prica prozeta muzikom i prividjenjima, jedan muskarac i dvije zene u neminovnom krugu zivota...nesto mi se knjiga nije svidjela,nisam bas uzivala u citanju ( )

Beautiful story woven together like a fine symphony. One of my favorites of 2013.

I received this as an ARC. ( )

Beautiful story woven together like a fine symphony. One of my favorites of 2013.

I received this as an ARC. ( )

A bit of a roller coaster here. Not plot-wise, but writing-wise. At times - an unbelievably precise and beautiful choice of words, details and power of observation are very impressive, as well as intimate knowledge of classical musicians' world, some insights into life and relationships are striking (Ms. Kalotay has often an uncanny ability to put into words what we feel but cannot express as eloquently); while at the same time - the plot seems trivial at times, in fact, it's weaker than expected from this writer, and there is phrase-for-the-sake-of-a-phrase type of thing going on, some phrasing is a bit too sugary at times, a touch of melodrama... But what I took from this book is the fact that nothing in life can be taken for granted. Not a new idea, but a weighty one, and it's good to be reminded of it. ( )

Promising but ultimately disappointing novel that loses its way about two-thirds of the way through and never finds it again. An interesting and potentially dramatic configuration of characters and relationships, with music as a core theme and metaphor, fizzles out by trying to go too many directions with too many interconnections, ultimately doing justice to none of them.

I enjoyed what I learned about musicianship, both performing and composing, and (as always) I relished the back-home feel of a Boston setting, but I ended by feeling as if I had invested far too much of my time and attention for very little return.

My rating of three stars is arguably severe, but in my opinion a book that aspires to more should be held more accountable when it falls seriously short of the mark. ( )