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hannahdiane's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
whimsicallymeghan's review
3.5
Sam has just moved to a new school after the events of the worst night of her life have been caught on video for the world to see. Once at her new school, she meets Robot in music class and soon realizes he has a similar story. All he wants is to move on from the mistakes he’s made, but his small town makes it hard to do so. Finding themselves bonded over their love of music, they start to realize they can use that to overcome and heal from the traumas they’ve endured. This was a very heavy novel that dealt with difficult and traumatic topics such as assault, rape, suicide and murder. Despite the severity of the topics talked about in this novel, there was still a lot of beauty in it. The reader liked how amongst all the sorrow, light could be found in the smallest of places; they liked that how hopeful this felt when everything looked and felt hopeless. McKay did a beautiful job of capturing that essence really well; it’s a fine balance of creating a story that is moving, while also not diminishing the awful hard truths and he did it wonderfully. The way this was told, swaying back and forth from past to present, and sometimes past to even further past, left the reader a little dizzy at first. It was hard to fully grasp what was happening, especially at times when McKay only alluded to what was happening instead of telling his readers directly, which this reader understood was to create a sense of curiosity to read more, while also not giving too graphic a description, which we appreciated, but it left the reader a little confused in the beginning. As we got further into the story and got to know the characters better, it got easier. As for the characters, they were good, solid characters, but the reader felt they were missing something; like we didn’t get to know them enough. They were developed well, and their journey was engaging and important, but it felt like all we got to know was them through their trauma and this reader just wanted to get deeper. Maybe it’s because this novel was so short that we didn’t get the time to truly explore all there could have been for topics so big. It just felt like we could have gotten a little more, especially after the main characters started to bond. That being said though, this was still a really good book, it could get emotional and a little overwhelming at times, but it’s still a very poignant and touching story.
unphilosophize's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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
This was not what I was expecting.
It was a difficult read with a lot of heart.
I really enjoyed the two mcs and how they connected over music.
It was a difficult read with a lot of heart.
I really enjoyed the two mcs and how they connected over music.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Rape
naomisnovelnest's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
natbee's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Poignant and heartbreaking, impossible to put down.
okbartel's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kindredspiritreads's review
dark
emotional
tense
2.5
This novel follows two teenagers returning to school after each has experienced a traumatic event. The story explores how playing music brings them together and helps them heal.
Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. I felt misled by the synopsis, and the content was darker than I expected, so I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading. The author made quite a few choices that seemed odd to me and the ending fell flat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Alcoholism
Moderate: Rape and Bullying
marymac26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Suicide
justabean_reads's review
5.0
Two Nova Scotia teenagers tentatively return to high school after separate shattering events the year before. Both were captured on social media, both teens have to navigate who they are now, and how to cope with how others treat them. Alternating chapters show what happened the year before, and how they're dealing with the first school year After.
I'm not familiar with the author, and wouldn't have looked at this if it wasn't on the Canada Reads longlist: I normally am not into books about teenagers, and I'm not usually hot on male writers taking on sexual violence against women. I sat down and read it in an afternoon. Then handed it to my wife, who stayed up all night to finish it in one sitting.
McKay's writing is an charge against all those male authors who treat female characters as some sort of large-breasted alien. ("I think of a man, and then I take away reason and accountability.") Both main characters are flawed and vivid and are treated with incredible tenderness. They're both struggling every minute, but find space for kindness, and still see other people. I wanted to hug them and cheer them on, and couldn't stop reading to see what happened next.
(I appreciated that McKay included trans and Miꞌkmaw characters who are important to the story, and have a sense of having their own thing going on, rather than being props for the main plot. I feel like I shouldn't have to praise this, but enough books fail to clear that very low bar, and I think it's worth noting.)
I really wish this one had been on the Canada Reads shortlist.
I'm not familiar with the author, and wouldn't have looked at this if it wasn't on the Canada Reads longlist: I normally am not into books about teenagers, and I'm not usually hot on male writers taking on sexual violence against women. I sat down and read it in an afternoon. Then handed it to my wife, who stayed up all night to finish it in one sitting.
McKay's writing is an charge against all those male authors who treat female characters as some sort of large-breasted alien. ("I think of a man, and then I take away reason and accountability.") Both main characters are flawed and vivid and are treated with incredible tenderness. They're both struggling every minute, but find space for kindness, and still see other people. I wanted to hug them and cheer them on, and couldn't stop reading to see what happened next.
(I appreciated that McKay included trans and Miꞌkmaw characters who are important to the story, and have a sense of having their own thing going on, rather than being props for the main plot. I feel like I shouldn't have to praise this, but enough books fail to clear that very low bar, and I think it's worth noting.)
I really wish this one had been on the Canada Reads shortlist.