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ominouslilraven's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I’m kinda speechless. It took me a few chapters to really get into it but by the end, I was absolutely shredded and sobbing.
I’m a damn mess.
Let me just say, that I am typically all for happy ending in books like this, especially because I can relate to Beck and the abuse he suffers by the hands of his mother. However, I'm deeply satisfied that the ending was not all rainbows and unicorns. I think that a happy ending with a pretty little bow would have ruined the whole story and would have made it feel disingenuous.
This book was an emotional roller coaster and I loved it!
I’m a damn mess.
Let me just say, that I am typically all for happy ending in books like this, especially because I can relate to Beck and the abuse he suffers by the hands of his mother. However, I'm deeply satisfied that the ending was not all rainbows and unicorns. I think that a happy ending with a pretty little bow would have ruined the whole story and would have made it feel disingenuous.
This book was an emotional roller coaster and I loved it!
emtees's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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
4.5
This was a brutal read. A Thousand Perfect Notes is a story of physical and emotional abuse and it doesn’t skimp at all on the difficult details. It is ultimately a hopeful story, but thanks to the close attention paid to the emotional state of the main character, even the ending is bittersweet.
Beck is the son of the Maestro, a once-brilliant pianist who lost her career to illness and has spent the years since forcing her son to follow in her wake, demanding that he spend every free minute practicing and refusing to allow anything else in his life to matter - not school, not friends, not even the basics of living like decent food or clothing. Beck knows he isn’t allowed things like that; if he takes a night off from practice or dares to bring anyone into his life, his mother will erupt into violence. Beck has the bruises and scars to prove it. Worse, she might turn on his little sister Joey, the one bright spot in Beck’s life. So Beck spends his days attempting to perfect his mother’s favorite classical pieces, all the while knowing he will never live up to her impossible standard not matter how much he longs for her praise. The irony is that Beck actually loves music - he has endless songs in his head and longs to compose them - but that’s not the music his mother cares about. Then Beck meets August, a quirky classmate who has a thing for rescuing those who need it, whether that’s stray dogs or sad boys. August pushes her way into Beck’s life despite his attempts to be as off-putting as possible, and Beck slowly begins to hope that she actually cares about him as more than a charity case. But right when it seems like life might have at least one small source of happiness, the Maestro tells Beck that she is going to make him play for his uncle Jan, the famed pianist and composer, and if he does well, he will be shipped off to Germany to study music. Which leaves Beck with two options, both terrible: fail, and risk his mother’s wrath, or succeed and lose the few things in life that matter.
Like I said, this book doesn’t skimp on the harsh details of Beck’s life, whether it’s the cruel insults his mother slings at him or her violent assaults. The book is told entirely from his perspective and it is an immersive one, with Drews using a broken-up prose style to convey Beck’s state of mind. Beck is a kid who has been thoroughly beaten down and it shows, which makes the moments when people show interest or care for him hit the reader as hard as they hit him. For a long time, I wasn’t sure Beck was even a good musician, so thoroughly had his mother convinced him that he was a failure, so the moments when people praised him felt powerful. And his relationship with August was something delicate and beautiful amid all the brutality. But ultimately this book was really about the twisted relationship between Beck and his mother. Drews did a good job of making the Maestro into a real person, with her own tragedy and sadness, without ever justifying her treatment of her children.
My only issues with this book came from the brief moments when it slipped into melodrama. For the most part, despite how horrible Beck’s life was, it felt realistic, from the way the adults around him ignored what was happening to him or felt helpless to do anything to the way something ordinary like a first kiss could loom so large even for someone with such an abnormal life. But there were occasional moments when the story lost track of that realism. Major spoilers for the ending:The biggest one for me was the bit about Beck’s name. For most of the story, Beck refuses to let anyone call him by his real name, which we eventually learn is Beethoven. That’s obviously a name most teenage boys would be embarrassed about, but Beck also feels like it’s a label he can never live up to, a way of emphasizing his mediocrity by comparing it to genius. Which is fine. But then at the end of the book, in her last attack on him, the Maestro ends up badly damaging Beck’s ears, leaving him seriously hearing impaired. Not only is there no time to let the seriousness of these consequences land - there is only one chapter of the story left after Beck loses his hearing - but if you know the story of the real Beethoven, you’re left with the sense that Drews kept Beck’s name a secret to avoid foreshadowing his fate. Which felt… silly, in a way that didn’t fit with the rest of the book.
