Noteworthy

by Riley Redgate

It’s the start of Jordan Sun’s junior year at the Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts. Unfortunately, she’s an Alto 2, which—in the musical theatre world—is sort of like being a vulture in the wild: She has a spot in the ecosystem, but nobody’s falling over themselves to express their appreciation. So it’s no surprise when she gets shut out of the fall musical for the third year straight. But then the school gets a mass email: A spot has opened up in the Sharpshooters, Kensington’s elite a cappella octet. Worshiped . . . revered . . . all male. Desperate to prove herself, Jordan auditions in her most convincing drag, and it turns out that Jordan Sun, Tenor 1, is exactly what the Sharps are looking for.

• ISBN13: 9781419729720
• Publish Date: 10 April 2018 (first published 8 March 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Abrams
• Imprint: Amulet Books
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 416
• Language: English
• URL: https://abramsandchronicle.co.uk/book/9781419729720-noteworthy/

Reviews

[alindstadtcorbeax]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars !

This was excellent. Oh my freakin’ God!

ACTUAL BI REP GUYS!!! & an *own voices* DIVERSE hidden GEM of a YA contemporary novel about a Chinese American girl whose family is poor (it discusses class & privilege, as well as including disability representation) & moves from San Francisco to New York to go to a prep school on a scholarship in theatre. Because she is a tenor 1, she keeps failing to get parts that she auditions for, & becomes extremely distraught, defeated, & exasperated, until she finds out that the all male a cappella group, the Sharpshooters, has an available spot.

She takes a HUGE gamble & decides to audition, disguising herself by cutting off her hair (wearing a wig & lots of makeup to still appear as a girl during her classes) cross dressing as a guy to audition for the school’s exclusively male a cappella group. She nails her audition, & thus is initiated into the group. Let me make it clear that it is much discussed that that the MC is not meaning to pretend she is anything other than cis, and the author addresses the MCs actions with sensitivity, discussing the topic extensively.

This novel is very much about finding yourself & identity... as well as a place to belong. It is not too heavy on the a cappella so no worries about that... it is 90% or more about the characters; a very character driven novel.

She contemplates gender identity quite in detail early on & realizes she is for sure female, & that she is only cross dressing because she so badly wants to be in this group; she has never felt like she has had friends like these, a place to belong, a family- which when it is assumed that she is a gay boy(more on this in a moment), feels morally awful about it & faces consequences when a new friend confides in her with his secrets.

As I mentioned above, there is much discussion in the MCs inner dialogue about this, and the writing shows absolutely no insensitivity towards the subject, the always writing with complete honesty, and not claiming the MC is right in what she is letting the boys assume, it is quite the opposite, & makes it clear that the MC is cis & acting as something that she is not, and that it is not acceptable... but not in a harsh way, just right.

Sexual identity is a very big part of the novel, as the main character contemplates if she is Bisexual or not for quite a long time... and she realizes that she most definitely is (and guys there is such great, ACCURATE Questioning & Bi rep! I was so happy to actually see Bisexually being acknowledged & represented, because I feel that there is a very limited number of books that actually, realistically, accurately depict Bisexuality.

This novel was really such a great find, I recommend it 100%.

It is truly was a great find about finding a place you finally belong and about figuring out who you are, & your place in the world.

[Sam@WLABB]

I am going to start by saying - I am a Redgate fan, and I will definitely read her next book even though this one did not knock my socks off. Why? Because though I was not fully enamored by this story, there were elements I really liked.

I always love how much diversity Redgate packs into her books, and it never seems forced. Laila was a really complicated and interesting character. She loved writing and adored her writing class, but when her teacher was hospitalized, he was replaced by an award winning author, who was not a fan of Laila's work. She demanded a lot from her, and forced Laila out of her comfort zone in order for her to grow as a writer. During this exercise, Laila learns a lot about herself, with one of the biggest things being confronting her own sexuality. This was a part of the story I found very compelling, and Redgate did an incredible job exploring this with Laila.

I also was a fan of Laila's squad. They were an interesting group with a great dynamic. The dynamic gets a little complicated, but I kept hoping that their friendship was strong enough to weather the storm, because they really did share a special bond.

