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raven_morgan's review against another edition
5.0
An eARC of this book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. After reading the ARC, I have purchased my own copy.
***
"Signal to Noise" follows three friends, Meche, Sebastian and Daniela, along two timelines - 1989, when Meche is fifteen in Mexico City, and 2009, after Meche has lived away from Mexico City, her family and her friends, and returns home after her father dies.
Fifteen-year-old Meche loves music, and uses it to escape from and to block out the world. She sees herself as an outcast, her only friends Sebastian and the malleable, sweet Daniela. One day, Meche plays a record and makes a wish. When it comes true, she realises that she can do magic using music. She enlists her friends in a kind of witches circle, and the three of them discover for the first time that they have real power.
This is a coming of age book that I think would appeal to both younger and older readers. Specific music is mentioned many times, and I challenge anyone who grew up in the eighties (or is familiar with much of the mentioned music) not to have a virtual soundtrack going through their head as they read the book. Meche herself is a fascinating character - she's not always likeable, and her emotions can be unstable (in the way of many teenagers trying to find their way and self), but her actions - even when they are truly dark - are always understandable.
This is a truly amazing debut, and I hope we'll see much more of Moreno-Garcia's work to come.
***
"Signal to Noise" follows three friends, Meche, Sebastian and Daniela, along two timelines - 1989, when Meche is fifteen in Mexico City, and 2009, after Meche has lived away from Mexico City, her family and her friends, and returns home after her father dies.
Fifteen-year-old Meche loves music, and uses it to escape from and to block out the world. She sees herself as an outcast, her only friends Sebastian and the malleable, sweet Daniela. One day, Meche plays a record and makes a wish. When it comes true, she realises that she can do magic using music. She enlists her friends in a kind of witches circle, and the three of them discover for the first time that they have real power.
This is a coming of age book that I think would appeal to both younger and older readers. Specific music is mentioned many times, and I challenge anyone who grew up in the eighties (or is familiar with much of the mentioned music) not to have a virtual soundtrack going through their head as they read the book. Meche herself is a fascinating character - she's not always likeable, and her emotions can be unstable (in the way of many teenagers trying to find their way and self), but her actions - even when they are truly dark - are always understandable.
This is a truly amazing debut, and I hope we'll see much more of Moreno-Garcia's work to come.
hsumanityreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This author is EXCELLENT at writing characters that are a bit hard to love, like the ones in this book. Our main gal Meche is making morally grey decisions, and taking magic (witchcraft?) into her own hands, even at the peril of loved ones. Dual timeline with half set in the 1980s, the nostalgia of the music (which is what makes the magic) was so real!! I loved this rerelease on audio - great narration that made the story feel more alive.
maddieden's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
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? Yes
3.75
kayelmc's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
4.5
This book perfectly captures what it feels like to grow up and have big feelings for which you don't have words and sometimes music is the only thing that will echo those feelings.
The story takes place in two different times, and I have to applaud Silvia for making the voices of the characters really distinct in those times. It's my opinion that adult authors sometimes belittle or mock teenagers in coming-of-age stories, but she really nailed the mood of those teenage moments.
I'm more than a decade beyond my teens, but this book really took me back to those times when I felt the power of music for giving a soundtrack to my loves, hates, friendships, and every dip and swell of that rollercoaster of growing up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ARC!
The story takes place in two different times, and I have to applaud Silvia for making the voices of the characters really distinct in those times. It's my opinion that adult authors sometimes belittle or mock teenagers in coming-of-age stories, but she really nailed the mood of those teenage moments.
I'm more than a decade beyond my teens, but this book really took me back to those times when I felt the power of music for giving a soundtrack to my loves, hates, friendships, and every dip and swell of that rollercoaster of growing up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ARC!
wakenda's review against another edition
3.0
This book was fine, but it didn't really stick with me. It's about three teenagers in Mexico City who discover they can use records to make magic, but this winds up driving them apart. It's interspersed with them in the present day, when the main character comes back for her dad's funeral. There's nothing wrong with it, I just didn't feel like I got a lot out of reading it.
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Signal to Noise is a story that hooked me with magical musical spells. I love the idea of music having a magical power, the ability to create magic. But what ended up keeping my attention was Meche's relationship with her father and her friends. Signal to Noise is kicked off with the death of her father and so her story becomes about remembrance. How our parents fail us, how they are these imperfect beings both in death and alive. All the gaps between what we wanted and who they were, even after they're gone. Signal to Noise is also about power and what happens when someone we love goes down a road we can't follow.
