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This book is carefully constructed so that the structure mirrors the subject matter. It takes on the subject of a string quartet and how they make music together, and how the act of working at music together, creating, results in a complicated quasi-family over the years, not from choosing each other really but just from being present in one another's lives. The book weaves among the four perspectives as each might take a prominent role in different sections of the music. The structure is tight, but the author lets their lives be messy, neither good nor bad, just rich and complicated and also boring and ordinary. I love the way they showed their hours of daily practice as transforming their bodies over time as they age - the chronic pain, the changes in their postures, the bruises where their instruments wear against their body. It's not an easy happy book but the artistry of it is compelling.
As a former musician, I really wanted to like this book. To be fair, there were parts that I really liked. Those parts consisted of performances and practice sessions. I had trouble connecting with the characters, outside of Kimiko and Henry. Kimiko says the idea most women my age are fighting: “Is it possible to be a mother and still want more for yourself?” I connected to that so much. Henry desperately wanted to continue meeting his prodigy status, but worried about what he was really doing. Outside of these characters, everyone else was meh. I loved the subject matter though, especially when told accurately through a former musician’s words.
3.5 stars
The Ensemble follows the lives of four young members of a chamber quartet as they navigate the world of competitive classical music, ambition, relationships, success, failure, and love. Readers will meet Jana, first violin, aloof, resilient, and fearless leader; Brit, second violin, beautiful, idealistic, and quiet orphan; Daniel, cello, angry, oldest, and most adrift; and Henry, viola, an easy-going prodigy who has always lived an easy and blessed life. This is a character driven story (some unlikable) and includes a multitude of musical references. Although it’s beautifully written and a unique concept, there’s minimal plot. With a focus on relationships, the four musicians, drawn together by art, are bonded for life (reminding me a bit of Mitch Albom’s metaphor in The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto that “we’re all in a band” and throughout our lives we join different bands. The author expertly and carefully explores relationships and friendships, backgrounds of the four musicians, and the profound impact that their families of origin have on their decisions and outlooks. The beauty in the story is in the exploration of the family you choose as they choose each other over and over again.
Here’s what worked for me:
+beautiful writing
+unique concept for a story
+insightful observations on relationships and personal and professional growth
+their commitment and bond to each other
+the idea of chosen family (community)
+well drawn characters
What I thought could have been better:
-The story could have been 100 pages shorter or written as a novella…at about 56% I started to eagerly anticipate reaching the end (even though I enjoyed the writing).
-It’s a slow read (for me who loves more action) without much of a plot (focus is on character development and observations and reflections).
-a touch melodramatic at times
My Rating: This is difficult as I wavered between a 3 and 4 (see above bullet points), so I decided on 3.5 Stars (a solid enough read but probably not recommendable to everyone without some explanation).
Recommendation: readers who love music and character driven stories that focus on relationships and friendships, this is the book for you!
See more reviews on my blog: readingladies.com
The Ensemble follows the lives of four young members of a chamber quartet as they navigate the world of competitive classical music, ambition, relationships, success, failure, and love. Readers will meet Jana, first violin, aloof, resilient, and fearless leader; Brit, second violin, beautiful, idealistic, and quiet orphan; Daniel, cello, angry, oldest, and most adrift; and Henry, viola, an easy-going prodigy who has always lived an easy and blessed life. This is a character driven story (some unlikable) and includes a multitude of musical references. Although it’s beautifully written and a unique concept, there’s minimal plot. With a focus on relationships, the four musicians, drawn together by art, are bonded for life (reminding me a bit of Mitch Albom’s metaphor in The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto that “we’re all in a band” and throughout our lives we join different bands. The author expertly and carefully explores relationships and friendships, backgrounds of the four musicians, and the profound impact that their families of origin have on their decisions and outlooks. The beauty in the story is in the exploration of the family you choose as they choose each other over and over again.
