Book Review: Music You Love to Hate and Hate to Love

Jazz Camp is full of losers, according to Jesse Andrews. All of them prepubescent boys, two friends, and a girl. The only girl. An unapologetically cool, in-it-for-the-music girl named Ash. When the two friends, Wes and Corey, connect with Ash like no one else, they escape jazz camp and go on a tour around the country as a developing band.

The three go through many tests of how much friendship can withstand hardships. They travel around the country in Ash’s car to find their sound. They play in restaurants and bars, trying to make it big, or at least be known. They try out plenty of band names, but none of them seem to stick. The names just don’t seem to reflect who they are. So every few venues, their band name changes. Wes, Corey, and Ash’s adventure really kicks it into high gear when a love triangle begins to develop in the midst of things.

The Haters is a very entertaining book. Jesse Andrews’ style is prominent, especially after you’ve read his most popular book, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. He seems to have a thing for awkward and emotionally-confused protagonists with impulsive best friends.

The Haters is a fun book that I couldn’t seem to put down because of all the hijinks the characters get themselves into. Overall, it’s just a fun little book about how music can bring people together. That music isn’t just an art form, but also a way of life. Even if that means hating on the bad stuff. It’s all just a journey to find out what you like, and who you are right? 7/10.