Beck is the son of the Maestro, a once-brilliant pianist who lost her career to illness and has spent the years since forcing her son to follow in her wake, demanding that he spend every free minute practicing and refusing to allow anything else in his life to matter - not school, not friends, not even the basics of living like decent food or clothing. Beck knows he isn’t allowed things like that; if he takes a night off from practice or dares to bring anyone into his life, his mother will erupt into violence. Beck has the bruises and scars to prove it. Worse, she might turn on his little sister Joey, the one bright spot in Beck’s life. So Beck spends his days attempting to perfect his mother’s favorite classical pieces, all the while knowing he will never live up to her impossible standard not matter how much he longs for her praise. The irony is that Beck actually loves music - he has endless songs in his head and longs to compose them - but that’s not the music his mother cares about. Then Beck meets August, a quirky classmate who has a thing for rescuing those who need it, whether that’s stray dogs or sad boys. August pushes her way into Beck’s life despite his attempts to be as off-putting as possible, and Beck slowly begins to hope that she actually cares about him as more than a charity case. But right when it seems like life might have at least one small source of happiness, the Maestro tells Beck that she is going to make him play for his uncle Jan, the famed pianist and composer, and if he does well, he will be shipped off to Germany to study music. Which leaves Beck with two options, both terrible: fail, and risk his mother’s wrath, or succeed and lose the few things in life that matter.
Like I said, this book doesn’t skimp on the harsh details of Beck’s life, whether it’s the cruel insults his mother slings at him or her violent assaults. The book is told entirely from his perspective and it is an immersive one, with Drews using a broken-up prose style to convey Beck’s state of mind. Beck is a kid who has been thoroughly beaten down and it shows, which makes the moments when people show interest or care for him hit the reader as hard as they hit him. For a long time, I wasn’t sure Beck was even a good musician, so thoroughly had his mother convinced him that he was a failure, so the moments when people praised him felt powerful. And his relationship with August was something delicate and beautiful amid all the brutality. But ultimately this book was really about the twisted relationship between Beck and his mother. Drews did a good job of making the Maestro into a real person, with her own tragedy and sadness, without ever justifying her treatment of her children.
My only issues with this book came from the brief moments when it slipped into melodrama. For the most part, despite how horrible Beck’s life was, it felt realistic, from the way the adults around him ignored what was happening to him or felt helpless to do anything to the way something ordinary like a first kiss could loom so large even for someone with such an abnormal life. But there were occasional moments when the story lost track of that realism. Major spoilers for the ending:
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
The main plot revolves around an abusive parent-child relationship that includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, and severe neglect. All the abuse is described in detail.tibbarasden's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I really loved this one. It is definitely a heavier read and deals with abuse, so check the trigger warnings. I loved the way the author wrote this. We are very much inside the MC's head. I loved the way the author approached the MC complicated feelings for music. I loved the big brother dynamic with his little sister. I also really enjoyed the way the MC's world opens throughout the story. I almost wish there was an epilog or follow-up, but the ending did work well for what the story was.
ankysbookbubble's review against another edition
4.0
A Thousand Perfect Notes was beautiful and heart breaking. I felt so so bad about Beck and I loved August's character.
It was a sweet, short tale and I loved it immensely.
It was a sweet, short tale and I loved it immensely.
katreadslit's review against another edition
4.0
walking into traffic would hurt less than this book
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, guys, I had such high hopes for this book, and I am thrilled that it lived up to every single one of them!
What Fed My Addiction:
Be prepared to be put through the wringer.
This isn’t an easy book, by any means. At points it’s downright traumatizing. You should just prepare now to have your heart ripped out and stomped on. (I love it when a book does this!)
Beautiful writing.
The writing flows beautifully, and I loved the gorgeous and understated use of metaphor. Plus, you can tell that Cait is a pianist herself because the way she describes Beck’s playing is masterful.
The characters.
There aren’t any undeveloped characters in this book. Every one makes an impression. Even the characters we hate (i.e. Beck’s mom) have a developed backstory that helps us understand them. I fell in love with Beck almost instantly (and his marshmallow of a little sister).
The dialogue.
Cait is a master of banter. I loved the interactions between Beck and August!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Nothing at all.
I honestly can’t think of anything to mention here. I’m sure if I thought hard I could find some tiny, nitpicky things, but … nothing comes to mind.
For those of you who have been waiting for Cait’s book to come out, you won’t be disappointed. This one easily gets my ABSOLUTELY ADDICTED rating, and it just might end up being an All-Time Favorite (I usually give my brain extra time to percolate on the book before I decide that).
What Fed My Addiction:
Be prepared to be put through the wringer.
This isn’t an easy book, by any means. At points it’s downright traumatizing. You should just prepare now to have your heart ripped out and stomped on. (I love it when a book does this!)
Beautiful writing.
