"The Music of What Happens" by Bill Konigsberg deals with serious issues wrapped up in a sweet love story.
Max is your typical 17-year-old dudebro. He is athletic, confident and friendly, and he just happens to be gay. His family and friends accept who he is, and he seems completely comfortable in his skin. However, Max has a secret; one he doesn't let himself think about or process.
Jordan is dramatic, effeminate and insecure. He doesn't believe anyone would ever want to get to know him, much less be with him. Jordan's mom has been a mess since Jordan's dad died, making Jordan the de facto adult of the house.
Jordan's mom decides to start up his dad's old food truck to help with their financial situation. But on the first day out, she has a meltdown, overwhelmed by everything around her. Luckily, Max is there and offers to help Jordan out with the food truck. They know nothing of the finer details of running a food truck, like food safety or licensing, but Max likes to cook and Jordan just wants to earn enough money to not lose their house.
The two guys do not start out as friends, but as friendship blooms, so does a spark of something else.
What may seem like a simple, sweet teenage romance actually delves into some very serious issues like sexual assault, PTSD, addiction and homelessness. Konigsberg treats each of these issues with the respect and attention they deserve. He shows even a strong guy like Max can be put in a situation where he doesn't have control over what happens, and that masculinity and weakness are not mutually exclusive. It shows sexual assault doesn't just happen to women. Anyone can be a victim, and each situation is unique.
Konigsberg's treatment of Jordan shows the consequences of his mom's gambling addiction and mental illness. While Jordan and Max are working hard to earn enough money to pay the mortgage, Jordan's mom is taking out loans and gambling away everything, leaving Jordan with nothing and nowhere to go.
This book tackles real life in a way that is funny, charming, romantic, sad and hopeful. "The Music of What Happens" is all about the life that goes on around us, the good and the bad, that make us who we are. We have to deal with the bad, but we don't have to let it define us or destroy us.
There is always hope and love if we just open ourselves up to it.
Angie Bayne is the children's services manager at Missouri River Regional Library.
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From the Stacks: A message of finding hope and love in 'The Music of What Happens' - Jefferson City News Tribune
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