The Infinite Noise

3 stars — There's one thing you need to know before reading this book. This is based on an popular audio drama called The Bright Sessions. It is essentially a tie-in, with parts acting as novelisation of the podcast episodes.While this book can be read without listening to the podcast. I would not recommend doing so.

This book is sweet, it doesn't add much to the series, and feels like official fan-fiction. It's a soft gay love story with an empath. The podcast tells it better, but I still liked this book. I found it really enjoyable to see Caleb's view of the world. I adore the podcast, but that medium lacks what books can do, explore thoughts and feelings in a more literal sense through descriptions. And Caleb is perfect for this and I loved seeing his viewpoint and how he feels others emotions and the effect this has.

Also Lauren Shippen surprised me, she is a good writer! I mean of course, she is talented audio drama creator, well-known in that scene for a hits like The Bright Sessions or Bridgewater. But books is a different medium, and I was hesitant. I sometimes struggle with authors of different mediums. Oseman's Heartstopper comics are some of my favourites, but her books less so. Rowling's Harry Potter is a delight, but her screenplays are awful. Lauren Shippen's prime craft is audio, but the transition to novel here, was done surprisingly well. An easy to read writing style, not overdone, but not lacking either.

I think a lot of criticism for this book comes in the last 20% where a lot of characters are introduced and the plot becomes more complex. I think Lauren Shippen had a difficult task here. This book is sweet and lovely. It begins as a low-stakes gay romance with a dash of science fiction. And it works well. But it couldn't stay that way. Adam and Caleb's story, coincides simultaneously with the bigger events occurring in The Bright Sessions podcast. I think the book would have been stronger if the book stayed as this sweet soft low-stakes romantic story. But in doing so would retcon the events of the podcast. As a result, I think it's best to see this novel as a novelisation of Adam and Caleb sub-plot in the series, instead of a standalone YA novel.

Overall, a nice easy read. I love Caleb and Adam and lots of moments were heart-warming and tender. If I hadn't listened to the podcast before reading, I probably would have given this less stars, my bias to these characters are showing! And if you haven't listened to The Bright Sessions, go now! It's free! The the plot is essentially “what if the X-Men went to therapy?” And since listening to it, it got me obsessed with the audio drama medium. 3/5

Cute story.

It felt intense.

I loved it. As a very sensitive person who has also gone through depression, I felt related to the characters and felt that the story was honest, kind and warm.
The rest I'm gonna keep for myself, but it's definitely a reading recommendation for all the people who are looking for a place where they don't need to hide and where they'll be seen.

The Bright Sessions is a podcast that starts as different characters being in therapy with Dr. Bright, a psychiatrist that specializes in people with superhuman or inhuman abilities that are all psychic in nature. You're basically a fly on the wall for the sessions. However, as the podcasts progresses, you start to hear more scenes outside of the office in these characters' day to day interactions and how their abilities hinder or not their normal lives. As a longtime fan of things like X-Men, this was a really interesting and fun podcast to listen to.
This book takes place alongside the first season of the podcast but focuses on Caleb as his ability starts to manifest in high school (a little later than typical of X-Men, which usually has the tipping point at puberty). He gets in trouble at school because he's an empath and the constant barrage of other hormonal teens' emotions has had him on edge, where he finally breaks and punches another student. As part of his punishment, he also has to attend therapy sessions. It's not really explained how his parents picked Dr. Bright but it's a “happy accident” that she's the perfect psychiatrist to help him with his unique problem. Caleb, despite being written as a pretty typical jock, is actually a really lovable and kind character. It could stem from his empathy but I don't believe that would overwrite his personality entirely. Caleb and Adam together are super cute as well. Adam is a normal teenager but has a real problem battling depression and self-harm. He doesn't seem to go to therapy even with neuroscience parents and a past suicide attempt (though he mentions having been in group therapy as part of the recovery) which I thought was strange. We read that he's not hurting himself often now and he's putting on a front for his parents to satisfy them, but it seems really unhealthy that he's basically lying to everyone. As Caleb is an empath, he of course can sense it immediately, but doesn't seem to actually help Adam that much either using outside resources.
So while I enjoyed the book immensely, I think it still had some head scratch moments when it comes to how it handles and details mental health problems and solutions. You definitely have to keep in mind that this is fiction and written by a screenwriter, not a doctor.

I'm kind of bummed with myself for waiting so long to read this, I even had an ARC I won in late 2019 I just never got around to reading. But maybe I was doing myself a favour because I was able to continue right into the sequel which has already sucked me in.

