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There You Are
Octavian Munroe is haunted by the life and death of his older brother in one of the most racially segregated cities in the country. Mina Rose has never quite fit in and wishes she was anything but white. Once lovers, now estranged, they both left St. Louis for fresh starts in the wake of grief and heartbreak.
In the aftermath of Michael Brown’s death and the awakening of the Black Lives Matter movement, Octavian and Mina travel homeward. The record shop where they fell in love as teenagers in the 1990s is closing for good, sparking a desire for closure of their own.
This raw, powerful story of love and loss reckons with how where you come from shapes even the most fleeting collisions between friends, neighbors, and strangers.
In the aftermath of Michael Brown’s death and the awakening of the Black Lives Matter movement, Octavian and Mina travel homeward. The record shop where they fell in love as teenagers in the 1990s is closing for good, sparking a desire for closure of their own.
This raw, powerful story of love and loss reckons with how where you come from shapes even the most fleeting collisions between friends, neighbors, and strangers.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2019
8 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Mathea Morais
1 book24 followersMathea Morais grew up in St. Louis, MO. She has a degree in Literature from NYU and worked in music journalism for many years. Her work has appeared in "Trace Urban Magazine," "The New Engagement," "Slush Pile Magazine," "Arts & Ideas" and "Anti-Heroin Chic." She is the Director of the Noepe Center for Literary Arts on Martha's Vineyard and has taught creative writing to children and young adults for over fifteen years. She lives with her husband, her three daughters and, of course, a beloved dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 4, 2019
"No matter where you go, there you are."
Try as we might we cannot outrun ourselves. This is a lesson that our protagonist Octavian struggles to learn. He has run from his past for so long that he is besieged by anxiety. His only relief comes in the form of reciting KRS-One lyrics. When he finds out that the record store that was his haven and refuge during his youth will soon be closing its doors, he is at first wary of returning home. In addition to the haunting memories of his brother, there is Mina Rose. At one time she was the love of his life, but life was much simpler then. At Rahsaan's Records color did not matter. Life was about the music. On the streets of St. Louis however Octavian's skin color makes him a target with racial tensions putting a wedge between their relationship.
There You Are is told from the perspective of two adults looking back over their lives and their regrets. It is not simply a coming of age or a love story. Written in the format of a mixed tape, There You Are serves not only a lense by which to view race relations, but as a piece of nostalgia to remind us that we are not so different after all.
Try as we might we cannot outrun ourselves. This is a lesson that our protagonist Octavian struggles to learn. He has run from his past for so long that he is besieged by anxiety. His only relief comes in the form of reciting KRS-One lyrics. When he finds out that the record store that was his haven and refuge during his youth will soon be closing its doors, he is at first wary of returning home. In addition to the haunting memories of his brother, there is Mina Rose. At one time she was the love of his life, but life was much simpler then. At Rahsaan's Records color did not matter. Life was about the music. On the streets of St. Louis however Octavian's skin color makes him a target with racial tensions putting a wedge between their relationship.
There You Are is told from the perspective of two adults looking back over their lives and their regrets. It is not simply a coming of age or a love story. Written in the format of a mixed tape, There You Are serves not only a lense by which to view race relations, but as a piece of nostalgia to remind us that we are not so different after all.
October 25, 2019
Rating: 5 musically fueled stars
Kudos to author Mathea Morais! She has written a thoughtful and creative book about race relations in America, and so much else. She artfully shows what it means to be a Person of Color (POC) in America over the last few decades. She has done it in a creative way with prominently featured musical references that provide the downbeat and the high notes for the story. We meet Octavian Munroe and is family in St Louis, Missouri as his mother is dying from breast cancer. Octavian is only in the 5th grade. Her decline and death have a profound effect on him, his older brother Francis and their father, Cyrus who is professor of philosophy at a St Louis university.
