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ceraphimfalls's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Let's address the elephant in the room first: I avoided reading "The Lost Melody" for a few months because I had read a review that said it best classified as "Christian Fiction". I don't have anything against Christian Fiction, per se, but I find that if God and religion aren't obnoxiously in the forefront of the story, to the point of removing agency from the characters, then it isn't usually listed as Christian Fiction. I was raised Christian but would now classify myself as agnostic, so I am both desensitized and overly sensitive to "Jesus take the wheel" happening in books. That said, was the focus on La Mano de Dios a bit much? Considering the setting, the time period, and the fact that our character was dealing with issues that many reasonably turn to a higher power to deal with (ie Alcoholics Anonymous), it certainly toed the line with an abundance of bible verses, but it was well within the understandable range for the story.
All of that aside, "The Lost Melody" is a fantastically atmospheric and well-moulded world with a bevy of characters to flesh it out. The gothic tones resound fully, making the story have proper weight. Our main character is lovable enough- she is the "light in the darkness", which got old when we were reminded of that for the tenth time in two chapters near the end of the book. But she is compassionate and kind and willing to learn and change. The mystery and the gaslighting are handled well and I was intrigued to the very end when, unfortunately, the unraveling of it all felt rushed. Finally, as someone who has worked in the mental health and music therapy fields, I was very happy with how the author handled various characterizations and the treatments discussed. It was an enjoyable readå for sure and I'd be happy to recommend it to fans of gothic fiction. Just be prepared for a rushed and a (not unwelcome) surprise ending.
All of that aside, "The Lost Melody" is a fantastically atmospheric and well-moulded world with a bevy of characters to flesh it out. The gothic tones resound fully, making the story have proper weight. Our main character is lovable enough- she is the "light in the darkness", which got old when we were reminded of that for the tenth time in two chapters near the end of the book. But she is compassionate and kind and willing to learn and change. The mystery and the gaslighting are handled well and I was intrigued to the very end when, unfortunately, the unraveling of it all felt rushed. Finally, as someone who has worked in the mental health and music therapy fields, I was very happy with how the author handled various characterizations and the treatments discussed. It was an enjoyable readå for sure and I'd be happy to recommend it to fans of gothic fiction. Just be prepared for a rushed and a (not unwelcome) surprise ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
saliwali's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Dementia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Pregnancy, Violence, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Dysphoria, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Child death, and Gaslighting
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