Here’s what worked for me:
+beautiful writing
+unique concept for a story
+insightful observations on relationships and personal and professional growth
+their commitment and bond to each other
+the idea of chosen family (community)
+well drawn characters
What I thought could have been better:
-The story could have been 100 pages shorter or written as a novella…at about 56% I started to eagerly anticipate reaching the end (even though I enjoyed the writing).
-It’s a slow read (for me who loves more action) without much of a plot (focus is on character development and observations and reflections).
-a touch melodramatic at times
My Rating: This is difficult as I wavered between a 3 and 4 (see above bullet points), so I decided on 3.5 Stars (a solid enough read but probably not recommendable to everyone without some explanation).
Recommendation: readers who love music and character driven stories that focus on relationships and friendships, this is the book for you!
See more reviews on my blog: readingladies.com
What to say about The Ensemble? It’s an enjoyable read, for sure, and Gabel’s writing promises more great work to come. The Ensemble just feels, lacking to me in certain character development aspects. The characters were great but I felt something was missing in their bond as a foursome, while there were emotional moments with most of the 4 protagonist on a one on one basis, and their knowledge of each other’s physicality and bodies was always highlighted. I do feel like there was more telling then showing when it came to their bond as a quartet. And the time lapses and non-linear storytelling only exacerbated this problem for me.
As far as entertainment though, this does the job quite well, there’s a nice amount of drama and genuine sweet moments among the characters, and it is easy to get attached to them. Which is why my complaint up top is a thing, i’m invested lol.
Gabel’s use of her passion and knowledge of the classical music world was woven so well with how to process “adulting” in the world when you never really see yourself as being ready. Her attention to sound and how it matures in particular throughout the narrative, when sound is taken for granted so much, was a great contrast to personal growth (and lack of such) and I enjoyed it very much!
On a side note, at some point I do want to try to read this book along with the playlist Gabel provides at the beginning of each section to see if it would help set a better atmosphere? The fact she included them has made me curious!
RATING: 3.5/5 (rounded to 3/5 here)
As far as entertainment though, this does the job quite well, there’s a nice amount of drama and genuine sweet moments among the characters, and it is easy to get attached to them. Which is why my complaint up top is a thing, i’m invested lol.
Gabel’s use of her passion and knowledge of the classical music world was woven so well with how to process “adulting” in the world when you never really see yourself as being ready. Her attention to sound and how it matures in particular throughout the narrative, when sound is taken for granted so much, was a great contrast to personal growth (and lack of such) and I enjoyed it very much!
On a side note, at some point I do want to try to read this book along with the playlist Gabel provides at the beginning of each section to see if it would help set a better atmosphere? The fact she included them has made me curious!
RATING: 3.5/5 (rounded to 3/5 here)
Find More Reviews On My Blog!
I received The Ensemble in my first Page Habit box and I was so thrilled when it came in the mail. I saw that cover and honestly did not care whether or not I enjoyed the story itself, because the book itself is stunning! I am happy to report that I feel as though the story inside is just as amazing as its cover.
The Ensemble is a story that is completely driven by it’s characters and their development throughout the novel. The four characters who make up the musical quartet are each flawed and wonderful in their own unique ways. There were moments where I was rooting them on and then there were moments where I found them to be completely frustrating. It is so amazing when you can get that passionate about character’s decisions! It is truly a credit to Aja Gabel’s writing.
The pacing of the book can feel a bit slow, and it did take me a little while to really get in to the story. I think that might be part of the beauty of the novel. We see the characters when they first meet and form the quartet, and then we see there journey thoughout the years. We witness all of their successes and failures, both personally and professionally. It feels as though we get to know the characters better as they themselves get to know one another.
It was clear that the author has a passion for classical music, and it was a joy to see that passion reflected on the page. I also love when books center around music, and The Ensemble was no exception. It is a wonderfully story, especially if you prefer character-driven novels that take place over the course of many years.
I received The Ensemble in my first Page Habit box and I was so thrilled when it came in the mail. I saw that cover and honestly did not care whether or not I enjoyed the story itself, because the book itself is stunning! I am happy to report that I feel as though the story inside is just as amazing as its cover.
