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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A by the numbers romance with a soundtrack.
3.5 (Stars rounded to 4)
3.5 (Stars rounded to 4)
I would have loved it if I knew more about 70s and 80s music!
A very sweet book, as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. There are big ideas here to think about, if you choose to--but you can read it on a fairly surface level as well, and still be satisfied.
Rating: 3.5
I approach love stories with a lot of caution. For me, they are something like a fantasy - most too unreal to believe. Yet, the concept of love, the concept of what one person can do for the other if they share the same emotions is something that fascinates me to no end. Joyce is a good writer and she conjures a warm and tender story about two hard-to-understand people. What I most liked about is the music lesson it offers. From classical to pop to rock, from Beethoven and Vivaldi to Aretha Franklin and the Sex Pistols - it is a delight to read about the compositions and songs discussed. As a couple, Frank and Ilse are lovely, perfect for each other, partners bound together by the love for music. It is a good book for the most part but the final segment was a disappointment. Joyce has barely acknowledged Frank in it, focusing only on Ilse's side of the story. Would have loved to know what Frank does during that period of 21 years he is away from Ilse. Would have loved to read more about his emotional state of the mind. The ending seems straight out a 90s rom-com and turns out to be very predictable. And that's why I refrained from giving this one 4 stars.
I approach love stories with a lot of caution. For me, they are something like a fantasy - most too unreal to believe. Yet, the concept of love, the concept of what one person can do for the other if they share the same emotions is something that fascinates me to no end. Joyce is a good writer and she conjures a warm and tender story about two hard-to-understand people. What I most liked about is the music lesson it offers. From classical to pop to rock, from Beethoven and Vivaldi to Aretha Franklin and the Sex Pistols - it is a delight to read about the compositions and songs discussed. As a couple, Frank and Ilse are lovely, perfect for each other, partners bound together by the love for music. It is a good book for the most part but the final segment was a disappointment. Joyce has barely acknowledged Frank in it, focusing only on Ilse's side of the story. Would have loved to know what Frank does during that period of 21 years he is away from Ilse. Would have loved to read more about his emotional state of the mind. The ending seems straight out a 90s rom-com and turns out to be very predictable. And that's why I refrained from giving this one 4 stars.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
slow-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
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes