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krystyn13's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe I missed something along the way but this story was a hot mess for me...what was the point, I am not sure. I did not enjoy this book, simply ENDURED it. Ugh!!
ablotial's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Meh. For most of the book, I really struggled to get into it.
I've had this on my shelf for years, waiting for just the right time to read it. I picked it up in September for my book club, after getting through a few really powerful reads in a row. This one promised to be a bit easier on my brain - typically WWII novels centered around a romance are fast, easy reads for me. But this one did not live up to that promise.
It's not that the reading was difficult, really, it just ... lacked interest to me. Claire was a wholly uninteresting person as far as I was concerned. She fell into her boring marriage, she fell into the piano teaching job that changed her life in Hong Kong, she fell into her relationship with Will... the first trinket literally FELL into her bag. Life just kept happening to her... and she lets it. Throughout the book, she changes somewhat, but I don't believe she really grows. And while often I am weird and enjoy affair characters, especially ones who are escaping from boring marriages
... this one was boring. Even her affair was boring.
Not only that, but her story seems almost entirely superfluous to THE story. I guess someone might think her take on it is interesting exactly *because* she was outside it, learning about it after the fact, but it really didn't do it for me. I think this book would have been just as interesting, maybe more so, without Claire in it. Or maybe as a side character who appears near the end, to show Will's relationship with her and have us question if he's finally moving on.
The book only started getting interesting to me at the end, which is what got me thinking in that direction in the first place. I was trying to figure out what "background" the author could have cut to get us to the interesting part faster and ... yeah. Just cut Claire out and you don't actually lose anything. She would have had to change the way a few things were revealed but I'm confident it could have been done.
I though the author did a great job making me "feel" the time period and the location. I also think that she did a great job showing the variety of actions and reactions of the various people and how their beliefs and morals shaped how they acted during wartime... the people who stuck with it, the people who sold out, the people who sold others out.I was not surprised to find Dominick "between Otsubo's legs" in the end. I *was* surprised to find that Locket was Trudy's child... didn't see that coming until it was revealed, though maybe I should have. I kind of loved it, though, and agree with Melody's assessment of the situation... it was the right thing to do. I was also trying to decide if the implication at the end was that Dominick was the father, rather than Otsubo or Will, though. I don't love that idea.
Random - My brain hated "Trudy" as a name for that character... it's one of the least attractive names I can think of. Maybe that was part of the point, beautiful despite the name. It was funny because my brain thought, "they might as well have named her Gertrude!" and then I realized that Trudy could absolutely be a nickname for Gertrude and maybe that really was her name. Sorry if your name is Trudy and you love it but ... not the name I would have chosen. Maybe swap Claire and Trudy.. the piano teacher seemed more of a "Trudy" to me.
I've had this on my shelf for years, waiting for just the right time to read it. I picked it up in September for my book club, after getting through a few really powerful reads in a row. This one promised to be a bit easier on my brain - typically WWII novels centered around a romance are fast, easy reads for me. But this one did not live up to that promise.
It's not that the reading was difficult, really, it just ... lacked interest to me. Claire was a wholly uninteresting person as far as I was concerned. She fell into her boring marriage, she fell into the piano teaching job that changed her life in Hong Kong, she fell into her relationship with Will... the first trinket literally FELL into her bag. Life just kept happening to her... and she lets it. Throughout the book, she changes somewhat, but I don't believe she really grows. And while often I am weird and enjoy affair characters, especially ones who are escaping from boring marriages
... this one was boring. Even her affair was boring.
Not only that, but her story seems almost entirely superfluous to THE story. I guess someone might think her take on it is interesting exactly *because* she was outside it, learning about it after the fact, but it really didn't do it for me. I think this book would have been just as interesting, maybe more so, without Claire in it. Or maybe as a side character who appears near the end, to show Will's relationship with her and have us question if he's finally moving on.
The book only started getting interesting to me at the end, which is what got me thinking in that direction in the first place. I was trying to figure out what "background" the author could have cut to get us to the interesting part faster and ... yeah. Just cut Claire out and you don't actually lose anything. She would have had to change the way a few things were revealed but I'm confident it could have been done.
I though the author did a great job making me "feel" the time period and the location. I also think that she did a great job showing the variety of actions and reactions of the various people and how their beliefs and morals shaped how they acted during wartime... the people who stuck with it, the people who sold out, the people who sold others out.
Random - My brain hated "Trudy" as a name for that character... it's one of the least attractive names I can think of. Maybe that was part of the point, beautiful despite the name. It was funny because my brain thought, "they might as well have named her Gertrude!" and then I realized that Trudy could absolutely be a nickname for Gertrude and maybe that really was her name. Sorry if your name is Trudy and you love it but ... not the name I would have chosen. Maybe swap Claire and Trudy.. the piano teacher seemed more of a "Trudy" to me.
kellyheet's review against another edition
3.0
This was overall a nice read. It did take a while to really get into the story or care about the characters. I did also wish that the ending had a more final feel to it.
glock_shmee's review against another edition
1.0
I finished this out of spite but I messed up and this is the wrong « the piano teacher »
Didn’t love still, steeped in pro colonialism in awe of the bristish? Shh I don’t want it.
Didn’t love still, steeped in pro colonialism in awe of the bristish? Shh I don’t want it.
tinea_elea's review against another edition
3.0
Hong Kong was the star of the book as the narrative followed intertwined stories set in both 1943 and 1953. Ultimately, the characters were not nearly as interesting as the rich history explored in the city's war and postwar past.
abroadeast's review against another edition
5.0
I pretty much devoured this in a couple of sittings, staying up until 3am last night - absolutely hooked. As a huge historical fiction fan, this was right up my alley. I go through reading slumps on a regular basis, but The Piano Teacher brought me right back out of my latest one. I am excited to read more of Lee's work :)
vickywong710's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
meaghandesigns's review against another edition
3.0
Lots of potential but never really got there. Middle was better than the beginning or the end. The 1940s story was more engaging than the 1950s making a stark juxtaposition between chapters. Enjoyed it but never grew to love it.
andymunster's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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