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Lindsay Champion

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Someday, Somewhere (2018) 50 exemplar

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teen fiction--half-Latina girl with absent dad meets privileged white violin prodigy who is also struggling with undiagnosed mental illness; Dominique also has a incidentally (probably gay) black best friend.
It's hard to believe that, since Ben has already suffered an episode and a mandatory period of therapy before, that Ben's family/teachers don't suspect anything wrong with his manic behavior, but such are the difficulties with dealing with and recognizing mental illness--people don't want to talk about it or acknowledge the issues, and that is part of the problem.
Ben's manic episodes seemed really well done (I can't speak from experience, but they made me want to keep reading, like I was compelled to follow him) and the music bits were detailed and accurate without the reader needing to know too much also (in case that's not your background). The romance was pretty cute too.

parental notes: a little kissing only, no drinking or drugs or violence. Both characters are 17.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
reader1009 | 2 andra recensioner | Jul 3, 2021 |
A story of music and mental illness… this book portrays both themes well in my opinion and is quite captivating as you read the tale of Dominique and Ben. Dominique is in high school and is a dancer, or was, until about six months ago when she was no longer able to afford her lessons. Still though, she dreams of entering the dance program at NYU someday. Ben is a musician, top of his class even, and he will not let anything stand in his way of being the best. When these two meet, it’s like something clicks and they enter in their own little world… at least for a while.

First going into this one I realized it would be one of those insta-love stories and I’m just going to tell you all right now, I’m not a fan of that element. Though many books I read are in fact insta-love, I just personally don’t feel that it’s very realistic. Especially stories that where they fall in love in one day, or less than. But maybe that’s the cynic in me. I don’t know. Either way, I usually try to place that aside as I’m reading because if the story is good, I can forgive that insta-love part. And Someday, Somewhere is one of those ones I can forgive.

Not like many books I read, the story really only focused on these two characters – the side characters did not play a big part at all. You get glimpses of both Ben and Dominique’s families, but not much more than that. However, we do learn more about Dominique’s family than Ben’s.

The book deals with more than just music though. Anther big theme of the story is mental illness, which you can see in Ben as it moves along. I won’t say what it is, but to those who have some experience with it or know about it, you’ll figure it out as the story goes on. I personally feel like all elements of this book are done well, and even though Ben’s part of the story doesn’t have a full-on close, I was still surprised with how much I enjoyed this book at the end of it.

Overall, I did enjoy this book because it shows how you’ll meet people who change our lives, even if they’re only a part of them for a short time. We don’t always remain in contact with those who have had the most influence on us, but their mark is always there.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
genieinanovel | 2 andra recensioner | Sep 15, 2020 |
Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Fair
Recommended: Maybe
Level: High School

I said "maybe" to recommending this book, but I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it, and am still processing my feelings. While it's a cute little romance with fun side characters and great writing, it also has a lot of flaws that are hard to ignore. Honestly, the hardest part of this book to swallow is Dominique, who is actively a terrible person for most of this book. On top of this, I felt like the author was trying to tackle too many serious issues at once, giving each only a minimal amount of attention. While I enjoyed the premise and the fact that both characters were artistic, I was left feeling a little icky after reading this book. I will explain why later on in the review, but for now, I'll start with the plot.

Someday, Somewhere tells the story of both Dominique Hall and Ben Tristan. Dominique is a poor girl helping her mom at the laundromat, but has dreams of attending NYU as a professional dancer. Ben, on the other hand, is a violin prodigy with promising talent. At 17, he has already graduated high school, and is attending the prestigious Brighton college, where he has quickly become the talk of the school. Though these two lead extremely different lives, they meet by chance one night at Carnegie Hall, where Ben is playing and Dominique is attending on a class field trip. In each other they find not only instant attraction, but a calmness and understanding that leads them both on a near-obsessive quest to find one another again. The only problem? Dominique is lying through her teeth about who she is, and Ben is hiding his own dark secrets that even he hasn't quite discovered yet. This is a story about friendship, family, hope, and first love, taking place in the magical city of New York.

The real problem I had with this book is Dominique as a whole. While Ben certainly has his share of creepy behaviors (harassing his friend Claire, stalking his teacher, and posting fliers up around the city to find "A Train"), Dominique is both creepy and a pathological liar. She is an absolutely horrible role model, and while YA characters don't necessarily have to be good role models, Dominique is certainly not sending a good message. First, she hangs around Ben's campus hoping to find him. I the roles were reversed, this would be EXTRAORDINARILY creepy to most people, but women usually get a pass for the same behavior. Second, she lies to Ben from the very beginning about who she is and where she's from. While I understand being ashamed of your social status (especially in comparison to your apparently rich boyfriend), Dom's lying (coupled with Ben's mental issues) immediately makes this a very toxic and unhealthy relationship.

Third, and worst of all, Dominique steals money and clothing from her mom and her mom's business to meet and impress Ben, which had me so mad I was seeing red. She complains the ENTIRE book about how poor they are, and how much her mother has to struggle to make ends meet, but has no qualms about putting their only source of income in jeopardy. I kept thinking she was going to get caught eventually, and that one of the customers would raise hell. Instead, Dom claims to feel guilty about what she's doing,and then does it again a chapter later anyways. I'm not sure if the writer knows this, but feeling bad and then repeating your actions is not remorse. At all. And saying "OMG I'm a terrible person!" repeatedly does not, in fact, negate the fact that you're actually a terrible person. Dominique's worst crime, stealing $280 from a client's pocket, is quickly erased at the end anyways with the throw-away line "I've almost raised enough to pay it back!" Considering she's not allowed to have a job, I'm not sure how Dom accomplished this, but it seems like a cheap way to absolve her of some pretty terrible actions throughout the book.

