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mmz's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sonia_reppe's review
4.0
40 yr old divorcee teaches private violin lessons in an L.A. music shop. I would give this 5 stars but it's too short, and maybe a little too caustic, even though a lot of what it says about musicians and music teachers (the ones who teach in studios, not public schools) is right on.
juliebuckles's review
2.0
Entertaining and quick read about a 40-year-old, recently divorced, entirely embittered music store music teacher. However, the characters are under-developed, the plot thin and the story fairly predictable. I'm guessing musicians might like this -- and because I read on the jacket that it compares to "High Fidelity," I found myself wanting to read and watch that one again . . . and felt this was a less successful attempt.
nixieish's review
3.0
It's obvious, right from the start, that this story is written from someone comfortable writing for television. I say this as a good thing, as I prefer that sort of casual, relaxed tone - I feel it usually offers a deeper insight into the characters in question. They're allowed to be themselves and say what they really mean, rather than squishing into a certain mold to be what the writer is expecting. This character is certainly given room to be herself. Pearl Swain's voice is absolutely fluid - with a touch of prim that comes through via the use of very few contractions, only increasing as she becomes more comfortable with herself - and she isn't taking any issue with just letting all of her thoughts out there. For the reader's sake, at least. As a TV writer, I have a feeling that Hall takes from that experience and really hears a person's voice when she writes for them.
This ability to write real people is a truly marvelous gift from the author.
[FTC disclosure: Received free ARC through Goodreads' First Reads program.]
This ability to write real people is a truly marvelous gift from the author.
[FTC disclosure: Received free ARC through Goodreads' First Reads program.]
kendran's review
2.0
Meh. Somewhat overblown writing, the part that should have been most fraught with emotion and meaning was told oddly and almost coldly. It was short, so I didn't mind finishing it, but I don't think it will stay with me.
eandrews80's review
1.0
Not quite sure why, but this book really turned me off. Which perhaps isn't fair, because it's well written and has a lot of insightful things to say about music, art, and relationships. It was probably the characters, who I found to be uniformly self-absorbed, moody, and irritating. Hall also makes music, or at least musicians, into something self-destructive and desperate, which may be true for some, but dismisses the idea that music can lead people to self-awareness, growth, and joy. All the characters in this book could use a large dose of all three.
vhp's review
3.0
Pearl Swine is a violinist, but not a professional in her standing. She works at a music shop with other musicians and teaches children. Her husband left her for a younger student he taught at UCLA.
The characters are interesting, but only on a superficial L.A. level. I'm not sure if this is what the author meant to do. If so she did a superb job. I felt sorry for them as they left me sad they're only living half lives.
The relationship Pearl has with one of her student's struck me as pathetic and not at all as a 40 year old woman should behave. Though the character does mention that. But she doesn't seem to delve into it much or seem to want to correct it.
It was an easy quick read and I liked the honest abruptness of Pearl which is what kept me reading and I liked the areas of intellectualism as well....but, there wasn't much growth of the characters and they felt like empty shells of human beings just going through the motions, to me.
The characters are interesting, but only on a superficial L.A. level. I'm not sure if this is what the author meant to do. If so she did a superb job. I felt sorry for them as they left me sad they're only living half lives.
The relationship Pearl has with one of her student's struck me as pathetic and not at all as a 40 year old woman should behave. Though the character does mention that. But she doesn't seem to delve into it much or seem to want to correct it.
It was an easy quick read and I liked the honest abruptness of Pearl which is what kept me reading and I liked the areas of intellectualism as well....but, there wasn't much growth of the characters and they felt like empty shells of human beings just going through the motions, to me.
purplespecslms's review
1.0
Not impressed. The first chapter was promising, but then the character takes on a condescending attitude about those who play music. It compares those who are naturally gifted at music and those who are not. The teacher is bitter, who finds a new purpose through her new violin student's ability, and then the student jerks her around- not my kind of story. Most people don't appreciate being talked down to, but this book manages to give the reader that notion the entire way through. Although, to the author's credit, there were passages in the book that were beautifully written, so I would give it a 1/10 or a (.5)/5 stars, whichever you are more comfortable with.