From the Publisher
Praise for Muted:
* "Heart-racing . . . [a] taut and gritty read." -Booklist, starred review
* "Charles’s heartbreaking novel in verse shows the harsh realities of the music industry." -School Library Journal, starred review
"Catapults [readers] toward a breathless, satisfying conclusion." -The Horn Book
"Highly-anticipated . . . Groundbreaking." -Entertainment Weekly
"One of those books that when you finish, you stare at it for a little bit and need a moment before you can do other things – it is that good." -Buzzfeed
"Muted blends the music of beautiful poetry with a powerful and relevant message. A stunning book." -Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-winning author of The Surrender Tree and Young People's Poet Laureate Emeritus
"A captivating and unflinching view into the dark corners of the music industry where souls are crushed in the silence between songs." -Lamar Giles, author of Spin and Not So Pure and Simple
"An intense ride that unfolds lyrically, Muted is thrumming with emotion, tension and, most of all, heart. A heart-pounding page-turner, from start to finish." -Debbie Rigaud, New York Times bestselling author of Truly Madly Royally and co-author of the Hope series
"Mesmerizing! Raw and honest, Charles captures the voice of a bright young star trapped between a dream and a nightmare in this devastatingly beautiful novel-in-verse -- a page-turning lyrical journey!" -Kim Johnson, best-selling author of This Is My America
Kirkus Reviews
2020-11-24
Denver Lafleur, along with friends Shak and Dali, is out to achieve her dreams while being pulled into the dark side of the music industry by a conniving, exploitative, male R&B superstar.
Readers are introduced to the wonderful harmonies of these three girls of color as they win $50 at a Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, corn festival. They hold on to each other, their love for music a refuge from the racial tensions of their mostly White home, far away from Denver’s Brooklyn roots. They know all too well that they are bigger than this place and, after sneaking off to Newark, manage a chance meeting with king of R&B Sean “Mercury” Ellis. Merc notices their talent and provides a platform for them to reach an audience, but red flags appear, pointing to his controlling behaviors. Something more sinister is at play, and with the teenage girls away from familial support in Merc’s world, who will protect them? Charles, herself a former young R&B artist, draws upon themes from the still-unfolding criminal investigation of R. Kelly. The powerful, smoothly flowing text will drive readers to seriously challenge the societal vulnerabilities and toxic ideologies that leave girls of color open to sexual violence and harm. Themes of friendship, family, cultural inheritance, and taking a stand are strong throughout.
This novel ripped from the headlines is a necessary reckoning that amplifies the voices of Black and brown girls. (Verse novel. 12-18)
