A review by aimhkaitlin
The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The author heavily relied on the third act save that fixed a lot of the plot issues and problematic behaviors and thought patterns that bothered me consistently throughout the book. I think the first-person narrative allowed for a lot of the problematic elements to go unquestioned for far too long and lacked a level of condemnation that I believe should be the responsibility of an accountable YA writer. (Negative thoughts patterns not being questioned, gaslighting, etc.) Covers a lot of heavy and sensitive topics, that I could see being impactful to the right reader but to be effective this book needs to be finished in its entirety before the benefits can be reaped. This worries me for any vulnerable reader who does not finish it and instead is left with the lack of resolution that occurs in the final chapters and the critical accountability for multiple characters and actions. An okay read but left me with concerns. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings