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Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams
From award-winning verse novelist Shari Green comes an unforgettable story of friendship, first love, and an impossible choice between integrity and duty, family and friends, all while fighting for a dream.
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a historical YA novel in verse that centers around a young pianist in East Germany trying to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettled months of protest that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Written in stunning lyrical verse, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a story of hope, courage, romance, and the power of music not only to change lives, but to save them.
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a historical YA novel in verse that centers around a young pianist in East Germany trying to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettled months of protest that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Written in stunning lyrical verse, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a story of hope, courage, romance, and the power of music not only to change lives, but to save them.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2024
18 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Shari Green
13 books120 followersShari Green is an award-winning author of novels in verse. She’s also a poet, musician, and former nurse. She loves being out in nature and can often be found wandering the beaches or forest trails near her home. Shari lives with her husband on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, on the traditional territory of the Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
March 4, 2024
In a Nutshell: A YA novel-in-verse about a young girl’s wishful thoughts and experiences in socialist East Germany in the late 1980s. I don’t think it worked well as a novel-in-verse, but as a novel, it is amazing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The Berlin Wall, which separated East Germany (GDR) & West Germany (FRG) in more ways than just physical, was metaphorically broken on 9th November 1989, when civilian protests caused the GDR government to allow their citizens freedom to visit West Berlin, and thereby, FRG. This story begins in August 1989, so through Helena’s narration, we are witness to the life of East German citizens in the final few months before this historical announcement.
Imagine the claustrophobia of being a prisoner in your own country while still not being imprisoned. Helena’s narration makes us see the greyness of life in GDR, where even common fruit such as oranges are nothing but unattainable dreams, where the citizens squash down their hunger for more with what spiel the government feeds them.
Imagine also the butterfly of hope fluttering in your heart when you hear that there is peaceful rebellion in the offing, that the citizens are planning to protest not with ammunition or violence but with prayer and candles. As a young adult who has been instructed all life long to keep dreams within limits, Helena infuses us too with her repressed yearning. She loves her country but wants it to be more, and we can see why.
Helena is just sixteen, but because of her constrained life in her socialist nation, her narration doesn’t suffer from the immaturity and self-absorption we typically see in YA fiction. She has her ambitions and hopes, but she also has her worries and heartbreaks. How she grows from an obedient girl who toes the line to someone who dares step beyond the societal and political limits is a journey worth watching. Through her budding feelings for Lucas, the book contains just the right dash of young love to the mix without making it sappy or sentimental.
Through Helena’s parents and her romantic interest Lucas, we also get to see three types of GDR citizens – the rule follower, the subtle protestor, and the open rebel. As Helena is close to all three of them, her struggle to decide on her course of action is understandable. I appreciate how the author didn’t make her journey smooth. Some of Helena’s decisions are questionable, but rather than viewing them with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight vision, it is imperative to ask: what would we do were we in her place?
There’s a sense of melancholy throughout the book even when Helena’s spirit is infused with dreams. An event mentioned in the author’s acknowledgements made me wonder if that situation subconsciously influenced the tone of the book. Nevertheless, the approach suits the story. There is something beautiful about the juxtaposition of pensiveness and hopefulness.
Helena’s passion for music isn’t just restricted to her aspiration of becoming a music conductor, but is used concretely in the narrative, whether through the act of venting emotions through music or passing on missives through music notations. Her fervour enhances through the story just as a musical tempo would – rising steadily until the crescendo at the end. As a music lover, I relished the role of music in this story.
Unlike most stories of protest, this tale doesn’t scream or yell. The song of freedom is a peaceful song, a harmonious voice that gains strength from the cohesive unity of the citizen protestors. So this book wouldn’t work for those who want something more vehement, more aggressive. It represents a melody sung from the heart, not from the mouth. And with an end that is more hope than happiness, the song ends on the right note.
As the story begins just a few months before the collapse of the GDR government, it is obvious that some familiarity with the history is presupposed. So if you feel like understanding Helena’s decisions better, you might want to read the author’s note first (it is at the end of the book and offers enough information without spoiling anything) or just look up the details of the Berlin Wall online. There’s also a glossary at the end for the German words and phrases.
The only negative of the book for me is that there is barely anything poetic about the writing style. Now, I need to clarify that this declaration is highly baseless, not just because I am not fond of poetry but also because I do not understand this kind of freewheeling poetry. To me, poems are all about rhyme and rhythm, and in this book, I saw neither of those. But as my knowledge about poetry is zilch, please feel free to ignore this paragraph. I read this book as I read every novel-in-verse: as a regular prose novel. I just ran through the sentences like I read normal text. Sacrilege, I agree. But it works for me much better than reading it as a poem would as my brain rebels against poetry.
All in all, this is a beautiful story of a girl who lives with fear but learns to hope. Though a YA book, it would suit anyone interested in a story set at such a momentous point of recent history. There are barely any YA works about this event, so I love that this book exists. It would also be a great novel for classroom discussions for the 15+ age group.
4 stars.
My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1989. Sixteen-year-old Helena has just one dream: to become a music conductor. Does she really have only one dream? No. But this is the only dream she can dare to speak about openly in a nation where everyone and everything is watched by the dreaded Stasi.
When some key people in her life take up greater roles in the protests against the government, Helena has to decide whether staying quiet is stifling the song of freedom.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Helena.
The Berlin Wall, which separated East Germany (GDR) & West Germany (FRG) in more ways than just physical, was metaphorically broken on 9th November 1989, when civilian protests caused the GDR government to allow their citizens freedom to visit West Berlin, and thereby, FRG. This story begins in August 1989, so through Helena’s narration, we are witness to the life of East German citizens in the final few months before this historical announcement.
Imagine the claustrophobia of being a prisoner in your own country while still not being imprisoned. Helena’s narration makes us see the greyness of life in GDR, where even common fruit such as oranges are nothing but unattainable dreams, where the citizens squash down their hunger for more with what spiel the government feeds them.
Imagine also the butterfly of hope fluttering in your heart when you hear that there is peaceful rebellion in the offing, that the citizens are planning to protest not with ammunition or violence but with prayer and candles. As a young adult who has been instructed all life long to keep dreams within limits, Helena infuses us too with her repressed yearning. She loves her country but wants it to be more, and we can see why.
Helena is just sixteen, but because of her constrained life in her socialist nation, her narration doesn’t suffer from the immaturity and self-absorption we typically see in YA fiction. She has her ambitions and hopes, but she also has her worries and heartbreaks. How she grows from an obedient girl who toes the line to someone who dares step beyond the societal and political limits is a journey worth watching. Through her budding feelings for Lucas, the book contains just the right dash of young love to the mix without making it sappy or sentimental.
Through Helena’s parents and her romantic interest Lucas, we also get to see three types of GDR citizens – the rule follower, the subtle protestor, and the open rebel. As Helena is close to all three of them, her struggle to decide on her course of action is understandable. I appreciate how the author didn’t make her journey smooth. Some of Helena’s decisions are questionable, but rather than viewing them with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight vision, it is imperative to ask: what would we do were we in her place?
There’s a sense of melancholy throughout the book even when Helena’s spirit is infused with dreams. An event mentioned in the author’s acknowledgements made me wonder if that situation subconsciously influenced the tone of the book. Nevertheless, the approach suits the story. There is something beautiful about the juxtaposition of pensiveness and hopefulness.
Helena’s passion for music isn’t just restricted to her aspiration of becoming a music conductor, but is used concretely in the narrative, whether through the act of venting emotions through music or passing on missives through music notations. Her fervour enhances through the story just as a musical tempo would – rising steadily until the crescendo at the end. As a music lover, I relished the role of music in this story.
Unlike most stories of protest, this tale doesn’t scream or yell. The song of freedom is a peaceful song, a harmonious voice that gains strength from the cohesive unity of the citizen protestors. So this book wouldn’t work for those who want something more vehement, more aggressive. It represents a melody sung from the heart, not from the mouth. And with an end that is more hope than happiness, the song ends on the right note.
As the story begins just a few months before the collapse of the GDR government, it is obvious that some familiarity with the history is presupposed. So if you feel like understanding Helena’s decisions better, you might want to read the author’s note first (it is at the end of the book and offers enough information without spoiling anything) or just look up the details of the Berlin Wall online. There’s also a glossary at the end for the German words and phrases.
The only negative of the book for me is that there is barely anything poetic about the writing style. Now, I need to clarify that this declaration is highly baseless, not just because I am not fond of poetry but also because I do not understand this kind of freewheeling poetry. To me, poems are all about rhyme and rhythm, and in this book, I saw neither of those. But as my knowledge about poetry is zilch, please feel free to ignore this paragraph. I read this book as I read every novel-in-verse: as a regular prose novel. I just ran through the sentences like I read normal text. Sacrilege, I agree. But it works for me much better than reading it as a poem would as my brain rebels against poetry.
All in all, this is a beautiful story of a girl who lives with fear but learns to hope. Though a YA book, it would suit anyone interested in a story set at such a momentous point of recent history. There are barely any YA works about this event, so I love that this book exists. It would also be a great novel for classroom discussions for the 15+ age group.
4 stars.
My thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC of “Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
July 18, 2024
“There comes a time
when every voice
must cry out, a time
when every person must lean
into their fear, spread their wings
and rise up.
That time is now.”
I’ve never read a novel in verse before. It took a while to sink into the rhythm or lack thereof. I liked it though. It was a perfect style for this story that revolves around music.
“Everyone deserves
to experience music in a way
that awakens their soul
that astounds them with beauty
that strengthens them for whatever battles lie within
and without.”
Helena–dreamer of improbable dreams–dreams of becoming a conductor of a symphony orchestra. Her music teacher, Herr Weber, supports her dream of becoming a conductor by expanding her musical education to recordings of Italian operas, Russian folk songs, and even modern Western musicians, though she keeps them to herself. All these are banned in the GDR. Her mother, on the other hand, would prefer Helena to become a nurse or a teacher, something that Leipzig needs. But Helena knows that Leipzig needs music just as much as education and good health. She wants to make peoples’ spirits fly, stir them to dreams of freedom. Her more improbable dream is to travel to the places of musical importance, such as England for the Beatles and Woodstock for the protest songs, but to dream of anything beyond the borders is not allowed in the German Democratic Republic.
“If I’m allowed
at the piano
to imagine something different
something better
emerging from the work
that comes of wanting
and dreaming
I can’t help but imagine it
beyond
the piano.”
The story starts when Helena’s best friend Katrin leaves for a camping trip to Lake Balaton for the weekend, but unlike the other times, she and her family do not return. They seized the chance to escape the GDR. Helena must come to terms with the choice her friend and her family made. Is it really better to leave the GDR? Does her country deserve her devotion? Is pursuing her improbable dreams worth taking the risk of being killed or captured in an attempt to flee? She has to decide whether to take a stand here and now or follow Katrin.
“Dreams
should be allowed
to stretch
their wings
and
grow
into possibilities.”
Helena’s father is a professor at the university where he goes against the norm to encourage his students to think critically about the world. When he’s not teaching, he’s planning the next public protest of the Leipzig resistance, sometimes holding meetings in his house under the pretense of practicing for a band performance. He had been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech during his visit to Berlin in September 1964. Dr. Trichita M. Chestnut writes in an article for Rediscovering Black History that, “Dr. King’s visit to Cold War Berlin and his message of brotherhood, peace, faith, and civil rights for all of humanity, brought hope to both West and East Berliners of a possible peaceful social revolution. Dr King argued that a ‘common humanity, common history, common calling, and common hope for the salvation of the world’ binds together people in the divided city of Berlin and also in the segregated America, ‘regardless of the barriers of race, creed, ideology, or nationality.’” Seeing the risks her father and all his fellow activists take to fight for freedom inspires Helena to join the movement. Why should she have to flee like a criminal in order to pursue her dreams? Why should she have to hide them deep in her soul? Why should she have to fear everyone she meets, worry that everyone is an informant for the government, trying to catch her off guard?
“We are in
a cage
and our government
has stolen
the key.”
“Any leader
who doesn't value the lives
of the people
is no leader
at all.”
Helena uses music to release her feelings: anger, sorrow, stress, and weariness from “keeping my opinions in a tidy, appropriate row.” As a musician, I understand and appreciate the power of music which Helena draws strength from as she becomes more active in the resistance movement, even as members of the Stasi (secret police) crack down on her for information and the threat of violence at the peaceful protests grows.
“Perhaps the power of music
isn’t in the music itself
but in its ability to awaken
the power and courage
already present
within us.”
My favourite parts of the story were the parts from the perspective of Nikolaikirche, the church where the peace prayers took place and the revolution started. Shari Green lets these walls talk as they witness a revolution that will lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many of the observations of Nikolaikirche were taken from real quotes of witnesses to the Leipzig resistance movement, which makes these parts hit even harder.
“One person suffering violence
or injustice
affects us all.”
The author’s note reveals the fascinating history of Leipzig during the GDR and the Monday peace prayers and demonstrations that started a country wide movement to bring down the Berlin Wall. It is incredible how “the sheer number of demonstrators and their absolute commitment to nonviolence won out.” I firmly believe that no matter what type of government you’re living under, the power is in the people. If you ‘yell’ at the government loud enough and for long enough with a large group of people, their choices of how to deal with you become more and more limited and you’re likely to continue building your movement. As history has shown time and time again, the nonviolent movements turn out the best for everyone. The Leipzig resistance under the GDR is incredibly inspiring and I wish more people would follow this example when they're advocating for any sort of change.
“The Stasi, it seems, were prepared for everything except candles, prayer, and song.”
https://rediscovering-black-history.b...
when every voice
must cry out, a time
when every person must lean
into their fear, spread their wings
and rise up.
That time is now.”
I’ve never read a novel in verse before. It took a while to sink into the rhythm or lack thereof. I liked it though. It was a perfect style for this story that revolves around music.
“Everyone deserves
to experience music in a way
that awakens their soul
that astounds them with beauty
that strengthens them for whatever battles lie within
and without.”
Helena–dreamer of improbable dreams–dreams of becoming a conductor of a symphony orchestra. Her music teacher, Herr Weber, supports her dream of becoming a conductor by expanding her musical education to recordings of Italian operas, Russian folk songs, and even modern Western musicians, though she keeps them to herself. All these are banned in the GDR. Her mother, on the other hand, would prefer Helena to become a nurse or a teacher, something that Leipzig needs. But Helena knows that Leipzig needs music just as much as education and good health. She wants to make peoples’ spirits fly, stir them to dreams of freedom. Her more improbable dream is to travel to the places of musical importance, such as England for the Beatles and Woodstock for the protest songs, but to dream of anything beyond the borders is not allowed in the German Democratic Republic.
“If I’m allowed
at the piano
to imagine something different
something better
emerging from the work
that comes of wanting
and dreaming
I can’t help but imagine it
beyond
the piano.”
The story starts when Helena’s best friend Katrin leaves for a camping trip to Lake Balaton for the weekend, but unlike the other times, she and her family do not return. They seized the chance to escape the GDR. Helena must come to terms with the choice her friend and her family made. Is it really better to leave the GDR? Does her country deserve her devotion? Is pursuing her improbable dreams worth taking the risk of being killed or captured in an attempt to flee? She has to decide whether to take a stand here and now or follow Katrin.
“Dreams
should be allowed
to stretch
their wings
and
grow
into possibilities.”
Helena’s father is a professor at the university where he goes against the norm to encourage his students to think critically about the world. When he’s not teaching, he’s planning the next public protest of the Leipzig resistance, sometimes holding meetings in his house under the pretense of practicing for a band performance. He had been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech during his visit to Berlin in September 1964. Dr. Trichita M. Chestnut writes in an article for Rediscovering Black History that, “Dr. King’s visit to Cold War Berlin and his message of brotherhood, peace, faith, and civil rights for all of humanity, brought hope to both West and East Berliners of a possible peaceful social revolution. Dr King argued that a ‘common humanity, common history, common calling, and common hope for the salvation of the world’ binds together people in the divided city of Berlin and also in the segregated America, ‘regardless of the barriers of race, creed, ideology, or nationality.’” Seeing the risks her father and all his fellow activists take to fight for freedom inspires Helena to join the movement. Why should she have to flee like a criminal in order to pursue her dreams? Why should she have to hide them deep in her soul? Why should she have to fear everyone she meets, worry that everyone is an informant for the government, trying to catch her off guard?
“We are in
a cage
and our government
has stolen
the key.”
“Any leader
who doesn't value the lives
of the people
is no leader
at all.”
Helena uses music to release her feelings: anger, sorrow, stress, and weariness from “keeping my opinions in a tidy, appropriate row.” As a musician, I understand and appreciate the power of music which Helena draws strength from as she becomes more active in the resistance movement, even as members of the Stasi (secret police) crack down on her for information and the threat of violence at the peaceful protests grows.
“Perhaps the power of music
isn’t in the music itself
but in its ability to awaken
the power and courage
already present
within us.”
My favourite parts of the story were the parts from the perspective of Nikolaikirche, the church where the peace prayers took place and the revolution started. Shari Green lets these walls talk as they witness a revolution that will lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many of the observations of Nikolaikirche were taken from real quotes of witnesses to the Leipzig resistance movement, which makes these parts hit even harder.
“One person suffering violence
or injustice
affects us all.”
The author’s note reveals the fascinating history of Leipzig during the GDR and the Monday peace prayers and demonstrations that started a country wide movement to bring down the Berlin Wall. It is incredible how “the sheer number of demonstrators and their absolute commitment to nonviolence won out.” I firmly believe that no matter what type of government you’re living under, the power is in the people. If you ‘yell’ at the government loud enough and for long enough with a large group of people, their choices of how to deal with you become more and more limited and you’re likely to continue building your movement. As history has shown time and time again, the nonviolent movements turn out the best for everyone. The Leipzig resistance under the GDR is incredibly inspiring and I wish more people would follow this example when they're advocating for any sort of change.
“The Stasi, it seems, were prepared for everything except candles, prayer, and song.”
https://rediscovering-black-history.b...
February 8, 2025
but I long to trust
that sometimes people
are just people
and sometimes
relationships are real
Took some time to get into, but a surprisingly good read with evocative and beautiful prose.
The book delves into a time of unrest and oppression in 1980s East Germany, which I did not know much about until now. I appreciate the insight into how people lived during those dark days; in fear and mistrust but it's hope, dreams and the desire for freedom that shine bright.
While I empathise with the protagonist's struggles and understand that it's all too common when living in such times, it was hard to like her after she made certain choices, which in turn kinda put me off the book. Still a worthy and eye-opening read though.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the Netgalley ARC.
September 19, 2023
“Freedom, if it can be achieved, will be a glorious symphony.”
Spare and aching and hopeful. Perfect for those who enjoyed Ruta Sepetys’ I Must Betray You.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
December 30, 2024
I remember completing a seventh grade current events assignment using an article about the fall of the Berlin Wall. I recognized that something big had transpired, but my 11yo mind couldn't grasp the true complexity of it. Despite being an avid reader of historical fiction, this is the first book I've come across that focuses on that unforgettable event in European History. And what a beautiful book it is!
There is so much palpable tension in this book. The author has captured what it feels like to be torn between the need to flee oppression and the desire to remain in the place you know as home, between the need to protect one's family and the fear of going against your morals, between the desire to stand up for one's beliefs and the urge to remain unseen. The author's use of language and verse made for an emotional book that subtly draws attention to how much of what the characters experience is relatable to current events 35 years later.
4.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
There is so much palpable tension in this book. The author has captured what it feels like to be torn between the need to flee oppression and the desire to remain in the place you know as home, between the need to protect one's family and the fear of going against your morals, between the desire to stand up for one's beliefs and the urge to remain unseen. The author's use of language and verse made for an emotional book that subtly draws attention to how much of what the characters experience is relatable to current events 35 years later.
4.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a beautifully told novel in verse set in East Germany during the months leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. We follow Helena, a sixteen-year-old pianist whose dreams of conducting clash with the harsh realities of living under the Stasi’s watch. When her best friend escapes across the border and political unrest rises, Helena is forced to confront questions of loyalty, love, and courage.
Shari Green’s lyrical writing shines, weaving together music, history, and the universal longing for freedom. The verse format captures both the beauty of Helena’s artistry and the tension of her world, making the story feel raw and immediate. While I wished for a little more depth in some of the conflicts, the emotional honesty and quiet power of Helena’s choices left a lasting impression.
A moving, hopeful, and inspiring read for anyone who loves novels in verse, music, or historical fiction.
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a beautifully told novel in verse set in East Germany during the months leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. We follow Helena, a sixteen-year-old pianist whose dreams of conducting clash with the harsh realities of living under the Stasi’s watch. When her best friend escapes across the border and political unrest rises, Helena is forced to confront questions of loyalty, love, and courage.
Shari Green’s lyrical writing shines, weaving together music, history, and the universal longing for freedom. The verse format captures both the beauty of Helena’s artistry and the tension of her world, making the story feel raw and immediate. While I wished for a little more depth in some of the conflicts, the emotional honesty and quiet power of Helena’s choices left a lasting impression.
A moving, hopeful, and inspiring read for anyone who loves novels in verse, music, or historical fiction.
January 13, 2025
This teen novel in verse does a wonderful job showing the impact that music can have socially and politically. This historical novel is set in 1989 in East Germany and is one girl's call to action as she sees how corrupt the government is becoming. The stasi are watching everywhere so she is used to keeping her head down, but as peaceful protestors continue to get arrested, something in her stirs. When she meets a young man at her piano lessons she opens up her heart and her aspirations, she should be able to dream and hope, but maybe her music will help her and her country find a way. Moving and wonderfully written in verse!
August 22, 2023
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a powerful novel in verse from Shari Green that explores life in East Germany in the 1980s in the run up to the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification of Germany. The book tells the story of Helena, a sixteen year old girl who is growing up in the authoritarian German Democratic Republic, where there is limited freedom of movement and the watchful eye of the Stasi (State Police) seems to be every where. Helena and her best friend Katrin study music together and Helena dreams of becoming a conductor so that she can bring the joy of music to the people , but this is a dream that she may never achieve given the current political climate. When Katrin and her family escape while on a holiday, Helena feels more alone than ever before and worries more than ever about her family, especially because of her father's increasing involvement in peaceful demonstrations and rallies to protest the lack of freedom in the state. She is forced to face some very difficult choices about who she really is and who and what matters most to her.
This was a stunningly beautifully written book, lyrical yet propulsive and I found myself really feeling for Helena as she navigated the loss of her best friend, falling in love and being forced to make some really tough decisions.
I loved how Helena related to music, and how that love was translated to the page for the reader.
" Everyone deserves
to experience music in a way
that awakens their souls
that astounds with beauty
that strengthens them for
whatever battles lie within
and without "
I devoured this book, totally transported to another place and time, and I found myself thinking about it for days after I read the last page.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
This was a stunningly beautifully written book, lyrical yet propulsive and I found myself really feeling for Helena as she navigated the loss of her best friend, falling in love and being forced to make some really tough decisions.
I loved how Helena related to music, and how that love was translated to the page for the reader.
" Everyone deserves
to experience music in a way
that awakens their souls
that astounds with beauty
that strengthens them for
whatever battles lie within
and without "
I devoured this book, totally transported to another place and time, and I found myself thinking about it for days after I read the last page.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
April 26, 2024
Award-winning YA and children's author Shari Green's latest novel, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, is one that will appeal to adults as well. Her protagonist, Helena, a young music student, lets us know from the beginning what occupies her mind: "I've not been raised to speak of dreams--nor to dream at all." And shortly after, she says "I'm not the only dreamer." Her community is full of them.
It's 1989, in Leipsig, in the German Democratic Republic, before the wall separating East Germany from West Germany comes down. Green captures the times beautifully, both the heartache and the tension of those dreaming of the freedom to travel outside their borders. The title, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, speaks to the prayer meetings the citizens attend, a place of warmth, hope, and song, a place where they can share their frustrations and hopes for a better future.
Having been to the Ukrainian Socialist Republic in 1988, when Gorbachev was the Russian leader, I witnessed the fear people had about speaking openly against the government. Green, in her elegant and dynamic verse, shows the challenges Helena, her family and friends face living in a system where anyone can be an informant. Highly recommended.
It's 1989, in Leipsig, in the German Democratic Republic, before the wall separating East Germany from West Germany comes down. Green captures the times beautifully, both the heartache and the tension of those dreaming of the freedom to travel outside their borders. The title, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, speaks to the prayer meetings the citizens attend, a place of warmth, hope, and song, a place where they can share their frustrations and hopes for a better future.
Having been to the Ukrainian Socialist Republic in 1988, when Gorbachev was the Russian leader, I witnessed the fear people had about speaking openly against the government. Green, in her elegant and dynamic verse, shows the challenges Helena, her family and friends face living in a system where anyone can be an informant. Highly recommended.
November 21, 2023
“Musicians, artists, writers all have a habit of pushing their luck. We in GDR do not have a large supply of luck.”
“Herr Honecker proclaimed an end to visa-free travel with Czechoslovakia. Followed it up with a ban on transit to Romania and Bulgaria. The people have no way of leaving. We are in a cage and our own government has stolen the key.”
“When asked why they had not quashed the Monday protests as they had all others, the senior Stasi officer reportedly said, We had no contingency plan for song.”
