novelbloglover's review
3.0
Book Review
Title: Musical Hearts
Author: Nancy Brewka-Clark
Genre: Short Story/LGBT/Romance
Rating: ***
Review: So, as this is a short story based around an LGBT F/F romance this review isn’t going to be long. Despite not knowing it was only a short story I requested this book because of the synopsis: “When Harriet kidnapped a baby girl and raised her to be a princess, she neglected the possibility that sweet little Melissa would turn into a teenage hellion. Unexpected comic relief comes in the form of Barbara, Harriet's ex, who arrives to help with Melissa's coming out ball—and reignites old sparks. Meanwhile, displeased that only men are allowed to attend the coming out ball, young, stubborn Daphne disguises herself as a man so she can meet the beautiful princess—who comes to learn that what she wants, and thinks she wants, aren't always the same thing.”
This story is quite a difficult one to describe it is essentially a look at relationships, the relationships between biological parents and children, adoptive children and parents, spouses and new-found love. While all these relationships are going on there is also a clever writing twists that completely blinds you to the fact that you are discussing LGBT relationships as they are talked about in the exact same way heterosexual relationships are talked about which they should be.
Overall, I really liked the story and the characters and the banter between them was beautiful, quirky and at times profound. However, I didn’t understand why it was only a short story when there are enough ideas and materials to make a full-length novel which I would have enjoyed more.
Title: Musical Hearts
Author: Nancy Brewka-Clark
Genre: Short Story/LGBT/Romance
Rating: ***
Review: So, as this is a short story based around an LGBT F/F romance this review isn’t going to be long. Despite not knowing it was only a short story I requested this book because of the synopsis: “When Harriet kidnapped a baby girl and raised her to be a princess, she neglected the possibility that sweet little Melissa would turn into a teenage hellion. Unexpected comic relief comes in the form of Barbara, Harriet's ex, who arrives to help with Melissa's coming out ball—and reignites old sparks. Meanwhile, displeased that only men are allowed to attend the coming out ball, young, stubborn Daphne disguises herself as a man so she can meet the beautiful princess—who comes to learn that what she wants, and thinks she wants, aren't always the same thing.”
This story is quite a difficult one to describe it is essentially a look at relationships, the relationships between biological parents and children, adoptive children and parents, spouses and new-found love. While all these relationships are going on there is also a clever writing twists that completely blinds you to the fact that you are discussing LGBT relationships as they are talked about in the exact same way heterosexual relationships are talked about which they should be.
Overall, I really liked the story and the characters and the banter between them was beautiful, quirky and at times profound. However, I didn’t understand why it was only a short story when there are enough ideas and materials to make a full-length novel which I would have enjoyed more.
fianaigecht's review
1.0
I was misled by this -- I was expecting a novel, not a novella or short story or whatever this counts as. And it's rather a shame that it was so short, because I felt there was plenty of story to go around. Unfortunately, it skipped over the interesting parts in favour of a few rather unfunny dialogue scenes (which seemed intended to be humourous), and any plot that there is feels more like a summary of what was intended to be filled in later than a story in itself.
I was particularly disappointed that we didn't really see anything of Daphne until after she's revealed to be in disguise, and even then we only see her for one scene and we're supposed to think Melissa has fallen in love with her. This relationship had about as much depth as the other characters -- that is to say, none.
I wouldn't have been so disappointed if it weren't for the fact that the story the blurb described COULD have made a fascinating and engaging novel. It could have explored witch-human relationships and magic and ghosts and growing up and disguises and cross-dressing, with a sort of queer Cinderella moment at the end where a mysterious guest at the ball turns out to be a girl courting the princess. We could have seen it from other perspectives than the entirely unlikeable Harriet's (also: she STOLE a baby and never faces justice for it). But no.
Instead, this novella has uneven pacing, and seems intended to be funny but either it's just not or I don't find jokes about sex amusing -- maybe a bit of both. I don't know. It was a let down, and I don't think that's just because I was expecting something longer.
At least it being short meant I wasn't disappointed for long. That's something.
I was particularly disappointed that we didn't really see anything of Daphne until after she's revealed to be in disguise, and even then we only see her for one scene and we're supposed to think Melissa has fallen in love with her. This relationship had about as much depth as the other characters -- that is to say, none.
I wouldn't have been so disappointed if it weren't for the fact that the story the blurb described COULD have made a fascinating and engaging novel. It could have explored witch-human relationships and magic and ghosts and growing up and disguises and cross-dressing, with a sort of queer Cinderella moment at the end where a mysterious guest at the ball turns out to be a girl courting the princess. We could have seen it from other perspectives than the entirely unlikeable Harriet's (also: she STOLE a baby and never faces justice for it). But no.
Instead, this novella has uneven pacing, and seems intended to be funny but either it's just not or I don't find jokes about sex amusing -- maybe a bit of both. I don't know. It was a let down, and I don't think that's just because I was expecting something longer.
At least it being short meant I wasn't disappointed for long. That's something.
jamesflint's review
1.0
Rep: wlw mcs
THERES AN IMPLIED ATTEMPTED THREESOME WITH TWO GIANT SPIDERS WHAT THE FUCK
THERES AN IMPLIED ATTEMPTED THREESOME WITH TWO GIANT SPIDERS WHAT THE FUCK
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