You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I have to say, the music content in this was on point. Everything from the repertoire choices to the Esterhazy competition made the story so realistic and I really appreciated that. However, I found the characters so distasteful. They had zero self control, spent their time when they weren't playing music sleeping around and drinking. Some of the parts added to the realism of the story- sleeping with students or judges of competitions- I know that this happens in the music world, but the rest of their lives seemed overdone, and it didn't make me like their characters at all. I wish the story focused more on the music and less on drunken sex...
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh, the frustration of almost-good-enough. This has an enticing premise and exquisite moments, but an overly earnest undercurrent and lopsided character development (surprising, considering the third-person omniscient POV) mire it in 4-star territory. The focus is internal and retrospective whereas it should be on the characters' interactions in real time. I'll look forward to seeing whether Gabel can work out the kinks in her next effort.
Interesting concept, but I found it difficult to really bond or even care about the main four...I didn’t really feel much until the second half of the novel and even then it was difficult to remember ages, character issues/resolution, etc. I personally loved the descriptors of the musical pieces, but other than that I found myself slogging through the novel. The main four were really hard to care about and they’re rather forgettable.
This book was insufferable. I read the first two chapters, and it is the first book I’ve ever returned to a book store. First of all, the characters are all unbelievable and hate each other. Second of all, the language doesn’t know if it’s colloquial or formal. Third, I’m a classical musician and I felt like I was a worse off musician after reading this book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
This is a book I saw, resisted what I thought was "cover-bait," checked out the summary and thought it wasn't for me, saw a very strong endorsement on Twitter, and eventually came back to - and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed this one.
3.5 stars
I loved the writing of this book, and how it lilted and sped as if it itself was a song. I also thought the story itself was beautiful—following a quartet as they made their way through the world of music.
However, I ended the book feeling slightly disappointed. One, there were two plot lines that were left completely unexplored and unresolved at the end of the book. Two, you barely saw the characters interact or change and grow in real time.
Basically, it felt like the book left a lot of questions and though revolves around the four players in the quartet, didn’t delve deeply enough into the characters themselves, leaving me feeling a bit shallow at the end.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book, and would recommend it to others. Just maybe not a book I’d read again.
I loved the writing of this book, and how it lilted and sped as if it itself was a song. I also thought the story itself was beautiful—following a quartet as they made their way through the world of music.
However, I ended the book feeling slightly disappointed. One, there were two plot lines that were left completely unexplored and unresolved at the end of the book. Two, you barely saw the characters interact or change and grow in real time.
Basically, it felt like the book left a lot of questions and though revolves around the four players in the quartet, didn’t delve deeply enough into the characters themselves, leaving me feeling a bit shallow at the end.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book, and would recommend it to others. Just maybe not a book I’d read again.