I don't think the pieces of Laila's writing accomplished what I think they should have. They sort of didn't work for me in the story, but that could totally be a case of "it's me, not you", because I have rarely enjoyed it in books I have read.

This was not a perfect read, but I did have some great take aways, and I felt a LOT of things. There were tears and smiles and frustration and joy too, and I always appreciate feeling the feels when I read.

[Heather]

Reading this book was so stressful for me.  I'm not a fan of books that depend on misunderstanding or lies as a plot device.  I'm always wondering when the other shoe is going to drop.  That isn't the fault of this book.  It is one of the few books that I felt did a good job with this type of story line.

There is a lot going on in this novel.  Jordan is a Chinese-American girl from a poor family in San Francisco.  Her father is disabled and her mother is having a hard time keeping a job while caring for him.  Jordan has a scholarship to this boarding school on the East coast but it doesn't cover all her expenses.  This is a hardship for her family.  It also sets her apart from the other students who tend to be wealthy.

This story takes place at a high school.  I had a hard time remembering that since it is a boarding school.  It seems more like a college story until they discuss not being able to drive.

Jordan starts to live a double life - a girl during the day and Julian, the newest male member of the Sharps at night.  This leads to a lot of thoughts on gender and sexuality. She gets a lot of advice on how to pass for male from websites for transgender people.  She is uncomfortable with this.  Is she using other people's real lives for her own selfish gain? Later, members of the Sharps decide that she must be a gay man.  She lets them think that instead of having them find out the truth.  Again she has to think about what it means to appropriating another group's identity.

I wasn't a fan of the romance aspect of this book.  It didn't feel like it needed to be there.  It seemed like since she had spent a lot of time with a group of guys than obviously she had to fall for one of them.  I would have liked this more if it hadn't happened.

 This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

Having loved Riley Redgate's incredible debut, Seven Ways We Lie, last year, I was so eager to read her second novel, Noteworthy. And it was so good!

The story revolves around the a cappella octet, the Sharpshooters, but this story is less about music and more about friendship and identity. For the past two years of school at Kensington-Blaine, Jordan has been wrapped up in her boyfriend, made him her whole world, and so now they've split up, she realises she doesn't actually have any friends at school. She feels like she's not good enough, musically, because she has never made it into the school musical because her voice, for a girl, is too deep. Desperate to do something, to prove to herself, the school, her parents - who don't really want her there, and what's the point of staying if the school never allows her into anything? - that she is worthy, she disguises herself as a boy, names herself Julian Wang, and auditions for the Sharpshooters. Once she gets in, she's able to show she does have talent, that she does have what it takes. But more than that, she finally feels like she fits somewhere. These boys that she thought of as arrogant and up themselves are actually pretty cool, and they become friends, and she suddenly starts to feel like she belongs.

It's the relationships she builds with the guys in Sharpshooters that are one of the main focuses of the story. Laid back and cool Isaac, president of the a cappella group and class clown. Sensible, intense, focused Trav, the musical director. Excitable and awkward Marcus. Erik, who thinks he's cool. Good looking, rich-kid Jon Cox and warm but teasing Mama, best friends, but chalk and cheese, who's playful musical arguments provide some of the humour. And quiet, calm, steady Nihal. Jordan tries hard to keep her distance, make it just about the music, about aiming for winning the a cappella competition, which will mean going on tour with superstar a cappella group Aural Fixation, but the guys draw her in. She thought these guys thought they were above everyone else, but they don't. They're just normal guys, with their own stories and their own problems, and as she gets to know them, Jordan can't help but warm to them all, to care. It makes lying about who she is really difficult.

Which brings us to the second focus of the story; identity. Noteworthy really looks at gender roles and norms. Jordan isn't trans, but as Julian, she's discovering ways of being that felt closed off to her as Jordan; a confidence and self-assured-ness that isn't quite within reach as Jordan, the right to take up space ad not try and make herself smaller, both literally and personally. As Julian, she feels more like her true self than who she is when she's Jordan, like she's been putting on an act her whole life, but as Julian she finally gets to just be. But she also discovers the limits that masculinity puts on guys; how they're supposed to just take things and "man up", an almost aggressive drive that some feel they should have, to do absolutely everything - anything - to make it. Because how are they men if they don't? It's so interesting!

