Scan barcode
jayisreading's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I’m not sure how to feel about this one. On the one hand, I love that it focuses on the relationship between members of a string quartet and their fierce love for the music they perform. It was lovely listening to the string quartets that these characters were performing, whether it be Haydn or Dvořák, and gave me a newfound appreciation for the genre. On the other hand, I was not a huge fan of the structure of the book. The jumping back and forth between past and present made it hard to feel any sort of investment in the plot and, to some degree, the characters. They didn’t feel as developed as they could have been. The book also felt a bit unbalanced in what Gabel wanted to really focus on, and it resulted in a lot of telling as opposed to showing.
Somewhat relatedly, I can see how this book could frustrate some readers who don’t have a classical music performance background, since Gabel was often invested in the technical details of music-making. I think one of the difficulties of writing about a rather niche topic like string quartets is that you need to find a good balance in making it approachable to a general audience but also try not oversimplify it. There were moments where she nailed it, and other moments where she got wrapped up in the details that some may gloss over.
It was an interesting topic and idea, but it ended up being a bit of a disappointment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Alcoholism
oliviasbookshop's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed this book in the beginning, but the more I read the less I liked it. I almost stopped reading when I came across the line "Brit looked at them like they were disfigured", which occurs a little over halfway through the book, because ableist statements like that are completely unnecessary and should've been flagged and cut out during the editing process. As a whole, however, that statement is one of the few examples of lazy writing in this book. It is well crafted, albeit some parts felt a little rushed. There were moments which happened off-stage, such as trips the group went on which were only alluded to, which I would have liked to read as full scenes. Sometimes it felt like I was missing crucial parts of their lives with all the jump cuts, although I liked the cinematic feel of those moments. I also would've liked to have had the chance to spend more time with Jana and less with Daniel and Henry.
If you enjoy classical music and stories about complicated friendships, I think you'll enjoy this book.
If you enjoy classical music and stories about complicated friendships, I think you'll enjoy this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer
dulcie's review against another edition
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer
More...