noura_rizk's review
4.0
I'll start with the Author's note:
"Each individual has a unique personality and set of challenges, and this is an ongoing theme in Harmonic Feedback, both with Drea and the people in her life".
I was going to say the same. We all have our own differences, and we all are trying to fit in, some of us knew how and some didn't, we are trying so hard to be acceptable. We don't know that all it takes is to be ourselves and we shouldn't care about what others may say like "Drea" said "Love me or leave me" . that's it. :)
when I was reading this novel I had those mixed feelings, feeling sad, happy, worried and I was a little optimistic because I knew all this messed up kids will survive somehow.
"Each individual has a unique personality and set of challenges, and this is an ongoing theme in Harmonic Feedback, both with Drea and the people in her life".
I was going to say the same. We all have our own differences, and we all are trying to fit in, some of us knew how and some didn't, we are trying so hard to be acceptable. We don't know that all it takes is to be ourselves and we shouldn't care about what others may say like "Drea" said "Love me or leave me" . that's it. :)
when I was reading this novel I had those mixed feelings, feeling sad, happy, worried and I was a little optimistic because I knew all this messed up kids will survive somehow.
greatbutuseless's review
4.0
For me it was more like a 4.5. I could see how someone wouldn't like this book, but it was exactly what I needed.
belles_bookshelves's review
3.0
With only 3 stars it may seem like I didn't like it very much, but that's not really the case. There were things that I just really didn't like. Or maybe the better word is that I didn't get.
Quick Overview: Drea and her mom have just moved from San Francisco to Bellingham, Washington to move in with her hard to please grandmother. Their first day there, a purple haired girl named Naomi from across the street talks to Drea and surprisingly seems to like her, despite the way she acts and her obsession with music and sound design. Drea has mild Apserger's and ADHD and because of that she doesn't have any friends. This is uncharted territory, as is the new guy Justin who thinks she's "interesting", and whom she does not understand. Drea is surprised to find that she not only has a friend, but two. But both Justin and Naomi aren't all that they seem.
Like I said there were certain aspects of the books that I liked. Like the music, but I guess I was expecting something different from this. The band doesn't play as big a role as I'd thought and neither does the Asperger's. Sometimes I didn't even remember that Drea had anything because she acts and thinks so normal. Just blunt and rude, and really who hasn't met someone like that? Justin is really sweet, although maybe a bit too good to be true, even with the "secret". Hopefully this isn't spoiling anything, but the relationship was a bit weird. It doesn't make sense that Drea has never even been kissed then all of a sudden she is in a serious relationship. Just too big of a jump. Plus, because of the way she acts sometimes I imagine her being younger, which makes it even stranger. Naomi was nice and funny (sometimes) but she still made me want to pound her head in. First off she's always doing things and saying pervy jokes to try and embarrass Drea. Maybe I'm being a prude but I got enough of the sex jokes riding the bus all through middle school AND high school. I've paid my dues. It could also be the fact that Naomi reminded me of someone I used to know, and just like then I'm totally frustrated, angry, and confused by her decisions.
Despite all that though I thought the writing was done well. Drea's voice was authentic and easy to read. Even though she has Asperger's you can really relate to a lot of the things that confuse her about how people act. I also thought it was pretty cool that I actually knew what a didgeridoo was and that I knew some of the bands she mentioned. Although I'm not sure how much credit I should give myself since I'm pretty sure everyone and their dog knows Snow Patrol and Bjork, but moving on. Although the characters are admittedly a bit stereotyped, they are given good dimension throughout most of the book. The grandmother although having a huge stick up her butt, was also funny and strangely lovable.
So like I said, I thought the writing was done well although I think the description of the book is a bit misleading since the band isn't given much attention and the Asperger's sometimes gets lost in the story. It seems more a story about friendship and acceptance than anything else. Okay, I'm going to be motherly for just a second here, but I should warn unsuspecting readers that there is sexual content, drug use, and some cussing. If that doesn't bother you and it still sounds interesting than I think it's definitely worth giving a shot. This just isn’t what I typically read.
Quick Overview: Drea and her mom have just moved from San Francisco to Bellingham, Washington to move in with her hard to please grandmother. Their first day there, a purple haired girl named Naomi from across the street talks to Drea and surprisingly seems to like her, despite the way she acts and her obsession with music and sound design. Drea has mild Apserger's and ADHD and because of that she doesn't have any friends. This is uncharted territory, as is the new guy Justin who thinks she's "interesting", and whom she does not understand. Drea is surprised to find that she not only has a friend, but two. But both Justin and Naomi aren't all that they seem.