Though Ben certainly has his own issues, I give him more of a pass because he's dealing with a mental illness he isn't even aware of for the entire book. I honestly found myself feeling sorry for him, relating to him despite knowing next to nothing about musical instruments. I, too, have felt inadequate, always wanting to top my personal best. I have also felt worthless at my lowest points, thinking I would be nothing without good grades. In this sense, Ben is very relatable. Also relatable is his struggle with mental illness, which I could personally relate to. Though I suffer from anxiety (not bipolar disorder as Ben does in the book), that panicky feeling that something is seriously wrong with you has also hit me many times in the past. Where Dominique tended to anger and annoy me, I was as worried for Ben as his friends and family in the story, hoping he would get the right help to succeed in his passions. While I can't attest to the accuracy of the author's portrayal of bipolar disorder here, I applaud her for trying to tackle a less common mental illness in YA.

I also really loved the character of Cass, though he seemed to get pushed to the side in favor of the very unhealthy relationship being portrayed by the main characters. While he seemed stereotypically gay at some points (being Dom's wingman, helping her with fashion, obsessing over musical theater, and wearing an earring in one ear), I appreciated the inclusion of a strong biracial friendship in the story. I also like that Cass just happens to be black; attention isn't drawn to it, it isn't used to make a statement, and nobody really makes a big deal out of it. While narratives about racism are extremely important, this story was bogged down enough with social issues that adding another would've been way too much. That being said, I would gladly read a spin-off all about Cass finding love in New York City, as he is precious and deserves every happiness.

As I mentioned above, this book also tries to tackle way too many issues at once. In just under 300 pages, Champion brings up homosexuality, biracial ancestry, absentee parents, poverty, classism, theft, mental illness, lying, and bullying. Little throw-away lines like "I'm pretty sure Cass is gay, but I'll wait to let him tell me when he's ready" and "I wonder if this man would treat me differently if I wasn't with my white boyfriend" hint at how the author feels about these things, but the topics are never explored to their full potential.

If this had just been a love story about a poor girl and a boy with bipolar disorder (without all the extra fluff and social commentary), it would've been far more simple and relatable. Instead, it meanders a bit, bringing up plot issues that are never really resolved. Does Cass ever come out? How does this affect him? Does Dom's mom ever find out she was lying? What are the consequences? Does Dom's biracial heritage ever affect her at school or work? Does she eventually learn more about her Ecuadoran ancestry? All of these questions go unanswered, and I feel the story would've been better if it hadn't made me ask them in the first place.

Despite my complaints, there were things about this book that I genuinely enjoyed. While it isn't very realistic for realistic fiction (this sort of pre-destined, star-crossed love story just doesn't happen in reality, sadly), the characters are quirky and fun, and I was genuinely rooting for Dom and Ben to connect. Little things like Dom and Cass's Celebrity Name Game and the division of the book into three movements were really clever, and I appreciated the writing. I might not like some of the characters and messages, but Champion is a really good writer, making the scenes come alive with her descriptive language. Again, while I know next to nothing about playing music, I could almost feel and hear the pieces Ben was playing throughout the novel, and felt like this would make an excellent audio-book if the musical pieces were added in. Some parts of the book might have highly "problematic" (though I hate using that word), but it's clear that Champion has studied literature and knows her stuff.

Though Ben and Dom both end up okay in the end, their relationship moves far too quickly, is generally toxic (they both do highly questionable things in order to see one another), and causes them both to forget that anything (or anyone) else exists. No matter how many times a YA book tries to make me think it's romantic for two characters to drop their dreams to be together, I'm never going to buy it. Dreams and ambitions are important, and the right person will work with you to achieve your goals, not pull you further from them. I really wish YA novels would stop sending the message that you can't have personal goals AND a relationship, as kids are going to start taking it to heart if they keep hearing it. Real love means compromise, which can sometimes be extremely difficult, but it's also extremely important for a realistic relationship to work. I already have a depressingly short list of healthy couples in YA, and this book certainly did not add to that list.

And now we're back to the recommendations. I would recommend this book to any teen who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, as that teen is likely to relate heavily to Ben. I might also recommend it to fans of romance who are itching to read something new, though there are many other YA romances out there that do the same thing much better. Still, for the teen who has read everything and needs something new, this could be a good choice. Part of me would want to explain to any teen reading this book, however, that the relationship portrayed within it is far from healthy or advisable. For the most part, however, it's harmless; just another quirky realistic romance set in New York City. I could see many teens enjoying this title, so it would be a beneficial addition to a library's YA collection, but it's certainly not the best YA romance I've ever read. I would, however, like to keep up with this author, as I think she has the potential to write something really great in the future.
… (mer)
 
Flaggad
SWONroyal | 2 andra recensioner | May 27, 2018 |

Statistik

Verk
1
Medlemmar
50
Popularitet
#316,248
Betyg
3.8
Recensioner
3
ISBN
6

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