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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really captivating. Probably a 4.5 rather than a 5 as there were moments when the writing went a bit flowery and off the boil for my taste.
It's full of nostalgia and a sharp sense of time and place, and resonates with musical references, lyrics and echoes.
Very disturbing in places, and heartbreaking at times - I think more than anything the relationship between Alison and Daniel's dad, Bill, really touched me.
It's full of nostalgia and a sharp sense of time and place, and resonates with musical references, lyrics and echoes.
Very disturbing in places, and heartbreaking at times - I think more than anything the relationship between Alison and Daniel's dad, Bill, really touched me.
Mix Tape is a love letter to music, and to love. I thoroughly enjoyed the time hopping writing style though it was a little hard to follow in ebook format at times. But watching Alison and Daniel during their first relationship alongside their new lives and loves lent the eventual coming together more meaning. As we learn more about who they were, we understand better who they are, and the choices that they're making.
I definitely need the playlist for this book and I will re-read it and enjoy it all over again. Some how Alison and Daniel managed to fall for two people who don't love music the way they do, who don't live it and breathe it. So it seems only natural that they would find their way back to one another, to where it all began.
I've never been one for the "I didn't realise my life was miserable until *insert whirlwind romance here* came along" stories. They so often cause someone else pain but we're not supposed to care because our main character is happy - looking at you Letters to Juliet and Leap Year. But Jane Sanderson doesn't shy away from their current lives, doesn't let them get off easy. And that makes it so much more believable, and heart felt.
Also I loved that Alison said "you can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness" and I've got ten Australian dollars that says her husband doesn't recognise those lyrics. I wonder how many more I missed though.
Although the subjects are only touched on Sanderson deals with topics such as alcoholism, and to a lesser extent dementia, with a very graceful hand in my opinion.
I definitely need the playlist for this book and I will re-read it and enjoy it all over again. Some how Alison and Daniel managed to fall for two people who don't love music the way they do, who don't live it and breathe it. So it seems only natural that they would find their way back to one another, to where it all began.
I've never been one for the "I didn't realise my life was miserable until *insert whirlwind romance here* came along" stories. They so often cause someone else pain but we're not supposed to care because our main character is happy - looking at you Letters to Juliet and Leap Year. But Jane Sanderson doesn't shy away from their current lives, doesn't let them get off easy. And that makes it so much more believable, and heart felt.
Also I loved that Alison said "you can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness" and I've got ten Australian dollars that says her husband doesn't recognise those lyrics. I wonder how many more I missed though.
Although the subjects are only touched on Sanderson deals with topics such as alcoholism, and to a lesser extent dementia, with a very graceful hand in my opinion.
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Grief
Minor: Sexual content, Abortion
This is the story of Allison and Dan. It starts in the 1970s when they are teenagers. They lose contact and then they reconnect via Twitter 30 years later. This is a love story with musical influences throughout.
The book is well written. There are some serious topics in this book - rape, alcohol addiction and homosexuality. These are handled so sensitively by the author. I loved the characters. They were all likeable and down to earth normal people. The pace of this book was slow in the first half but sped up in the second half.
Well worth a read.
The book is well written. There are some serious topics in this book - rape, alcohol addiction and homosexuality. These are handled so sensitively by the author. I loved the characters. They were all likeable and down to earth normal people. The pace of this book was slow in the first half but sped up in the second half.
Well worth a read.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A beautifully written book about first loves and finding each other again after so many years, of picking up from where you let off all those years ago like nothing had changed at all.
Jane Sanderson has weaved a magical tale between the two main characters, both from their teen years through to their adult lives and their relationships.
Everyone has that first love that never really leaves your mind, no matter whether you have thought about them in years. You always end up wondering about the 'what if's' of those past years, of those 'What could it have been like' if you had stayed together.
Mix Tape kind of covers all of those thoughts and feelings as well as covering all the in between, including the other people in their lives, of navigating through the hurts that they leave behind in their wake of finding their true happiness, something which everyone deserves to have in their lives.
Jane Sanderson has weaved a magical tale between the two main characters, both from their teen years through to their adult lives and their relationships.
Everyone has that first love that never really leaves your mind, no matter whether you have thought about them in years. You always end up wondering about the 'what if's' of those past years, of those 'What could it have been like' if you had stayed together.
Mix Tape kind of covers all of those thoughts and feelings as well as covering all the in between, including the other people in their lives, of navigating through the hurts that they leave behind in their wake of finding their true happiness, something which everyone deserves to have in their lives.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
For some reason I’m drawn to the concept of “the one that got away”. I went into this book knowing it focussed on that and that music played a big role. What I got was a lot more and a story that definitely hit me. Alison and Dan were teenage sweethearts in Sheffield and music played a big part in their relationship. Then Alison simply disappeared. Thirty something years later they reconnect over Twitter. He lives in Scotland, is married with an 18 yo son and works as a music writer. She’s also married, has two daughters, lives in Australia and her latest novel has hit the big time. But they don’t tell each other any of this. Instead they communicate via music and simply send each other song links.
***The rest of this review contains spoilers***
This is a book that doesn’t avoid the heavy and the complicated. The reasons behind Ali’s sudden disappearance are heartbreaking - alcoholism, rape, homophobia and attempted suicide all factor in. And the question as to what you can and should do when you reconnect with an old flame is certainly not easy when there are partners and children involved. I really appreciated the author’s not shying away from the hurt and upset involved or trying to pretend such decisions are easy ones to make. The novel also had a strong sense of place and some memorable supporting characters.
This book really hit the mark for me and I enjoyed it more than it might objectively merit. But that’s the thing with books isn’t it? Everyone’s taste is different and timing can also play a big part in how we perceive books. Music lovers, especially fans of music from the late 1970s, will probably enjoy this one as will people happy to nostalgically look back at a teenage romance. Those for whom unfaithfulness is a dealbreaker should probably give it a miss.