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Strange Sweet Song
A young soprano enrolls in a remote music academy where nothing, not even her mysterious young vocal coach, is as it seems.
Outside Dunhammond Conservatory, there lies a dark forest. And in the forest, they say, lives a great beast called the Felix. But Sing da Navelli never put much faith in the rumors and myths surrounding the school; music flows in her blood, and she is there to sing for real. This prestigious academy will finally give her the chance to prove her worth—not as the daughter of world-renowned musicians—but as an artist and leading lady in her own right.
Yet despite her best efforts, there seems to be something missing from her voice. Her doubts about her own talent are underscored by the fact that she is cast as the understudy in the school's production of her favorite opera, Angelique. Angelique was written at Dunhammond, and the legend says that the composer was inspired by forest surrounding the school, a place steeped in history, magic, and danger. But was it all a figment of his imagination, or are the fantastic figures in the opera more than imaginary?
Sing must work with the mysterious Apprentice Nathan Daysmoor as her vocal coach, who is both her harshest critic and staunchest advocate. But Nathan has secrets of his own, secrets that are entwined with the myths and legends surrounding Dunhammond, and the great creature they say lives there.
Lyrical, gothic, and magical, Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule will captivate and enchant readers.
Outside Dunhammond Conservatory, there lies a dark forest. And in the forest, they say, lives a great beast called the Felix. But Sing da Navelli never put much faith in the rumors and myths surrounding the school; music flows in her blood, and she is there to sing for real. This prestigious academy will finally give her the chance to prove her worth—not as the daughter of world-renowned musicians—but as an artist and leading lady in her own right.
Yet despite her best efforts, there seems to be something missing from her voice. Her doubts about her own talent are underscored by the fact that she is cast as the understudy in the school's production of her favorite opera, Angelique. Angelique was written at Dunhammond, and the legend says that the composer was inspired by forest surrounding the school, a place steeped in history, magic, and danger. But was it all a figment of his imagination, or are the fantastic figures in the opera more than imaginary?
Sing must work with the mysterious Apprentice Nathan Daysmoor as her vocal coach, who is both her harshest critic and staunchest advocate. But Nathan has secrets of his own, secrets that are entwined with the myths and legends surrounding Dunhammond, and the great creature they say lives there.
Lyrical, gothic, and magical, Strange Sweet Song by Adi Rule will captivate and enchant readers.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2014
28 people are currently reading
4891 people want to read
About the author
Adi Rule
9 books136 followersAdi Rule earned her MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
March 19, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5
This was a surprisingly good book. It was atmospheric, it portrayed a musical conservatory---the jealousies, the classes, the underlying tension very well. This book has a beautifully Gothic atmosphere, and an unusual paranormal storyline that kept me guessing. The romance is light and unexpected, the main character well-developed. There is no unnecessary girl hate, there is no slut shaming, there is plenty of music.
To my surprise, I found myself liking this book, a YA paranormal with a beautiful cover and a beautiful dress. All three of those elements usually adds up to a "RUN AWAY NOW, KHANH!"
But I liked this book. A lot. What a pleasant little surprise. I thought the book had beautiful writing, great character development, and an usual plot that---to my limited intellect---wasn't easily predictable. Warning: those who want action---stop here. This is a very slow book, but well-written enough and well-developed enough for my enjoyment. No Mary Sues.
The Summary:
Sing da Navelli doesn't know that. She is here to sing, at the most prestigious, cutthroat musical conservatory in North America. Her name precedes her. The da Navelli names is world-famous. Her family is immensely wealthy. With a nudge, a wink, and a large donation, her father---and his name can get her into just about any school. He is Maestro da Navelli, world-famous conductor. Her mother was Barbara da Navelli...renowned opera singer.
Sing still lives in her shadows.
Before her father leaves, he has one final word of advice for Sing.
That legendary opera revolves around the myth of a creature named The Felix. It's not a myth.
The Writing & The Plot: I loved the writing, it lent the book a a dark, Gothic atmosphere, and it works quite well. The writing is beautiful, poetic without being purple prosy. The atmosphere is perfect, it's everything I want. An isolated music school on the edge of a forest? Heck, yeah! The writing completely supports and reinforces the setting of the book.
The plot is slow. Do not expect nonstop excitement here. It is very much a slow burn. It is intertwined with various strands of 3rd-person narratives, between The Felix, an unnamed madman, and Sing, the narrator. It did not bother me, it confused me at first, but the mystery tied itself up quite nicely. Those who hate multiple narratives and slow paces will not enjoy this book.
The Setting:
Man, if anyone has self-esteem issues, it's Sing. She constantly lives under the shadow of her late, beloved mother. Even her professors see her as a washed-out imitation of her mother, without her talent.
It is not a mindless, blind love story. The characters don't start off liking one another. They help each other, they grow, they learn to trust.
She understands, now, the dangerous, intoxicating quality of a leading role. It is as though she is the worst sort of dictator—callous and terrible and omnipotent. She wears the orchestra like a silk train, perfectly attached. Her voice fills the theater.Sing da Navelli is a singer, an opera singer. She has a horrible name. She knows she has a horrible name. Please don't hold it against her---or this book. That's what you get when your father is a world-famous conductor and your late mother a legendary opera singer. Her life was written out for her before she was born.
Her parents could have named her Aria, or Harmonia, or Tessitura, or a hundred other clever names that would have alluded to her ancestry. But they weren’t for her, these names that roll or sparkle or play or simply proclaim, I am normal!Sing hates her name. I hate her name. Please do not let your prejudice against her name dissuade you from giving this book a fair shot.
No, it was Sing. A name and a command.
This was a surprisingly good book. It was atmospheric, it portrayed a musical conservatory---the jealousies, the classes, the underlying tension very well. This book has a beautifully Gothic atmosphere, and an unusual paranormal storyline that kept me guessing. The romance is light and unexpected, the main character well-developed. There is no unnecessary girl hate, there is no slut shaming, there is plenty of music.
To my surprise, I found myself liking this book, a YA paranormal with a beautiful cover and a beautiful dress. All three of those elements usually adds up to a "RUN AWAY NOW, KHANH!"
But I liked this book. A lot. What a pleasant little surprise. I thought the book had beautiful writing, great character development, and an usual plot that---to my limited intellect---wasn't easily predictable. Warning: those who want action---stop here. This is a very slow book, but well-written enough and well-developed enough for my enjoyment. No Mary Sues.
The Summary:
The crow turned.Something lurks in the forest behind the Dunhammond Conservatory. Something ancient, something deadly.
It didn’t see the long, dark body, precariously, impossibly perched. It didn’t see the lashing tail or the yellowing claws. It saw only the eyes, deep and black violet, hungry and pitiless.
The crow had never seen the Felix before, but it knew to be afraid.
Sing da Navelli doesn't know that. She is here to sing, at the most prestigious, cutthroat musical conservatory in North America. Her name precedes her. The da Navelli names is world-famous. Her family is immensely wealthy. With a nudge, a wink, and a large donation, her father---and his name can get her into just about any school. He is Maestro da Navelli, world-famous conductor. Her mother was Barbara da Navelli...renowned opera singer.
Sing still lives in her shadows.
“Have you been singing a long time?” Marta asks.Sing is actually a great singer. She has been dreaming of the opera Angelique her entire life, this is her chance. She will enroll at the Dunhammond Conservatory, she will perform in Angelique.
The question takes Sing by surprise. Two years, she thinks. Ever since my father decided I would become the new Barbara da Navelli.
Before her father leaves, he has one final word of advice for Sing.
“Farfallina,” he says, “I leave tonight. But please promise me to stay always on the campus. They say this forest is dangerous.”Her father was right to warn her. It's a tough, competitive school, but the competition isn't the only thing that's cutthroat. There is something in the forest. Something related to the opera Angelique.
Sing tilts her head. “That sounds almost superstitious of you, Papà.”
She shrugs. “I’m not afraid of ghosts.”
Her father continues to smile, but his eyes are grave. “That is good to hear.”
That legendary opera revolves around the myth of a creature named The Felix. It's not a myth.
The man stood, still shaking with cold or fear. The Felix took another step closer and looked into his eyes.The Felix isn't the only strange creature in the forest, there is also a crow, a man, a thing.
She saw his pain and disease, his hope, his uncertainty. A sleeping part of her mind stirred from where it lay curled around her memories of home. For a moment, she was mesmerized.
Then it passed.
She tore out his throat.
He squinted hard, then recoiled.Sing doesn't know about any of this. She only knows what's inside herself, and that is uncertainty, fear, and the knowledge that she cannot sing to the full extent of her abilities. There's something missing. Something feels terribly wrong.
It was a human arm.
There was something wrong about it. It didn’t look strange, exactly, except for the tattoo.
Then one of the pale fingers began to move.
Sing’s hands start to shake. She doesn’t say, I can’t sing Angelique for real. Not yet. Admitting that would be sure to squash any chance she has of getting the lead. There’s no need for anyone here to know her secret—that despite her blood and her training, there is still something...wrong...with her voice.Her audition is a disaster.
She backs off, worried that if she pushes too hard, the sound will become wobbly or, worse, break altogether. She can’t move her jaw. She tries to decrescendo on the last note, but the bottom just drops out and she’s left with a weak little whine.Instead of the lead, she becomes the understudy. Sing is barely good enough for the role of understudy, as she is so cruelly reminded.
"Considering how badly you butchered your audition, I should have cast you as the mute. But the plain fact is we need an understudy, and you were the only decent soprano available.”It's tough going, there is a diva at school who is a better singer. She has friends, but what does it mean when she cannot sing the role of her dreams. The forest calls to her. She is constantly challenged, criticized by her teachers, snickers abound everywhere, people whisper about her behind her back. It is a tough thing to be the daughter of two famous parents.
She turns, but as she expected, none of the girls are looking at her. They appear deeply entrenched in their own conversation. “I like to sing,” one of them says. The other two laugh and snort.It's a horrible name to bear, when you can't even do what you love. To make it worse, the professors at her school hate her, including the school laughingstock, Daysmoors, or as the students call him. Plays-poor.
Plays-poor. The disgraced vampire. He seems to have the temperament for it. Booed off the stage during his only performance.All is not well at the campus. There is a young man, named Nathan, imprisoned by someone's obsession.
It doesn’t matter. The crystal is here, and he will have it back soon.The Felix still lurks in the forest, waiting, always, for its prey. There is a myth, The Felix is said to grant wishes.
Then no one will take Nathan away ever again.
The great, black forest betrays no sign of life, no indication of a magical, wish-granting beast. Sing wonders what she would wish for given the opportunity.The crow. The Felix. Sing. The mystery of Nathan. It will all come to a crescendo as the performance of Angelique approaches.
The Writing & The Plot: I loved the writing, it lent the book a a dark, Gothic atmosphere, and it works quite well. The writing is beautiful, poetic without being purple prosy. The atmosphere is perfect, it's everything I want. An isolated music school on the edge of a forest? Heck, yeah! The writing completely supports and reinforces the setting of the book.
The plot is slow. Do not expect nonstop excitement here. It is very much a slow burn. It is intertwined with various strands of 3rd-person narratives, between The Felix, an unnamed madman, and Sing, the narrator. It did not bother me, it confused me at first, but the mystery tied itself up quite nicely. Those who hate multiple narratives and slow paces will not enjoy this book.
The Setting:
Quand il se trouvera dans la forêt sombre...She finds herself humming an all-too-familiar aria. When he finds himself in the dark forest...I love forest settings. I love boarding school settings. This book delivers on both fronts. With every other chapter, we find ourselves in the forest, seeing things through the eyes of the mysterious Felix, as he/she/it prowls, and it is deliciously creepy.
The rustling of trees, the odd snap or scrape from the forest.This book is set in a school. There are classes! Whoo! Yeah, you may think it's odd that I get excited about this, but trust me when I say that there are a surprising number of boarding school books that barely include any details about the actual fucking school whatsoever. There are many students here, BESIDES THE MAIN CHARACTER (WHOO!). There are actual classes (WHOO!). There are actual musical lessons.
The moon illuminated the walkway that ran the length of the building and ended abruptly at the grassy quadrangle.
Must have been just another creak from the old door.
There it was again.
A low, rasping groan coming from the roof. Perhaps not human after all.
Professor Needleman looks at her. “We all think too much. Here, go grab that broom from the corner.”There are other students. Many students. People interact, they make friends, they have realistic relationships. This truly feels like a book that takes place in a boarding school.
For the rest of her lesson, Sing sings while balancing a broom, bristles up, on her palm. Following the subtle, capricious swaying of the broom, not letting it fall, takes all her focus and energy.
She is completely surprised when Jenny stretches out a hand and says, “It sucks that you didn’t get the part you wanted. I think maybe it sucks more than Marta and I know. But look, we’re on your side, okay?” She looks into Sing’s eyes, and Sing feels real in a way she hasn’t for a long time.The Main Character: In so many YA books, the book is completely ruined by the idiotic, Mary Sue characters. This book is not one of them. Sing is not a brat. She has wealthy, famous parents, but she is never a cruel brat. She has insecurities (well, what do you expect, having two world-famous parents?). She goes through disappointments. She goes through bouts of self-pity, where she just wants someone to tell her what she's believed about herself all along: Sing, you're not worth it.
Jenny says, “What’s up with you, Sing?”Sing snaps out of it. She accepts critique. She accepts disappointments, even if it takes her awhile to get over a slump.
Marta shushes her, but Sing looks up coolly. “What do you mean?”
Jenny looks right at her. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“Leave her alone, Jenny,” Marta says, cutting steamed carrots.
“No! She’s been acting rotten all lunch. I’m sick of it.”
Sing is silent, in no mood for Jenny’s frankness. Her hackles rise. Go ahead, she thinks. Tell me I don’t belong here. Tell me my father is buying my career. Tell me I’ll never sing Angelique for real.
What am I doing? Sing thinks. Do I think my life will be better if I get bad grades? If I get kicked out of the conservatory?She works hard to train herself and her voice.
Man, if anyone has self-esteem issues, it's Sing. She constantly lives under the shadow of her late, beloved mother. Even her professors see her as a washed-out imitation of her mother, without her talent.
The Maestro raises his voice just a little and looks at the president. “You know, my mother was a nurse. Would you come to me if you broke your arm? I mean, what are we trying to do here? I’m sorry the public misses Barbara da Navelli, but it’s not our job to bring her back!”The Romance: No spoilers, because it's part of the story, but I thought the romance was unexpected, and so well-done. I recently read another book that took place in a boarding school setting, which was horrible, because of the tremendous amount of insta-love (See Liv, Forever). There is no insta-love in this book. There is really well relationship development, and I may be dumb, but I couldn't have predicted the romance in this book when I started.
No one says, That’s her mother you’re talking about. No one says that.
It is not a mindless, blind love story. The characters don't start off liking one another. They help each other, they grow, they learn to trust.
But she realizes his touch is no different from that of Professor Needleman, or Maestra Collins, or any of them. This closeness they are sharing will be over in a moment. It isn’t real—it only has the shape of truth. He is interested in her cartilage, not her skin; her trachea, not her neck; her consonants, not her mouth.This book has its faults, it felt overly long, and the overall mystery is quite strange, and I didn't feel it was adequately resolved. Still, I greatly enjoyed the writing, the atmosphere, and the characters. Recommended.
October 15, 2019
Interesting and unusual. Sing is a character that intrigued me straight away- the daughter of a famous (dead) opera singer, grappling to escape or maybe embrace her mother's shadow. There's a music school, mysterious woods, a mythological cat-like creature, a mysterious boy. It all came together really well and I was impressed with Adi Rule's writing. I will be reading more books by her for sure.
Possible mild spoiler to follow...
I was confused for a little while, because I didn't pay close enough attention to the timelines --- unless it was supposed to be slightly confusing. I suspect though that I was just tired and missed some hints! Once I realised when certain scenes were happening, it all fell into place. If it was deliberate, than it worked well.
The cover is odd for me -- it kind of fits the book but also doesn't. I would have focused on an image of a Crow, or even a piano, but that's just me.That is just an observation though, and doesn't affect my rating.
Possible mild spoiler to follow...
I was confused for a little while, because I didn't pay close enough attention to the timelines --- unless it was supposed to be slightly confusing. I suspect though that I was just tired and missed some hints! Once I realised when certain scenes were happening, it all fell into place. If it was deliberate, than it worked well.
The cover is odd for me -- it kind of fits the book but also doesn't. I would have focused on an image of a Crow, or even a piano, but that's just me.That is just an observation though, and doesn't affect my rating.
December 17, 2014
I like cat-smiles. <3
This is such an odd, lovely little book. The usual magic and mystery at a boarding school, a most unfortunately named heroine, a romance that creeps steadily up on you, and incredibly strange, touching bird/cat POVs! None of it should work, and yet it does. The pacing was a bit uneven, and at times I wished for a bit more from certain scenes, but overall, a really wonderful debut. You might like this if you enjoyed Blythewood.
Kim's review is the one that persuaded me to read this: http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014... with her promises of wish-granting feral space cats, and being that she's the one who got me to the only two books that have made me cry this year, I was right to trust her with this one.
This is such an odd, lovely little book. The usual magic and mystery at a boarding school, a most unfortunately named heroine, a romance that creeps steadily up on you, and incredibly strange, touching bird/cat POVs! None of it should work, and yet it does. The pacing was a bit uneven, and at times I wished for a bit more from certain scenes, but overall, a really wonderful debut. You might like this if you enjoyed Blythewood.
Kim's review is the one that persuaded me to read this: http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014... with her promises of wish-granting feral space cats, and being that she's the one who got me to the only two books that have made me cry this year, I was right to trust her with this one.
March 22, 2014
So Gothic, I loved it! The book is so athmospheric with it`s forests, old buildings and scary creatures lurking in the shadows.
And the music! I`m fascinated by how the author describes the musicians - their skills and passions. With music on the background, the romance of Nat and Sing becomes more interesting, more special.
For me, this book is unique, I`ve never heard such a story before: about opera music and magic Cats from the Sky called Felix. I loved it from the first page, and the story didn`t let me go till the very end. Can`t wait to read other books by Adi Rule, she rules!
And the music! I`m fascinated by how the author describes the musicians - their skills and passions. With music on the background, the romance of Nat and Sing becomes more interesting, more special.
For me, this book is unique, I`ve never heard such a story before: about opera music and magic Cats from the Sky called Felix. I loved it from the first page, and the story didn`t let me go till the very end. Can`t wait to read other books by Adi Rule, she rules!
May 10, 2021
"I think a wish—a real wish—must be for something impossible. Something unthinkable. Otherwise it’s just you looking for an easy way to—to wherever it is you think you want to go."
I don't know how else to describe this book beyond the fact that it truly is such a strange, sweet kind of book that reads like a melody and lingers long after you've read it. I've re-read this countless times and every single visitation makes me happy. It's not the greatest story but it is one of the best.
original 2015 review:
I loved everything of this book, from its hauntingly beautiful prose, the mystical Felix, and of course...the music. This was Phantom of the Opera meets Stardust meets Beautiful Creatures. If you like beautiful stories about music and forests, read this book.
I don't know how else to describe this book beyond the fact that it truly is such a strange, sweet kind of book that reads like a melody and lingers long after you've read it. I've re-read this countless times and every single visitation makes me happy. It's not the greatest story but it is one of the best.
original 2015 review:
I loved everything of this book, from its hauntingly beautiful prose, the mystical Felix, and of course...the music. This was Phantom of the Opera meets Stardust meets Beautiful Creatures. If you like beautiful stories about music and forests, read this book.
March 2, 2015
This is one of those wonderfully strange but frustrating reads.
The ones that actually keep you up at night wondering what you just read and leave you scratching your head going. “Huh?”
This has a very definite almost goth feel to it. The atmosphere is dark and strange and very mysterious, almost too much so at times.
I admit, it took me awhile, a long while (about half way through) to truly warm up to this book and that might have something to do with the fact that the jump between Sing, the Felix, and George was somewhat confusing. It took me awhile to place them and really catch on. I still am not sure if this was initial or if I am just really slow but it made the first half of the book feel slightly disjointed and me feeling disconnected.
Once I got “it” then the story got a little more interesting and I settled into it much better. I still don't think this will be a book for everyone however, I think it might be one of those, you either love it, hate it, or are completely indifferent to it.
As for which one I am? I still am not sure. I was however, intrigued by it after I got past the rough patch. Did I love it? In a way yes I did. The writing was beautiful and the storyline unique and even lived up to its title as being strange but at the same time, I wish I would have connected with it more. I think if I would have from the very beginning this would have been such a wonderful beautiful story and truly stand out.
Sing was a hard character to love. I wanted to feel for her and all that she was going through but instead I found myself not really caring. The main love interest was...nothing special and certainly not swoon worthy and that didn't help either. I wanted so much more from this story.
It had potential though and in the end I did end up liking it and feeling something for the story other than indifference. In fact I think I felt more for the Felix and Nathan than anyone else and I am not sure if that is what the author intended or not. Again, I am sort of left wondering if I read this right. If I truly got all this story had to offer.
Would I try something else from this author in the future? I think I would because like I said, I see the potential there and I really did want to love this, flaws, confusion in the beginning, and all.
The ones that actually keep you up at night wondering what you just read and leave you scratching your head going. “Huh?”
