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amlibera's review
4.0
Quirky mix of horror and mystery and (not unlike Tuesday Mooney) the feeling that you get when reading a children's book, though this is definitely not for kids. The details of the orchestras and high school musicians are very real but the plot is twisty and odd with a great deal of humor.
melanie_books's review
2.0
This book was good! The mystery was multi-faceted and had some great twists at the end. It was very entertaining and a quick read.
The only draw-back is the foul language. It seemed over the top. That would be one of the main things keeping me from recommending it to more people. That being said, I think I would read this author again!
The only draw-back is the foul language. It seemed over the top. That would be one of the main things keeping me from recommending it to more people. That being said, I think I would read this author again!
laila4343's review
4.0
This is one of those books that has been on my TBR for a few years. One of those you read about in a couple of places and say to yourself, "This sounds good!" And then it gets buried under 150 more titles, and you forget about it.
Gin Jenny from the Reading the End podcast wrote about it a few weeks ago on the blog, which reminded me about it. She said that it was The Westing Game for adults, and I was like "SOLD. That's all I need." I promptly ordered it from another branch.
It's indeed Westing Game-esque, in that there's a mystery, a possible death, and lots of characters gathered in one place (the titular Bellweather Hotel.) Racculia even thanks Ellen Raskin in her acknowledgements. But it is also a surprisingly moving coming-of-age story, a sibling story, and a fantastic exploration of the power of music to shape and move us.
In short, it was a hidden gem.
Gin Jenny from the Reading the End podcast wrote about it a few weeks ago on the blog, which reminded me about it. She said that it was The Westing Game for adults, and I was like "SOLD. That's all I need." I promptly ordered it from another branch.
It's indeed Westing Game-esque, in that there's a mystery, a possible death, and lots of characters gathered in one place (the titular Bellweather Hotel.) Racculia even thanks Ellen Raskin in her acknowledgements. But it is also a surprisingly moving coming-of-age story, a sibling story, and a fantastic exploration of the power of music to shape and move us.
In short, it was a hidden gem.
mchshrt's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
carlywalker's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lbmaughlin's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
lilbrightside's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0