The writing flows beautifully, and I loved the gorgeous and understated use of metaphor. Plus, you can tell that Cait is a pianist herself because the way she describes Beck’s playing is masterful.
The characters.
There aren’t any undeveloped characters in this book. Every one makes an impression. Even the characters we hate (i.e. Beck’s mom) have a developed backstory that helps us understand them. I fell in love with Beck almost instantly (and his marshmallow of a little sister).
The dialogue.
Cait is a master of banter. I loved the interactions between Beck and August!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Nothing at all.
I honestly can’t think of anything to mention here. I’m sure if I thought hard I could find some tiny, nitpicky things, but … nothing comes to mind.
For those of you who have been waiting for Cait’s book to come out, you won’t be disappointed. This one easily gets my ABSOLUTELY ADDICTED rating, and it just might end up being an All-Time Favorite (I usually give my brain extra time to percolate on the book before I decide that).
eyleen's review against another edition
4.0
Phew, this was intense!!
A Thousand Perfect Notes is the story of Beck, a 15-year old piano prodigy with an abusive mother. His mother used to be a professional pianist and now lives all her shattered dreams through his son, depriving him of any social life or own choices.
It was intense reading about how the mother, always referred to as "the maestro", treats Beck and made me incredibly angry. Cait did an amazing job conveying his emotions. I felt all trapped and angsty and mad and hopeless when I read those scenes.
There's also little Joey, Beck's 5-year old sister, who is a burst of energy in glittery gumboots and brings some light moments into the story, while also being one more thing tying Beck onto his terrible life, because he is very protective of her and is more like a father than a big brother in many ways.
The love story is not really a love story, but more of a friendship story. August (what's with the guy names for girls in this book btw? So many authors do this and it always confuses me so much) is a person I would never befriend in real life to be honest, but who is awesome to read about. She has a house full of dogs, never wears shoes and kicks people who are mean to animals.
Where Beck is painfully shy, she has no boundaries at all and forces herself on him (in a nice way) until they become friends.
This whole book is very character-driven, but still never slow and I couldn't put it down until I knew how things played out in the end and if Beck would stand up for himself eventually.
As a German I have to remark on the fact that there was lots of German used in the book (the maestro is originally from Germany) and I was very happy that it was all used with correct grammar!! This is NOT usual and I get so mad when authors think they should use some German in their books and then completely butcher it, but here it was all good ;)
I'm a person who feels books very deeply, so whenever I read a drama, I get all upset and sad and borderline depressed, which is why I usually avoid them, but I was really curious about Cait's debut and as a bookstagrammer I'm obviously obsessed with the cover, so I needed to pick this up and I'm so glad I did. It was intense, it gave me all the feels, it was raw and powerful and I read this whole book in one day, which I usually NEVER do, so...yeah..phew...I loved it, although it was outside my comfort zone and I think I'm going to watch some cheap comedy TV now to cheer me up a bit ;)
A Thousand Perfect Notes is the story of Beck, a 15-year old piano prodigy with an abusive mother. His mother used to be a professional pianist and now lives all her shattered dreams through his son, depriving him of any social life or own choices.
It was intense reading about how the mother, always referred to as "the maestro", treats Beck and made me incredibly angry. Cait did an amazing job conveying his emotions. I felt all trapped and angsty and mad and hopeless when I read those scenes.
There's also little Joey, Beck's 5-year old sister, who is a burst of energy in glittery gumboots and brings some light moments into the story, while also being one more thing tying Beck onto his terrible life, because he is very protective of her and is more like a father than a big brother in many ways.
The love story is not really a love story, but more of a friendship story. August (what's with the guy names for girls in this book btw? So many authors do this and it always confuses me so much) is a person I would never befriend in real life to be honest, but who is awesome to read about. She has a house full of dogs, never wears shoes and kicks people who are mean to animals.
Where Beck is painfully shy, she has no boundaries at all and forces herself on him (in a nice way) until they become friends.
This whole book is very character-driven, but still never slow and I couldn't put it down until I knew how things played out in the end and if Beck would stand up for himself eventually.
As a German I have to remark on the fact that there was lots of German used in the book (the maestro is originally from Germany) and I was very happy that it was all used with correct grammar!! This is NOT usual and I get so mad when authors think they should use some German in their books and then completely butcher it, but here it was all good ;)
I'm a person who feels books very deeply, so whenever I read a drama, I get all upset and sad and borderline depressed, which is why I usually avoid them, but I was really curious about Cait's debut and as a bookstagrammer I'm obviously obsessed with the cover, so I needed to pick this up and I'm so glad I did. It was intense, it gave me all the feels, it was raw and powerful and I read this whole book in one day, which I usually NEVER do, so...yeah..phew...I loved it, although it was outside my comfort zone and I think I'm going to watch some cheap comedy TV now to cheer me up a bit ;)
caffeineaddict980's review against another edition
5.0
Beck hates his life and his violent mother who forces him to play piano day after day as her illness ended her own career in music. However, Beck has his own dreams of composing music but is too scared to stand up to his Mother for fear of violence.