Note: It's hard to tell if you need to be a fan of the podcast before or not but as I was* I think that did add a bit to it for me. This book is written from a different character's point of view with some of the same scenes showing towards the latter part of the book but from that different perspective, but depending on how much of the podcast you've listened to, you have some insight into the questions non-listeners are going to have as they read. I would suggest listening to at least the first season or so first, just because all of that was written before the book but takes place at the same time.
*I kind of stopped listening sometime in 2019 when I went off of drama podcasts but it's sat in my subscriptions updating and waiting for my return.

Okay, bear me with friends. It's been quite a while since I last wrote a review and actually I read this book over the span of 4 months so my thoughts are a little mushy. However I can firmly tell you that The Infinite Noise is a wonderful story. It's full of love, heartache, beautifully rendered mental health discussions, and the perfect amount of science fiction. I had to set this book down in the middle of it, when my reading mojo went away, and picking it back up later was effortless. I had missed Caleb and Adam. It was so wonderful to step right back into their world.

We're in a beautiful age of books that deal so expertly with mental health, and I think that's wonderful. I can't tell you the amount of times that I teared up while reading this book, mainly because the way that Shippen details Adam's depression. Not only was the explanation spot on, as Caleb learned all about Adam's feelings, but the way that Caleb dealt with it was perfection. Sometimes just sitting next to someone and navigating that darkness with them, even if you don't know what to say to make it better, is so key. I couldn't help but sob a little as I watched them navigate this weird relationship that was building between them and do it with so much feeling.

I'm going to stop here, because like I said I'm rusty at writing reviews and I'm not sure how to unravel my yarn ball of thoughts. What I will say though is that this book is lovely. It's full of real feelings, and real work on navigating through them. It's full of great relationships, realistic interactions between peers, and the kind of family love that makes me want to cuddle up and sob. Trust me when I say that this book about feelings will absolutely make you feel. A lot. I can't wait to see what comes next.

okay it may not be perfect but there is a reference to a summer in ohio from the last five years and honestly what more could you want?

3.5

I hadn't heard of or listened to the podcast this book is based off of so this review won't stem from that.
This book wasn't what I was expecting but it was good nonetheless. You read teenagers with powers so you're thinking perhaps some action will be involved..and you'd be thinking wrong. But, I repeat, that's not a bad thing in this case.
Being a teenager is hard. Being a teenager in high school is hard. Being a teenager in high school and finding out you have powers is crazy and hard. Being a teenager in high school and finding out your superpower is to sense others emotions around you is beyond bananas. Teenagers are nothing if not rockets of emotions from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. I haven't been a teenager for some time but I remember..oh I remember. lol
I love that Caleb went to therapy and wasn't sent of somewhere instead. It showed his struggle between finding out which were his own feelings and which were not.
I like that it wasn't just Caleb's POV but Adam's as well. His chapters bought a nice balance to Calebs.
A story about two young boys finding their way to each other...and I enjoyed it. Even though it was a tad slow. That's why a four star instead of five. It was missing a bit of something.
Nevertheless, a book i feel should be read especially by the teenagey folk.

• I read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
  
  I requested this book before I had listened to the podcast at all. I decided to start listening to it in preparation of reading this book and before I knew it I HAD TO READ THIS BOOK. So, the podcast is amazing– and I'm not yet finished listening to it (at the time that I'm writing up this review), and I will say that this book really does follow along with the podcast as Caleb is a regular patient of Dr. Bright.
  –People who have listened to the podcast will recognize many of the scenes, but not everything from the podcast is told here and there are many extra scenes in this book to flush out Caleb and Adam's relationship. Also, Adam's point of view is told often, which I ended up loving. Also, it doesn't encompass all the seasons of the podcast. I won't go into further detail as to not spoil anything.
  –On the flipside do you need to listen to the podcast to understand this book?
  No. I would recommend it because you'll understand some of the background threats and characters more –and the actors are AMAZING at giving these characters life, but if you want to read the book and not listen to the podcast you will still completely be able to follow the story.
  
  Okay, let me talk a bit more about this book. I absolutely love it. It really does deal with a lot. Adam has depression, a semi-weird home life, and is bullied regularly. Caleb is an empath, a football player who is still on the outside since he has a hard time being around people, and is in therapy– willingly. It was really nice to read about characters having positive experiences with therapy and their therapist since I'm used to the negative stereotypes regarding it. I am so onboard with normalizing people going to therapy.
  
  Caleb and Adam's relationship is sweet, adorable, and just... the best. It is kind of a friends-to-lovers with all the obstacles teenage boys have, PLUS the more supernatural secrets and elements between them. Caleb is an empath though so he brings up feelings and it is fascinating to see how even knowing everyone's feelings can sometimes make a relationship more difficult. Some situations end up being funny, sad, embarrassing, or absolutely lovely. This story had me so invested in their lives.
  
  These are the sweetest boys who deserve the world. They may in fact be my favorite characters, so I was glad to have their book.
  
  I 100% recommend this book to people looking for a little supernatural in a love story.