Octavian and Mina meet during the 5th grade. They both take refuge in a concrete tube on the playground during school recess. There they can escape the other kids. Both Octavian and Mina are misfits at school. Mina helps Octavian through many anxiety attacks that occur in the tunnel. Mina’s mother then unexpectedly moves them away to a nearby white neighborhood. Octavian and Mina lose touch at that point since they don’t go to school together any more.
About seven years later, Mina (who is a white girl) meets Octavian again at the local record store that they both love. The record store and its cast of employees is a refuge from the chaos they are both experiencing. They fall in love during their senior year in high school. They struggle with what it means to be black or white, in the various neighborhoods that they frequent in St. Louis. They also struggle with the consequences and judgements of being an interracial couple.
I’m not going to spoil all the ins-and-outs of the plot line. Just believe me when I say that this book is written with a lot of heart. It works on so many levels; as a racial commentary, a coming-of-age story, a romance, a story about family interactions and the effects of drug abuse, and through it all the heart of the music beats strongly. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Read it. Share it with your friends. This book deserves to be showered with accolades. It is a gem. If this book was a song, it would be Grammy worthy.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Amberjack Publishing; and the author, Mathea Morais for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Kudos to author Mathea Morais! She has written a thoughtful and creative book about race relations in America, and so much else. She artfully shows what it means to be a Person of Color (POC) in America over the last few decades. She has done it in a creative way with prominently featured musical references that provide the downbeat and the high notes for the story. We meet Octavian Munroe and is family in St Louis, Missouri as his mother is dying from breast cancer. Octavian is only in the 5th grade. Her decline and death have a profound effect on him, his older brother Francis and their father, Cyrus who is professor of philosophy at a St Louis university.
Octavian and Mina meet during the 5th grade. They both take refuge in a concrete tube on the playground during school recess. There they can escape the other kids. Both Octavian and Mina are misfits at school. Mina helps Octavian through many anxiety attacks that occur in the tunnel. Mina’s mother then unexpectedly moves them away to a nearby white neighborhood. Octavian and Mina lose touch at that point since they don’t go to school together any more.
About seven years later, Mina (who is a white girl) meets Octavian again at the local record store that they both love. The record store and its cast of employees is a refuge from the chaos they are both experiencing. They fall in love during their senior year in high school. They struggle with what it means to be black or white, in the various neighborhoods that they frequent in St. Louis. They also struggle with the consequences and judgements of being an interracial couple.
I’m not going to spoil all the ins-and-outs of the plot line. Just believe me when I say that this book is written with a lot of heart. It works on so many levels; as a racial commentary, a coming-of-age story, a romance, a story about family interactions and the effects of drug abuse, and through it all the heart of the music beats strongly. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Read it. Share it with your friends. This book deserves to be showered with accolades. It is a gem. If this book was a song, it would be Grammy worthy.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, Amberjack Publishing; and the author, Mathea Morais for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2019
I almost forgot what color all of the characters were while reading this story because there were so many races. It was pretty wonderful. The tale took me back to my younger years, teaching in an inner city high school, while loving & appreciating most all of the students. Octavian & Mina, young interracial lovers, the 60s, a much freer time. Music & it’s importance. It’s hard to see this saga end. Thank you Ms Morais and Amberjack Publishing for the gift of a free ARC. I eagerly offer this review.
February 9, 2020
Mathea Morais is a beautiful writer. Maybe it was the fact that it was mainly set in the 80s and 90s when I grew up with music that I still listen to that gave it this nostalgic feel? But the way she wove together the stories of all of the characters, the feel of it was beautiful. It wasn’t a quick read. It could have been but I found myself savoring it even as I waited to see what happened next. Stopping to go listen to some of the songs mentioned or adding forgotten ones to my iTunes library. This is one of those rare books where you know it could be true because all of the characters are like someone you know in real life. Excellent. Just excellent.
