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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Records, 1980s, Romance. These are what drew me to read this book. As I began the book, I discovered another reason the book caught my eye was they were a group of misfits. The book was well-written, but I did not feel the curse words were necessary. It seems they would be used by some of the characters, but I care not to read them. I liked the love story and continued through the book because I found I cared about their future. I needed there to be that happily ever after.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
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
Sweet love story to music and community. Frank has a music shop. He is essentially a musical match maker. Somehow knowing what song/artist/album is needed by each customer. Along the ways he teaches them(and us) what to listen for . Ilse is a young e woman of mystery who faints in front of the store and is rescued by Frank. Most of the story focuses on their developing relationship against the back drop of the gentrification of their rundown London neighborhood. Full of quirky characters and the importance of community.
If you even like music somewhat you should read this book. If you believe music is a contact sport, you should read this book. If a mirror fogs up when held under your nose, you should read this book.
First, let me apologize to whomever got this book after me at the library, for the slightly wrinkled pages from my ugly cry. But don't let even that put you off this book, because it isn't, generally, a love story or even overly emotional, unless it comes to describing music.
When people describe it as gentle, or lyrical, it's hard to define exactly why, but it is exactly those things. Joyce is gentle with her characters. Their average lives are not up for mockery. None of them is trying to change the world or become famous or even move out of their run down little corner of London. Joyce takes the average and raises it into the sublime.
If I had to make a comparison, I'd say it was the love child of Hornby's High Fidelity and Jeunet's Amelie. Frank owns a record store while the rest of the world is buying CDs. His specialty is knowing exactly what a person needs to hear. Ilse is a mysterious German who walks into his life by accident, but somehow intrigues Frank because he cannot tell what she would like to hear. In this, he is deaf, not only to her, but to his own, heart. The cast of this little run down street of shops is endearing without being cliche. Father Anthony, Maud and Kit all make up Frank's world until Ilse asks for, what I'll call listening lessons.
As other's have noted, the end jumps a bit, but I don't think there was a cleaner way to do it, and Joyce makes up for the jumps with one of the best finales of all time, which should be put on film, probably by Jeunet. This is a book I want to talk about, listen to the soundtrack from, and possibly hand out to strangers on the street. Save me some money and check it out from your local library as soon as possible.
First, let me apologize to whomever got this book after me at the library, for the slightly wrinkled pages from my ugly cry. But don't let even that put you off this book, because it isn't, generally, a love story or even overly emotional, unless it comes to describing music.
When people describe it as gentle, or lyrical, it's hard to define exactly why, but it is exactly those things. Joyce is gentle with her characters. Their average lives are not up for mockery. None of them is trying to change the world or become famous or even move out of their run down little corner of London. Joyce takes the average and raises it into the sublime.
If I had to make a comparison, I'd say it was the love child of Hornby's High Fidelity and Jeunet's Amelie. Frank owns a record store while the rest of the world is buying CDs. His specialty is knowing exactly what a person needs to hear. Ilse is a mysterious German who walks into his life by accident, but somehow intrigues Frank because he cannot tell what she would like to hear. In this, he is deaf, not only to her, but to his own, heart. The cast of this little run down street of shops is endearing without being cliche. Father Anthony, Maud and Kit all make up Frank's world until Ilse asks for, what I'll call listening lessons.
As other's have noted, the end jumps a bit, but I don't think there was a cleaner way to do it, and Joyce makes up for the jumps with one of the best finales of all time, which should be put on film, probably by Jeunet. This is a book I want to talk about, listen to the soundtrack from, and possibly hand out to strangers on the street. Save me some money and check it out from your local library as soon as possible.
It was a 4 star review up until the last chapters. I think the author tried to get a bit too clever with tying everything together.
As a person who use to work in a music store in the 90's, I could envision an independent vinyl hold out like Frank.
As a person who use to work in a music store in the 90's, I could envision an independent vinyl hold out like Frank.
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
I loved the music aspects of this book but the rest fell pretty flat for me. I also found the ending to be...odd? It felt very disjointed from the style of the rest of the book.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 rating. The beginning is very slow. A few frustrating moments where if the characters would just talk problems would be solved but the ending was sweet. The writing was beautiful and the authors knowledge of music was amazing.