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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
The start was GORGEOUS. The piano-maker roaming the Romanian forests to find a perfect tree; the craftsmen carefully creating each instrument by hand. But then: for as sweeping a story as it was, the language was seriously lacking, imho. I wanted perfectly-wrought, elegant sentences that made me sit up and take notice -- and I didn't get them. Somewhat predictable storyline and Greg got really creepy, really fast.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had no idea what to expect of this book. I'd read one review, but I chose the audiobook after listening to a sample of the narrator, who is incredible. She is able to swing from the voice a 26 year old American, to a Russian child and then women, a German, all effortlessly while telling one of the most unique stories I've read in some time.
The piano is a main character in this novel, and its journey is beautifully crafted. There are two main female characters whose lives are woven together by this instrument. These women could not be more different, and are separated by countries and circumstance, but the love for this object drives the plot forward in ways I never could have imagined.
I wouldn't even consider less than 5 stars here. Cander's writing is stellar, her storytelling imaginative and her characters well developed. The only downside to the audio is not owning the book which is absolutely gorgeous.
The piano is a main character in this novel, and its journey is beautifully crafted. There are two main female characters whose lives are woven together by this instrument. These women could not be more different, and are separated by countries and circumstance, but the love for this object drives the plot forward in ways I never could have imagined.
I wouldn't even consider less than 5 stars here. Cander's writing is stellar, her storytelling imaginative and her characters well developed. The only downside to the audio is not owning the book which is absolutely gorgeous.
I have complicated feelings about this tragic novel. I did not expect that there would be such drama about a musical instrument that is supposed to bring joy, at least a little. The story is about a piano exchanging hands over the years and how it witnessed one tragic event after another. If poor Blüthner had known what would become of it, I guess he never would have carved the precious wood into a piano.
Katya is a broken woman with a traumatic child, who is neglected because his mother escapes her miserable marriage by playing the piano and she falls in love with her student. The student, a professor at a university escapes his miserable marriage to be with her and neglects his own daughter, who becomes a mechanic with no purpose in life, who has attachment issues. Imagine these two children find each other later in life and what would become of them. And imagine a piano witnessing three generations of misery until finding peace at last.
You can guess from my bittersweet (mostly bitter) review that I was not in the mood for this novel. However, I have to congratulate the author for writing a beautifully constructed chronological history-fiction about a musical instrument.
P.S. I started listening to Scriabin while reading the novel and it doubled the impact.
Katya is a broken woman with a traumatic child, who is neglected because his mother escapes her miserable marriage by playing the piano and she falls in love with her student. The student, a professor at a university escapes his miserable marriage to be with her and neglects his own daughter, who becomes a mechanic with no purpose in life, who has attachment issues. Imagine these two children find each other later in life and what would become of them. And imagine a piano witnessing three generations of misery until finding peace at last.
You can guess from my bittersweet (mostly bitter) review that I was not in the mood for this novel. However, I have to congratulate the author for writing a beautifully constructed chronological history-fiction about a musical instrument.
P.S. I started listening to Scriabin while reading the novel and it doubled the impact.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A masterfully tuned piece of unique literary perfection.
This story had good potential... it kept my interest awhile until close to the end. Then the author took the story in a weird direction.
I absolutely loved every moment of this book. I am always weary when books claim to be like other books I've loved and this one had some hefty comparisons to live up to but within moments of starting to listen to it, I was lost in its world, vested in its characters and did not want to put it down. I loved the characters, the writing, the intertwining, all of it. This book is about family, immigration, love, loss, identity, belonging, the power of music and so much more. The pacing of the story was just right for me and at different times I was more invested in one character than the other but overall I found myself just wanting to be in this story for as long as possible. It even managed to end in way that felt just right. I've never read this author before so I don't know if all her novels are just the perfect ones for me but I can't wait to explore them if they are anything like this quiet, lyrical, beautiful and profound story.
Chris Cander’s new book, The Weight of a Piano is simply stunning. Her story follows the life of a Bluthner piano as it travels from owner to owner. In addition to the piano, there are two women who play central roles in the tale. In 1962 when she is 8 years old, Katya is gifted the piano by a neighbor in her apartment building in Russia. She eventually emigrates from Russia to the United States losing her piano in the process. In 2012, Clara, who was gifted the piano by her father, decides to sell it to help make ends meet. As the book progresses, their stories unfold and begin to intertwine. Cander’s prose is lyrical and beautiful, and her tale unfolds at just the right pace. As I was close to finishing the book, I began to worry that the ending was going to frustrate me, but instead the book ends perfectly. I highly recommend this one.