Punks for the Opera

by Michael J. Vaughn

Having finally struck rock bottom in Portland, Oregon, Marina Quantrill hits the road in her janky station wagon, headed for San Francisco. Her drive down the coast offers a sudden streak of good a winning lottery ticket, free muffins, a possible job opening and a chance meeting with the director of the San Francisco Opera! It's all so great that Marina's beaten-down brain grows wary. Is this all really just coincidence, or perhaps some guardian stalker? A wild, enchanting ride from the acclaimed author of Mermaids' Tears and East of the Cookie Tree. "Like so many of Mr. Vaughn's stories, I wish they would never end. Amazing storytelling!" --KymNoelle Hopson

399 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2023

About the author

Michael J. Vaughn is the author of 29 novels, including Punks for the Opera and Mermaids' Tears. He is also a fine arts painter, and drummer/vocalist for San Jose's El Camino Revival Band.

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Vaughn-ted Triumph

I would call this Michael Vaughn's absolute masterpiece but I've learned not to lower my expectations where his wordsmithing is concerned. Similarly, one should never assume they know exactly where his story is going, because Vaughn is a master of the plot twist. To say that I loved this book does not begin to convey my complete enjoyment and delight. What might provide a hint is that, as soon as this review is submitted, I am rereading Punks for the Opera. Bravo, Michael, encore!

[GW · Rating 2 out of 5]

Punks For the Opera -

Definitely not my cup of tea. Far too much information at the minutia level. I was only able to make it through a quarter of the book when I realized that I really don’t care about any of the characters or events on this book.

[Jennifer Silva Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of his very best

I loved this book. It intrigued me, amused me, touched me, surprised me, made me laugh and think and surprised me again. I don't want to talk about the plot but I will say that as much as I love Mr Vaughn's other books, I think this may be his best yet.

[June Calvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual!

This reads so much like a woman's work that I didn't realize that it was written by a man until the last line. Only a man would have left things up in the air like that. This is not a compliment. It is the reason why it got 4 stars instead of 5, and why I won't seek out other books by this author. But it is often amusing and occasionally profound. I leave it to gentle reader whether a funny, profound book that leaves an important question unanswered is of interest.

[Bryan Spellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may well be the best book I have read in ages. It came across my e-books email, and intrigued by the title, I began reading the Amazon sample. Couldn't put it down and had to read the whole book, hoping it would go on forever. It helps that I'm intimately familiar with most of the locations in the book, Pistol River on the Oregon Coast, Lucky Seven Casino in Smith River, California, the long drive through the Humboldt redwoods and the Benbow Inn, and of course, my favorite city, San Francisco, where most of the action takes place. I will admit that I have never cared for punk music, but Vaughn's characters are fully-fleshed and I came to feel as if they were my friends. I did not want this book to end, and I look forward to more from Michael J. Vaughn.

[Mikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like another reviewer said, this isn't my cup of tea. I made it a third of the way through. Gave up. Not interested enough to invest more time in the story, despite likeable characters.

[Maral · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute

A cute and weirdly entertaining story. Loved the characters and humor in this book. Some parts were a bit verbose but overall entertaining.