A review by mollyringle
The Music of Unexpected Things by Jamie Deacon

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I’ve been a fan of Jamie Deacon’s writing ever since discovering their work many years ago, and I’m charmed with this new book! Even though I rarely read YA these days, I was pleased to find this is the type of YA anyone (in my opinion) can appreciate: it doesn’t feel dumbed down; rather, it insightfully captures the feeling of what it’s like to be a teen, independent in ways, yet insecure in other ways and still tied to the expectations of your family. 

 

It's also got great representation on many angles—queerness, disability, mental health, and more. Georgie, one of the two main protagonists, provides the perspective of a blind character (with an awesome guide dog)—which is also an Own Voices angle, as Deacon mentions in the afterword that they themself are registered blind. Georgie’s passion for music has brought her to a summer session at Dukes, an acclaimed British music school, where she and all the other attending teens are crossing their fingers for a coveted scholarship. But what she ends up wanting even more, within a couple of weeks there, is Mina, a sweet fellow student with whom she strikes up a friendship. Soon it’s clear they both desire more. Can they let it blossom into a proper romance, or will their anxiety over their family’s attitudes, and their own insecurities, keep them apart? 

 

The story felt natural, with a wonderfully diverse cast of side friends who I loved just as much as our central couple, and I especially delighted in the banter, which often made me grin. The setting itself is alluring too: if you have even the smallest music-loving bone in your body, you’ll fall in love with Dukes and wish it were real so you could spend a season there yourself, no matter your age. Excellent read for anyone desiring a musical, sapphic, disability-affirming story!