This has a very definite almost goth feel to it. The atmosphere is dark and strange and very mysterious, almost too much so at times.
I admit, it took me awhile, a long while (about half way through) to truly warm up to this book and that might have something to do with the fact that the jump between Sing, the Felix, and George was somewhat confusing. It took me awhile to place them and really catch on. I still am not sure if this was initial or if I am just really slow but it made the first half of the book feel slightly disjointed and me feeling disconnected.
Once I got “it” then the story got a little more interesting and I settled into it much better. I still don't think this will be a book for everyone however, I think it might be one of those, you either love it, hate it, or are completely indifferent to it.
As for which one I am? I still am not sure. I was however, intrigued by it after I got past the rough patch. Did I love it? In a way yes I did. The writing was beautiful and the storyline unique and even lived up to its title as being strange but at the same time, I wish I would have connected with it more. I think if I would have from the very beginning this would have been such a wonderful beautiful story and truly stand out.
Sing was a hard character to love. I wanted to feel for her and all that she was going through but instead I found myself not really caring. The main love interest was...nothing special and certainly not swoon worthy and that didn't help either. I wanted so much more from this story.
It had potential though and in the end I did end up liking it and feeling something for the story other than indifference. In fact I think I felt more for the Felix and Nathan than anyone else and I am not sure if that is what the author intended or not. Again, I am sort of left wondering if I read this right. If I truly got all this story had to offer.
Would I try something else from this author in the future? I think I would because like I said, I see the potential there and I really did want to love this, flaws, confusion in the beginning, and all.
July 6, 2016
Strange Sweet song is the beautiful story of a young soprano coming to terms with her opera star mother’s death, her famous conductor father’s plans for her, and discovering her own identity amongst the gothic conservatory of Durhammond, where her favourite opera Angelique was inspired and written.
The soprano’s name is Sing, but don’t hold that against her. She knows it’s stupid, we know it’s stupid, the author knows it’s stupid. It is at once a name and a command, a promise of her future, given to her by a diva mother and an obsessed father.
Sing is a realistic heroine, unsure of herself, not drop-dead gorgeous, and even her angelic voice has its flaws. She’s living in the shadow of her mother and being groomed by her pushy father who both wants to give the world to her but to also make her earn it, who wants to present Sing as a replacement for her mother. Sing knows something is wrong with her voice – it’s hard to crack it in a novel, being a visual medium, but I believe Sing was imitating her own mother’s singing rather than using her own voice, so that later in the novel when she finally does come into her own voice it’s spectacular and wonderful.
Also, I love how not everyone loves Sing. Sing’s not your typical YA heroine, a passive, waif-like gentle doormat whom everyone loves and adores and wants to help because she’s so gentle and good and deserving. Nor is she a name-taking, ass kicking babe. People use her, like her, dislike her, hate her. To me, the mix of different relationships seemed very realistic. Sing’s own behaviour was also understandable: she’s no angel, but deep down she is a good girl who wants to please, and gets sick of being walked over as the daughter of two world-famous musicians, even though she partly believes she’s too privileged and undeserving. She toughens up, but then realises taking what she wants by force is no way to get what she deserves.
I’m not operatically trained (because fuck that, have you any idea how hard opera singers work?) but I am classically trained and I knew from the way Adi Rule wrote about singing and music, and really got inside Sing’s head as she was singing, that Rule was a singer herself, and she is. A professional one with the Boston Pops. I’ve read a handful of novels about musicians and a few about singers, but absolutely none of them have had the depth and knowledge and literally the experience of what it’s actually like to be a real singer – not someone who sings with no knowledge of correct technique, but a real singer in one of the oldest, strictest techniques of singing. I was constantly amazed at how deeply this novel went into technique and thought process and the sheer effort of singing opera. Every time Sing opened her mouth I thought, Yes, that’s exactly what it’s like.
Although this novel has a romance in it, it’s not a novel about the romance. It’s not a romance novel. Although the romance is so slow-burning it’s almost unexpected, and I was pleasantly surprised when I realised what was happening. It’s also my absolute favourite kind of romance, the kind where the lovers hate each other at first. This means that the author has to do a lot of work redeeming the love interest to get me to like them, and I’m pleased to say that Rule achieves that.
It’s a novel about singing, about this young, grieving girl trying to find her own place and her own voice amongst all the pressure of living up to her mother’s fame and her father’s expectation, and trying not to use her family’s wealth, privilege and name to take short cuts or lord over the other students. Add on to that Sing’s absolute love for an opera called Angelique, of which she is desperate to sing the lead role, a role her mother dominated but wouldn’t let Sing sing, and the very role she died for, and also did I mention Sing’s father doesn’t want Sing singing it? (Did I mention how frustrating Sing’s name is?)
Rule deftly weaves real music through the book alongside what I believe is a made-up opera. While there is an opera bouffant called Angelique, I can’t find very much information on it. I think it’s a French one-act opera, and as far as I’m aware there is no magical space cat that grants wishes to those in utter despair. Sing’s Angelique is Italian, and Rule even gives us lyrics. But I totally believed there was a beautiful little-known opera called Angelique while I was reading the book. That’s how realistic Rule makes it seem – I had to do some research to find out if all this was based on some kind of true story -Durhammond, Angelique, the rumour of the magical space cat.
I felt that by the last quarter of the novel, after the point of no return when everything was ripped away from Sing and I couldn’t possibly see how she could achieve her goals AND find love AND make peace with the magical space cat, it was ever so slightly predictable (based on how a novel must follow a plot for a happily ever after) how things were going to go down, but I was still rooting for Sing and wanted everything to work out okay for her.
Probably my biggest criticism, besides the competition between Sing and just about every other musician in the novel, was that the first half of the novel was quite slow. The point of view flips between Sing, the magical space cat, and a third point of view character called George that only becomes relevant much later in the novel. I found these other points of view a bit boring and not entirely relevant, and skimmed them in the first half of the novel. I also found the change in tenses, although completely relevant, a bit annoying. I personally don’t much enjoy third person present tense, and I would have really liked to go further inside Sing’s head in first person. But overall I don’t really think that detracted from my enjoyment. I have been known to enjoy present tense.
Other than that, it was a glorious book, well written, well researched, and well characterised. I read an ARC but I’m buying the hardcover book because this is one I’ll re-read over and over again.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for providing an advanced reader copy for an honest review.
The soprano’s name is Sing, but don’t hold that against her. She knows it’s stupid, we know it’s stupid, the author knows it’s stupid. It is at once a name and a command, a promise of her future, given to her by a diva mother and an obsessed father.
Sing. Is it even her name anymore, or is it merely a word? An order? Given by whom?
Sing is a realistic heroine, unsure of herself, not drop-dead gorgeous, and even her angelic voice has its flaws. She’s living in the shadow of her mother and being groomed by her pushy father who both wants to give the world to her but to also make her earn it, who wants to present Sing as a replacement for her mother. Sing knows something is wrong with her voice – it’s hard to crack it in a novel, being a visual medium, but I believe Sing was imitating her own mother’s singing rather than using her own voice, so that later in the novel when she finally does come into her own voice it’s spectacular and wonderful.
Sing’s dress isn’t ready for dress rehearsal. It’s still being altered. She’s thicker than Lori, shorter. Lori is a swan. Sing is a duck.
Also, I love how not everyone loves Sing. Sing’s not your typical YA heroine, a passive, waif-like gentle doormat whom everyone loves and adores and wants to help because she’s so gentle and good and deserving. Nor is she a name-taking, ass kicking babe. People use her, like her, dislike her, hate her. To me, the mix of different relationships seemed very realistic. Sing’s own behaviour was also understandable: she’s no angel, but deep down she is a good girl who wants to please, and gets sick of being walked over as the daughter of two world-famous musicians, even though she partly believes she’s too privileged and undeserving. She toughens up, but then realises taking what she wants by force is no way to get what she deserves.
I’m not operatically trained (because fuck that, have you any idea how hard opera singers work?) but I am classically trained and I knew from the way Adi Rule wrote about singing and music, and really got inside Sing’s head as she was singing, that Rule was a singer herself, and she is. A professional one with the Boston Pops. I’ve read a handful of novels about musicians and a few about singers, but absolutely none of them have had the depth and knowledge and literally the experience of what it’s actually like to be a real singer – not someone who sings with no knowledge of correct technique, but a real singer in one of the oldest, strictest techniques of singing. I was constantly amazed at how deeply this novel went into technique and thought process and the sheer effort of singing opera. Every time Sing opened her mouth I thought, Yes, that’s exactly what it’s like.
She backs off, worried that if she pushes too hard, the sound will become wobbly or, worse, break altogether. She can’t move her jaw. She tries to decrescendo on the last note, but the bottom just drops out and she’s left with a weak little whine.
Although this novel has a romance in it, it’s not a novel about the romance. It’s not a romance novel. Although the romance is so slow-burning it’s almost unexpected, and I was pleasantly surprised when I realised what was happening. It’s also my absolute favourite kind of romance, the kind where the lovers hate each other at first. This means that the author has to do a lot of work redeeming the love interest to get me to like them, and I’m pleased to say that Rule achieves that.
It’s a novel about singing, about this young, grieving girl trying to find her own place and her own voice amongst all the pressure of living up to her mother’s fame and her father’s expectation, and trying not to use her family’s wealth, privilege and name to take short cuts or lord over the other students. Add on to that Sing’s absolute love for an opera called Angelique, of which she is desperate to sing the lead role, a role her mother dominated but wouldn’t let Sing sing, and the very role she died for, and also did I mention Sing’s father doesn’t want Sing singing it? (Did I mention how frustrating Sing’s name is?)
“Sing,” Zhin said, only it sounded different now. It wasn’t quite sing, it was thin and strange and lovely. “It means ‘star’ in Chinese. Like in the sky.”
Rule deftly weaves real music through the book alongside what I believe is a made-up opera. While there is an opera bouffant called Angelique, I can’t find very much information on it. I think it’s a French one-act opera, and as far as I’m aware there is no magical space cat that grants wishes to those in utter despair. Sing’s Angelique is Italian, and Rule even gives us lyrics. But I totally believed there was a beautiful little-known opera called Angelique while I was reading the book. That’s how realistic Rule makes it seem – I had to do some research to find out if all this was based on some kind of true story -Durhammond, Angelique, the rumour of the magical space cat.
Sometimes I worry that belief and hope are the same thing, and that truth is something else entirely.
I felt that by the last quarter of the novel, after the point of no return when everything was ripped away from Sing and I couldn’t possibly see how she could achieve her goals AND find love AND make peace with the magical space cat, it was ever so slightly predictable (based on how a novel must follow a plot for a happily ever after) how things were going to go down, but I was still rooting for Sing and wanted everything to work out okay for her.