Who could’ve imagined that weekly prayer meetings would grow into massive protests? Who could’ve foreseen that the Wall, once seemingly so insurmountable, would be brought down by the power of candles, prayers, and song?
This powerful novel in verse is an extraordinary testament to courage and hope. I highly recommend reading and sharing it.
“Herr Honecker proclaimed an end to visa-free travel with Czechoslovakia. Followed it up with a ban on transit to Romania and Bulgaria. The people have no way of leaving. We are in a cage and our own government has stolen the key.”
“When asked why they had not quashed the Monday protests as they had all others, the senior Stasi officer reportedly said, We had no contingency plan for song.”
Who could’ve imagined that weekly prayer meetings would grow into massive protests? Who could’ve foreseen that the Wall, once seemingly so insurmountable, would be brought down by the power of candles, prayers, and song?
This powerful novel in verse is an extraordinary testament to courage and hope. I highly recommend reading and sharing it.
November 13, 2023
Reading this book to begin with I thought was poetry until I realised its a story in verses that's said with such grace and also goes into depth about live in the 1980s in Germany, filled with many subjects that I won't lie pulled at my heartstrings a bit, where experiencing music that awakened their soul to feel and see though the eyes of music is quite beautiful,
The story is more then just about a girl and her family because the story has you enraptured from start to finish wanting the best for them, but also caring with easy tun of the page.
I will read more from this author in the future
I also want to thank netgalley for an advanced Arc
The story is more then just about a girl and her family because the story has you enraptured from start to finish wanting the best for them, but also caring with easy tun of the page.
I will read more from this author in the future
I also want to thank netgalley for an advanced Arc
April 26, 2024
A great example of putting character in impossible situations where they are forced to make choices, and the stakes amping up. I use this book as an example now in my courses of how to raise the stakes, especially in a novel in verse. Really enjoyed the historical setting and the way this plays into the character conflict. I would've loved to see the ending fleshed out a little more--felt like things got solved a little too quickly and neatly in my opinion, especially unpacking the consequences of her actions. A little slow of a start but really picks up. I found the line breaks a little odd and distracting. But overall, really enjoyed and recommend this read.
October 8, 2024
Freedom is a beautiful thing. To be able to speak, and live freely. Song of Freedom Song of Dreams beautifully illustrates the meaning of freedom, and how arduous it is to live without it. Green does a beautiful job of using poetry, and their writing toimprove the meaning of the story. Would recommend!!
September 19, 2023
A really interesting entrant to the "let's break a short story up into blank verse and spread it over enough pages to call it a novel" genre. And for once it actually feels like a novel, as there is a welter of emotion and drama here. We're in Leipzig, in 1989 – ie beyond the Iron Curtain, and firmly in the DDR. Our heroine, an aspiring pianist and classical music conductor, is shocked when her best friend – the only girl she has ever really allowed herself to trust – decamps for the West. But lo and behold, taking her place ahead of her in the piano tutor's schedule is a dashing kid, Lucas. But that's all fine and dandy – Lucas could just as well be a member of the Stasi, asked to inform on her dreams of foreign, music-related travel. Or he could be keeping tabs on her libertarian teacher father – or, let's face it, anything could be possible in this rarefied world.
Helena doesn't want to leave permanently – she's in agreement with her father, wanting reform and a change into representative elections, free travel and more, all dangerous wishes. And that's only one aspect of this that makes this a rich book for the almost-YA readers – the common trope to those books of wishing for escape having a counter-argument. Stay where you live and love, and work on change. Create the world you wish for – don't just skedaddle and start afresh. Play the music of freedom and the song of liberty, don't just attend to a siren call from elsewhere. However dangerous, traitorous and untrustable everyone else may be, have your convictions, meet at church weekly, march and campaign, and have the hope that allows you to not flee.
Oh, and by the way, that church? It's a narrator as well here.
Technically this was a great example of this genre, with the poem titles being the opening line at every point, so as not to interrupt the actual text unnecessarily (as so many examples do). The verse could easily, as usual, be presented as plain prose, but for the beats and caesuras and pauses that the formatting allows to be forced on the reader.
Not forcing itself, but coming very lightly, is the emotion of it all. Now for me the best film to ever exist is "Good Bye, Lenin!" with its old/new, East/West, hope/normalcy dichotomies. This, while not set in Berlin, is therefore right up my street, with its argument about how the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall created a unique history with no one real way to respond to it. I at least could picture the characters, desperate for a vote that counts – and citrus fruits, and real coffee – and a few that thought the dramatic, life-risking way out was the best, a way out that is from constant state intrusion.
But no, I don't think you need that 'insider knowledge' or the history lesson the target readers of this as like as not have never had. (It may actually be counter-productive, as with the way the book gives us dates of real events here we know how close we may or may not be to Die Wende.) There is a bit of awkwardness later on when The Wall is mentioned, and nothing has been given to explain that, or give the background to it. And you think the youth of today have been told of Die Mauer? Think again.
Another thing – and I will shut up soon, but rest assured the fact I can't stop verbiating about this is a sign of quality in this instance, and by no means finding fault after fault) – this needed a soundtrack option. I don't know much about classical music, so needed to hear what Helena was playing and thinking of. So at multiple steps of this there are hurdles a young reader might find – a historical setting they've not learnt of, a musical background alien to them – but I am damned sure Helena and her plight will be most effective. Many are the dystopian worlds in this kind of fiction where romance blooms alongside a struggle for freedom – this was a dystopian reality, making this surely more of note. Either way, while aware of the caveat that it might appeal to me more than to the expected reader, I am going to stick my head above The Wall and give this maximum stars – I was so grateful for the chance to see this world captured in this way. And now I'm off to watch a helicopter ferry a certain statue away...
Helena doesn't want to leave permanently – she's in agreement with her father, wanting reform and a change into representative elections, free travel and more, all dangerous wishes. And that's only one aspect of this that makes this a rich book for the almost-YA readers – the common trope to those books of wishing for escape having a counter-argument. Stay where you live and love, and work on change. Create the world you wish for – don't just skedaddle and start afresh. Play the music of freedom and the song of liberty, don't just attend to a siren call from elsewhere. However dangerous, traitorous and untrustable everyone else may be, have your convictions, meet at church weekly, march and campaign, and have the hope that allows you to not flee.
Oh, and by the way, that church? It's a narrator as well here.
Technically this was a great example of this genre, with the poem titles being the opening line at every point, so as not to interrupt the actual text unnecessarily (as so many examples do). The verse could easily, as usual, be presented as plain prose, but for the beats and caesuras and pauses that the formatting allows to be forced on the reader.
