The Music of What Happens

Beautiful chefs kiss pun intended! I love the relationships! I also love how it’s wrote almost like thoughts in the characters head! All and all amazing!

Audible ReviewOverall 4 out of 5 starsPerformance 5 out of 5 starsStory 4 out of 5 starsI need a peek into the future!What an emotional story! I wasn't quite expecting to be tearing up on my drive to work, but found myself doing so a few times-Jordan and Max both had me going.This wasn't just a story about a sweet summer fling, it had a lot of depth and dealt with some difficult topics that surprised me. Mr. Konigsberg handled both Jordan and Max's situations in a careful and considerate way and I appreciated that. My heart broke for both boys.I understand Jordan's mother has some underlying issues, but I'm just going to put it out there- she's the kind of parent I hate to read about. Lady, you're his mother, the PARENT! Your 17yo son shouldn't be the one out there trying to save your house. Or at the very least, not the only one. Ugh. Poor Jordan.Thank goodness for Max's mom. She's everything those boys needed. I love the relationship Max had with her, they were close but she was still his parent- not his friend, not his buddy, his mom.I really enjoyed this story, even though it wasn't exactly what I was expecting- which was something a little more light-hearted and fun. It was both of those things, at times, don't get me wrong! It was just heavier overall than I had it in my head it was going to be, I liked both Jordan and Max, they were both very charming and compelling characters and I thought they were the perfect complement to the other.I would have loved a little peek into the future. I know this is YA and you can't expect things to last, but I guess I hoped it would for these 2!I loved the narration! Joel is always a winner in my book. This was my first Anthony Ray Perez book and I thought he was wonderful as Max. The only problem I had was the sound quality- about halfway through or so I would have to keep adjusting the volume between chapters. The ones in Jordan's pov, voiced by Joel, were much louder than Max's. It wasn't a big deal, just sightly frustrating.

“The Music of What Happens” is a tiny epic, exquisitely crafted, covering only a month in the life of Max Morrison and Jordan Edwards, two very different LGBT boys, one hot Arizona summer.The classic YA trope is that Max is a jock, big and muscular, while Jordan is slender and graceful. The reversal of this trope is that both boys are out to their best friends – two other baseball players for Max, two snarky girls for Jordan. Coming out is not the issue here; coping with life is. These boys and their friends are a racially diverse crew, which allows the author to explore those realities in clever and meaningful ways through the kids’ often hilarious banter. These two triads of teenagers are miniature Greek choruses, giving Jordan and Max both sounding boards and sources for their personal pain.The central plot arc is a grimy food truck that Jordan’s widowed mother Lydia is trying to resurrect in order to stave off losing their house. Max decides to sign on as a helper when he happens across the food truck while avoiding his mother, Rosa, who is on the warpath because of his staying out overnight the night before. Max sees working on a food truck as an escape from the tedious clerical job his mother has assigned him as punishment for his behavior; but he also is fascinated by Jordan, and hopes to get to know this creative, quiet kid better.Parents are critical in this story, something I especially appreciate in YA fiction. That doesn’t mean that the parents are saintly or wise. Parental failure is key here, as well as parental love. Love is not a solution in this world. It is necessary, for sure, but it guarantees nothing.Very early in the book Max narrates: “I came away realizing I had powers I didn’t know I had: I was a freakin’ warrior.” For all that this seems like an affirmation, the author and the narrative gradually bring us to the realization that this is a fallacy, a smokescreen designed to deny feelings that themselves would reveal something profoundly damaging. Both Max and Jordan are in denial, and neither one of them understands it. Being strong is what boys – even LGBT boys – are taught, and that gets in the way of self-understanding.Jordan and Max are attracted to each other, but also see each other as alien creatures that they don’t understand and don’t know how to deal with. For much of the story, the boys circle each other, trying to figure out what they’re dealing with. This is handled charmingly and with great humor, as each boy brings his puzzlement back to his best friends for discussion and judgment. By the time any sort of overt physical interaction happens, they’ve already gone past their basic attraction to each other. I don’t mean it’s over, but that their friendship has evolved to the point where they are able to truly see each other. This, in the end, makes all the difference, and transforms Konigsberg’s book from a teen romance to a coming of age story that seems quietly Wagnerian in its emotional power.No spoilers, but the first 80 percent of the book is the build up to a crescendo that brings both Jordan and Max’s back stories to a head. This is where the book’s title comes into play, weaving a line from a poem into a complex and poignant finale.