Probably my biggest criticism, besides the competition between Sing and just about every other musician in the novel, was that the first half of the novel was quite slow. The point of view flips between Sing, the magical space cat, and a third point of view character called George that only becomes relevant much later in the novel. I found these other points of view a bit boring and not entirely relevant, and skimmed them in the first half of the novel. I also found the change in tenses, although completely relevant, a bit annoying. I personally don’t much enjoy third person present tense, and I would have really liked to go further inside Sing’s head in first person. But overall I don’t really think that detracted from my enjoyment. I have been known to enjoy present tense.
Other than that, it was a glorious book, well written, well researched, and well characterised. I read an ARC but I’m buying the hardcover book because this is one I’ll re-read over and over again.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for providing an advanced reader copy for an honest review.
July 29, 2019
As an avid reader, I am always searching for new books to read with unique story lines and interesting characters.
For quite a few months Goodreads kept recommending Strange Sweet Song and after reading the synopsis multiple times over these few months, I finally decided to purchase the book and give it a try.
My hesitation stemmed from the fact that it involved music. I appreciate music just like any other person and my piano lessons are going splendidly; however, my last experience with voice lessons and specifically singing in front of other people really wasn’t worth an entry into my diary.
Therefore, my slow approach to this story. Hence, my hesitation was not needed, since I loved this story.
The characters were mysterious, from the main character and her beautiful voice to her friends and instructors to the mysterious person that infuses the story with a gothic element that made this reading experience so much more enjoyable.
All of them are well developed and richly created.
The writing was effortless, it flowed and takes the reader on a journey to this mysterious music boarding school with all its secrets. It was easy to get invested in the story and the protagonist’s adventure and struggle. It was quite beautiful.
The plot is unique and refreshing. After reading many YA novels, it is always great to come across a story that breathes fresh live into the enjoyment of reading.
Overall, this is a beautiful; hauntingly beautiful story that I enjoyed from the first to the last page and I cannot wait to read further publications of this author. I would recommend it to all, who crave a gothic infused story with great characters and a good mystery.
ElliotScribbles
For quite a few months Goodreads kept recommending Strange Sweet Song and after reading the synopsis multiple times over these few months, I finally decided to purchase the book and give it a try.
My hesitation stemmed from the fact that it involved music. I appreciate music just like any other person and my piano lessons are going splendidly; however, my last experience with voice lessons and specifically singing in front of other people really wasn’t worth an entry into my diary.
Therefore, my slow approach to this story. Hence, my hesitation was not needed, since I loved this story.
The characters were mysterious, from the main character and her beautiful voice to her friends and instructors to the mysterious person that infuses the story with a gothic element that made this reading experience so much more enjoyable.
All of them are well developed and richly created.
The writing was effortless, it flowed and takes the reader on a journey to this mysterious music boarding school with all its secrets. It was easy to get invested in the story and the protagonist’s adventure and struggle. It was quite beautiful.
The plot is unique and refreshing. After reading many YA novels, it is always great to come across a story that breathes fresh live into the enjoyment of reading.
Overall, this is a beautiful; hauntingly beautiful story that I enjoyed from the first to the last page and I cannot wait to read further publications of this author. I would recommend it to all, who crave a gothic infused story with great characters and a good mystery.
ElliotScribbles
April 14, 2015
También en: El Extraño Gato del Cuento
DEOS MEOW. ¿No te ha tocado ese libro que dices “esto no me va a gustar” y luego “¿YA SE ACABÓ, YA, ASÍ, NO HAY MÁS?”? Me acaba de pesar con Sweet Strange Song. Inmediatamente al terminar lo único que me vino a la cabeza fue: “Pussssha ¿y ahora como reseño esto?”. Estoy segura que si fuera de las que hace video reseñas todo lo que sería de la reseña de Sweet Strange Song sería yo agitando el libro haciendo sonidos que no se considerarían humanos.
La única referencia que tenía de Sweet Strange Song fue una reseña del año pasado en un blog que no recuerdo el nombre y lo único que leí fue que este libro era oro puro. ¿Libro desconocido que supuestamente es una joya escondida? Debía tenerlo. El problema fue que al principio no tenía idea de qué diablos estaba leyendo, está narrado en tercera persona centrándose en diferentes personajes, de por sí es un poquito complicado acostumbrarse la transición de personajes, súmale el que como es costumbre mía no leí sinopsis, mucho más confuso aún. Estuve tentada a tirar la toalla, dejar el libro de lado y lamentarme por dejarme engañar por la publicidad de un solo blog.
Sí, Sweet Strange Song tiene un inicio difícil, son capítulos cortos pero son párrafos bastante largos, no hay muchos diálogos y al inicio la personalidad de Sing (ese nombre también) que no es exactamente querible, puede ser que a algunos lectores les haga dejarlo para algún otro momento.
PERO SIGUE LEYENDO, SIGUE, POR FAVOR, SIGUE LEYENDO EL LIBRO.
Hay libros que mientras vas leyendo, puedes detenerte y marcar tus frases favoritas, anotar las escenas que más te gustaron, dejar bien tuneado el libro que tienes, y también están los otros libros que la sola idea de parar de leer es imposible ¿Parar para marcar algo? En la re-relectura será. Lo irónico en este tipo de libros que te dan todos los feels es que a veces TIENES que parar y dar vueltas y hacer gestos y sonidos cavernícolas porque no puedes con TODO OH POR DIOS, OH POR DIOS OH POR DIOS.
Sweet Strange Song TIENE EL ship de la vida. Es lento, no es amor a primera vista, es hostilidad-aléjate-de-mi-lacra-horrible-te-destruiré-yupi-engreida a primera vista. Es hermoso. Y si alguien me viene con que hay teams para este libro se puede ir a... [FRASE CENSURADA, GOODREADS NO ACEPTA TONTERÍAS, PERO SÍ, MÁS VALE QUE NO HAYA TEAMS, APOYAMOS AL GATO COMPLETAMENTE]. No, no hay teams. No hay exactamente un triángulo amoroso, pero es fácil confundirse ¬¬
Lo que al principio fue un elemento en contra, al final terminé disfrutando los largos párrafos, se me hicieron cortos. Uno siente cuando es un libro bien trabajo, investigado y pulido, incluso si es una copia que supuestamente no es la final, cada frase, cada twist, cada acción, todo está bien pensado. Una vez que llegas al final sabes que ese comienzo un poco denso que pensaste al inicio, es el perfecto y el más acertado para un libro como este.
Algo muy resaltante, más allá de que este libro se volvió uno de mis favoritos del año, es que no solo Adi Rule se tomó el trabajo de escribir un libro, sino investigar frases en varios idiomas, investigar ópera, realmente hacer un gran trabajo de recolección de material, pero encima, encima de todo eso, crear una historia para la historia. Y una de esas veces en una que tiene el sueño de volverse escritora, se dice: “quiero seguir su ejemplo”
Al terminar de leer lo único que sé es que tengo que releer Sweet Strange Song. Y me acabo de enterar que es libro único *llora hasta el infinito*
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DEOS MEOW. ¿No te ha tocado ese libro que dices “esto no me va a gustar” y luego “¿YA SE ACABÓ, YA, ASÍ, NO HAY MÁS?”? Me acaba de pesar con Sweet Strange Song. Inmediatamente al terminar lo único que me vino a la cabeza fue: “Pussssha ¿y ahora como reseño esto?”. Estoy segura que si fuera de las que hace video reseñas todo lo que sería de la reseña de Sweet Strange Song sería yo agitando el libro haciendo sonidos que no se considerarían humanos.
La única referencia que tenía de Sweet Strange Song fue una reseña del año pasado en un blog que no recuerdo el nombre y lo único que leí fue que este libro era oro puro. ¿Libro desconocido que supuestamente es una joya escondida? Debía tenerlo. El problema fue que al principio no tenía idea de qué diablos estaba leyendo, está narrado en tercera persona centrándose en diferentes personajes, de por sí es un poquito complicado acostumbrarse la transición de personajes, súmale el que como es costumbre mía no leí sinopsis, mucho más confuso aún. Estuve tentada a tirar la toalla, dejar el libro de lado y lamentarme por dejarme engañar por la publicidad de un solo blog.
Sí, Sweet Strange Song tiene un inicio difícil, son capítulos cortos pero son párrafos bastante largos, no hay muchos diálogos y al inicio la personalidad de Sing (ese nombre también) que no es exactamente querible, puede ser que a algunos lectores les haga dejarlo para algún otro momento.
PERO SIGUE LEYENDO, SIGUE, POR FAVOR, SIGUE LEYENDO EL LIBRO.
Hay libros que mientras vas leyendo, puedes detenerte y marcar tus frases favoritas, anotar las escenas que más te gustaron, dejar bien tuneado el libro que tienes, y también están los otros libros que la sola idea de parar de leer es imposible ¿Parar para marcar algo? En la re-relectura será. Lo irónico en este tipo de libros que te dan todos los feels es que a veces TIENES que parar y dar vueltas y hacer gestos y sonidos cavernícolas porque no puedes con TODO OH POR DIOS, OH POR DIOS OH POR DIOS.
Sweet Strange Song TIENE EL ship de la vida. Es lento, no es amor a primera vista, es hostilidad-aléjate-de-mi-lacra-horrible-te-destruiré-yupi-engreida a primera vista. Es hermoso. Y si alguien me viene con que hay teams para este libro se puede ir a... [FRASE CENSURADA, GOODREADS NO ACEPTA TONTERÍAS, PERO SÍ, MÁS VALE QUE NO HAYA TEAMS, APOYAMOS AL GATO COMPLETAMENTE]. No, no hay teams. No hay exactamente un triángulo amoroso, pero es fácil confundirse ¬¬
Lo que al principio fue un elemento en contra, al final terminé disfrutando los largos párrafos, se me hicieron cortos. Uno siente cuando es un libro bien trabajo, investigado y pulido, incluso si es una copia que supuestamente no es la final, cada frase, cada twist, cada acción, todo está bien pensado. Una vez que llegas al final sabes que ese comienzo un poco denso que pensaste al inicio, es el perfecto y el más acertado para un libro como este.
Algo muy resaltante, más allá de que este libro se volvió uno de mis favoritos del año, es que no solo Adi Rule se tomó el trabajo de escribir un libro, sino investigar frases en varios idiomas, investigar ópera, realmente hacer un gran trabajo de recolección de material, pero encima, encima de todo eso, crear una historia para la historia. Y una de esas veces en una que tiene el sueño de volverse escritora, se dice: “quiero seguir su ejemplo”
Al terminar de leer lo único que sé es que tengo que releer Sweet Strange Song. Y me acabo de enterar que es libro único *llora hasta el infinito*
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March 5, 2019
4 stars
This book was really good for what I thought it was going to be. I have never read any books by Adi Rule before so I was unsure on how her writing style was going to be before a I read this book. I was recommended this book by one of my friends and she really liked it when she read it so I thought I would give it a try. This book I have too say was really different from what I have read before or am reading right now, but I like books that are written different from others because it makes the book unique and sometimes different. I am glad that I can finally get this book off of my want to read list because it has been on my list for a really long time now. I would maybe read this book again. I would recommend this book to anyone.