November 6, 2019
I love this book. I have read it twice, and I keep leafing through it wanting to inhabit it further, happy with whatever page I land on. I think this is because it is woven of so many appealing and expertly spun threads; I am happy to re-live and follow each of them. The crux of the joy of this novel is the complexity of its tapestry. I think this is why it is receiving so many favorable reviews, so many of them characterizing it in very different ways. It is a love story, it is nostalgic, it is all about music, it is about race relations, it's a novel of fathers and sons, of mothers and daughters, of loss, of adolescence, of leaving home, of returning home...it is all of these things. Before you turn away in fear of the potential page weight of such a story, know that each reading moment is a joy. Mathea Morais does not waste words or her reader's time. Her deft storytelling sings along almost effortlessly, at times journalistically. But just when you think you're reading a bit well written creative non-fiction, she hits you with: "A gasp went around the room like a collection plate" to describe the reaction of a school faculty to news of a beloved student's attempted suicide. And then you know you're in the hands of a truly gifted storyteller and novelist. Thank you, Mathea Morais.
October 2, 2019
"There's no way for me to separate myself from my brother and no way to separate Francis from, I don't know being Francis. Do you understand?"
"I think so," Mina Said.
"I know it sounds crazy, but before I can even know what I, Octavian, want, I have to be sure that Francis is going to be alright first.:
"I understand," she said.
"How?"
Mina took a deep breath. "Because that's how I feel about you sometimes."
I loved every bit of this book. There's so much that's special about it. It's about Octavian and Mina who meet when they are 5 and become friends but then they go to separate schools and lose touch and then come together again as teenagers, both working in a record store.
The novel follows their lives, going back and forth in time and jumping around to also show Octavian's father's perspective and the record store owner's (Bones) who might have been one of my very favorite characters. In fact, the handful of chapters that are his backstory might be my favorite where I was so delighted, I laughed out loud.
The characters in this story are so well developed, so three dimensional, so layered and textured and real that it's not possible to not get invested in all of them. The music store as a setting is absolutely perfect and such a great place for all these young people to come together and form relationships of a lifetime.
There is a lot about racism in this book but no new revelations or lesson, more about the role it plays in the characters' lives in all sorts of ways that feel real and remind the reader about how far we have not come without being preachy at all. There's a profound-to-me section where Octavian's dad is still trying to be respectful and let his neighbor's feelings matter more than his about a racially charged event and it just made me realize how much I still have to learn and how far we all still have to go. The story made me think and wince and highlighted how there's still so much to do. It's so beautifully woven into the story, feels so authentic to the characters.
"...but as he wrapped her in his arms, he felt a gathering of pieces of himself that had scattered since the time when he hadn't known pain so intimately. He pressed them together into his own box of memories and closed the lid."
This book is not just about race, it's about family, love, friendship, being young, belonging, and so much more. Race is a layer across all of it since it's a big part of the character's experiences as they move through life. The loyalty and responsibility Octavian feels to his brother. The love he and Mina have for each other and how love of that magnitude is often complicated.
"She wasn't sure she had the energy to manage the life she had created."
I will repeat that I loved every bit of this book. The characters, the setting, the writing, it was all beautifully done. Highly recommended.
With gratitude to netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
"I think so," Mina Said.
"I know it sounds crazy, but before I can even know what I, Octavian, want, I have to be sure that Francis is going to be alright first.:
"I understand," she said.
"How?"
Mina took a deep breath. "Because that's how I feel about you sometimes."
I loved every bit of this book. There's so much that's special about it. It's about Octavian and Mina who meet when they are 5 and become friends but then they go to separate schools and lose touch and then come together again as teenagers, both working in a record store.
The novel follows their lives, going back and forth in time and jumping around to also show Octavian's father's perspective and the record store owner's (Bones) who might have been one of my very favorite characters. In fact, the handful of chapters that are his backstory might be my favorite where I was so delighted, I laughed out loud.
The characters in this story are so well developed, so three dimensional, so layered and textured and real that it's not possible to not get invested in all of them. The music store as a setting is absolutely perfect and such a great place for all these young people to come together and form relationships of a lifetime.
