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A review by thegothiclibrary
Greylock by Paula Cappa
3.0
*I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Greylock has a very unique and intriguing premise--Alexei Georg is a pianist and composer who unwittingly awakens a dark supernatural power when he discovers a sonata called "October" in an old sea chest and passes it off as his own composition. Now, as he tries to create a new composition inspired by whale songs, he is instead haunted by the mistakes of his and his family's past. The story blends elements of crime thriller (there is a serial killer on the loose), romance, and paranormal fantasy while also exploring subjects like musical composition, the social lives of professional performers, and the habits of beluga whales.
I have to say, I had some trouble getting into this book, mainly because I strongly disliked the main character. He hates his wife, frequently going into detail about how he would like to murder her and at times actually getting physically aggressive with her. Sure, she's not a nice person either, but that doesn't excuse his violent fantasies and and actions. Then, when his wife is murdered, he shows little remorse except for the vague worry that he will be pegged as the culprit. Solidifying my poor opinion of Alexei and his relationships with women were the many instances in which he gaslights his girlfriend Lia in an attempt to continue hooking up with her while hiding the supernatural things going on around him.
I can appreciate the value of a flawed character, but Alexei doesn't appear to change and grow in any of the areas that particularly bothered me by the end of the book, which has the effect of seemingly condoning his behavior. Also, disliking him made it very hard for me to care about and root for him to complete his whale symphony and stave off the demon creature haunting and tempting him.
My favorite aspects of the book were the supernatural elements, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Russian folklore and the character of Alexei's spiritual guide, Shemiossa. The overall concept of the story was very Faustian, which I always enjoy. I feel like the book tried to do too many things, though, and the supernatural elements didn't get as much time as they perhaps should have. Overall, I liked many of the concepts of the book, but the character of Alexei prevented me from truly enjoying it.
Greylock has a very unique and intriguing premise--Alexei Georg is a pianist and composer who unwittingly awakens a dark supernatural power when he discovers a sonata called "October" in an old sea chest and passes it off as his own composition. Now, as he tries to create a new composition inspired by whale songs, he is instead haunted by the mistakes of his and his family's past. The story blends elements of crime thriller (there is a serial killer on the loose), romance, and paranormal fantasy while also exploring subjects like musical composition, the social lives of professional performers, and the habits of beluga whales.
I have to say, I had some trouble getting into this book, mainly because I strongly disliked the main character. He hates his wife, frequently going into detail about how he would like to murder her and at times actually getting physically aggressive with her. Sure, she's not a nice person either, but that doesn't excuse his violent fantasies and and actions. Then, when his wife is murdered, he shows little remorse except for the vague worry that he will be pegged as the culprit. Solidifying my poor opinion of Alexei and his relationships with women were the many instances in which he gaslights his girlfriend Lia in an attempt to continue hooking up with her while hiding the supernatural things going on around him.
I can appreciate the value of a flawed character, but Alexei doesn't appear to change and grow in any of the areas that particularly bothered me by the end of the book, which has the effect of seemingly condoning his behavior. Also, disliking him made it very hard for me to care about and root for him to complete his whale symphony and stave off the demon creature haunting and tempting him.
My favorite aspects of the book were the supernatural elements, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Russian folklore and the character of Alexei's spiritual guide, Shemiossa. The overall concept of the story was very Faustian, which I always enjoy. I feel like the book tried to do too many things, though, and the supernatural elements didn't get as much time as they perhaps should have. Overall, I liked many of the concepts of the book, but the character of Alexei prevented me from truly enjoying it.