This book was really good for what I thought it was going to be. I have never read any books by Adi Rule before so I was unsure on how her writing style was going to be before a I read this book. I was recommended this book by one of my friends and she really liked it when she read it so I thought I would give it a try. This book I have too say was really different from what I have read before or am reading right now, but I like books that are written different from others because it makes the book unique and sometimes different. I am glad that I can finally get this book off of my want to read list because it has been on my list for a really long time now. I would maybe read this book again. I would recommend this book to anyone.
October 13, 2021
I was blown away by this unexpected book. I randomly found it at a used bookstore and the cover stole my heart. Adi rule's writing is so beautiful and this magical, dark story filled with music, romance and fairytales was truly unique and absolutely perfection.
August 11, 2016
3.5
I don't know, man. This book has a wish granting feral space cat. That's pretty awesome.
I don't know, man. This book has a wish granting feral space cat. That's pretty awesome.
September 19, 2015
Lushly gothic and captivating, Strange Sweet Song lures you in and never lets you go.
July 13, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Strange Sweet Song was a richly imaginative world with beautifully, lyrically written words that captured my attention from page one. Sing’s voice is so strong and introspective.
Opening Sentence: If you had been there that night, the night it happened, you might not have noticed.
The Review:
Sing da Navelli has famous parents in the music world, and she hopes to follow their footsteps and use her enchanting voice to captivate audiences as her mother did before she died. Her most passionate goal: to play Angelique in the very play that was first written at her new school, a role she’s dreamed of playing ever since she first saw the opera. In her first year at a renown music conservatory, she will discover the challenges of rival students and choking with nervousness —- but will also meet the Felix, an ancient beast, fall in love with a broken and sad man, and learn who she is.
I absolutely loved the setting, and the way that two stories were created and weaved together at the end. There are two different plotlines: George and Nathan, and Sing trying to find herself and her voice at a new school. Towards the last fourth of the book it all came together, hooking me more than ever. And, as I mentioned before, the setting. The forest and the school were so original and exciting! There were other multiple things in this book that kept me hooked: the lyrical, wonderful writing style that was so unique I just latched on, the life of Sing and her budding voice, Sing’s friends and enemies, drama with the school play, the love interest. Basically everything. I never got bored of the richly described world, full of imagery and music. I’ve never read a novel so orientated on music and the way the author described simple sounds made me immediately love her and her characters. Each character, even the secondary ones, developed and grew. Another great thing about this was the pacing, which while sometimes a tiny bit slow was never confusing or fast. The one thing I’d like more resolution on was the ending chapter, maybe Rule could have put in an epilogue? If only.
Something I’d like to describe in detail was the love interest. The romance was slow, developed, and made me swoon. I’m so in love with the character Sing falls in love with… Who I will not name as it will ruin the surprise. I’ll be honest, I never once saw Sing ending up with the character I cannot name. I had a few suspicions at the very beginning that were discarded until around halfway through. However, the surprise made reading it all the sweeter. The development did too, as well. The character grows stronger and more confident by the end of the book and makes sacrifices. His cute ways made me smile, especially because he starts so closed off and distant. Watching the mask melt was half of the beauty of the relationship.
And now I will talk about The Felix. The whole novel revolves around this opera that Sing loves, the same opera her mother dies performing. It describes a story in which Angelique, a simple milkmaid, meets a prince she falls in love with. The prince is then fatally injured but a man that is deeply in love with Angelique, she revives him with the help of the Felix, a mighty and sad creature in the shape of a cat. If you meet it, it either tears out your throat or, if it sees sadness deeper than it’s own, grants you a single wish. Said man uses his wish to bring back the prince. And the Felix is real, and important, in Strange Sweet Song. It is a beast that has probably one in four chapters during the story and that I fell in love with despite the overwhelming vicious instinct it cannot seem to overcome. My eyes watered when the Felix’s sadness was mentioned and I became suddenly depressed. I was so in-tune with the character’s feelings that I would feel what they were feeling.
I felt so connected on Sing’s internal journey and absolutely loved her and the other secondary characters. I loved almost everything about Strange Sweet Song and I think others will too. The plotline was well thought out. The setting and world-building was wonderful. The character’s journey and development were real and Sing was such an introspective character that I always felt like I was inside her head. Not to mention that beautiful, mysterious cover! The book isn’t very long and if you are like me, you will swallow it up, so I hope you consider checking it out!
One more thing before I leave you: yes, Sing is a stupid and ironic name. Because yes (internally groans) she is a singer. However! Do not discard this novel for such trivial reasons, for Sing mentions how she hates her name many a time and by the end she accepts it. Okay, that’s all I have to say, other than this — if you are a lover of fantasy than pick up Strange Sweet Song!
Notable Scene:
“What your sound is missing” he says, “is you.”
Her shoulders slump. “I know. I try. I’ve never been good at acting.”
“Listen to me,” he says. “I’m not talking about acting. I’m talking about you.”
She feels a familiar frustration stinging her throat. “My father is the one who said I was ready for this. I never asked-”
Now he stands and places a hand on each of her shoulders. “Sing da Navelli, look at me.” She does, and something tingles her insides. “I’m not talking about your father. I’m talking about you.“
She starts shaking. “I know, okay? You don’t understand what it’s like. My mother-”
“I’m not talking about your mother, or your teachers, or your friends. I’m talking about you.“
“I get the point,” she snaps. “All right? But what am I supposed to do? I”ve been at this school for less than three months!”
He grasps her shoulders more tightly. “I’m not talking about President Martin, the Maestro, Francois Durand, or goddamn Lori Pinkerton! I’m talking about you.”
“Stop it!” She can’t control her hands, her ribs- why won’t they stop shuddering? She can’t look at him anymore and drops her head.
His voice softens. “You can’t even stand to hear that word, can you? I . . . you poor thing. No wonder you don’t know who you are.”
FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Griffin/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Strange Sweet Song. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
Quick & Dirty: Strange Sweet Song was a richly imaginative world with beautifully, lyrically written words that captured my attention from page one. Sing’s voice is so strong and introspective.
Opening Sentence: If you had been there that night, the night it happened, you might not have noticed.
The Review:
Sing da Navelli has famous parents in the music world, and she hopes to follow their footsteps and use her enchanting voice to captivate audiences as her mother did before she died. Her most passionate goal: to play Angelique in the very play that was first written at her new school, a role she’s dreamed of playing ever since she first saw the opera. In her first year at a renown music conservatory, she will discover the challenges of rival students and choking with nervousness —- but will also meet the Felix, an ancient beast, fall in love with a broken and sad man, and learn who she is.
I absolutely loved the setting, and the way that two stories were created and weaved together at the end. There are two different plotlines: George and Nathan, and Sing trying to find herself and her voice at a new school. Towards the last fourth of the book it all came together, hooking me more than ever. And, as I mentioned before, the setting. The forest and the school were so original and exciting! There were other multiple things in this book that kept me hooked: the lyrical, wonderful writing style that was so unique I just latched on, the life of Sing and her budding voice, Sing’s friends and enemies, drama with the school play, the love interest. Basically everything. I never got bored of the richly described world, full of imagery and music. I’ve never read a novel so orientated on music and the way the author described simple sounds made me immediately love her and her characters. Each character, even the secondary ones, developed and grew. Another great thing about this was the pacing, which while sometimes a tiny bit slow was never confusing or fast. The one thing I’d like more resolution on was the ending chapter, maybe Rule could have put in an epilogue? If only.
Something I’d like to describe in detail was the love interest. The romance was slow, developed, and made me swoon. I’m so in love with the character Sing falls in love with… Who I will not name as it will ruin the surprise. I’ll be honest, I never once saw Sing ending up with the character I cannot name. I had a few suspicions at the very beginning that were discarded until around halfway through. However, the surprise made reading it all the sweeter. The development did too, as well. The character grows stronger and more confident by the end of the book and makes sacrifices. His cute ways made me smile, especially because he starts so closed off and distant. Watching the mask melt was half of the beauty of the relationship.
And now I will talk about The Felix. The whole novel revolves around this opera that Sing loves, the same opera her mother dies performing. It describes a story in which Angelique, a simple milkmaid, meets a prince she falls in love with. The prince is then fatally injured but a man that is deeply in love with Angelique, she revives him with the help of the Felix, a mighty and sad creature in the shape of a cat. If you meet it, it either tears out your throat or, if it sees sadness deeper than it’s own, grants you a single wish. Said man uses his wish to bring back the prince. And the Felix is real, and important, in Strange Sweet Song. It is a beast that has probably one in four chapters during the story and that I fell in love with despite the overwhelming vicious instinct it cannot seem to overcome. My eyes watered when the Felix’s sadness was mentioned and I became suddenly depressed. I was so in-tune with the character’s feelings that I would feel what they were feeling.
I felt so connected on Sing’s internal journey and absolutely loved her and the other secondary characters. I loved almost everything about Strange Sweet Song and I think others will too. The plotline was well thought out. The setting and world-building was wonderful. The character’s journey and development were real and Sing was such an introspective character that I always felt like I was inside her head. Not to mention that beautiful, mysterious cover! The book isn’t very long and if you are like me, you will swallow it up, so I hope you consider checking it out!
One more thing before I leave you: yes, Sing is a stupid and ironic name. Because yes (internally groans) she is a singer. However! Do not discard this novel for such trivial reasons, for Sing mentions how she hates her name many a time and by the end she accepts it. Okay, that’s all I have to say, other than this — if you are a lover of fantasy than pick up Strange Sweet Song!
Notable Scene:
“What your sound is missing” he says, “is you.”
Her shoulders slump. “I know. I try. I’ve never been good at acting.”
“Listen to me,” he says. “I’m not talking about acting. I’m talking about you.”
She feels a familiar frustration stinging her throat. “My father is the one who said I was ready for this. I never asked-”
Now he stands and places a hand on each of her shoulders. “Sing da Navelli, look at me.” She does, and something tingles her insides. “I’m not talking about your father. I’m talking about you.“
She starts shaking. “I know, okay? You don’t understand what it’s like. My mother-”
“I’m not talking about your mother, or your teachers, or your friends. I’m talking about you.“
“I get the point,” she snaps. “All right? But what am I supposed to do? I”ve been at this school for less than three months!”