There is a lot about racism in this book but no new revelations or lesson, more about the role it plays in the characters' lives in all sorts of ways that feel real and remind the reader about how far we have not come without being preachy at all. There's a profound-to-me section where Octavian's dad is still trying to be respectful and let his neighbor's feelings matter more than his about a racially charged event and it just made me realize how much I still have to learn and how far we all still have to go. The story made me think and wince and highlighted how there's still so much to do. It's so beautifully woven into the story, feels so authentic to the characters.
"...but as he wrapped her in his arms, he felt a gathering of pieces of himself that had scattered since the time when he hadn't known pain so intimately. He pressed them together into his own box of memories and closed the lid."
This book is not just about race, it's about family, love, friendship, being young, belonging, and so much more. Race is a layer across all of it since it's a big part of the character's experiences as they move through life. The loyalty and responsibility Octavian feels to his brother. The love he and Mina have for each other and how love of that magnitude is often complicated.
"She wasn't sure she had the energy to manage the life she had created."
I will repeat that I loved every bit of this book. The characters, the setting, the writing, it was all beautifully done. Highly recommended.
With gratitude to netgalley and Amberjack Publishing for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2019
There You Are, Mathea Morais’ debut novel, is a musically infused interracial love story that spans several decades. Mina and Octavia first meet as fifth graders in St. Louis, when Ocatvian’s mother is dying and he experiences his first of the panic attacks that will plague him his whole life. They reconnect as teenagers at Rahsaan’s Records, drawn together by a shared love of music, a close group of friends from the record store, and Octavian’s older brother Francis’ battle with addiction. As they grow up, their lives take them apart and in different directions. Mina is living in Boston, a single mother struggling to raise her two daughters on her own. Octavian works with troubled teenagers and as an artist in a remote town in Maine. Neither of them have been back to St. Louis in years, a place that holds too many memories and ghosts. They are pulled back together when the owner of Rahsaan’s calls them home for the closing of the store. Set against the backdrop of St. Louis in the aftermath of Michael Brown’s murder, There You Are is a powerful story about race, identity, the power of music, loss, and, ultimately, love.
Even as someone who doesn’t know much about music, Morais’ lyrical language and well-drawn characters drew me in from the start. The emotional complexity behind the story had me thinking about these characters long after I turned the last page. And if you are a music fan, there’s a Spotify playlist to listen to when you finish.
Even as someone who doesn’t know much about music, Morais’ lyrical language and well-drawn characters drew me in from the start. The emotional complexity behind the story had me thinking about these characters long after I turned the last page. And if you are a music fan, there’s a Spotify playlist to listen to when you finish.
May 28, 2019
A friend asked me if I could compare it to anything else and I could only come up with, "It's like if 'The Hate U Give' had a baby with 'High Fidelity'." In reality, it's not like anything else at all.
I loved the way this book told the intertwining stories of several different characters--shows how we affect one another in glorious, special, and sometimes even heartbreaking ways.
It's a coming of age story told from the zoomed out perspective of adulthood. It's not giving anything away to say that this is the story of two star-crossed lovers but it's no romance. It's not even a love story. That's just the fact of it. We follow these two as they live their way towards and away from one another as young-love is wont to do.
I loved the way this book told the intertwining stories of several different characters--shows how we affect one another in glorious, special, and sometimes even heartbreaking ways.
It's a coming of age story told from the zoomed out perspective of adulthood. It's not giving anything away to say that this is the story of two star-crossed lovers but it's no romance. It's not even a love story. That's just the fact of it. We follow these two as they live their way towards and away from one another as young-love is wont to do.
July 8, 2019
I loved this book. I loved the characters even when they behaved in ways that angered me. I loved the tempo of the story and I loved the story itself.
Someone described it as THUG meets High Fidelity. That would be a good description to give one a superficial concept of the content but the novel is much more than that.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advance copy.
Someone described it as THUG meets High Fidelity. That would be a good description to give one a superficial concept of the content but the novel is much more than that.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advance copy.
