No One Is Listening

by Matthew Sanchez

"Something's up with Mom," Bell's brother says. This phone call will change everything. 

From the outside, Bell's life seems to be made up of expensive cocktails, beautiful women, and first-class flights around the globe. But to him, it's become monotonous--just the same thing, different day, different place.  

As he sets out on a worldwide tour with his band, an unexpected phone call from his addict brother continues to haunt him. Through drug-induced flashbacks and booze-fueled, face-melting dreams about a mother who abandoned him for reasons he can't fully understand, Bell examines his relationships with women, work, and family. Can a whimsical blonde, a speeding Porsche, and a fist fight with a cab driver pull him out of his head? Will going back to Texas--where it all began--give him a sense of belonging and closure? Or will it always be same thing, different day, different place? 

No One Is Listening is about finding forgiveness without an apology and finding redemption without change.

Genres: Fiction

244 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2019

Reviews

[Shayna Nickerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like the story, it's repetitive in an annoying way, focuses too many times on unimportant details, and moves in a weird rush that makes for easy reading but not enough to get attached to characters. The story depicts rock stardom in a way that makes it boring and mundane while focusing almost no time at all on the band as a whole. While the thought process could easily be followed the book boils down to 'major mommy issues' and very intricate descriptions of rooms and people. My favorite thing, and the only thing I liked about the book is how the writing style changes based on who is being interacted with, giving the only depth of character no significant shine between all the flashbacks and descriptions of rooms. Whether intentional or not, it's the only reason this book is getting any stars.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a complicated book that is a bit hard to analyze. It did a great job of portraying the tedium and hollowness of the 'rock-star' life of Bell and his bandmates. It had good visual descriptions of the places and people they encountered along their tour. It integrated well the trauma of the memories and past dreams of his family into the present. All that made an interesting read but somehow I never really got caught up in the angst and drama of it all. It's a good story that could have been a bit better.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging read that follows the quick-paced life of a drummer in a popular band. The story is well guided by the author's strong voice and comes out raw, honest, and a bit jarring at times. I personally enjoy a good character study, and this book definitely provides that. No One is Listening is an unexpectedly addictive read that dives into both inter- and intra-personal issues with plenty of clever commentary and dark humour that holds your attention rapt. Excited to read more from this author!