saidtheraven's review
4.0
Based on the cover, the first thing that went through my mind, “It has a “Phantom of the Opera” thing going on”. This was the one unique book out of the bunch that I read but one that I also really liked. In size, it was pretty large with good picture spreads, very appealing to the eye. What I loved was how the story read like a poem and the pictures enhance that feeling of “magic” that the book was trying to give across. It had beautiful constructed sentences like “… he could hear a symphony of birds singing, leaves swaying, and boats gliding by. No violin in his shop, no concert in Venice, could match the beauty of that music” that paint pictures alone along with stunning painting/pictures that added to the story. I also liked how there are added pictures of the empty spaces where the text is. Most books just have a picture and then text on the other side but this one had smaller pictures which made it more visually interesting. I really loved this book, I appreciated the art the words. I think this is one of those books that if read right, they leave a beautiful mark of remembrance to a child. It’s also a bed time story kind of book. The muted colors used, the darker tones the story has, it leaves a magical feeling behind.
austen_to_zafon's review
4.0
Haunting and beautiful. I love how the cello maker manages to capture in his instrument the spirit of the tree and the birds who sang in it.
melaniegaum's review
2.0
Interesting art, but it was mostly shades of brown and details were hard to make out. I feel that it ended too quickly.
jsjammersmith's review
5.0
Venice sings in every word and page of this wonderful book. It's a haunting and sonourous dream I never want to leave.
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