There are some tropes in this book, that make it for me a 4/5 stars, but still enjoyable to read. The characters are lovable, and fun. I would recommend this book for someone looking for something quick and enjoyable to read! 4.3/5 stars!!!
In Consent , we follow seventeen year old Bea, who is a self taught piano prodigy. From the synopsis of this book you can guess what happens between her, and her teacher, Dane Rossi.
I found this book to be light. Even though the title doesn't lead you to think so. I loved the music vocabulary strewn throughout this book. It really aided the piano aspect of this book, I also loved the mentioning of composers, and the backstories to some of their pieces.
The characters in this book seemed so real, and each character has a unique. You have Plum, who reminds me of Cher Horowitz from Clueless, but less of a mean snobby girl, and more driven and sophisticated. You have Theo, Bea's brother, the classic burnout who somehow has life easy. Nelson, the horny high school jock who is always trying to hit on Bea. Braden, the nice guy with a twist. Lianna, the cocky, and shallow mean girl everyone has to put up with. And Bea, who is super wishy washy, and kind of the cliche main female protagonist in YA.
Overall, this book is a fast and light read. The musical element truly sets it apart from other contemporaries. There are some tropes in this book, that make it for me a 4/5 stars, but still enjoyable to read. The characters are lovable, and fun. I would recommend this book for someone looking for something quick and enjoyable to read! 4.3/5 stars!!!
rebecareads's review
3.0
3.5
Ehhh, this book was okay. In the beginning the book was cheesy and the writing wasn't all that great. As things started happening it got more interesting, but then it just ended up in a bland kind of way. I wasn't satisfied with the way the story ended. At times I hated the book, and at times I really thought I could really enjoy it, but it was just kind of in between. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it.
Ehhh, this book was okay. In the beginning the book was cheesy and the writing wasn't all that great. As things started happening it got more interesting, but then it just ended up in a bland kind of way. I wasn't satisfied with the way the story ended. At times I hated the book, and at times I really thought I could really enjoy it, but it was just kind of in between. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it.
madhatter07018's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I guess my rating has more to do with how well I relate to this book rather than the writing. I felt every emotion that Bea was feeling. I relived parts of my past while reading this book. I got a new outside look on the situation I was in a few years back. I would recommend this book to any and all minors who believe age is just a number.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship