I almost DNF’d this book. It felt quite pretentious at first with all the obscure 90s/2000s music references so much that I felt like I was skimming the text because I understood nothing. But I stuck with it and once it got going it was…good. The plot itself was nothing special, almost Normal People-esque and similar friends to lovers vibes like One Day, but not as iconic.

The Plot

So, Percy meets Joe at university and they immediately bond over very specific music tastes. Percy is a gifted songwriter, or collaborator, and she begins helping Joe improve his lyrics, until (SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD) he starts gaining success, touring, and Percy is left behind, at first without any song writing credits. Percy is the brains behind Joe’s music and we witness a constant ‘will they, won’t they?’ battle, with some incredibly infuriating moments on Joe’s part.

It’s also very relatable when it examines the post-uni experience in the way that graduates in this are struggling to find work, and prioritising pay over passion.

Interestingly, this book seems to be another example of 9/11 narratives in the periphery, like Confessions by Catherine Airey, although it did have more of a leading role in the novel. It’s interesting that the 2020s are having a moment of looking back to the 2000s, and 9/11 particularly, as a point of reference for defining the 21st century experience.

Opinion

When there isn’t a barrage of obscure music blogging and preaching, it’s an engaging read with some interesting characters. There are some occasional moments when the book loses momentum, including descriptions of Percy’s job as a survey/researcher person for some big company seeking young people to buy whatever it is they are selling.

Final Verdict: Engaging storyline and stake in the characters, if it weren’t for all the MUSIC. 3.5 ⭐