The Ensemble is a story that is completely driven by it’s characters and their development throughout the novel. The four characters who make up the musical quartet are each flawed and wonderful in their own unique ways. There were moments where I was rooting them on and then there were moments where I found them to be completely frustrating. It is so amazing when you can get that passionate about character’s decisions! It is truly a credit to Aja Gabel’s writing.
The pacing of the book can feel a bit slow, and it did take me a little while to really get in to the story. I think that might be part of the beauty of the novel. We see the characters when they first meet and form the quartet, and then we see there journey thoughout the years. We witness all of their successes and failures, both personally and professionally. It feels as though we get to know the characters better as they themselves get to know one another.
It was clear that the author has a passion for classical music, and it was a joy to see that passion reflected on the page. I also love when books center around music, and The Ensemble was no exception. It is a wonderfully story, especially if you prefer character-driven novels that take place over the course of many years.
The Ensemble covers snippets in time over the course of 20 years in the life of the four musicians in the Van Ness string quartet. This was an interesting character study, and I loved the long timeline of the novel. Gabel is a musician and her background really helped to frame the musical aspect of this novel. The book felt a bit disjointed because it skipped several years between each section and each section only featured two characters.
Reading The Ensemble made me so grateful for the experiences I have as a member of a high school choir.
Following the Van Ness Quartet as they performed and made life decisions, and also how the power of being a member of a close knit musical ensemble affected their lives was a joy. Having musical knowledge definitely added a layer of richness to this novel, but even if you don't know what a fermata is, this is still worth the read!
Following the Van Ness Quartet as they performed and made life decisions, and also how the power of being a member of a close knit musical ensemble affected their lives was a joy. Having musical knowledge definitely added a layer of richness to this novel, but even if you don't know what a fermata is, this is still worth the read!
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Stars-- This book, that spans years, moved at the perfect pace. Not too slow and not too fast. I was vested in all four characters fast. Each of them was likeable and unlikable in their own ways. But their likeableness outweighed their negative qualities. And though I liked them, I did not love them, which I think led to me giving four stars instead of five.
That being said, the story line really is not deep, but the lives of the quartet are. Jana, Brit, Henry, and Daniel are in serious relationships, but their number 1 is their quartet. Gabel takes us on a journey about how for musicians in this line of work, every decision and most life choices are made based on what's good for the group-- everyone else is just along for the ride. The sections of text that talk specifics about music went a little over my head because I have no musical talent. I did not feel bogged down, but feeling the emotion of the group as they played.
Normally, I do not do book comparisons, but for those who read A Little Life this is being compared to that. I have not read A Little Life and I am only giving the comparison because I have not heard too much about this book out in the world. It goes on sale May 15!
4 Stars-- This book, that spans years, moved at the perfect pace. Not too slow and not too fast. I was vested in all four characters fast. Each of them was likeable and unlikable in their own ways. But their likeableness outweighed their negative qualities. And though I liked them, I did not love them, which I think led to me giving four stars instead of five.
That being said, the story line really is not deep, but the lives of the quartet are. Jana, Brit, Henry, and Daniel are in serious relationships, but their number 1 is their quartet. Gabel takes us on a journey about how for musicians in this line of work, every decision and most life choices are made based on what's good for the group-- everyone else is just along for the ride. The sections of text that talk specifics about music went a little over my head because I have no musical talent. I did not feel bogged down, but feeling the emotion of the group as they played.
Normally, I do not do book comparisons, but for those who read A Little Life this is being compared to that. I have not read A Little Life and I am only giving the comparison because I have not heard too much about this book out in the world. It goes on sale May 15!
If you love these things, you may love this book:
- philosophic coming of age, and coming past that age
- orchestral music, or music in general
- beautifully flawed characters, that feel like real people.
Philosophy: I love reading, but very rarely in a book do I hear someone's internal voice and go "that's me, other people think like this?" I had these moments in a few of the perspectives, and it was a delightful experience. I may have looked up all Aja Gabel's social media after reading this because I feel like I want to be her friend (not in a creepy way).
