the music of what happens by bill konigsberg

He is on the baseball team, hangs out with his uber-masculine friends, and he is a “dude bro” (a loving nickname courtesy of Jordan and his friends). Max’s story is particularly interesting in the context of these themes. Konigsberg uses this book to address crucial themes that many young people need to understand: consent, toxic masculinity, and acknowledging trauma. Bill Konigsberg artfully depicts how in the face of trauma and adversity, the value of relationships, support, and unconditional love allow both Max and Jordan to reconcile their past traumas to build a future together, along with their family and friends. While working on a dilapidated food truck, they begin to get to know each other, bridging two dissonant worlds into a harmonious relationship. At first, they seem completely incompatible, with Max’s over-confident and charismatic attitude juxtaposed with Jordan’s socially-awkward and shy temperament. The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg details the burgeoning relationship between high schoolers Max and Jordan and how they overcome their inner demons. With great effect, readers stand witness to these characters’ comforting ability to cultivate the skills they need to persevere.Life is comprised of moments that seem asynchronous, but they result in a rich symphony.

In The Music of What Happens, Max and Jordan encounter some of the most difficult struggles a teenager can face, but readers know these characters will be okay. Their sexuality is one facet of many, including race and class, that impact their struggles and how they navigate them. From confusing Grindr hookups and makeovers with their friends, these characters demonstrate diverse experiences and struggles. Both of the young men are out, but they are still cautious. Jordan and Max offer a refreshingly honest representation of modern, queer adolescence. The book also illuminates the teen’s burgeoning understanding of the darkness in the world and their unironic ability to fall in love. His work is approachable and filled with the joys of being a teenager in summer. The author’s style is heartfelt and breezy, descriptors that may sound discontinuous with the book’s themes of toxic masculinity, sexual assault, family trauma, and addiction.

Max just needs a summer job.īill Konigsberg’s latest book The Music of What Happens continues the author’s practice of tackling difficult subjects with a light touch. The truck once belonged to Jordan’s late father his death and financial hardship have pushed Jordan to take the truck out in order to save up money to keep his family’s home. Thrown together by coincidence, Max and Jordan spend the summer together working in a food truck, sweating in the Arizona heat. ‘The Music of What Happens’ by Bill Konigsberg

The music of what happens by bill konigsberg