Like I said there were certain aspects of the books that I liked. Like the music, but I guess I was expecting something different from this. The band doesn't play as big a role as I'd thought and neither does the Asperger's. Sometimes I didn't even remember that Drea had anything because she acts and thinks so normal. Just blunt and rude, and really who hasn't met someone like that? Justin is really sweet, although maybe a bit too good to be true, even with the "secret". Hopefully this isn't spoiling anything, but the relationship was a bit weird. It doesn't make sense that Drea has never even been kissed then all of a sudden she is in a serious relationship. Just too big of a jump. Plus, because of the way she acts sometimes I imagine her being younger, which makes it even stranger. Naomi was nice and funny (sometimes) but she still made me want to pound her head in. First off she's always doing things and saying pervy jokes to try and embarrass Drea. Maybe I'm being a prude but I got enough of the sex jokes riding the bus all through middle school AND high school. I've paid my dues. It could also be the fact that Naomi reminded me of someone I used to know, and just like then I'm totally frustrated, angry, and confused by her decisions.
Despite all that though I thought the writing was done well. Drea's voice was authentic and easy to read. Even though she has Asperger's you can really relate to a lot of the things that confuse her about how people act. I also thought it was pretty cool that I actually knew what a didgeridoo was and that I knew some of the bands she mentioned. Although I'm not sure how much credit I should give myself since I'm pretty sure everyone and their dog knows Snow Patrol and Bjork, but moving on. Although the characters are admittedly a bit stereotyped, they are given good dimension throughout most of the book. The grandmother although having a huge stick up her butt, was also funny and strangely lovable.
So like I said, I thought the writing was done well although I think the description of the book is a bit misleading since the band isn't given much attention and the Asperger's sometimes gets lost in the story. It seems more a story about friendship and acceptance than anything else. Okay, I'm going to be motherly for just a second here, but I should warn unsuspecting readers that there is sexual content, drug use, and some cussing. If that doesn't bother you and it still sounds interesting than I think it's definitely worth giving a shot. This just isn’t what I typically read.
kblincoln's review
5.0
A love and friendship story from a slightly Autistic female character's POV, coupled with indie music sensibilities and high school politics, along with added rumination about how unique people fare in a world of conformists.
Awesome.
Drea is starting over (yet again) at a new high school. Only this time her ne'er do well and overprotective Mother is moving them into the basement of her no-nonsense, critical Grandmother with whom Drea does not get along.
Her music will become a bridge between Drea and two other students, Justin, who isn't as square as he first seems, and Naomi, a wild, purple-haired neighbor who isn't turned off by Drea's bluntness.
These are three souls who feel very, very alone, all for their own reasons. All three don't quite experience life the same way as many others at high school, and while together they can make beautiful music, one of them will end up not being saved by it.
Fascinating, convincing, inner details of the way Drea experiences NT's (nuerotypicals) as well as her struggle between "wanting to be normal" and feeling her way of experiencing the world isn't abnormal or wrong.
Pathos and drama galore in the tentative ways Justin and Drea get together, the way they interact with self-destructive Naomi, the way Drea's Mother has to deal both with letting go of her overprotective ways of trying to take care of Drea and never providing a stable environment.
Some things I liked especially about this book was the edge of danger, Drea's frustration with reading people and situations does lead her into situations where you aren't quite sure if she'll emerge unscathed. Also, the character of her Grandma rocked. Grandma is blunt in a way that probably shows she had some level of Asperger's herself, but blends in more with society, making one question along with Drea whether her own characteristics should be damped down. And of course, the music talk. Not only indie music references, but the gorgeous writing of Drea's synesthestic experience of music and color.
Love, love, love this book.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: a chocolate cupcake with pudding filling for smooth prose, addictive characters, and details about Autism spectrum, with the bitter-chocolate buttercream frosting of the dark aspects of addiction and high school depression, with a chocolate covered espresso bean on top for crowning the whole book with a satisfying romance.
Awesome.
Drea is starting over (yet again) at a new high school. Only this time her ne'er do well and overprotective Mother is moving them into the basement of her no-nonsense, critical Grandmother with whom Drea does not get along.
Her music will become a bridge between Drea and two other students, Justin, who isn't as square as he first seems, and Naomi, a wild, purple-haired neighbor who isn't turned off by Drea's bluntness.