Music: I have a public school background in orchestra, and while I think people could enjoy this book without an understanding of music, I don't think it will breathe with an equal force of life. I think that is part of what made this book more magical to me, I felt like I was in on a secret with the quartet.
Characters: There were moments in this book, where I felt like it may be one of the best books I read, and then there were moments when the perspectives dragged. The characters in this book, felt raw and real. They were flawed, they didn't always appreciate each other, they did the wrong things, they kept secrets from one another, and it was marvelous. My qualm is that the members of the quartet, while unique at the beginning, began to blend together as time went on. I know this was the point, they grew together as a unit, but my problem is that they would have the same realization the same way, and I think that people as different as these would have come to these realizations in unique ways, or wouldn't think about it the same.
All around great book, and I can't wait for more from her.
- philosophic coming of age, and coming past that age
- orchestral music, or music in general
- beautifully flawed characters, that feel like real people.
Philosophy: I love reading, but very rarely in a book do I hear someone's internal voice and go "that's me, other people think like this?" I had these moments in a few of the perspectives, and it was a delightful experience. I may have looked up all Aja Gabel's social media after reading this because I feel like I want to be her friend (not in a creepy way).
Music: I have a public school background in orchestra, and while I think people could enjoy this book without an understanding of music, I don't think it will breathe with an equal force of life. I think that is part of what made this book more magical to me, I felt like I was in on a secret with the quartet.
Characters: There were moments in this book, where I felt like it may be one of the best books I read, and then there were moments when the perspectives dragged. The characters in this book, felt raw and real. They were flawed, they didn't always appreciate each other, they did the wrong things, they kept secrets from one another, and it was marvelous. My qualm is that the members of the quartet, while unique at the beginning, began to blend together as time went on. I know this was the point, they grew together as a unit, but my problem is that they would have the same realization the same way, and I think that people as different as these would have come to these realizations in unique ways, or wouldn't think about it the same.
All around great book, and I can't wait for more from her.
I review books on Rachel's Reading. For hundreds more like this, check it out!
I'm not sure why I was hesitant to like this book. I think it was because I saw the average rating on GoodReads and so I thought it would just be one of those books that I got through, gave it three stars and moved on. For the first time, I weirdly felt pressured to not be crazy about a book. While I wasn't obsessed with this book, I didn't hate it, and in fact, found myself very much invested in the lives of these characters, probably because the narrator of the audio was so amazing.
This book follows a quartet through their life, and while this book isn't fast-paced or full of twists and turns, it's a calming, realistic look at how friendships grow and change, about how your perspective on things change throughout life and it felt so real. I really felt like I knew these characters and I immediately wanted to google and find them playing pieces. The story is told from all four perspectives, but in the third person, and sometimes a chapter from their significant others. I really enjoyed this book, it was a nice calming change from what I normally read, and listened to it in an effort to read more "adult" books, and was quite happy with my decision to do so. Don't go into this book expecting earth-shattering revelations, but it is a nice calming book that I feel like would be great for nighttime reading or on a porch while it rains.
I'm not sure why I was hesitant to like this book. I think it was because I saw the average rating on GoodReads and so I thought it would just be one of those books that I got through, gave it three stars and moved on. For the first time, I weirdly felt pressured to not be crazy about a book. While I wasn't obsessed with this book, I didn't hate it, and in fact, found myself very much invested in the lives of these characters, probably because the narrator of the audio was so amazing.
This book follows a quartet through their life, and while this book isn't fast-paced or full of twists and turns, it's a calming, realistic look at how friendships grow and change, about how your perspective on things change throughout life and it felt so real. I really felt like I knew these characters and I immediately wanted to google and find them playing pieces. The story is told from all four perspectives, but in the third person, and sometimes a chapter from their significant others. I really enjoyed this book, it was a nice calming change from what I normally read, and listened to it in an effort to read more "adult" books, and was quite happy with my decision to do so. Don't go into this book expecting earth-shattering revelations, but it is a nice calming book that I feel like would be great for nighttime reading or on a porch while it rains.