The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
sandysmith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
What a lovely lovely read. Ellie lives with her manipulative husband, Clive, who meets Dan the Harp maker living a simple life. He gifts her a Harp, which Clive makes her return, so she visits Dan in secret to learn to play her Harp. Dan is written as if he is on the spectrum, but this is not specified their friendship develops. Both are introverted, and Ellie discovers that Dan has a 5 year old son that he knows nothing about. It is a truly lyrical and beautiful story. Fab stuff
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: Ellie and the Harpmaker
Author: Hazel Prior
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 2, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lyrical • Uncommon • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Meet Ellie. She's perfectly happy living her quiet life with her husband, Clive. Happy to wander the English countryside and write the occasional poem that nobody will read; happy to dream of all the things she hasn't yet managed to do.
Meet Dan. He thinks all he needs is the time and space to make harps in his isolated barn, deep in the countryside. He enjoys being on his own, far away from other people and - crucially - far away from any risk of surprises.
But what Ellie and Dan are about to learn that sometimes, you don't find love--love finds you...
💠T H O U G H T S
Ellie and the Harpmaker has been on my TBR since it's release, and I was grateful when a friend gifted it to me. Initially intrigued by the unique synopsis and unconventional characters, I thought this was going to be a book I'd absolutely love. Despite it being a sweet, heart-warming story, it's also highly predictable and forgettable.
I considered DNFing around the 25% mark, as the pacing seemed to drag. However, I am glad I kept with it. The story gains momentum in the second half and Hazel Prior has delivered a hope filled novel with interesting characters. Told through alternating points-of-view, Dan was certainly the highlight. His caring, care-free and generous spirit just brought so much joy to my reading experience.
As for the story, it read more like fairytale than anything. It was easy to predict where the story was going to go and how it would end, which took most of the fun out of the reading. And some of the scenarios came across as outlandish. I did really appreciate the power of music throughout the story.
Ellie and the Harpmaker ended up being somewhat of a letdown for me. It's one of those books where I don't necessarily have anything bad to say, but I don't really have anything good to say either. It was just a comforting, average read. If you like slow to develop stories involving distinctive characters than this just might be the book for you.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of quirky characters
• readers who enjoyed The Rosie Project
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"People say that certain sounds can melt a heart of stone. If there is anyone who has that sort of a heart―which I doubt (as far as I am aware hearts are made of fibrous materials, fluid sacs and pumping mechanisms)―if anyone does have a heart composed of granite or flint and therefore not at all prone to melting but just conceivably meltable when exposed to very beautiful sounds, then the sounds made by my Cherrywood harp, I am confident, would do it. However, I had a feeling the heart of Ellie the Exmoor Housewife was completely lacking in stony components. I had a feeling it was made of much softer stuff."Â
Author: Hazel Prior
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 2, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Lyrical • Uncommon • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Meet Ellie. She's perfectly happy living her quiet life with her husband, Clive. Happy to wander the English countryside and write the occasional poem that nobody will read; happy to dream of all the things she hasn't yet managed to do.
Meet Dan. He thinks all he needs is the time and space to make harps in his isolated barn, deep in the countryside. He enjoys being on his own, far away from other people and - crucially - far away from any risk of surprises.
But what Ellie and Dan are about to learn that sometimes, you don't find love--love finds you...
💠T H O U G H T S
Ellie and the Harpmaker has been on my TBR since it's release, and I was grateful when a friend gifted it to me. Initially intrigued by the unique synopsis and unconventional characters, I thought this was going to be a book I'd absolutely love. Despite it being a sweet, heart-warming story, it's also highly predictable and forgettable.
I considered DNFing around the 25% mark, as the pacing seemed to drag. However, I am glad I kept with it. The story gains momentum in the second half and Hazel Prior has delivered a hope filled novel with interesting characters. Told through alternating points-of-view, Dan was certainly the highlight. His caring, care-free and generous spirit just brought so much joy to my reading experience.
As for the story, it read more like fairytale than anything. It was easy to predict where the story was going to go and how it would end, which took most of the fun out of the reading. And some of the scenarios came across as outlandish. I did really appreciate the power of music throughout the story.
Ellie and the Harpmaker ended up being somewhat of a letdown for me. It's one of those books where I don't necessarily have anything bad to say, but I don't really have anything good to say either. It was just a comforting, average read. If you like slow to develop stories involving distinctive characters than this just might be the book for you.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of quirky characters
• readers who enjoyed The Rosie Project
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"People say that certain sounds can melt a heart of stone. If there is anyone who has that sort of a heart―which I doubt (as far as I am aware hearts are made of fibrous materials, fluid sacs and pumping mechanisms)―if anyone does have a heart composed of granite or flint and therefore not at all prone to melting but just conceivably meltable when exposed to very beautiful sounds, then the sounds made by my Cherrywood harp, I am confident, would do it. However, I had a feeling the heart of Ellie the Exmoor Housewife was completely lacking in stony components. I had a feeling it was made of much softer stuff."Â
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Ableism
Minor: Medical content
ekmurray's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This charming jaunt through the forests of Exmoor was a delight. It was wonderful to see an adult character experience the joy of discovering a musical instrument. This is a story that I suspect I will be revisiting for comfort and enjoyment in the future.
Â
I was simply heartbroken to read the scene where the harps are destroyed.Â
Ellie’s marriage was well-written and it was very satisfying to see her extricate herself from that toxic situation. Â
I thought it was a little too convenient that Clive gave Ellie so much money, sufficient to fix the barn and set her up for life- this seems unrealistic given that coercive controlling partners limit access to money to limit their partners’ choices and ability to leave.
I was simply heartbroken to read the scene where the harps are destroyed.Â
Ellie’s marriage was well-written and it was very satisfying to see her extricate herself from that toxic situation. Â
I thought it was a little too convenient that Clive gave Ellie so much money, sufficient to fix the barn and set her up for life- this seems unrealistic given that coercive controlling partners limit access to money to limit their partners’ choices and ability to leave.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal cruelty and Fire/Fire injury
teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book felt like a comfort read to me in the sense of the setting and the storyline. But I wouldn't say it was a book I needed to hug at the end and recommend it to everyone I meet.Â
I enjoyed reading it, but there were also parts I was unsure of. It took a bit to get into, but sticking with it was worth it. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, but I also felt them out of place at times. It is not explicitly stated that Dan is on the autism spectrum, but the way he is written and portrayed indicates he is. I don't know what thought or research went into that, but I do feel there were some gaps.Â
The writing itself and descriptions were great. I truly felt like I escaped into the book with the setting and atmosphere.
Though I have some mixed feelings about it, I still quite enjoyed it while I was reading it. I understand that others loved, it, disliked it or felt meh about it, and that is the greatest thing about it. I believe if you are drawn to it, give it a go, but if not, that's okay too. But I don't know if I would fully rely on others swaying you one way or another.
I enjoyed reading it, but there were also parts I was unsure of. It took a bit to get into, but sticking with it was worth it. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, but I also felt them out of place at times. It is not explicitly stated that Dan is on the autism spectrum, but the way he is written and portrayed indicates he is. I don't know what thought or research went into that, but I do feel there were some gaps.Â
The writing itself and descriptions were great. I truly felt like I escaped into the book with the setting and atmosphere.
Though I have some mixed feelings about it, I still quite enjoyed it while I was reading it. I understand that others loved, it, disliked it or felt meh about it, and that is the greatest thing about it. I believe if you are drawn to it, give it a go, but if not, that's okay too. But I don't know if I would fully rely on others swaying you one way or another.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Toxic relationship
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