These are three souls who feel very, very alone, all for their own reasons. All three don't quite experience life the same way as many others at high school, and while together they can make beautiful music, one of them will end up not being saved by it.
Fascinating, convincing, inner details of the way Drea experiences NT's (nuerotypicals) as well as her struggle between "wanting to be normal" and feeling her way of experiencing the world isn't abnormal or wrong.
Pathos and drama galore in the tentative ways Justin and Drea get together, the way they interact with self-destructive Naomi, the way Drea's Mother has to deal both with letting go of her overprotective ways of trying to take care of Drea and never providing a stable environment.
Some things I liked especially about this book was the edge of danger, Drea's frustration with reading people and situations does lead her into situations where you aren't quite sure if she'll emerge unscathed. Also, the character of her Grandma rocked. Grandma is blunt in a way that probably shows she had some level of Asperger's herself, but blends in more with society, making one question along with Drea whether her own characteristics should be damped down. And of course, the music talk. Not only indie music references, but the gorgeous writing of Drea's synesthestic experience of music and color.
Love, love, love this book.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: a chocolate cupcake with pudding filling for smooth prose, addictive characters, and details about Autism spectrum, with the bitter-chocolate buttercream frosting of the dark aspects of addiction and high school depression, with a chocolate covered espresso bean on top for crowning the whole book with a satisfying romance.
reesiereads's review
5.0
Okay, this might be more of a 4 star read but this book touched me on a personal level, so I am perhaps a bit biased with my 5 stars.
I've never read a book from the PoV of a teenager (in this case, a girl) on the autism spectrum. As the parent of a teen boy with autism this really cut close to home. I couldn't help wondering if my son ever feels like Drea felt when it comes to social cues, socializing in general, feeling like a freak for being a little different and for not knowing how to express herself without feeling like people would think she's a freak, and so on. I am always trying to explain to him how to make other people feel comforted or how people like it when you express an interest in them, it makes them feel good and liked. It is hard for him to grasp that sometimes, but I know at the same time he feels the same way. He just wants to be liked. I wonder what my constant reminders and feeling-seeking do to him, does he get annoyed that I just want him to make friends and feel good around people? I hope not. It's hard enough to be a parent, but to parent a child with special needs can be a heart-breaking challenge.
Small talk and hidden meanings have no place in an autistic person's life. Why can't people just say what they mean?, Drea would like to know. You know what? I wonder the same thing sometimes and as far as I know, I'm not on the spectrum. I just find small talk to be a complete waste of time. I hate putting on a fake smile or apologizing for things I don't feel sorry for. Why should these kids with autism apologize for making someone else feel uncomfortable when they're just being themselves? Why do kids with autism have to explain their behavior away, as if to say, "Oh, I don't mean to be rude, it's just that my brain processes these things differently from yours. I'm sorry for not being what society expects me to be", and so on.
Anyway, I found Drea to be a sweet girl who is trying to figure out her way in the world, when it's hard enough to be a teenager but to deal with autism (and in her case, ADHD) on top of that. I choked up reading this book so many times, feeling for Drea and her awkwardness, or when she felt foolish because she thought people were thinking about what a freak she must be. I could not stop putting my son in her place and hoping that when he goes to high school, he won't have a lot of trouble making friends or that he won't feel ashamed of being himself.
I would love it if this book is required reading in high school, as a way to educate teenagers on something they may not really understand. It could help them empathize more with their fellow classmates who have ADHD or autism, etc.
There is a scene in this book where Drea's grandmother complains that Drea is a brat who doesn't want to vacuum because she is spoiled and lazy. The author did a great job of allowing us to know what was going on in Drea's head, how it made her entire body feel when she heard the loud noises coming from the vacuum. I wish more people would learn about autism and realize that kids who have sensory issues aren't spoiled brats, their brains are just wired different! A vacuum might not bother you but it bothers kids like Drea and my son. They don't complain about the vacuum to get out of doing housework, they get over-stimulated and are unable to process the way the noise makes them feel.
In the author's notes, Tara Kelly writes of herself having ADHD and her brother having autism. She wrote that at the time, her brother was in college dealing with what your typical college student deals with -- finding a job! I often wonder what my son will be like as an adult. Will he become independent, like Tara Kelly's brother? Will he go to college? Sometimes it feels like he will rely on his father and myself for constant reminders on how to do this or how to remember that. It's a very scary thought, the idea of sending him out into the world when he becomes an adult.
