Being Friends with Boys

March 1, 2012
Too many false notes sound in this tale of music, friendship and relationships. "Trip's out of the band." Those simple words make Charlotte's life very complicated. The manager of the band Sad Jackal as well as their lyricist, Charlotte is the invisible girl among the boys in her life. These include her oldest friend and fellow band member Oliver, new band member (and Charlotte's short-lived crush) Fabian, and the growing-distant Trip--not to mention potential new boyfriend Benji. Charlotte's appeal will be hard for readers to see, too, since her personality is so flat and undefined. It's only when she's pulled into singing with Sad Jackal that she shows some life. After performing at the school Halloween dance, Charlotte stretches her wings by singing with another band and leaving Sad Jackal after an argument with Oliver. Yet Charlotte continues to exist because of the males in her life, whether it's freaking out over the rumor that she's dating Oliver or fighting with her dad over her bad report card. While Charlotte's musical growth is inspiring, the numerous plot elements and one-note personalities make McVoy's fourth novel less a symphony and more of a garage-band song. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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June 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Charlotte experiences the pleasures and perils of having friends who are boys in this enjoyable novel. An indifferent student, she thrives as manager of a band called Sad Jackal and also discovers her own talent for singing. But the major theme is the teen's feelings for several guys, both bandmates and classmates-are they romantic interests or just friends? Oliver, star of the group, may be taking credit for the songs Charlotte writes. Fabian, a newcomer, ignites a spark but may not be the one. Benji is the bad-boy study partner turned awkward date. Then there's Trip, her closest boy-who's-just-a-friend who left the band and is now pulling away from Charlotte, too. She must also deal with her annoying stepsisters, a former best friend who has abandoned her, an older sister who is away at college, and a mother who left the family to pursue her own interests. Sometimes, there is too much going on, and there are too many characters, which will confuse some readers. Also, while Charlotte reminisces about the "golden summer" and her deep friendships, the story starts after many of the rifts have occurred. This makes it difficult to see why she is so attached to the band members. With her family history thrown in, it sometimes feels as if the novel begins very late in Charlotte's story. However, readers will be fascinated by the quirky protagonist's growth as a singer and as a person. The ending-and Charlotte's realization that one boy is more than a friend-is a delightful surprise.-Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library

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