December 21, 2024
i think this book wanted to be too many things all at once. it was enjoyable nonetheless
January 27, 2021
I loved this book! A thoughtful and creative story that shed light on race relations in St. Louis over the last few decades. Could not help but listen along to the same songs highlighted in this book that helped the characters navigate the joyous and tragic moments in their lives. It is a love story, includes nostalgia, and makes you feel very connected to the various people who walk through these pages.
August 2, 2019
Two kids begin a love affair that will guide them through life even if they aren't always together. Octavian is black and Mina is white but it doesn't matter at all to them. It does matter to the world around them which is St. Louis in the 1980s. Mina moves away but still keeps in contact with her old neighborhood especially a record store where magically, she and Octavian reunite. Through a family crisis, racial tension and a host of other issues they are just to young to know how good they have it to have each other. A fantastic soundtrack adds a historical guidepost to their relationship. A deeply touching story of love that crosses racial lines, it is a love song to the power of love and great music that speaks to our soul. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
November 4, 2019
This book is a love story to St. Louis, its institutions, and its residents. In addition to bringing nostalgia to those who grew up in the area, it provides a new look to the area for those who know nothing about St. Louis. The book also lays out for all to see the racial history of St. Louis that has forever and continues to segregate its residents. In the mix of this historical and current narrative of race relations and the police and how it kills black boys and men particularly is a love story and how our failure to understand who we are complicates who we love.
August 27, 2019
It's 2014. In St. Louis, Missouri, Michael Brown has just been killed by the police in Ferguson, the city is in turmoil, and Rahsaan's Records is on the verge of closing. So begins the story of Mina and Octavian, who fell in love at the record shop in the 90s as teens, and are called back by its proprietor, Bones, to bid Rahsaan’s farewell.
Mina, the white daughter of a hippie feminist divorce attorney, and Octavian, the Black son of a university professor and a poet, met as children and their friendship eventually sprouts into first love. Through their shared love of music, they and their diverse crew of friends from all over town explore the boundaries of race and class, while growing up in a place that values segregation over synthesis.
Both of There You Are's protagonists are unique, but Mina really stood out to me. Through Mina, Morais explores the contours of cultural awareness and cultural appropriation with depth and tenderness.
This is the first book I’ve come across that features a white teenager coming to terms with white privilege (do you know of others? Tell me about them, please!). Moreover, the book’s discussion of race spans generations as well. There You Are's characters--both teens & adults alike--have complex cross-cultural relationships through which racial dynamics are explored. The book meanders back and forth through time, so we learn about the influences that made Mina and Octavian’s love so unlikely based on circumstances in their own lifetimes and before they were born.
This book is full of Easter eggs if you grew up in St. Louis in the 80s and 90s (as I did!). It is filled with street names, restaurants, and slang that will delight you. It will also remind you of all the ways St Louis breaks your heart. Morais captures the city in a very true way that makes it the perfect backdrop for her young lovers to grapple with race, and whiteness in particular, bravely and honestly.
Mina, the white daughter of a hippie feminist divorce attorney, and Octavian, the Black son of a university professor and a poet, met as children and their friendship eventually sprouts into first love. Through their shared love of music, they and their diverse crew of friends from all over town explore the boundaries of race and class, while growing up in a place that values segregation over synthesis.
Both of There You Are's protagonists are unique, but Mina really stood out to me. Through Mina, Morais explores the contours of cultural awareness and cultural appropriation with depth and tenderness.
This is the first book I’ve come across that features a white teenager coming to terms with white privilege (do you know of others? Tell me about them, please!). Moreover, the book’s discussion of race spans generations as well. There You Are's characters--both teens & adults alike--have complex cross-cultural relationships through which racial dynamics are explored. The book meanders back and forth through time, so we learn about the influences that made Mina and Octavian’s love so unlikely based on circumstances in their own lifetimes and before they were born.
This book is full of Easter eggs if you grew up in St. Louis in the 80s and 90s (as I did!). It is filled with street names, restaurants, and slang that will delight you. It will also remind you of all the ways St Louis breaks your heart. Morais captures the city in a very true way that makes it the perfect backdrop for her young lovers to grapple with race, and whiteness in particular, bravely and honestly.
