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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I just can't go on with this dull book any more. It's monotone.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_08/us_conductors.html
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comments_08/us_conductors.html
-This was a Good Reads first reads win!-
Spoilers?
To cut to the chase I really loved this book. I loved pausing after reading something so beautifully written by Sean Michaels to soak it in. I loved imagining George Gershwin and Glen Miller jamming at Dr Theremin's house. I especially loved the tragic second half of the book.
But the thing I did not like, or rather, found the least compelling was Termen's love for Clara. It's strange though, I feel like it worked for the story, and Termen needed something to hold onto when he gets back to Russia, but I couldn't help but find him a bit insufferable for not moving on when she turned him down in the first place.
Spoilers?
To cut to the chase I really loved this book. I loved pausing after reading something so beautifully written by Sean Michaels to soak it in. I loved imagining George Gershwin and Glen Miller jamming at Dr Theremin's house. I especially loved the tragic second half of the book.
But the thing I did not like, or rather, found the least compelling was Termen's love for Clara. It's strange though, I feel like it worked for the story, and Termen needed something to hold onto when he gets back to Russia, but I couldn't help but find him a bit insufferable for not moving on when she turned him down in the first place.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization
Kind of on the fence about this one. Despite my general dislike of fictionalized accounts of actual historical figures and events (which I seem to have thrown to the winds anyway), I enjoyed learning more about the life of Lev Termen. The writing was quite lovely, but I felt more like I was observing a series of beautifully-shot cinematic scenes than following a plot with any narrative energy - and I like a little narrative energy. I found the romance with Clara really annoying too; it was like he met her and just decided to be in love with her for no apparent reason, and then spoke about her like a besotted romantic without ever detailing WHY, exactly, he was in love with her. For all I know, though, this is the way it really happened - I hated the way Hemingway and his wife called each other cutesy nicknames in The Paris Wife too, but I understand this is based in historical fact, so what can you do? All in all, I'm glad I read it, but I wish I hadn't bought it.
fascinating, and utterly sad. I'll certainly do some non-fiction reading about Theremin now.
There was much I liked - the description of the cities, the people, the music, the machines, the work... but dude just seemed like a creep from start to end. I’m off to Youtube Lev Termen and Clara playing the theremin and other inventions!
As much as i have enjoyed reading this book I can't help but think there is something missing.
I enjoyed the narration style and the concept, but Lev's obsession with Clara was a bit creepy after the first 150 pages.
Michaels account of life in a gulag lacks some imagination. He didn't make it seem as horrible as it really was, though his depictions of the transportation were vivid and accurate.
The story ended abruptly. I wish the ended had elaborated more on Lev's work.
The afterward was interesting but left more questions than answers.
I enjoyed the narration style and the concept, but Lev's obsession with Clara was a bit creepy after the first 150 pages.
Michaels account of life in a gulag lacks some imagination. He didn't make it seem as horrible as it really was, though his depictions of the transportation were vivid and accurate.
The story ended abruptly. I wish the ended had elaborated more on Lev's work.
The afterward was interesting but left more questions than answers.
This is really a 4.5 star read for me.
Sean Michaels has crafted something unique in his debut Giller award winning novel. He has fictionalized the life of physicist, engineer, theremin inventor and KGB spy, Leon Theremin. Told in the form of a letters that Theremin is writing recounting his life. The book is broken up into two parts.
The first part covers the period of time as Theremin as a young physicist in Russia and his time living in NYC to promote his instrument and create other inventions. It is here he falls under the spell of young Clara Reisenberg. It is the period of the jazz, the time of speakeasies but it is also the time of the Great Depression. Theremin is naive and idealistic and living the high life. Even during the Depression he seems oblivious to it it many ways.
Theremin's voice changes dramatically in the second half of the book when he is returned to the motherland. Things are now harsh. Michaels description of Leon's life as a prisoner in the gulag, doing hard labour is vividly rendered and all the flights of fancy and the ephemeral magic of New York and the theremin are almost forgotten under the weight of this second half of the book.
Sean Michaels has crafted something unique in his debut Giller award winning novel. He has fictionalized the life of physicist, engineer, theremin inventor and KGB spy, Leon Theremin. Told in the form of a letters that Theremin is writing recounting his life. The book is broken up into two parts.
The first part covers the period of time as Theremin as a young physicist in Russia and his time living in NYC to promote his instrument and create other inventions. It is here he falls under the spell of young Clara Reisenberg. It is the period of the jazz, the time of speakeasies but it is also the time of the Great Depression. Theremin is naive and idealistic and living the high life. Even during the Depression he seems oblivious to it it many ways.
Theremin's voice changes dramatically in the second half of the book when he is returned to the motherland. Things are now harsh. Michaels description of Leon's life as a prisoner in the gulag, doing hard labour is vividly rendered and all the flights of fancy and the ephemeral magic of New York and the theremin are almost forgotten under the weight of this second half of the book.
Although I found the first, NYC, part a bit slow, I thought this was a fascinating novel of a creative scientist/inventor.