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katie_is_dreaming 's review for:
Songs in Ursa Major
by Emma Brodie
Rating: 8/10
I quite like stories about musicians, so I've had this one on my list to read for a while. I thought this worked better for me than Daisy Jones and the Six, for the reason that, where the structure in Reid's book meant we didn't actually really get to know Daisy, here, we were in Jane's head much of the time, which made her story feel more immediate.
Jane is still an unreliable narrator. She's got secrets she doesn't want anyone to know. I think that aspect was my least favourite part of the book. I would much have preferred the drama between Jane and Jesse, if there had to be any, come from a different source.
The musical journey through the book was interesting. Jane's talent struck me as similar to someone like Carole King. I thought Brodie captured really well the shift from folk into soft rock in the '70s, and I know the music was inspired by real musicians and record companies of the time.
Jane's knowledge of the industry and determination to do things her own way were an interesting choice. It's a contrast to the young female musicians who get chewed up and spat out by an industry that takes advantage of them and controls everything they do. I thought Brodie's more savvy heroine made a nice change, but I also felt that Jane's awareness made the story less propulsive and the stakes feel lesser. I also think the ending was rather neat. There wasn't much drama.
Or the drama was centred on Jane and Jesse's relationship. I enjoyed their dynamic, but I think there could have been more depth, less about their physical connection and more of a spiritual connection through the music. There was some of that, but one thing Daisy Jones and the Six did well was the connection between its two creative, difficult leads. I would have liked more of that in this book.
I thought the story was very evocative in terms of the setting, and in the depiction of the music. Brodie rendered the atmosphere really well, I felt. And the writing is good here too. I'd be interested to see what Brodie writes next.
I quite like stories about musicians, so I've had this one on my list to read for a while. I thought this worked better for me than Daisy Jones and the Six, for the reason that, where the structure in Reid's book meant we didn't actually really get to know Daisy, here, we were in Jane's head much of the time, which made her story feel more immediate.
Jane is still an unreliable narrator. She's got secrets she doesn't want anyone to know. I think that aspect was my least favourite part of the book. I would much have preferred the drama between Jane and Jesse, if there had to be any, come from a different source.
The musical journey through the book was interesting. Jane's talent struck me as similar to someone like Carole King. I thought Brodie captured really well the shift from folk into soft rock in the '70s, and I know the music was inspired by real musicians and record companies of the time.
Jane's knowledge of the industry and determination to do things her own way were an interesting choice. It's a contrast to the young female musicians who get chewed up and spat out by an industry that takes advantage of them and controls everything they do. I thought Brodie's more savvy heroine made a nice change, but I also felt that Jane's awareness made the story less propulsive and the stakes feel lesser. I also think the ending was rather neat. There wasn't much drama.
Or the drama was centred on Jane and Jesse's relationship. I enjoyed their dynamic, but I think there could have been more depth, less about their physical connection and more of a spiritual connection through the music. There was some of that, but one thing Daisy Jones and the Six did well was the connection between its two creative, difficult leads. I would have liked more of that in this book.
I thought the story was very evocative in terms of the setting, and in the depiction of the music. Brodie rendered the atmosphere really well, I felt. And the writing is good here too. I'd be interested to see what Brodie writes next.