"For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave.
But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How can she know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?"
The Sound of Letting Go is full of poems and poetic verses. It is like music. Narrating this book is Daisy, who is a musician and plays the trumpet. She has to make everything so...musically and pleasing to the ears. It isn't surprising, of course. A piano player, like me, enjoys playing the songs that have a regular old beat, even if it isn't that obvious. The Sound of Letting Go may be told in free verse, but there is a beauty of letting go of regular old (traditional, I will add) poetry rules poets used long ago (shall I name a few? Nah! Too boring).
Daisy is the one to learn how to let go of things. You see, she has many problems (though not as many as me; yeah, I have too much problems yet I write review everyday and read tons of books in a month. I just can't let reading and reviewing go. They are just too much fun). Her problems? Well, she has an autistic brother (me, too; although he isn't as critical as her brother). Two, she has a crush she is forced to ignore (I willing choose to ignore any advances from boys; they are simply too much trouble. Besides, there is my brother). Three, she has her parents (I'm not even going to start on mine). Anymore problems? Yeah. She is simply too sick of all of it. That is the moment when she finally snapped and choose to let it go.
When she lets it go (Let it go! Let it go! Frozen is always stuck in my head), all the fun begins. It is like all the angels fall out of the skies or something. She simply becomes free of her anchors. And thankfully, she stops comparing herself to a slave. That is something that really bothers me, yet I so understand her. That is another beautiful thing about The Sound of Letting Go. No matter how different her or my situations are, we are always connected. I could understand her. She can (probably) understand me. That is perhaps the reason why I cried in the end. It is simply perfect and sorrowful. To be sort of metaphorically saying this, I would tell you that reading the stunning conclusion and conflicts is like angels crying in sorrow.
I would totally recommend this to anyone who is a sibling of someone autistic. It would totally open their minds and give a small insight to a horrifying other life. Anyone could read this, but any young child would probably not understand the relationship between Daisy and Dave. Or Daisy and that Irish dude.
Overall, I think the best parts of this book is the free verse. Although I am reluctant to ask this question, I will ask it anyway. Would it be considered cheesy if Daisy narrated the beginning of the story in a more controlled way before she let it all go? Then when she lets it go, it will be solely and completely in free verse. Would it be cheesy?
Any downfalls? None. Other than my rudeness and some lies about my life. (I sugarcoat my life; I loathe to sugarcoat books).
Rating; Five out of Five
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