Review of This Song Is About Us by Sara Barnard

Sara Barnard is one of my auto-buy authors, so when I saw she had a new YA novel out, I had to get it. This Song Is About Us is such an interesting blend of zeitgeist and timelessness, and while I thought its plot was somewhat straightforward and predictable, I really enjoyed the ending.

Ruby has one more year of school before it’s time to head off to university. Her boyfriend, Drew, is the frontman of an up-and-coming band, The Kerbs. So far, they’ve kept their relationship on the down-low. Now they have to decide: do they go public, or do they continue to date in secret while the band’s label promotes Drew as a single—and therefore desirable—young man? They have to live with the consequences of this decision, and as a year goes by and The Kerbs rocket to fame and success, the strain on Ruby and Drew’s relationship becomes increasingly obvious.

When Barnard revealed this dilemma, I had to pause and seriously consider what I would choose! Of course, not being the type to date anyone, I’ll never be in this situation. As much as I am a private person, I think I would have to go public with our relationship. It isn’t even the question of trusting Drew not to cheat—I think it would just kill me not getting to share in his experiences that whole time and watch always from the sideline.

The time-skip structure where each section takes place at a different festival over the course of a year works very well. It helps Barnard stay focused on Ruby and Drew’s relationship and interactions. Yet this also reveals my main gripe: what else is there about this story? I adore Ruby’s confidence and clarity in herself, the way she stands up for what she wants … yet I also don’t feel like she gets to do much growing in this book.

That being said, when I ask what else there is, I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about Stel. The Ruby/Stel friendship is honestly so great! Barnard’s commitment to authentic female friendships is one of my favourite parts of her storytelling.

Again, though, I think where This Song Is About Us falls short for me is its simplicity. It’s not shallow by any means. Yet after wowing me so deeply with Beautiful Broken Things and Fierce Fragile Hearts, Barnard has yet to truly devastate me that way again. The relationship drama herein feels true, and I like how she presents it and has the characters deal with it—but the overall emotional effect is underwhelming.

This is a solid entry, one that I think a lot of readers will enjoy—I did—but it isn’t a standout in Barnard’s oeuvre.