He grasps her shoulders more tightly. “I’m not talking about President Martin, the Maestro, Francois Durand, or goddamn Lori Pinkerton! I’m talking about you.”
“Stop it!” She can’t control her hands, her ribs- why won’t they stop shuddering? She can’t look at him anymore and drops her head.
His voice softens. “You can’t even stand to hear that word, can you? I . . . you poor thing. No wonder you don’t know who you are.”
FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Griffin/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Strange Sweet Song. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
March 22, 2016
Once upon a time, a composer went walking in the woods and was inspired to write an opera about farmers, a prince, and a mystical wish-granting beast that lives in the forest. A hundred years later, Sing da Navelli, daughter of the late super-soprano Barbara da Navelli and world-famous conductor Ernesto, finds herself enrolled in a conservatory in that same woods and competing for the lead in that same opera -- her very favorite. But there is still a beast that prowls the forest, and a mystery involving the school ... and Sing is drawn to both, as she struggles to find her own voice and make her own wishes come true.This is a very unusual story. The first chapter is absolutely amazing. It then turned a little rocky for me, with alternating chapters from the POV of (1) mysterious characters whose story does not become clear for a good while into the book; (2) the Felix, a magical other-dimensional space-cat beast that haunts the northern woods; and (3) Sing, told in third person-present tense, which kept me very distant from her and irritated the heck out of me for at least the first 50 pages of the book. I nearly chucked it aside during this bit, but am so glad I didn't.
After 100 pages, I suddenly found myself not nearly so irritated, and completely caught up in the events and mythology -- I could hardly put the book down. I'd been afraid it was going to turn out like Skellig or some other books I've read with a single uncomfortable supernatural element in an otherwise contemporary story, but I'm thrilled to say that all three threads worked together beautifully. I think that at its heart this is a contemporary novel about Sing's struggle to separate herself from the shadow and heavy influence of her dead mother and, as a parallel, learning to see and accept other people for who they truly are, too (good and bad), and finding a place for herself. But the supernatural element gives the whole story a glow just like the one that surrounds the Felix, as it reflects and echoes Sing's journey.
I don't want to say too much about this for fear of spoilers. But there are a couple twists near the end that took me completely by surprise, and which just added to the uniqueness which is this book. The backstory about the composer seems completely believable -- honestly, I can hardly believe this opera doesn't exist (there is an opera of the same name, but otherwise, no relation). The author studied music, so the scenes at the conservatory and the smothering and yet sharp-edged competition between the students rang true.
It's not perfect, of course. I'm left with a few questions about the mythology, but considering that the author made this beast up entirely from scratch (no pun intended, since it's a Space Cat :-), I'm not inclined to quibble. I didn't like the "romance" at all, but it's not a huge obsessive part of the story, and it mostly came out all right at the end.
So overall, I am really impressed with this book and hoping it doesn't get lost in the "Everyone is so sick of paranormal" backlash, especially since its pretty-girl-in-a-pretty-dress cover isn't doing it any favors in that department.
Recommended! And do read 100 pages before giving up on it if it doesn't grab you right away.
December 27, 2023
2023 reread...
Poignant and hauntingly beautiful...
Each time I read 'Strange Sweet Song', I love it more. It is a precious story. At its core, it's a book about a young woman who finds herself; and a love story in which the two characters help one another to find themselves, which offers a sense of depth and meaning. An element which stood out this time around, was the theme of Solitude. It is often a quiet book, where the reader experiences Sing or the Felix in their quiet moments, which adds an atmosphere of intimacy and makes the novel feel special and serene. Another element that stood out, that I have perhaps overlooked in past reads, was the humour. This really adds to the overall sense of enjoyment while reading.
***********
2015: reread...
I didn't think it was possible to love this book more, but I do. I am not a re-reader, but I think second time around I enjoyed this book more than the first. It's the writing, the themes, the plot, the romance - it's everything. And what I gave 4 stars in 2014, I give 5 stars this year. I wrote that I experienced a lull the first time, but today I thought, what lull? I can't say enough about it...
***********
2014...
This is just pure, beautiful, fairy-tale-esque magical realism at its finest. A must read! Containing gorgeous elements such as a music academy for the gifted, tucked away in the American wilderness, within a dark pine forest that contains a mythical beast...or is it mythical? I loved the unexpected romance that blossomed between Sing and ... I shall just say a fellow musician ;) I also loved the personal growth and development Sing undergoes, choosing her soul over success. I loved the feeling of completion at the end, where everything seems to come right, and Sing reaps what she has selflessly sown, in such a touching way. I loved the Crow...the mysterious crow, and the sections about the gorgeous, yet savage Felix, the cat-beast which originates from another part of the Galaxy. It ticked so many boxes for me! The only reason it doesn't get a five star rating, is that between the 50% and 80% mark, it seemed to lag a little. Such a small point though, in such a beautiful novel. The writing was so atmospheric at times, that I read painfully slowly, just savouring the scenes, which is why this book took me longer to read than usual. Looking forward to reading more from this new author in the future, and to re-visiting 'Strange Sweet Song' :)
Poignant and hauntingly beautiful...
Each time I read 'Strange Sweet Song', I love it more. It is a precious story. At its core, it's a book about a young woman who finds herself; and a love story in which the two characters help one another to find themselves, which offers a sense of depth and meaning. An element which stood out this time around, was the theme of Solitude. It is often a quiet book, where the reader experiences Sing or the Felix in their quiet moments, which adds an atmosphere of intimacy and makes the novel feel special and serene. Another element that stood out, that I have perhaps overlooked in past reads, was the humour. This really adds to the overall sense of enjoyment while reading.
***********
2015: reread...
I didn't think it was possible to love this book more, but I do. I am not a re-reader, but I think second time around I enjoyed this book more than the first. It's the writing, the themes, the plot, the romance - it's everything. And what I gave 4 stars in 2014, I give 5 stars this year. I wrote that I experienced a lull the first time, but today I thought, what lull? I can't say enough about it...
***********
2014...
This is just pure, beautiful, fairy-tale-esque magical realism at its finest. A must read! Containing gorgeous elements such as a music academy for the gifted, tucked away in the American wilderness, within a dark pine forest that contains a mythical beast...or is it mythical? I loved the unexpected romance that blossomed between Sing and ... I shall just say a fellow musician ;) I also loved the personal growth and development Sing undergoes, choosing her soul over success. I loved the feeling of completion at the end, where everything seems to come right, and Sing reaps what she has selflessly sown, in such a touching way. I loved the Crow...the mysterious crow, and the sections about the gorgeous, yet savage Felix, the cat-beast which originates from another part of the Galaxy. It ticked so many boxes for me! The only reason it doesn't get a five star rating, is that between the 50% and 80% mark, it seemed to lag a little. Such a small point though, in such a beautiful novel. The writing was so atmospheric at times, that I read painfully slowly, just savouring the scenes, which is why this book took me longer to read than usual. Looking forward to reading more from this new author in the future, and to re-visiting 'Strange Sweet Song' :)
July 31, 2014
DNF @ 75 pages.
First, I'd like to give a shoutout to Lola who also hated this book. We're two black sheep for this book!
This book was horrible. Disgusting, even. I honestly don't want to diss it too much, but I feel like I just have to. I hated this book and it was so unenjoyable that I want to throw the book out of the tallest building in the world.
I got to 75 pages, and then I realized that this book wasn't going to get anywhere because it's just not for me. It was about this girl Sing.
**SING?
Yeah, Sing. She loves this opera called "Angelique," and she's also a talented opera singer. Bam. She's shipped off to some music boarding school and falls in love with some dude named Nathan. That's just about it from what I know of.
After my horrible incident with this book, I really don't care about what else happened or what was about to happened. I lost so much patience with this book, and I just let it go.
I didn't like anything about it. The plot was a mess with nothing happening and random stuff developing and confusion. It was slow-paced, and I wouldn't even classify it as a plot. The only way to see something happening is by "imagining." -_-
Sing was just some random protagonist who was a singer (WOW!) and that's all I knew about her. She was too sunk in her own little world and the author wasn't descriptive about her personality and appearance. By 75 pages, we should know what colour hair she has.
Maybe you'll enjoy this book. But it wasn't that way for me. It really depends on what kind of things you're looking for in a good YA paranormal. But I'd stay away from it. Thank goodness I didn't get my own copy.
First, I'd like to give a shoutout to Lola who also hated this book. We're two black sheep for this book!
This book was horrible. Disgusting, even. I honestly don't want to diss it too much, but I feel like I just have to. I hated this book and it was so unenjoyable that I want to throw the book out of the tallest building in the world.
I got to 75 pages, and then I realized that this book wasn't going to get anywhere because it's just not for me. It was about this girl Sing.
**SING?
Yeah, Sing. She loves this opera called "Angelique," and she's also a talented opera singer. Bam. She's shipped off to some music boarding school and falls in love with some dude named Nathan. That's just about it from what I know of.
After my horrible incident with this book, I really don't care about what else happened or what was about to happened. I lost so much patience with this book, and I just let it go.
I didn't like anything about it. The plot was a mess with nothing happening and random stuff developing and confusion. It was slow-paced, and I wouldn't even classify it as a plot. The only way to see something happening is by "imagining." -_-
Sing was just some random protagonist who was a singer (WOW!) and that's all I knew about her. She was too sunk in her own little world and the author wasn't descriptive about her personality and appearance. By 75 pages, we should know what colour hair she has.
Maybe you'll enjoy this book. But it wasn't that way for me. It really depends on what kind of things you're looking for in a good YA paranormal. But I'd stay away from it. Thank goodness I didn't get my own copy.
August 25, 2014
I just finished the brilliant debut novel, STRANGE SWEET SONG, by Adi Rule. The vibrant book sits at my side now. I’ve been carrying it around with me, reluctant to shelve it. It’s still resonating.
Sing da Navelli has no idea of the dangers she will face when she enters Dunhammond Conservatory of music hidden deep in the forested mountains. She’s there to sing, and hopefully win the lead role in her favorite opera, Angelique. But her true voice only comes alive when she enters the forbidden forest where the murderous beast, the Felix, dwells. And the beast she calls forth in her desire to win the cherished lead role, must be reckoned with. The story’s twist and turns are delightful, the conclusion, masterful.
“A distinct type of silence follows Marta’s aria. There would never be anything as vulgar as applause at a rehearsal, but from time to time, a special silence comes from everyone thinking the same thing: That was great.” These lines from page eighty-eight perfectly describe how I felt after reading STRANGE SWEET SONG.
Sing da Navelli has no idea of the dangers she will face when she enters Dunhammond Conservatory of music hidden deep in the forested mountains. She’s there to sing, and hopefully win the lead role in her favorite opera, Angelique. But her true voice only comes alive when she enters the forbidden forest where the murderous beast, the Felix, dwells. And the beast she calls forth in her desire to win the cherished lead role, must be reckoned with. The story’s twist and turns are delightful, the conclusion, masterful.
