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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This book has so many things that I adore, so was a perfect take-it-easy read for me! Music, romance, little twists and turns, and a beautiful ending.
Frank, although an absolute sweetheart, is almost too stubborn for his own good. Ilse comes along and shakes up his every-day norm, giving him a new lease of life and a way to be heard after being the listener for others for so long. I loved their dynamic, there were expected tiffs along the way but also events that you could just sit back and enjoy without thinking ‘of course!’.
The characters within the story were completely different to each other, but all came together and supported one another like a family which was beautiful! You could find qualities in all of them to relate to and like, but they also weren’t too perfect to spoil the story. It was so interesting to continuously flash back to Frank’s childhood and young adult life with his mother, Peg, to understand why he was the way he was and what had led up to that point!
I got a little too nosy for my own good and read through the Questions for Readers at the back of the book while I was only a quarter of the way through and spoiled somewhat of a pivotal moment for myself - so if you give this one a go, DO NOT SKIP TO THE BACK!
Frank, although an absolute sweetheart, is almost too stubborn for his own good. Ilse comes along and shakes up his every-day norm, giving him a new lease of life and a way to be heard after being the listener for others for so long. I loved their dynamic, there were expected tiffs along the way but also events that you could just sit back and enjoy without thinking ‘of course!’.
The characters within the story were completely different to each other, but all came together and supported one another like a family which was beautiful! You could find qualities in all of them to relate to and like, but they also weren’t too perfect to spoil the story. It was so interesting to continuously flash back to Frank’s childhood and young adult life with his mother, Peg, to understand why he was the way he was and what had led up to that point!
I got a little too nosy for my own good and read through the Questions for Readers at the back of the book while I was only a quarter of the way through and spoiled somewhat of a pivotal moment for myself - so if you give this one a go, DO NOT SKIP TO THE BACK!
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
reflective
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
It wasn't bad. Characters were interesting, loved the music and the 80s. I just felt parts of it were too predictable, other things were built up and then when revealed it wasn't as huge of a deal as it seemed, and Idk I guess I just wanted more for the characters. Worth a read but fell a little short for me.
I read this book based on my love of the author's "The Unlikely Voyage of Harold Fry," which I read while traveling in the UK several years ago. While this has some of the elements of that earlier book--love, community, and quest--it had less sparkle for me. The idea that music can heal has been strong for me forever, and that is Frank's gift, finding the right music, usually a cluster of vinyl albums, for each person as they present their needs. The book has echoes of "This Song Will Save Your Life" (about young adults, music, and community) and "The Little Paris Bookshop" (where the bookseller finds each person the exact right book). It was interesting reading the backstories, particularly about classical music and composers as Frank's mother taught him (yes, Bach and Handel really did each have trouble with their eyes). The side story of failing British small shops is truly tragic as are one or two of the other things that befall people in the book. The journey of vinyl and CDs through the years of the book, 1988-2009, is something that continues, and the 2009 section includes a musical phenomenon which was easy to guess.
What a lovely book! This is a story complete with quirky characters, interesting settings, and enhanced wth beautiful descriptions of music that will feeds your soul. There is tension with the unspoken love affair between Frank and Ilsa, humour with the cast of characters on Unity Street, all interspersed with stories of music and musicians told by Peg. The ending is magnificent!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Utterly delightful, but then I’m a sucker for any novel with a quirky cast of characters. If you decide to give it a go, take the time to read with your iPod and pause and find the music Frank prescribes...it will make the experience all the richer.
I listened to this a while ago (April? Mid May?) and forgot to review it! I really enjoyed it, though it did get to the point where its sadness made me itchy with desire for it to move forward to a happier mindset. . . oh, wait: maybe that was our current political environment?
But in all seriousness, I enjoyed the background of this book a lot and the quirkiness of the characters and would love a hard copy to follow up on all the musical groupings. It seemed like a fluff book but had a lot to recommend it and to think about.
Reader was great.
But in all seriousness, I enjoyed the background of this book a lot and the quirkiness of the characters and would love a hard copy to follow up on all the musical groupings. It seemed like a fluff book but had a lot to recommend it and to think about.
Reader was great.