Amazon:
Between the simple melody of running her violin shop and the full-blown orchestra of her romantic interludes in Paris with David, her devoted partner of eight years, Grace Atherton has always set her life to music.
Her world revolves entirely around David, for Grace’s own secrets have kept everyone else at bay. Until, suddenly and shockingly, one act tips Grace’s life upside down, and the music seems to stop.
It takes a vivacious old man and a straight-talking teenager to kickstart a new chapter for Grace. In the process, she learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, that no mistake is insurmountable, and that the quiet moments in life can be something to shout about …
My reading experience:
Firstly I want to thank the publishers for my free copy via Netgalley.
Grace Atherton. A meekly musical lonely mystery who has submitted all her power to the dashingly humble David. At first I cut her some slack, but then I got quite angry … with him. David has managed to keep her in a quiet controlled space, so much so that she denies herself her musical ability. But Grace is lonely and feels she has no one to believe in her other than David and their coup de foudre. And then along comes Nadia and William and things start to change.
I adored the pace and atmosphere of this book. It is a literary piece, with stylistic prose and an elegant background musical score. The story is that of a tightly wound spring dressed up in exquisite master craftsmanship with no fine voice. Yet.
“I screened calls and I practised Dvorrak.”
Then Agatha happens upon her “familiars”* and life begins. It is beautiful.
“I have shelves and shelves of sheet music. All of my past is recorded in them, notes in the gaps between the staves or squiggles where I need to remind myself to lift my bow …”
Chapter 11 is astounding – a perfect mix of superlative music and scenery; an awakening, a promise, an opening up and an epiphany.
The author knows about classical music and technical ability, that much is clear, and possibly a thing or two about teenagers, incredible gut wrenching heartbreak and longing too. Therefore I found this to be wholly credible, to be swept up in a dream for years on end in the basis of a bolt of lightning only to discover it was the next point of impact that was going to be the light in your life.
Highly recommend… you will be glad you have experienced this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster publishers for my free copy.
Themes: violincello, music, craftsmanship, isolation, betrayal, abuse, friendship, love, affair, loss, lies, grief, rebuilding, parenting, teenage angst, homosexuality, Paris, Cremona
*”Earth seemed a desert I was bound to traverse, seeking to find the old familiar faces” ~ Charles Lamb
Appletree Books 