Not forcing itself, but coming very lightly, is the emotion of it all. Now for me the best film to ever exist is "Good Bye, Lenin!" with its old/new, East/West, hope/normalcy dichotomies. This, while not set in Berlin, is therefore right up my street, with its argument about how the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall created a unique history with no one real way to respond to it. I at least could picture the characters, desperate for a vote that counts – and citrus fruits, and real coffee – and a few that thought the dramatic, life-risking way out was the best, a way out that is from constant state intrusion.
But no, I don't think you need that 'insider knowledge' or the history lesson the target readers of this as like as not have never had. (It may actually be counter-productive, as with the way the book gives us dates of real events here we know how close we may or may not be to Die Wende.) There is a bit of awkwardness later on when The Wall is mentioned, and nothing has been given to explain that, or give the background to it. And you think the youth of today have been told of Die Mauer? Think again.
Another thing – and I will shut up soon, but rest assured the fact I can't stop verbiating about this is a sign of quality in this instance, and by no means finding fault after fault) – this needed a soundtrack option. I don't know much about classical music, so needed to hear what Helena was playing and thinking of. So at multiple steps of this there are hurdles a young reader might find – a historical setting they've not learnt of, a musical background alien to them – but I am damned sure Helena and her plight will be most effective. Many are the dystopian worlds in this kind of fiction where romance blooms alongside a struggle for freedom – this was a dystopian reality, making this surely more of note. Either way, while aware of the caveat that it might appeal to me more than to the expected reader, I am going to stick my head above The Wall and give this maximum stars – I was so grateful for the chance to see this world captured in this way. And now I'm off to watch a helicopter ferry a certain statue away...
February 2, 2024
Publication Date: 05th March 2024
3.5 Stars (Outliner opinion)
One Liner: Heartwarming and hopeful (but missing something)
1989, Germany
Helena and Katrin are best friends living in East Germany. The country is in turmoil with the Berlin Wall diving both sides and people torn apart or wanting to take any risk for a better life. Helana has to come to terms with the changes and make decisions that could affect her and others. How does the sociopolitical situation affect the citizens’ lives, and how does music help Helena?
The story comes in poetic verse narration from Helena’s POV.
My Thoughts:
First things first… The book is set in 1989. It is Not historical fiction… Grr!
I quite enjoy novels in verse. Though, TBH, I read the poems like prose to avoid being distracted by the uneven rhythm. Both options didn’t work here. The content is pretty much sentences broken into lines of random length. While it works in some places, it doesn’t in others.
Presenting a complex theme like this in verse isn’t easy. As you can see, the results are mixed for me. It took a while (almost half the book) to get into the flow. I could feel the impact only in the last quarter.
Helena is an introverted sixteen-year-old, sheltered but also aware of the situation, a little rebellious without ignoring safety concerns. Most importantly, music and her best friend Katrin are very important to her (parents, too, of course).
While the entire book has a sense of melancholy and uncertainty, there are glimpses of hope and certainty that come from stubborn determination.
Despite the supposed intensity of emotions and the situation, I couldn’t connect to the character or the setting. I feel it would have worked better if the story was in proper prose with some poems interwoven into the narrative. The scenes where Helena feels music in nature and her love for music read well in poetry. The rest of it would benefit from a better structure.
Nevertheless, the ending is quite nice, hopeful, and heartwarming. The last section is the strongest, IMO.
There’s a detailed author’s note with more information (and reference links) about the context- the real nonviolent marches, the role of music, and the results. There’s some personal information, too (unrelated to the story). My heartfelt condolences to her.
To summarize, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams deals with beautiful and important themes from a critical part of the world’s history. It’s the presentation that didn’t appeal much to me.
I am very much on the outliner island (the only 3-star when it was posted), so please check the other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SongofFreedomSongofDreams
3.5 Stars (Outliner opinion)
One Liner: Heartwarming and hopeful (but missing something)
1989, Germany
Helena and Katrin are best friends living in East Germany. The country is in turmoil with the Berlin Wall diving both sides and people torn apart or wanting to take any risk for a better life. Helana has to come to terms with the changes and make decisions that could affect her and others. How does the sociopolitical situation affect the citizens’ lives, and how does music help Helena?
The story comes in poetic verse narration from Helena’s POV.
My Thoughts:
First things first… The book is set in 1989. It is Not historical fiction… Grr!
I quite enjoy novels in verse. Though, TBH, I read the poems like prose to avoid being distracted by the uneven rhythm. Both options didn’t work here. The content is pretty much sentences broken into lines of random length. While it works in some places, it doesn’t in others.
Presenting a complex theme like this in verse isn’t easy. As you can see, the results are mixed for me. It took a while (almost half the book) to get into the flow. I could feel the impact only in the last quarter.
Helena is an introverted sixteen-year-old, sheltered but also aware of the situation, a little rebellious without ignoring safety concerns. Most importantly, music and her best friend Katrin are very important to her (parents, too, of course).
While the entire book has a sense of melancholy and uncertainty, there are glimpses of hope and certainty that come from stubborn determination.
Despite the supposed intensity of emotions and the situation, I couldn’t connect to the character or the setting. I feel it would have worked better if the story was in proper prose with some poems interwoven into the narrative. The scenes where Helena feels music in nature and her love for music read well in poetry. The rest of it would benefit from a better structure.
Nevertheless, the ending is quite nice, hopeful, and heartwarming. The last section is the strongest, IMO.
There’s a detailed author’s note with more information (and reference links) about the context- the real nonviolent marches, the role of music, and the results. There’s some personal information, too (unrelated to the story). My heartfelt condolences to her.
To summarize, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams deals with beautiful and important themes from a critical part of the world’s history. It’s the presentation that didn’t appeal much to me.
I am very much on the outliner island (the only 3-star when it was posted), so please check the other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SongofFreedomSongofDreams
Read
August 31, 2023This is the first time I read a YA historical fiction set in GDR (German Democratic Republic or East Germany, time before the Berlin Wall falls). The verse format makes it digestible to read despite the heavy theme. Though there is no 'war scene', the mood of the book is thick with tension, making me root for Helena to be safe and somehow also reaching for her dreams. It is centered around Leipzig peaceful protests and I like how the message about fighting with what we have is delivered here.