What I also loved about this book is how aware Jordan is of claiming space that isn't hers, using something to her advantage, when for others, this is their every day lives. There's a moment when Jordan is looking up online how to better hide her small bust, and comes across a website with tips and advice for trans men, and she's filled with guilt. She's not trans, she's cross-dressing, she's acting (almost, considering she feels like like herself as Julian), and there's a part of her that feels that what she is doing is wrong, in regards to trans people and what their everyday life. There's another moment where the group thinks she - Julian - is gay, because of something she says when drunk. And she allows them to think so, as it helps with her disguise, and it's easier than explaining, but again, she knows she's not gay, and by lying by omission, she knows what she's doing isn't right. Even though she's just discovering she's bisexual, and could tell the truth about that and not have it ruin her disguise, she allows them to believe she is a gay man, and again, it's space that's not hers. It gets so much harder for her as time goes on, because she likes these guys, they trust her with their secrets, and she's lying to them.

This book is so diverse! Really, I love how diverse it is. Jordan is Chinese-American, and she's just discovering she's bisexual. Nihal is Sikh, Isaac is Japanese-American, one of the secondary characters is gay, and Jordan's dad is disabled. Class is a huge aspect of this story, too; Jordan is at Kensington-Blaine on a scholarship, and there's absolutely no-way she would be able to attend without it. As it is things are seriously tight, due to the expense of flights to and from the school and paying for textbooks, and so on. Jordan's family have always been poor, with her parents working such awkward hours that she barely saw them before she went to Kensington-Blaine, her father working nights, her mother working long hours - longer as Jordan got older. Her parents have skipped meals in the past, to make sure she got to eat. And not long ago, her father fell seriously ill, and his health insurance couldn't cover it, so they're trying to pay that off, as well as just trying to get by. When her mum loses her job, the family has to go on benefits. They are really, really struggling. So it's understandable that her parents are worried about her never getting any parts - what are they paying the money for the flights and textbooks for if Jordan never gets anything from the school?

Even though her family is poor and it's a huge worry, this is Jordan's normal. She doesn't know any different. And it's contrasted so well, when, during Thanksgiving break, the Sharpshooters go to Jon Cox's house. Jon Cox's family are extremely wealthy, and his house is pretty much a mansion. It's so unlike anything Jordan is accustomed to, the wealth that the house so obviously shows the Cox family has is shocking to her. Jon Cox is embarrassed by Jordan's jaw-dropping shock, but she thinks about how this - the big mansion, the shiny sports car, the designer clothes, the money coming out of his ears - is his normal. Jon Cox is aware that others don't have as much as him, though, and he's always offering to pay for things, like meals; he's generous with his wealth, though not in a charity way. And he's a nice guy, you know? The money doesn't make him feel he's above anyone else, it's just something he has. It's just a startling contrast to Jordan, seeing how different their lives are.

Noteworthy is just incredible. It has so much to say on so many different things, while still telling a story that feels true and important. It's such a gorgeous, gorgeous novel! With Noteworthy, Redgate has further secured her place as one of my favourite authors, and she has most definitely become an auto-buy author. Such a wonderful story!

Thank you to Amulet Books via NetGalley for the eProof.

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I was expecting more from Noteworthy given the premise and the adorable cover, but it was still a really cute and enjoyable read. Jordan is in her Junior year at Kensington and just lost out on another role in a school musical due to her low voice and her less than feminine appearance. Jordan is discouraged, but she's not giving up, especially when she sees that the campus all-male a capella group needs a new member with her voice range. Cue the crossdressing!

Noteworthy is pretty slow paced, since it takes us through an entire school semester. Jordan goes from a nobody who can't get a role, to someone with friends and a sense of purpose. I loved that the author addressed that Jordan disguising herself for three months isn't going to be easy. She has to flatten her chest, purchase boy clothes on her tight budget, and cut her hair since a wig can shift or fall off to become Julian. Jordan doesn't just throw on a t-shirt and try to sound like a dude. She puts some effort into her disguise and does research.