Signal to Noise is a story that hooked me with magical musical spells. I love the idea of music having a magical power, the ability to create magic. But what ended up keeping my attention was Meche's relationship with her father and her friends. Signal to Noise is kicked off with the death of her father and so her story becomes about remembrance. How our parents fail us, how they are these imperfect beings both in death and alive. All the gaps between what we wanted and who they were, even after they're gone. Signal to Noise is also about power and what happens when someone we love goes down a road we can't follow.
kristallmarie's review against another edition
2.0
First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an e-ARC! I greatly appreciate it!
To preface this review: I've read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books before. Both Mexican Gothic and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau were one-star reads for me, but this one seems to have an interesting concept, so I thought, why not give this one a try? It sounds totally different from the other books of hers that I've read.
Unfortunately, it's more of the same. Her writing is fine. It's simple, it tells instead of showing more often than it should, but it's fine. Her characters are flat and show no development between the two time frames, and the whole concept just seems wasted. It had so much potential, especially given the 80s setting, which is my favorite historical setting.
I'm disappointed by this book, but I'm not surprised.
To preface this review: I've read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books before. Both Mexican Gothic and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau were one-star reads for me, but this one seems to have an interesting concept, so I thought, why not give this one a try? It sounds totally different from the other books of hers that I've read.
Unfortunately, it's more of the same. Her writing is fine. It's simple, it tells instead of showing more often than it should, but it's fine. Her characters are flat and show no development between the two time frames, and the whole concept just seems wasted. It had so much potential, especially given the 80s setting, which is my favorite historical setting.
I'm disappointed by this book, but I'm not surprised.
beckykphillips's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
Signal to Noise follows Meche and her two best friends, Sebastian and Daniela as the novel oscillates between 1988 when they were in high school together in Mexico City and in 2009 when Meche returns to Mexico City for her father's funeral after having moved to Sweden. In 1988, Meche and her friends start dabbling in magic fueled by vinyl records. In 2009, Meche begins to reckon with her past as her friends re-appear in her life.
If there is one thing you can count on in Silvia Moreno-Garcia novels it’s going to be beautifully developed characters. We delve deep into what is making everyone tick. Although Meche is the main character, we get so much depth in Sebastian, Daniela, and Meche’s parents and grandmother. You get such a good sense of how everyone clicks together and I loved seeing how the interactions between the characters ebbed and flowed between 1988 and 2009.
You see a bit of the shape of Silver Nitrate in Signal to Noise, except we have vinyl as the magical catalyst, rather than film. I really appreciated how she bestowed power to the records. Their potency increases depending on the copy, and I loved how that ties into spending time flipping through trying to find just the right one.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator does a good job, no complaints, but I didn't quite feel her bringing everyone to life like I would hope for.
All in all, I definitely recommend this book. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Spotify Studios for the advanced copy.
If there is one thing you can count on in Silvia Moreno-Garcia novels it’s going to be beautifully developed characters. We delve deep into what is making everyone tick. Although Meche is the main character, we get so much depth in Sebastian, Daniela, and Meche’s parents and grandmother. You get such a good sense of how everyone clicks together and I loved seeing how the interactions between the characters ebbed and flowed between 1988 and 2009.
You see a bit of the shape of Silver Nitrate in Signal to Noise, except we have vinyl as the magical catalyst, rather than film. I really appreciated how she bestowed power to the records. Their potency increases depending on the copy, and I loved how that ties into spending time flipping through trying to find just the right one.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator does a good job, no complaints, but I didn't quite feel her bringing everyone to life like I would hope for.
All in all, I definitely recommend this book. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Spotify Studios for the advanced copy.
calamity_jane01's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
cpalmisanod's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In the late 80s in Mexico City three friends discover they can do magic through music. At first they use it to improve their lives in small ways, but then it becomes a tool for revenge and like with most stories of magic in a group of friends someone gets a taste for it, When things reach a head, the trio go their separate ways and only reconnect decades later when the ring leaders father has passed away.
I liked the back-and-forth from the past to the present. It helped you get a full picture of the friends and their relationships with each other. However, they’re never seem to be any clear conclusion to the story. And I don’t understand the repetition of chapter 20 in chapter 22 when there was no new information shared unless I totally missed something.
Was a unique story and I think it really could’ve been something great but for me, it fell A little short.
I liked the back-and-forth from the past to the present. It helped you get a full picture of the friends and their relationships with each other. However, they’re never seem to be any clear conclusion to the story. And I don’t understand the repetition of chapter 20 in chapter 22 when there was no new information shared unless I totally missed something.
Was a unique story and I think it really could’ve been something great but for me, it fell A little short.