Title: Muted
Author: Tami Charles
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: February 2, 2021
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Summary
Music is Denver’s life. She spends her free time with her two best friends, Dali and Shak writing songs and playing music. So, when they get the opportunity to play in front of a huge R&B legend, Sean “Mercury” Ellis, they take the chance. For them, it’s their chance to make it big.
Merc makes them believe that they have what it takes to make it in the music industry. They just have to make some sacrifices along the way. Denver believes the sacrifices will be worth it in the end. Until a dark side of Merc starts to come out. And Denver struggles to stay afloat. She has to make a decision: stay the course with Merc and continue to sacrifice or lose her chance to make it big.
Review: Muted
Thanks to Scholastic for sending me an ARC of this to review! I will say, the premise reminded me a lot of Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson. But both authors take different approaches, making each of these stories their own. Muted is a novel in verse, and this is where this story excels. The format of the verse works well in portraying Denver’s story.
First of all, this book has a great, diverse cast, both in race and sexuality. There was nothing about the characters in this book being LGBTQ, but Denver is a lesbian, a little in love with her best friend Dali. The characters are probably one of the best aspects of this book. You can feel how badly Denver wants to make it, and what she’s willing to do to get there. Even if she starts putting herself in danger to do it. Merc is the kind of creepy scumbag we’ve seen in the music industry before. He’s so realistic that it hurts, honestly.
The pacing of this book is also spot on. As Denver gets further and further into Merc’s control, you just want to keep turning the pages. You want to do anything you can to save Denver from the path you know she’s going down, but you can’t. Formatting the novel in verse really helps with the pacing; it made me speed through this book.
Even though I knew where this plot was going, the end was a bit shocking. But it definitely has the effect Charles was going for. If you’re looking for a powerful, own voices thriller to read this February, definitely check this one out!
4/5 stars
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