“A distinct type of silence follows Marta’s aria. There would never be anything as vulgar as applause at a rehearsal, but from time to time, a special silence comes from everyone thinking the same thing: That was great.” These lines from page eighty-eight perfectly describe how I felt after reading STRANGE SWEET SONG.
December 30, 2013
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this book, and let me tell you, it was incredible. I am someone who has no musical skills and definitely no interest in opera, and still I found myself COMPLETELY sucked in to the world Adi Rule has created--a remote conservatory with a touch of magical stuff going on.
The writing is impeccable on the sentence level--the author really uses all of the senses to make the reader experience the wintry setting and hear the beautiful music being played and sung. And she is just as comfortable writing about everyday teenage backbiting and boyfriend-stealing as she is executing the more gothic and paranormal aspects of the story, bringing all of those elements together seamlessly.
This was hands-down one of my favorite reads of 2013, and I imagine it will top many people's lists when it hits the shelves in 2014.
The writing is impeccable on the sentence level--the author really uses all of the senses to make the reader experience the wintry setting and hear the beautiful music being played and sung. And she is just as comfortable writing about everyday teenage backbiting and boyfriend-stealing as she is executing the more gothic and paranormal aspects of the story, bringing all of those elements together seamlessly.
This was hands-down one of my favorite reads of 2013, and I imagine it will top many people's lists when it hits the shelves in 2014.
February 10, 2016
This is written in 3rd person present, and I hate that. HATE that.
August 31, 2015
Oh my goodness!
This book is phenomenal!
Such a great standalone with magic and intrigue and the perfect blend of love, mystery and personal growth
This book is phenomenal!
Such a great standalone with magic and intrigue and the perfect blend of love, mystery and personal growth
March 19, 2014
I got a copy of this book through NetGalley for review. This was a beautiful novel involving music, magic and a dark mystery surrounding the music school that our heroine attends.
Throughout the book we hear from four main POVs. The first is that of Song, a teenage girl whose mother was a famous opera singer. Song is excited to be at this prestigious music school, Dunhammond Conservatory, and desperate to prove herself. Everyone wants her to be a replacement for her mother who died during a performance of the opera Angelique. Song is battling other sopranos for a chance to play the lead in the school’s opera, which ironically happens to be Angelique.
The second POV is that of George, who ends up being the current Maestro at the music academy. We also hear from an apprentice whose name is Nathan. The last POV is that of a dark and magical thing that dwells in the forest surrounding the school, something called the Felix.
The book starts out a bit disjointed as we jump between these POVs. As the story continues you start to figure out that George’s parts much take place sometime in the past...as do many of the parts of the story told from the Felix’s POV. However Song’s portion of the story always take place in the present. As the story progresses and the reader figures out what's going on, these three POVs really blend together and form a story that is engrossing and impossible to put down.
I loved the heroine, Sing, as well. She is struggling with living up to her mother's memory and her father’s expectations. She is having trouble figuring out who she is and what type of person she wants to be. She doesn’t want to be super cutthroat and competitive like her mom, but she wants to sign well and please her father. Whether or not Sing actually gets to sign the main soprano part in the opera is a question that makes the story engaging.
My favorite character in the book though was Sing’s coach, the Apprentice Nathan. Nathan has some deep dark secrets that involve the woods surrounding the school. He is a very mysterious and a big part of what drives the story is figuring out the mystery behind his story and history.
The writing is beautiful and very atmospheric. Hearing from the Felix’s point of view adds a bit of a mystical quality to the story and a little ambiguity. I thought these parts were a nice balance to Sing’s very real struggle to make it as a singer.
There is a sweet little romance here too. I won’t say too much about it, except to say that initially Sing falls for an obvious choice that ends up being not what she thought it was. It ends up being the boy that she gets to know more gradually and the boy that challenges her more that is the better match for her.
Things are tied up nicely at the end of the story and I enjoyed how everything played out. There is a wonderful twist at the end of the story that I think readers will enjoy.
Overall this was a very beautiful novel involving music, magic, and mystery. I loved the characters and enjoyed watching as Sing, not only competes for a star musical role, but also struggles to figure out who she is. Nathan, the Felix, and the mystery surrounding them added a mystical feel to the story that was entrancing and really drew the reader in. Recommended to those who love music and YA fantasies.
Throughout the book we hear from four main POVs. The first is that of Song, a teenage girl whose mother was a famous opera singer. Song is excited to be at this prestigious music school, Dunhammond Conservatory, and desperate to prove herself. Everyone wants her to be a replacement for her mother who died during a performance of the opera Angelique. Song is battling other sopranos for a chance to play the lead in the school’s opera, which ironically happens to be Angelique.
The second POV is that of George, who ends up being the current Maestro at the music academy. We also hear from an apprentice whose name is Nathan. The last POV is that of a dark and magical thing that dwells in the forest surrounding the school, something called the Felix.
The book starts out a bit disjointed as we jump between these POVs. As the story continues you start to figure out that George’s parts much take place sometime in the past...as do many of the parts of the story told from the Felix’s POV. However Song’s portion of the story always take place in the present. As the story progresses and the reader figures out what's going on, these three POVs really blend together and form a story that is engrossing and impossible to put down.
I loved the heroine, Sing, as well. She is struggling with living up to her mother's memory and her father’s expectations. She is having trouble figuring out who she is and what type of person she wants to be. She doesn’t want to be super cutthroat and competitive like her mom, but she wants to sign well and please her father. Whether or not Sing actually gets to sign the main soprano part in the opera is a question that makes the story engaging.
My favorite character in the book though was Sing’s coach, the Apprentice Nathan. Nathan has some deep dark secrets that involve the woods surrounding the school. He is a very mysterious and a big part of what drives the story is figuring out the mystery behind his story and history.
The writing is beautiful and very atmospheric. Hearing from the Felix’s point of view adds a bit of a mystical quality to the story and a little ambiguity. I thought these parts were a nice balance to Sing’s very real struggle to make it as a singer.
There is a sweet little romance here too. I won’t say too much about it, except to say that initially Sing falls for an obvious choice that ends up being not what she thought it was. It ends up being the boy that she gets to know more gradually and the boy that challenges her more that is the better match for her.
Things are tied up nicely at the end of the story and I enjoyed how everything played out. There is a wonderful twist at the end of the story that I think readers will enjoy.
Overall this was a very beautiful novel involving music, magic, and mystery. I loved the characters and enjoyed watching as Sing, not only competes for a star musical role, but also struggles to figure out who she is. Nathan, the Felix, and the mystery surrounding them added a mystical feel to the story that was entrancing and really drew the reader in. Recommended to those who love music and YA fantasies.
March 9, 2014
This was a really beautiful book and with such a different story from everything that I've read before!
This is the story of Sing da Navelli, a young talented soprano singer, daughter of the most famous and talented parents (soprano and orchestra conductor) and that starts in a new prestigious (and mysterious) school for young talents.
The book follows two intertwined plots, at first you won't be sure how the two will be mixed or the relevance of each story in the other, but they are mixed in quite a beautiful way! First, we have the Felix, a big cat made of stars and a fierce hunter since it fell down from the sky that can also make wishes come true. Second, we have Sing's story, a story of a girl finding out who she want to be, what she's ready to sacrifice for it and how far will she go to conquer her dreams. If has a big paranormal component, but I wouldn't say it's the main focus of the story. I feel the story focus is more on the choices we make, how we choose to act and behave and what we are ready to sacrifice to follow our dreams.
Sing is a very complex character. She's always loved music but being the daughter of two musical celebrities has her in the spotlight. She's expected to succeed and she's expected to follow the path of her mother, the diva Barbara di Navelli. But as much as she loves music and as much as her dreams are singing and performing as a soprano, she isn't really sure who she wants to be and how she wants to accomplish her dreams. Sometimes you feel like smacking her and sometimes you feel like giving her a hug. She makes friends, she makes enemies and despite her many mistakes, she manages to find her own voice, both physically and metaphorically.
The storyline with Nathan and George acts like the bridge between Sing's and the Felix's, and it's one that I'm still thinking about. Their relationship is quite hard to define but it is a big example of how the best of intentions can be twisted and how selfishness can twist us beyond recognition.
Music, opera, a mysterious creature, love, wishes and ambition... Finding your own way to follow your dreams and what would you sacrifice for them. Bottom line, Strange Sweet Song is a lyrical coming of age story with amazing gothic touches! Very well deserved 4 stars!
This is the story of Sing da Navelli, a young talented soprano singer, daughter of the most famous and talented parents (soprano and orchestra conductor) and that starts in a new prestigious (and mysterious) school for young talents.
The book follows two intertwined plots, at first you won't be sure how the two will be mixed or the relevance of each story in the other, but they are mixed in quite a beautiful way! First, we have the Felix, a big cat made of stars and a fierce hunter since it fell down from the sky that can also make wishes come true. Second, we have Sing's story, a story of a girl finding out who she want to be, what she's ready to sacrifice for it and how far will she go to conquer her dreams. If has a big paranormal component, but I wouldn't say it's the main focus of the story. I feel the story focus is more on the choices we make, how we choose to act and behave and what we are ready to sacrifice to follow our dreams.
Sing is a very complex character. She's always loved music but being the daughter of two musical celebrities has her in the spotlight. She's expected to succeed and she's expected to follow the path of her mother, the diva Barbara di Navelli. But as much as she loves music and as much as her dreams are singing and performing as a soprano, she isn't really sure who she wants to be and how she wants to accomplish her dreams. Sometimes you feel like smacking her and sometimes you feel like giving her a hug. She makes friends, she makes enemies and despite her many mistakes, she manages to find her own voice, both physically and metaphorically.
The storyline with Nathan and George acts like the bridge between Sing's and the Felix's, and it's one that I'm still thinking about. Their relationship is quite hard to define but it is a big example of how the best of intentions can be twisted and how selfishness can twist us beyond recognition.
Music, opera, a mysterious creature, love, wishes and ambition... Finding your own way to follow your dreams and what would you sacrifice for them. Bottom line, Strange Sweet Song is a lyrical coming of age story with amazing gothic touches! Very well deserved 4 stars!
June 25, 2017
This was an odd choice book for me. It was a book that hinted at supernatural happenings but doesn't actually include any of that in the story.
The story actually focuses on a main character, Sing and her selfish need to better her music career while at this musical boarding school. She annoyed me mainly because she feels as though her parental influence will allow her to get ahead in life and comes into the school expecting to be treat like she's on a higher level to anyone else.
There are some secondary characters but they are just as annoying if not more annoying than Sing.
The storyline is nothing like what I expected it to be and the pacing is pretty non existant given that there isn't much happening in this story.