I've never read a book from the PoV of a teenager (in this case, a girl) on the autism spectrum. As the parent of a teen boy with autism this really cut close to home. I couldn't help wondering if my son ever feels like Drea felt when it comes to social cues, socializing in general, feeling like a freak for being a little different and for not knowing how to express herself without feeling like people would think she's a freak, and so on. I am always trying to explain to him how to make other people feel comforted or how people like it when you express an interest in them, it makes them feel good and liked. It is hard for him to grasp that sometimes, but I know at the same time he feels the same way. He just wants to be liked. I wonder what my constant reminders and feeling-seeking do to him, does he get annoyed that I just want him to make friends and feel good around people? I hope not. It's hard enough to be a parent, but to parent a child with special needs can be a heart-breaking challenge.
Small talk and hidden meanings have no place in an autistic person's life. Why can't people just say what they mean?, Drea would like to know. You know what? I wonder the same thing sometimes and as far as I know, I'm not on the spectrum. I just find small talk to be a complete waste of time. I hate putting on a fake smile or apologizing for things I don't feel sorry for. Why should these kids with autism apologize for making someone else feel uncomfortable when they're just being themselves? Why do kids with autism have to explain their behavior away, as if to say, "Oh, I don't mean to be rude, it's just that my brain processes these things differently from yours. I'm sorry for not being what society expects me to be", and so on.
Anyway, I found Drea to be a sweet girl who is trying to figure out her way in the world, when it's hard enough to be a teenager but to deal with autism (and in her case, ADHD) on top of that. I choked up reading this book so many times, feeling for Drea and her awkwardness, or when she felt foolish because she thought people were thinking about what a freak she must be. I could not stop putting my son in her place and hoping that when he goes to high school, he won't have a lot of trouble making friends or that he won't feel ashamed of being himself.
I would love it if this book is required reading in high school, as a way to educate teenagers on something they may not really understand. It could help them empathize more with their fellow classmates who have ADHD or autism, etc.
There is a scene in this book where Drea's grandmother complains that Drea is a brat who doesn't want to vacuum because she is spoiled and lazy. The author did a great job of allowing us to know what was going on in Drea's head, how it made her entire body feel when she heard the loud noises coming from the vacuum. I wish more people would learn about autism and realize that kids who have sensory issues aren't spoiled brats, their brains are just wired different! A vacuum might not bother you but it bothers kids like Drea and my son. They don't complain about the vacuum to get out of doing housework, they get over-stimulated and are unable to process the way the noise makes them feel.
In the author's notes, Tara Kelly writes of herself having ADHD and her brother having autism. She wrote that at the time, her brother was in college dealing with what your typical college student deals with -- finding a job! I often wonder what my son will be like as an adult. Will he become independent, like Tara Kelly's brother? Will he go to college? Sometimes it feels like he will rely on his father and myself for constant reminders on how to do this or how to remember that. It's a very scary thought, the idea of sending him out into the world when he becomes an adult.
stephhreads's review
I loved Harmonic Feedback. Loved it.
I thought it was beautiful, heartwarming, heartbreaking... I say that about a lot of books, but I think it applies here. This is a novel that I think a lot of teenagers can relate to, and is something that I feel like a lot of teenagers should read. The main character Drea is diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome and who knows what else, but really, she's just like every other teenage girl, struggling to fit in and find her place and just learning how to be herself.
I feel like Harmonic Feedback shows us teenage girls that we don't have to be insincere or act a certain way just to find friends or fit in with a group. Just be yourself, and people will love you. It might not be who you expect, but in the end, you'll find your true friends.
And, well, I just loved this book. It made me cry, but it was beautiful, and just seeing all the relationships and the way everything played out was so satisfying.
I thought it was beautiful, heartwarming, heartbreaking... I say that about a lot of books, but I think it applies here. This is a novel that I think a lot of teenagers can relate to, and is something that I feel like a lot of teenagers should read. The main character Drea is diagnosed with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome and who knows what else, but really, she's just like every other teenage girl, struggling to fit in and find her place and just learning how to be herself.
I feel like Harmonic Feedback shows us teenage girls that we don't have to be insincere or act a certain way just to find friends or fit in with a group. Just be yourself, and people will love you. It might not be who you expect, but in the end, you'll find your true friends.
And, well, I just loved this book. It made me cry, but it was beautiful, and just seeing all the relationships and the way everything played out was so satisfying.