Since the setting is new to me, in the beginning I kinda struggle to grasp what the atmosphere is like, how the city landscape and the neighborhood is like, how the political climate is like in a broader, exposition sense. Maybe because I get used to historical fiction prose that's detailed and elaborated rather than in-verse snippets. At first I thought Helena's mission is to find Katrin and reunite again along with their families, since Helena doesn't show any strong support in protests that her father participates. She mainly cares about music, and that's where her fight begins.
If you like music-inspired fiction, historical setting that's more 'modern' yet still reminds us that there's more to do for justice, and are a fan or want to try a novel-in-verse, you may like this one. I've done this in two sittings so page turner is definitely guaranteed.
Since the setting is new to me, in the beginning I kinda struggle to grasp what the atmosphere is like, how the city landscape and the neighborhood is like, how the political climate is like in a broader, exposition sense. Maybe because I get used to historical fiction prose that's detailed and elaborated rather than in-verse snippets. At first I thought Helena's mission is to find Katrin and reunite again along with their families, since Helena doesn't show any strong support in protests that her father participates. She mainly cares about music, and that's where her fight begins.
If you like music-inspired fiction, historical setting that's more 'modern' yet still reminds us that there's more to do for justice, and are a fan or want to try a novel-in-verse, you may like this one. I've done this in two sittings so page turner is definitely guaranteed.
March 17, 2024
This YA verse novel is lovely and lyrical, and so timely (in today's world of political upheaval and hate), despite the fact that it takes place in Leipzig, East Germany, during the Cold War, months before the Wall fell in 1989.
As always when I read historical fiction, I learned a lot (and I'm much older than the target age!). I never knew that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Berlin in the 1960s. Or that Leipzig itself, not just Berlin, had an important role to play in the mostly-nonviolent revolt.
Helena, the main character, is very real to me. The other characters are memorable too. The author imbues them all with fascinating details that bring them to life. I liked the piano teacher, Herr Weber, and the subtle way Helena's absent friend Katrin communicated with her through Herr Weber and sheet music. The girls have grown up knowing that someone is always watching or listening, ready to turn them over to the Stasi (the secret police). Can you imagine living that way? Makes me shudder.
I love the way the author sometimes uses musical terms in unexpected ways. On p. 85: "The staccato call/of a lone blackbird/pierced the morning/and suddenly a whole chorus/of birds took up the song."
Every word counts. This is exactly how verse novels should be written.
As always when I read historical fiction, I learned a lot (and I'm much older than the target age!). I never knew that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. visited Berlin in the 1960s. Or that Leipzig itself, not just Berlin, had an important role to play in the mostly-nonviolent revolt.
Helena, the main character, is very real to me. The other characters are memorable too. The author imbues them all with fascinating details that bring them to life. I liked the piano teacher, Herr Weber, and the subtle way Helena's absent friend Katrin communicated with her through Herr Weber and sheet music. The girls have grown up knowing that someone is always watching or listening, ready to turn them over to the Stasi (the secret police). Can you imagine living that way? Makes me shudder.
I love the way the author sometimes uses musical terms in unexpected ways. On p. 85: "The staccato call/of a lone blackbird/pierced the morning/and suddenly a whole chorus/of birds took up the song."
Every word counts. This is exactly how verse novels should be written.
March 5, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with a copy, all thoughts are my own!
5/5 stars
This isn't a book, well of course it is, but for me it felt like –as the title says– a song. A song which fights for what it's right, a song about freedom, a song about the freedom to dream and to be able to fulfill those dreams in a place and a time where such thing is unthinkable.
We all deserve to be strengthened by music, and this "song" does exactly that. It gives hope and courage to those who "listen" to it.
This story couldn't be more perfect, I devoured it in one night!
5/5 stars
I've not been raised to speak of dreams-nor to dream at all.There is no need.
(...)
But I do want. Secretly quietly in the deepest corner of my heart. I want.
This isn't a book, well of course it is, but for me it felt like –as the title says– a song. A song which fights for what it's right, a song about freedom, a song about the freedom to dream and to be able to fulfill those dreams in a place and a time where such thing is unthinkable.
Everyone deserves to experience music in a way that awakens their soul that astounds with beauty that strengthens them for whatever battles lie within and without.
We all deserve to be strengthened by music, and this "song" does exactly that. It gives hope and courage to those who "listen" to it.
This story couldn't be more perfect, I devoured it in one night!
September 23, 2023
Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams
by Shari Green
Pub Date 05 Mar 2024
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Children's Fiction| Teens & YA
Disclaimer: This is a Young Adult Novel dealing with war and the protests leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book is scheduled for release in March 2024.
The book Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams was provided to me by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley for review
In Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, a young pianist in East Germany struggles to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettling months leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Beautifully written in lyrical verse,
The story of Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is one of hope, courage, romance, and the power of music to change and save lives.
I give Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
by Shari Green
Pub Date 05 Mar 2024
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Children's Fiction| Teens & YA
Disclaimer: This is a Young Adult Novel dealing with war and the protests leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book is scheduled for release in March 2024.
The book Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams was provided to me by Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley for review
In Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams, a young pianist in East Germany struggles to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettling months leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Beautifully written in lyrical verse,
The story of Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is one of hope, courage, romance, and the power of music to change and save lives.
I give Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
May 28, 2024
This novel in verse is historical fiction set in the GDR, communist East Germany in the fall of 1989, right before the fall the of the Berlin Wall in November. A young pianist named Helena worries after her best friend Katrin 'disappears' with her family. This verse novel incorporates many famous composers and is a music lover's delight, as music is featured in this book as an act of defiant resistance. Helena and her father attend many peace vigils and prayer marches with singing.
*The best part of the book is at the end in the Author's Notes - which quote communist Stasi officials saying why they didn't squash the protests: "We had no contingency plan for song" and GDR leader Erich Mielke: "We were prepared for everything, but not for prayers and candles."
KIDS -keep the songs, candles, and prayers coming!
*The best part of the book is at the end in the Author's Notes - which quote communist Stasi officials saying why they didn't squash the protests: "We had no contingency plan for song" and GDR leader Erich Mielke: "We were prepared for everything, but not for prayers and candles."
KIDS -keep the songs, candles, and prayers coming!
January 5, 2025
Historical fiction. Most kids don’t know enough about the Berlin Wall and how it affected citizens, the restrictions, no access to outside information, who can we trust? I really wish this wasn’t poetry though. It’s history and it’s difficult to encapsulate the politics and I really want to read about that. But since we are trapped in east germany with Helena I guess it’s important to not see or understand why things are happening in her country. She is censored from information and so are we.