First I want to start off… the best part of this book was how it was a gay book without the usual tropes/conflict you see.It’s nice to see a book where characters feel real and conflict doesn’t feel forced for stories sake.Spoilers ahead!!!The fact that they touch on the topics they do and how they handle them was wonderful. It didn’t feel like an after school special nor was it just glossed over.Another thing I liked was how Max mentioned his Amigos will say stuff and crack jokes that bother him but he shrugs them off. I can really relate, my straight friends and coworkers always crack jokes about how me and my BF must always be getting it on, as if us being gay makes us sex fiends. Then there is the Gaybff stereotype being addressed…It’s nice to see these topics presented and shown as well as the author did. Sure they are small and seem harmless but the author did a great job of portraying that they do hurt. Same with friendly razzing like with the scene where the other amigos open up we find out even joking about someone being dumb… even if they act like it doesn’t bother them… sometimes it gets to them.All in all this is a great read that covered some great topics. I would love for part 2 that shows what happens next but at the same time the story ended well and felt complete so I can be content if there is no more to be told.

I actually thought this book was going to be a love story and it is and it has many layers and it's more than about Max and Jordon and I was quite surprised. I really enjoyed this young adult novel,even though I'm fifty years old!!! Long after your done reading this you will continue to think about the characters, that's when you know it's a great book!!!

Edición en pasta dura, con sobre cubierta en idioma ingles ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Historia: tiene una premisa muy clicle, con personajes que repiten una y otra vez lo mismo, no se ve una avance en su desarrollo. La narrativa es ágil; sin embargo los capítulos son muy similares entre si, no aportan nada a la trama y van de "problemas" que no transcienden en nada. ⭐⭐Entretenido, pero hay mucho mejores.

É uma história muito bonita e bem escrita, é visível todo cuidado do autor ao abordar os temas e os arcos da história, para elementos que facilmente poderiam cair nos clichês ele dá uma graça e singularidade muito especial. Todo desenvolvimento traz uma esperança muito boa e uma grande sensação de amadurecimento dos personagens, os protagonistas são cativantes e muito honestos.Tem algumas partes do livro onde o autor relata violência sexual, pode gerar alguns gatilhos, não é nada muito vívido ou explícito, mas ainda assim acho importante deixar esse aviso.Recomendo muito esse livro, um romance tranquilo e muito necessário.

Absolutely loved this book. The characters, the story! Just loved it all the way frew!

Gott bewahre uns vor den zahllosen Young Adult Gay Novels, die die immer gleichen Klischees wiederkäuen. Zum wer-weiß-wievielten Mal verliebt sich hier der Jock/coole Sportlertyp (Max) in den seltsamen Außenseiter (Jordan). Vermutlich soll das dem Leser helfen, sich mit Jordan zu identifizieren und von einem Max zu träumen. Solche Bücher werden schließlich als Realitätsflucht und zum Träumen geschrieben und gelesen. Nun denn. Die stereotypen Charakter beiseite hat mich vor allem die andere große Last der YA Gay Novels gestört: das progressive Rumgepredige. Kann junge schwule Literatur nicht auch mal ohne linke Moralpredigten auskommen (Zoo ist böse, weiße heterosexuelle Cismänner sind böse, white privilege, rape-culture, Rassismus usw.)? Die Dialoge waren aufgrund der Vorurteile des Autors teils recht anstrengend: Wenn Max mit seinen heterosexuellen Jungs rumhängt, wird ausschließlich gefurzt und "Deine Mutter"-Witze gerissen. Wirklich interessant ist vor diesem Konzept von "Maskulinität" wie sich der Autor sie vorstellt, dass die Lösung des Konflikts der Geschichte ist, dass Jordan dem "Antagonist" sehr männlich mit der Faust den Kiefer ausrenkt. Der verweichlichte Jordan darf zum Ende des Buches also seine Mannwerdung durchleben - Fitnessstudio inklusive. Überhaupt ist Jordan ein fürchterlicher Charakter, er versinkt ständig im Selbstmitleid, würde am liebsten alles Anstrengende sofort abbrechen und ist unfähig, ohne Max seine Probleme zu lösen. Dieser unausstehliche Charakter gepaart mit einem wenig schmeichelhaft beschriebenen Aussehen (Akne) lässt es umso unwahrscheinlicher wirken, dass ein attraktiver Sunnyboy wie Max sich in ihn verlieben könnte.Insgesamt also keine Leseempfehlung. Ich hoffe noch auf einen jungen schwulen Roman, der nicht den vollen Katalog woker Politik auf den Leser abladen will.

Pas si complexe, mais captivant, oui. De nombreux sujets sont abordés ici, aussi bien économiques, sentimentaux, raciaux, personnels, sexuels, impossible d'en dire plus sans en dévoiler trop ;-) Ce n'est pas fouillé et finement analysé, mais a le mérite d'être abordé.Les personnages sont attachants et l'histoire se lit vite et bien. Un bon moment de lecture.