When he meets August, he begins to experience glimmers of love and hope for the first time.
Will August help him find his freedom?
This novel was emotional and compelling with themes of abuse and neglect, there is also a bit of romance involved but it feels more like a friendship in the end.
Overall, a powerful read.
When he meets August, he begins to experience glimmers of love and hope for the first time.
Will August help him find his freedom?
This novel was emotional and compelling with themes of abuse and neglect, there is also a bit of romance involved but it feels more like a friendship in the end.
Overall, a powerful read.
zanybibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
First of all, trigger warnings to victims of abuse and anyone who has a heart may require a box (or ten) of tissues.
Beck is a poor tortured soul that has a passion for composing music but is forced to play the classics the Maestro mastered when she was young. The Maestro is Beck's mother and by forced I mean physical and emotional abuse.
Beck is a kind-hearted teenage boy who cannot stand up for himself. He has exactly zero friends and no motivation to become anything. The only thing that seems to keep him going is protecting his younger sister, Joey, from the Maestro. His life is the same dull grey on repeat until a school assignment pairs him up with a ray of sunshine.
August is the human embodiment of happiness and positivity. Even Beck's harsh comments and negative attitude can dampen her spirits. It would be difficult for August to be anything but a ray of sunshine given her parents are kind and understanding. She also lives with about a dozen dogs which would make most people happy.
Joey is also a beautiful soul with an amusing personality. I wanted to help Beck to protect her from the Maestro because the idea of her mother snuffing out her light was devastating to me. Paired with this devastation, I also felt a red, hot, angry hatred for the Maestro.
The plot was well told and really emotional. I have not experienced physical abuse like that in the book, but I know emotional abuse and I personally think it is well represented. I am not one to cry all that often at sad stories but by the end of this emotional book, I was crying an ocean.
My only complaint is that the end felt a little rushed. Maybe it was just my desire to know more about what happened after, but it is not enough for me to reduce my star rating.
Although I cannot say I loved what happened to the characters in this book, I can say that I loved the way the story was told. If you have not read it yet (and can handle reading about abuse) I definitely recommend you rush out to buy yourself a copy immediately!
Beck is a poor tortured soul that has a passion for composing music but is forced to play the classics the Maestro mastered when she was young. The Maestro is Beck's mother and by forced I mean physical and emotional abuse.
Beck is a kind-hearted teenage boy who cannot stand up for himself. He has exactly zero friends and no motivation to become anything. The only thing that seems to keep him going is protecting his younger sister, Joey, from the Maestro. His life is the same dull grey on repeat until a school assignment pairs him up with a ray of sunshine.
August is the human embodiment of happiness and positivity. Even Beck's harsh comments and negative attitude can dampen her spirits. It would be difficult for August to be anything but a ray of sunshine given her parents are kind and understanding. She also lives with about a dozen dogs which would make most people happy.
Joey is also a beautiful soul with an amusing personality. I wanted to help Beck to protect her from the Maestro because the idea of her mother snuffing out her light was devastating to me. Paired with this devastation, I also felt a red, hot, angry hatred for the Maestro.
The plot was well told and really emotional. I have not experienced physical abuse like that in the book, but I know emotional abuse and I personally think it is well represented. I am not one to cry all that often at sad stories but by the end of this emotional book, I was crying an ocean.
My only complaint is that the end felt a little rushed. Maybe it was just my desire to know more about what happened after, but it is not enough for me to reduce my star rating.
Although I cannot say I loved what happened to the characters in this book, I can say that I loved the way the story was told. If you have not read it yet (and can handle reading about abuse) I definitely recommend you rush out to buy yourself a copy immediately!
alongreader's review against another edition
5.0
Unbelievably heart rending and terrifying. Beck's Mutter is awful, lost in grief and guilt and pain until she can't see what she's doing. Beck is so strong to stand up under all of it, even as he thinks he's weak and useless.
I was desperate for him to find a way out and terrified his uncle would be just as bad. But when it mattered, Beck found the strength he needed. I really enjoyed this. Now I need a lot of chocolate to recover.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.
I was desperate for him to find a way out and terrified his uncle would be just as bad. But when it mattered, Beck found the strength he needed. I really enjoyed this. Now I need a lot of chocolate to recover.
Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.