Really powerful but lacking depth. Needed to be longer poetry or written in verse. Crescendo is lack luster, leaves using with a since of hope at the end but it needs more historical context for young adult readers.
Really powerful but lacking depth. Needed to be longer poetry or written in verse. Crescendo is lack luster, leaves using with a since of hope at the end but it needs more historical context for young adult readers.
September 17, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down—finished it in two late-night sessions. The lack of distinct chapter breaks made it so easy to keep saying, just one more page… ☺️
The Berlin Wall fell when I was too young to care about walls, but while I’ve read the history, I really appreciated Shari’s bird’s-eye view of the days leading up to its fall. She weaves music, protest, prayer, and quiet strength into a lyrical, powerful story. Despite the short timeline, the characters are rich and dynamic, with so much depth layered into dialogue and Helena’s inner world—no heavy backstory needed.
It was fabulous, and a perfect first novel in verse for me. I’ll be recommending it to the musicians and history buffs in my life.
The Berlin Wall fell when I was too young to care about walls, but while I’ve read the history, I really appreciated Shari’s bird’s-eye view of the days leading up to its fall. She weaves music, protest, prayer, and quiet strength into a lyrical, powerful story. Despite the short timeline, the characters are rich and dynamic, with so much depth layered into dialogue and Helena’s inner world—no heavy backstory needed.
It was fabulous, and a perfect first novel in verse for me. I’ll be recommending it to the musicians and history buffs in my life.
August 7, 2023
Written in verse, this book is still very easy to read. It's also comforting. As the title suggests the experience of reading this book truly feels lyrical, as if listening to the hopes of people who feel that the world is not yet doomed. It also shows different dreams and different situations: some people wish for a revolution, while some simply want food on their table. Furthermore, the book also takes you on the dangers of rebelling, and why it's done anyways. Shari Green really merges all the elements of a great book, in this hopeful tale of change, a sort of rebirth. It's an empowering story, a great message of resilience, and the will to never stop fighting.
April 6, 2024
I wanted a new novel in verse to read and I hadn’t known much about the history of the Berlin Wall. Helena shares her story of what it’s like to always be watched and targeted as an informant. It’s a beautifully written story on fighting against injustice in a peaceful manner. Her connection to music and MLK’s speech pushes her through the torn feeling of wanting freedom but also not wanting to leave the home she’s only ever known.
Favorite quotes: “because, Helena, music has power - power to change hearts and minds, power to bring people together and incite boldness.”
“Does it matter who it was? One person suffering violence or injustice affects us all.”
Favorite quotes: “because, Helena, music has power - power to change hearts and minds, power to bring people together and incite boldness.”
“Does it matter who it was? One person suffering violence or injustice affects us all.”
June 26, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 ★
Looking for something to finish this month's prompt (repeating words) for BooksandLala's Buzzwordathon, I stumbled across this on Libby. Initially sceptical - I'm usually not one for novels written in verse - I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this.
I liked the flow and "construction" of the writing. And I especially enjoyed reading about a part of history I don't feel I've seen explored often in YA. The third act felt a bit rushed and/or anti-climatic in my opinion - at least when it came to the interpersonal conflicts - but it was still an overall solid read that I wish more people knew about.
Looking for something to finish this month's prompt (repeating words) for BooksandLala's Buzzwordathon, I stumbled across this on Libby. Initially sceptical - I'm usually not one for novels written in verse - I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this.
I liked the flow and "construction" of the writing. And I especially enjoyed reading about a part of history I don't feel I've seen explored often in YA. The third act felt a bit rushed and/or anti-climatic in my opinion - at least when it came to the interpersonal conflicts - but it was still an overall solid read that I wish more people knew about.
July 4, 2024
5 stars rating.
"I always thought there were two types of dreams-
Dreams born in darkness, nutured, watered, fed, until they grow sprouts and grow into plans for the future.
And dreams impossible ones that forever will remain buried. But now I wonder if impossible dreams can push upward and thrive if only we dare to believe."
That is so darn inspiring.
Just love it how gracefully Shari wrote about Helena's struggle and describing about the Berlin Wall Era. Simply love it. Thought it was poem when I started reading it, it's a novel verse.
"I always thought there were two types of dreams-
Dreams born in darkness, nutured, watered, fed, until they grow sprouts and grow into plans for the future.
And dreams impossible ones that forever will remain buried. But now I wonder if impossible dreams can push upward and thrive if only we dare to believe."
That is so darn inspiring.
Just love it how gracefully Shari wrote about Helena's struggle and describing about the Berlin Wall Era. Simply love it. Thought it was poem when I started reading it, it's a novel verse.
September 16, 2023
"It’s a wonderful thing
how a particular pattern
of notes can lift hearts
and stir memories."
Shari Green has written a story that is achingly beautiful and melodic. Helena's story is engaging, fast paced, and well written. I really enjoyed the way the text dealt with how different people process oppression: some are bold, forceful, and outspoken, while others fight back in quieter, smaller ways. Fans of Ruta Sepetys' "I Must Betray You" will love this.
how a particular pattern
of notes can lift hearts
and stir memories."
Shari Green has written a story that is achingly beautiful and melodic. Helena's story is engaging, fast paced, and well written. I really enjoyed the way the text dealt with how different people process oppression: some are bold, forceful, and outspoken, while others fight back in quieter, smaller ways. Fans of Ruta Sepetys' "I Must Betray You" will love this.
December 16, 2024
Shari is one of the finest writers in Canada and this book cements that reputation. Set in East Germany, and rooted in the power of music and hope, this book tells the story of Helena, whose dream of a career in music is held hostage by a regime that does not want to grant its citizens freedom. Beautifully written, the story stunningly portrays just how intolerable life is when governments pit citizen against citizen and kill hope. Truly a book everyone should read!
January 6, 2025
I didn't really have a problem with this book, other than it being a bit simplistic and predictable. I have read many other books written through poetry, and this book doesn't really stand out. It wasn't bad, just very unmemorable. The idea of a girl being incredibly obsessed with music almost annoys me, as teenagers often are more undecided on what they are going to study. I wanted the references to music to be more subtle.
March 7, 2024
Novel in verse, young teen's point of view. Historical Fiction East Germany just before the fall of Berlin Wall late 80s. Helena loves piano and classical music. I loved to read about her relationship with family, friends, her current events and Lucas.
Novels in verse are often emotional and deep, also the main character plays piano, my fav. So many lines worth quoting.
Novels in verse are often emotional and deep, also the main character plays piano, my fav. So many lines worth quoting.
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