Although, I found her extra efforts to be feminine while she was Jordan strange. She puts on extra makeup, gets a long wig, and starts wearing dresses and heels. If she didn't look this way before, wouldn't it draw more attention to her to do it now? I get that she wants to look even less like Julian, but her reasoning didn't make sense. And she interacts with exactly zero characters as Jordan, so it wasn't like there was anyone to notice the changes. It isn't explained until the very end why she's been alone for two years, so it bugged me for much of the book. I did like the reason though, since it's nothing that I've read before.

Noteworthy also talks about sexuality and gender identity a lot. Of course, while dressed as Julian, Jordan gets treated differently than she does as Jordan. She's much more aware of the way she moves in order to blend in. I found it interesting how she says she feels more free and more like herself when she's Julian, but not that she believes she's a boy or even any gender that isn't female. There is a brief discussion of how what Jordan is doing and feeling is different than being transgender, but nothing substantial. Jordan also discovers that she's bisexual, but since this isn't a romance, it isn't focused on too much although there is kissing.

I enjoyed Noteworthy, but it was a lot more serious than I thought it was going to be. Not that that's a bad thing. It just seemed like it was going to be this fast, fun, and funny story about a girl infiltrating a male dominated world and blowing them away. It kind of does that, but it's more about Jordan figuring herself out.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Joséphine]

March 30, 2016

Full review is up on Word Revel.

_____________________________

March 13, 2016

Note: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Initial thoughts: There were a lot of main characters to track — seven altogether. And you know what? It worked. I've always subscribed to the notion that two people can go through the exact same thing and they will still perceive it very differently. That's why I like multiple POVs. They remind us that nobody is wrong (or right) necessarily. We are limited by what we see and it's always a lot less than what we think we know. Seven Ways We Lie portrayed that idea extremely well.

Plot-wise, I didn't think that it went above and beyond most YA contemporary books today. I wasn't surprised by anything. Called practically all of the potential twists. Nonetheless, some parts tugged at my heartstrings because the writing was tight. I definitely look forward to reading future books by Riley because what I didn't expect was to learn that she's still in college, about to graduate this year.

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

3.5*
Seven Ways We Lie, as you may have guessed, has seven POVs. They represent the seven deadly sins, but really, they’re typical kids with your basic issues- granted, some of them a little more… consequential than others. I won’t tell you about each POV, because that would take forever. But some of the kids are dealing with some pretty heavy issues like sexuality, and a big old school scandal, and family/home issues, and bullying, and all kinds of stuff that people (young and not so young) deal with every day.

Some of the characters stood out more than others, and some I liked more than others, which is to be expected. Lucas was my favorite, he just seemed so… relatable, real, funny. And he talks about how diversity is so underrepresented in their high school- and even the diverse people who do exist try to hide it away. He calls the guys at school “aggressively heterosexual”, which is pretty accurate considering how they act. It’s unfortunate, and probably all too familiar for kids in some schools.

Claire is one of the POVs I liked the least. She slut shames Olivia at every turn, both internally and externally, even though they’re supposed to be great friends. While Olivia tries to explain how shitty it is when a guy is super aggressively hitting on her, Claire is completely unsupportive.

“‘Okay,’ I say, still not getting it. If she stopped sleeping around, guys wouldn’t expect anything from her anymore, right? Isn’t that the obvious fix?”

With friends like that… anyway. So there’s the school scandal, and I feel like I may be ummm wrong to not think it’s that big of a deal at all? I mean, I can see how it could be mildly troubling, but really… no. Maybe that’s just me? Anyway, there’s a few potential romances, and they’re all cute enough, if not completely ship-worthy.

Bottom Line: I liked it. I enjoyed the stories of the characters, for the most part. I liked how they developed over the course of the book. Some of them fell a bit flat, but with seven points of view, I think that’s bound to happen.

*Copy provided by publisher for review
**Quotes taken from uncorrected proof, subject to change.