Published: 2021
Author: Tami Charles
Genres: Young Adult, Poetry, Contemporary, LGBT, Realistic Fiction, Music, Fiction, Novel In Verse, Lesbian
Audience (Grade Levels): High School; Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: 4-Stars
Goodreads Link: Muted
Triggers: Death, sexual assault, alcohol, drugs, and violence
Review By: Sara Kahrs
Publisher’s Summary:
A ripped-from-the-headlines novel of ambition, music, and innocence lost, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Jason Reynolds! Be bold. Get seen. Be Heard.
For seventeen-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very white hometown. So Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean “Mercury” Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights — plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.
Until they’re not. Denver begins to realize that she’s trapped in Merc’s world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken. Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl’s dreams can be used against her — and what it takes to fight back.
Review:
This book, written in verse, was an interesting ride. Charles tells an authentic story that shows the dark underside of the music industry. She shows how quickly someone can be swept up in the glam but also how quickly people will take advantage of naive new creators. While I was reading, I did get frustrated by how the main character could not see all the red flags about her situation, but it is often difficult to see the toxic behavior when you are living it. The story also took an interesting turn that I did not expect. Just like Denver, I thought I knew everything, but truly knew nothing. Denver is brutally honest, and fiercely loyalty which makes you route for her and want the best for her. Charles’ verse style gave the story more power and matched the basis of the story, MUSIC. Overall, this was an interesting read, and I really enjoyed it.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- English Language Arts (Novel in Verse & Poetic Structure): Written in powerful verse, this novel is an exceptional tool for secondary language arts teachers to analyze structural subversion. Students can explore how poetic meter, rhythm, and white space on a page mirror the musical foundations of the narrative, examining how verse gives the protagonist’s voice more emotional resonance and clarity.
- Social Studies / Media Literacy (The Mechanics of Exploitation): Inspired by real-world events, the book offers a crucial lens into the dark underside of the music and entertainment business. Educators can build units around media literacy, mentoring students to identify structural red flags, predatory contracts, groomer dynamics, and institutional power imbalances that target young creators.
- “Spotting the Red Flags” Character Case Study: Reflecting the reviewer’s initial frustration regarding the protagonist’s inability to recognize toxic behavior, lead a library workshop or literature circle activity. Have students trace Denver’s journey chronologically, constructing a timeline of the subtle warning signs or “red flags” deployed by Mercury Ellis to isolate the girls, building a practical dialogue about grooming and manipulation.
- “Be Heard” Creative Verse & Lyric Writing Challenge: Drawing from the book’s central focus on using one’s voice to fight exploitation, coordinate a creative writing project. Students can compose original slam poetry or musical lyrics that confront a social obstacle or personal boundary, mimicking Charles’ distinctive, unfiltered style to explore resilience and self-advocacy.
Diversity & Representation:
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Muted provides indispensable representation by centering young queer women of color fighting for ownership over their art, bodies, and destinies. By exploring the specific vulnerability of Black and brown teenage girls navigating predatory industries, Tami Charles writes with raw authenticity, granting visibility to marginalized voices while honoring their loyalty, resilience, and power to break cycles of systemic control.
Readalikes:
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