April 14, 2020
"No matter where you go, there you are."
•
Thoughts~
Wow, I loved this one! A very affecting coming of age story about first love and loss, infused with music.
Such a powerful story! There was so much in this book I loved.
Morais is a natural storyteller. She explores big themes here dealing with race , love, hate, prejudice, loss, and family. These characters were so profound, they felt so real to me, and I was so invested in their stories. The book is laid out like that of a mixed tape, something I though was so clever and tied into the music aspect of the storyline perfectly. With poetic, and moving prose this is one I will not forget!
If this gorgeous book isn't on your radar it should be! Highly reccomended!
•
Thank You to the publisher for sending me this book opinions are my own.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
•
Thoughts~
Wow, I loved this one! A very affecting coming of age story about first love and loss, infused with music.
Such a powerful story! There was so much in this book I loved.
Morais is a natural storyteller. She explores big themes here dealing with race , love, hate, prejudice, loss, and family. These characters were so profound, they felt so real to me, and I was so invested in their stories. The book is laid out like that of a mixed tape, something I though was so clever and tied into the music aspect of the storyline perfectly. With poetic, and moving prose this is one I will not forget!
If this gorgeous book isn't on your radar it should be! Highly reccomended!
•
Thank You to the publisher for sending me this book opinions are my own.
•
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
May 14, 2019
In her novel, There You Are, Mathea Morais, explores what it means to be a Person of Colour (POC) in the United States today. Her story of two star-crossed lovers, Octavian and Mina Rose, examines how POCs and whites view each other through the lens of both history and current affairs. Morais has an encyclopedic knowledge of American discography, and uses music as the background to her novel, which is partially set in a St. Louis record store which specializing in vinyl.
There is so much going on in this novel that you will find yourself re-reading parts of it. If you were affected, in any way whatsoever, by the shooting of Micheal Brown by the Ferguson police you will be fascinated by this novel.
I received a free copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There is so much going on in this novel that you will find yourself re-reading parts of it. If you were affected, in any way whatsoever, by the shooting of Micheal Brown by the Ferguson police you will be fascinated by this novel.
I received a free copy of this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2019
In addition to Mina Rose , Octavian Munroe has the haunting memories of his older brother in his hometown of St. Louis. Mina was the love of his life once and now strangers. The story of these two adults who are looking back at their lives and regrets. With strange messages to the reader
The way that the characters are intertwined makes the story more powerful. It is a raw story of love and loss, with strange messages to the readers.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The way that the characters are intertwined makes the story more powerful. It is a raw story of love and loss, with strange messages to the readers.
Complimentary copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2019
This was a pleasure to read. It had me reminiscing for the 1980's, records and the stores you actually went into to buy them and best of all, St. Louis. I had the pleasure of living there for several years and adore this wonderful Midwestern town. This is a very readable novel that has a well-paced story that pulls the reader right into it.
I highly recommend this and loved the nostalgic feels.
Thank you for the early copy!
#ThereYouAre #NetGalley #AmberjackPublishing
I highly recommend this and loved the nostalgic feels.
Thank you for the early copy!
#ThereYouAre #NetGalley #AmberjackPublishing
August 7, 2019
There You Are. Simple right? This story is told in retrospect by two people who were friends since they were five years old, eventual lovers, and finally restrained in later years. It is a powerful story of love, hate, prejudice, the haves and have nots and it is all based around a record store where the color of your skin made no difference, it was in a person actions that reflected who they were.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about the characters in this story. I either liked, sympathized or empathized with each of them. They were expertly developed and their life lessons delivered in living color for our reflection.
There are no race revelations here, just issues to ponder and sad reminders that we haven’t done near enough or come far enough in in the area of skin color prejudices. Clearly when we are five years old, we see no color, only another human like ourselves. Then slowly color seems to come into view. As time passes, individual attitudes and judgement about skin color are taught or passed on even to people who say they have no prejudices like Mina’s mom. Mina herself prejudice as she hates “white people”.