2.5 stars, not the best book.
The story actually focuses on a main character, Sing and her selfish need to better her music career while at this musical boarding school. She annoyed me mainly because she feels as though her parental influence will allow her to get ahead in life and comes into the school expecting to be treat like she's on a higher level to anyone else.
There are some secondary characters but they are just as annoying if not more annoying than Sing.
The storyline is nothing like what I expected it to be and the pacing is pretty non existant given that there isn't much happening in this story.
2.5 stars, not the best book.
August 18, 2017
This was a little bit gothic and strangely enchanting. I was enjoying the book throughout but it was the last third that captured my heart. This book deals with grief, loss, acceptance and love. When a book gets me to shed tears, I know that the story has fully come to life for me.
December 27, 2023
This book came out in 2014, after the initial wave of paranormal YA, when dystopian YA had already crested and fantasy YA was on the upswing. I wish I had read this back when it was published - when I was still reading a lot of paranormal YA - it would have been a breath of fresh air.
This was a very, very strange YA but it was still heads and shoulders above others on the strength of its writing.
There are still elements of the classic YA paranormal tropes here. The stupid protagonist name - in this case, Sing da Navelli. The beautiful, popular mean girl rival. The love triangle. But none of these are such strong elements that it detracts from the book.
Then there are the elements that make this book weird. Mostly the Felix, which is a wish-granting space cat. Who bestowed an ordinary human name on a magical space cat? Unknown. What is the Felix? Unclear. It is from space. It is cat-like but not a cat. Its brother ate its mother upon birth (?) so the Felix had to commit fratricide which caused it such deep despair that it now devours others except when it sees an even deeper despair reflected in its victim's eyes (?), in which case it sheds a tear which grants the almost-victim a wish (?). One such wish turned a crow into a handsome human boy (and future protagonist love interest), Nathan Daysmoor. There is also a magical space kitten which the Felix takes care of, but where the kitten came from is unexplained (it is a much happier kitten than the Felix, so it doesn't eat people but it does have magic).
The magical space cat is certainly unique, but it is so weird I was a little hung up on it. It apparently could return to space whenever it wanted (howwww) but instead lurked around one spot on Earth, eating people or granting their wishes depending on if they were sufficiently sad (who knew depression could save your life!). The famous music school which Sing attends, Dunhammond Conservatory, was founded by a near-victim of the Felix's, who wrote an opera about the Felix, entitled Angelique. Sing has long been obsessed with this opera, so is thrilled when it turns out that it is the opera the school plans to stage the year she enrolls. However, her famous opera singer mother died during her performance of Angelique and she fears that her equally famous conductor father may respond poorly if he knows that Sing will perform in Angelique. Sing is cast as the understudy of the main role (the titular Angelique), with the resident Mean Girl cast as Angelique. Sing feels this is unfair, despite the fact that she is a brand new student and the Mean Girl is a senior. Sing has both low self-esteem and an outsized opinion of herself throughout the book.
This book moves fairly slowly, and goes pretty much in the direction one would expect for a paranormal YA. But despite this and the strangeness (again, I cannot get over the Felix in this novel), it was solidly good. It may have taken me nearly a decade, but I am pleased that I finally read this novel.
This was a very, very strange YA but it was still heads and shoulders above others on the strength of its writing.
There are still elements of the classic YA paranormal tropes here. The stupid protagonist name - in this case, Sing da Navelli. The beautiful, popular mean girl rival. The love triangle. But none of these are such strong elements that it detracts from the book.
Then there are the elements that make this book weird. Mostly the Felix, which is a wish-granting space cat. Who bestowed an ordinary human name on a magical space cat? Unknown. What is the Felix? Unclear. It is from space. It is cat-like but not a cat. Its brother ate its mother upon birth (?) so the Felix had to commit fratricide which caused it such deep despair that it now devours others except when it sees an even deeper despair reflected in its victim's eyes (?), in which case it sheds a tear which grants the almost-victim a wish (?). One such wish turned a crow into a handsome human boy (and future protagonist love interest), Nathan Daysmoor. There is also a magical space kitten which the Felix takes care of, but where the kitten came from is unexplained (it is a much happier kitten than the Felix, so it doesn't eat people but it does have magic).
The magical space cat is certainly unique, but it is so weird I was a little hung up on it. It apparently could return to space whenever it wanted (howwww) but instead lurked around one spot on Earth, eating people or granting their wishes depending on if they were sufficiently sad (who knew depression could save your life!). The famous music school which Sing attends, Dunhammond Conservatory, was founded by a near-victim of the Felix's, who wrote an opera about the Felix, entitled Angelique. Sing has long been obsessed with this opera, so is thrilled when it turns out that it is the opera the school plans to stage the year she enrolls. However, her famous opera singer mother died during her performance of Angelique and she fears that her equally famous conductor father may respond poorly if he knows that Sing will perform in Angelique. Sing is cast as the understudy of the main role (the titular Angelique), with the resident Mean Girl cast as Angelique. Sing feels this is unfair, despite the fact that she is a brand new student and the Mean Girl is a senior. Sing has both low self-esteem and an outsized opinion of herself throughout the book.
This book moves fairly slowly, and goes pretty much in the direction one would expect for a paranormal YA. But despite this and the strangeness (again, I cannot get over the Felix in this novel), it was solidly good. It may have taken me nearly a decade, but I am pleased that I finally read this novel.
June 20, 2020
I hated the main character, but perhaps only because she is a teenager? A privileged whiny teen. Perhaps it’s unfair to rate when I already know I can’t be dealing with fake problems on my books right now.
August 5, 2021
I love this story. There are few parts that I'm meh about, but the writing, the character development, the atmosphere, the plot...I was able to suspend my disbelief easily. I am so glad I picked up this weird little standalone. It is beautifully written.
February 17, 2015
This was a beautifully written story. The romance was very sweet, the story was fantastical, and the ending was pretty amazing. The pacing lacked a just a tad for me but for the most part it was a very exciting read.
Sing is a singer. Her mother was a famous soprano and her father a famous conductor. She is off to boarding school for musical talent. A very famous music conservatory. The school was once occupied by the author of her favorite opera, the opera her mother had the lead for when she died, the opera her father doesn't like. A story that involves a murderous mystical Felix Sing loves the opera and when the school decides to present the opera, Sing wants the lead and will do what is needed to have that lead. There is more to the story of course. There is the Felix, who really does exist in the woods outside of the school and a very mysterious and creepy apprentice. Everything is strange, creepy, and a bit romantic at this school and Sings wants to explore it all.
I loved the story, I loved the setting, I loved the writing. The pacing was a bit slow at times in between the main story. The story is told in multiple POVs. Sing's, The Felix, and the Maestro's. Sing's the most present in the story and the most normal. The Felix's was just creepy and freaky, and the maestro's was a bit mysterious. The story involved romance, mystery, and a bit of horror. It was a bit gory at times too.
The setting was beautiful. A real Gothic feel, old school, woodsy, gargoyle statues. I got the feeling that I was surround by moonlight and fog most of the way through the book. The author did a wonderful job at bringing the darkness and the romanticism to life. I was able to feel it as well as see it.
The story moved along really well at the beginning then slowed down a bit towards the middle. Too much on the opera casting, the mean girl, and the school drama. That was a bit boring for me. I could have done without it dragging on, although it was important to the story it was just too much. Once the story took a turn for the romance, I was all in again. The romance was sweet, passionate, and too short. Not enough of this wonderful relationship in the story. It was more towards the end but it was well worth the wait. I loved it. My favorite part of the entire book.
The main character, Sing, wasn't one of my favorite characters. She wasn't the worst, but she had her moments of self pity that made me want to slap her or pull my hair out. When she wasn't in the self pity stage she was really likable and cool, and she was in this state for most of the book. The few moments she was annoying kept me from loving her, but I still liked her.
Nathan was just amazing. Of course he didn't really appear much in the beginning, however when he did make his appearance he did it with wow factor. Smooth and charming. Beautiful and romantic. So so wonderful.
I think that I would have loved the book with no issues if it wasn't for the pacing issue and the lack of romance in the beginning. I know that the beginning was building up for the romance and that was very important. I just think it was a tad too much of the building and not enough of the good stuff. Still very enjoyable though.
Good Gothic Romance worth reading.
June 18, 2016
This review may contain some spoilers!
Characters:
Story:
I really wish for a sequel but this story have a completely satisfying ending.
In some scenes it really made me cry. It has a highly imaginative environment that I felt like I was watching a movie. I loved it from the very first time I read about it. I also loved the characters especially Nathan, Felix and her child whose name I forgot. It was a fascinating journey. Even the title is perfect as this book is both strange and sweet. I will be looking forward for more books by Adi Rules.
This book is just Amazing! It is beautifully written. The atmosphere was so dark, magical and realistic with a forest at the base of the mountains and almost a century old school. I really love music in real life, and the musical environment in the book made me love classical music even more.
This book had three main narratives. In the first few chapters, the narrative was about a 'crow'. Then we had our main characters Sing da Navelli, George, and the Felix's narratives.
Characters:
-Sing da Navelli is daughter of world famous parents. She always wanted to be a soprano though she had little choice in that matter as the whole world expect her to follow in her mother's footsteps. Now it's her first year in the school and the school is performing her favorite opera. But instead of getting a part as the main soprano, she is cast as the understudy. Throughout the book, we got to see Sing becoming more mature. At times she was annoying and sometimes conceited but then she starts understanding and gets better.
-Nathan Daysmoor was so mysterious. He has a secret of his own about which his friend George knows. He is just an apprentice and also Sing's vocal coach. He acted as if he doesn't care about anyone and especially he hates Sing. But in reality he cares about Sing.
-Then we have Felix, a huge magical cat who came from the sky. The legend says that if she looks in someones eyes and sees pain that is greater than hers, then she will shed a tear and grant that person a wish. But Felix isn't the only magical cat, there is also a magical big kitten whom Felix have as her own son.
Story:
In this book there is a legend, a dark forest, a beast, a school, love and music. Sing's father is a world famous conductor and her mother was a world famous soprano. Sing's mother died in between the performance of her favorite opera. Now she has arrived as the celebrity child in her school. But while performing she thinks there is something missing in her voice. She has yet to discover the magic in her voice. Like every school there is also a rival. The only support she has is from her friends and Nathan. The author amazingly described about music, orchestra and operas.
I really wish for a sequel but this story have a completely satisfying ending.
In some scenes it really made me cry. It has a highly imaginative environment that I felt like I was watching a movie. I loved it from the very first time I read about it. I also loved the characters especially Nathan, Felix and her child whose name I forgot. It was a fascinating journey. Even the title is perfect as this book is both strange and sweet. I will be looking forward for more books by Adi Rules.
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