Although race is not an original topic, the premise of this book set in a record store (we all had one of these during the 60’s and 70’s) was nostalgic and different. I really enjoyed the book and buzzed right through it I was so invested in each character and their lives.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an ARC of this book.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about the characters in this story. I either liked, sympathized or empathized with each of them. They were expertly developed and their life lessons delivered in living color for our reflection.
There are no race revelations here, just issues to ponder and sad reminders that we haven’t done near enough or come far enough in in the area of skin color prejudices. Clearly when we are five years old, we see no color, only another human like ourselves. Then slowly color seems to come into view. As time passes, individual attitudes and judgement about skin color are taught or passed on even to people who say they have no prejudices like Mina’s mom. Mina herself prejudice as she hates “white people”.
Although race is not an original topic, the premise of this book set in a record store (we all had one of these during the 60’s and 70’s) was nostalgic and different. I really enjoyed the book and buzzed right through it I was so invested in each character and their lives.
Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an ARC of this book.
February 18, 2020
I stumbled upon There You Are at my public library—it was set aside in an employee’s choice display. I’m not sure I would have come across it otherwise, but thank goodness I did.
I read this in 3 days...compelling characters with St. Louis city/county and subsequent culture/racism acting as a driving force within the book. Place matters. Morais magnifies the history of race within the city/county while highlighting the spaces where diversity thrives despite efforts to keep people “in their place”.
The book reads like a retrospective journal. Music shapes the lives of these people and Morais brilliantly allows the storytelling to unfold song by life defining song. This tactic kept me reading. I knew I could just read one more song...the pages kept turning.
Moments, choices, circumstance affect us at times beyond our knowing. When the overarching universe collides with daily living, we are confronted with moments, choices, and circumstance. Many aren’t our own but forced upon us. I think Morais captures this reality of life so very well through Octavian and Mina’s individual and joint experiences. As this is her debut novel, I look forward to reading what comes next.
I read this in 3 days...compelling characters with St. Louis city/county and subsequent culture/racism acting as a driving force within the book. Place matters. Morais magnifies the history of race within the city/county while highlighting the spaces where diversity thrives despite efforts to keep people “in their place”.
The book reads like a retrospective journal. Music shapes the lives of these people and Morais brilliantly allows the storytelling to unfold song by life defining song. This tactic kept me reading. I knew I could just read one more song...the pages kept turning.
Moments, choices, circumstance affect us at times beyond our knowing. When the overarching universe collides with daily living, we are confronted with moments, choices, and circumstance. Many aren’t our own but forced upon us. I think Morais captures this reality of life so very well through Octavian and Mina’s individual and joint experiences. As this is her debut novel, I look forward to reading what comes next.
November 27, 2019
Thank you to Amberjack Publishing for gifting me a review copy of There You Are by Mathea Morais. I’m still processing this book after finishing it a week ago. It’s a very powerful coming of age story, dealing with loss, family, drug addiction, and racial issues.
Set mostly in St. Louis, the book follows Octavian Munroe as learns what it is to be a man, and particularly an African-American man in the 1990s. Then later, as an adult, we see the issues he still deals with, and the scars he still carries with him.
This book really moved me, and sucked me in from the first few pages. The characters are rich, flawed, and deeply real. Their relationships are at once heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I found myself desperately yearning for them to find a happy ending.
I read part of the book in physical form and the rest as an audiobook. I loved the narration by Brandon Johnson.
Set mostly in St. Louis, the book follows Octavian Munroe as learns what it is to be a man, and particularly an African-American man in the 1990s. Then later, as an adult, we see the issues he still deals with, and the scars he still carries with him.
This book really moved me, and sucked me in from the first few pages. The characters are rich, flawed, and deeply real. Their relationships are at once heartbreaking and heartwarming, and I found myself desperately yearning for them to find a happy ending.
I read part of the book in physical form and the rest as an audiobook. I loved the narration by Brandon Johnson.
October 22, 2019
This is a powerful debut novel with Octavian, the Black son of a university professor and poet, and Mina, the white daughter of a hippie feminist divorce attorney at the centre of the story, as they fall in love in 1980’s St Louis!
But make no mistake - this is no romance novel. It discusses serious matters like race, addiction, class and growing up in a place that values segregation!
Music plays a big part in the telling of the story with it being divided into 3 decades (the 80s, 90s and 2000s) each with its own playlist!
Thank you @netgalley and @amberjackpublishing for an eARC of this stunning book by @matheamorais in exchange for an honest review.
Pick this one up today - highly recommended!
But make no mistake - this is no romance novel. It discusses serious matters like race, addiction, class and growing up in a place that values segregation!
Music plays a big part in the telling of the story with it being divided into 3 decades (the 80s, 90s and 2000s) each with its own playlist!
Thank you @netgalley and @amberjackpublishing for an eARC of this stunning book by @matheamorais in exchange for an honest review.
Pick this one up today - highly recommended!
November 19, 2019
There is truth in the saying, "Music is the soundtrack of our lives." And Mathea Morais has found a way to weave the truths of her characters in There You Are with the music of their lives. In There Your Are, music brings together people through their joys, struggles, hopes, disappointments, dreams and realities. This book feels like the warmth of wrapping your hands around a cup of hot coffee / tea / chocolate on a crisp cool fall day ... it's a feeling you never want to give up. Do yourself a favor and read There You Are!
June 27, 2020
I want a sequel to this book! Or I want it to go on for another 150 pages! Fantastic read in a time when police brutality and its connection to race is in the spotlight (which should be always, until it’s not an issue any longer). I grew up listening to my parents’ vinyl and now wish I had my own collection. I can completely relate to music putting you in a moment, where nothing else is going on but that music and what it’s doing to you. In Mina and Tave’s love story, the music is a gorgeous backdrop, almost a character itself. I loved the track lists as chapters. This was really intoxicating for me. It also reminded me that there is tons of “old” music I want to re-listen to and appreciate anew.
September 13, 2023
So good! As a lover of fiction I always crave a story with real characters that just feel familiar. This was beautifully written. I could’ve easily read this in three sittings…but life! Brilliant writing that made you feel like you were in the story. I may or may not have made a playlist off the songs mentioned. As a lover of music I totally felt the connection to music and it’s connection to moments in your life.
November 20, 2019
I really liked this book. Sure it sucker punched me with all the references to the great music I loved in high school and university in the late 80s and 90s but it was so much more than some nostalgia trip. High Fidelity with a whole lotta soul and heartache.
February 11, 2020
An incredible arc back through time that maps so easily to growing up gritty in the city perusing record shops thankfully blind to why we all couldn’t shouldn’t be friends. Exploring the lies we were told and we told ourselves. A great sweet sad romp through all the phases of growing up disillusionment, loss, trying to stay afloat and finding friends once again... many years later. Someone else said it’s not a fast read but a sweet one, you want to savor it nice and slow, like your life. It’s a space to inhabit, this novel.
September 9, 2025
Started out really strong with fun characters and character development, but dragged towards the end and disregarded all character development. Also Taylor swift hate at the end. But still an interesting story about race, music, and love. Plus the city of St. Louis
January 25, 2024
Very touching book about race relations, grief, and how music unites people. Also was very fun that it was set in St. Louis and I recognized all the restaurants and landmarks :)
"Wherever you go, there you are"
"Wherever you go, there you are"
July 29, 2019
I’d like to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for a honest review! This story hit me in ways I just wasn’t prepared for. It discusses race, anxiety, grief, and so much more in such a honest way that I had to reread some pieces at times because I wanted to be sure that the words had sunk in. The characters are flawed and real and I really appreciated seeing them develop and make mistakes while learning from them. The way music is a focus in this book was so well done, and it made me realize the power it can hold in bringing people together.
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