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Lifesong
She came from a different place, a world living in harmony with the lifesong that flows through everything, connecting all to the great song of the universe.
Suddenly, she's trapped on our world, a place hell bent on self-destruction, a place that destroys without thought, poisons its own water supply and pollutes the very air that it breathes. Horrified to discover we have no lifesong, the question burns – what kind of a world is this, that can treat itself so?
Hauntingly beautiful, this story will make you think and feel about our planet and our choices, and wonder - Is the love of one woman is enough to save an entire world?
Suddenly, she's trapped on our world, a place hell bent on self-destruction, a place that destroys without thought, poisons its own water supply and pollutes the very air that it breathes. Horrified to discover we have no lifesong, the question burns – what kind of a world is this, that can treat itself so?
Hauntingly beautiful, this story will make you think and feel about our planet and our choices, and wonder - Is the love of one woman is enough to save an entire world?
- GenresScience Fiction
ebook
Published March 21, 2017
5 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Julia Blake
19 books176 followersI was born and raised in the beautiful historic market town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, where I live still with my kid, one crazy cat and a succession of even crazier lodgers. I'm a multi-genre author which basically means I write whatever story floats into my head and worry about what genre it fits into afterwards. So far, I have written in contemporary fiction, romantic suspense, YA fantasy, folklore fantasy, sci-fi, short stories, poetry, and even a fabulous steampunk retelling of the Snow White story.
I have been writing stories and poems since I could first pick up a pen, and I promise there are many more books in the pipeline. I write the kind of books that I like to read myself. Books I can escape into and that make me laugh, cry and really connect with the characters. I also like my books to have a very satisfying ending, where all is explained and no string is left untied, well, not unless I'm planning a sequel that is.
www.juliablakeauthor.co.uk
Instagram: juliablakeauthor
YouTube: Julia Blake Author
Facebook: Julia Blake Author
I have been writing stories and poems since I could first pick up a pen, and I promise there are many more books in the pipeline. I write the kind of books that I like to read myself. Books I can escape into and that make me laugh, cry and really connect with the characters. I also like my books to have a very satisfying ending, where all is explained and no string is left untied, well, not unless I'm planning a sequel that is.
www.juliablakeauthor.co.uk
Instagram: juliablakeauthor
YouTube: Julia Blake Author
Facebook: Julia Blake Author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 14, 2017
Lifesong by Julia Blake
Lifesong is a mixture of fantasy and science fiction, carrying with it an ecological message and a gentle love story.
It’s a beautiful story about a young woman who has an amazing ability to seek out the lifesong of others. This leads her to a wonderfully happy time in her life but it isn’t long before she finds that, after crossing the universe, she is trapped on our world. But what kind of a world is it that has no lifesong, and that seems determined on its own destruction?
Julia Blake’s thought-provoking and heart-warming story is perfect as a novella. The story is concise and fast flowing. It has a lyrical quality to it and is beautifully written.
I highly recommended Lifesong. It’s a story you will want to read more than once.
Lifesong is a mixture of fantasy and science fiction, carrying with it an ecological message and a gentle love story.
It’s a beautiful story about a young woman who has an amazing ability to seek out the lifesong of others. This leads her to a wonderfully happy time in her life but it isn’t long before she finds that, after crossing the universe, she is trapped on our world. But what kind of a world is it that has no lifesong, and that seems determined on its own destruction?
Julia Blake’s thought-provoking and heart-warming story is perfect as a novella. The story is concise and fast flowing. It has a lyrical quality to it and is beautifully written.
I highly recommended Lifesong. It’s a story you will want to read more than once.
January 9, 2021
Lifesong is a beautifully written novella and a fascinating mix of fantasy/sci-fi, along with a very strong ecological message.
The story of one woman's curiosity and where it takes her - to a place that brings her supreme happiness but also to a place that is supremely dangerous. The questions the author asks may be uncomfortable, but can never be ignored.
I wasn't surprised to learn that a previous incarnation of this story was very highly placed in a prestigious writing competition. Ms Blake's talent shines through in her words.
The story of one woman's curiosity and where it takes her - to a place that brings her supreme happiness but also to a place that is supremely dangerous. The questions the author asks may be uncomfortable, but can never be ignored.
I wasn't surprised to learn that a previous incarnation of this story was very highly placed in a prestigious writing competition. Ms Blake's talent shines through in her words.
January 6, 2018
One woman's curiosity leading to a exploration across worlds to find herself adrift in our own, ailing, reality, is the backdrop for this cleverly woven tale that embraces the brevity of the novella format to deliver a strong and powerful message without unneeded deviation or any excess baggage.
A neat and well balanced book in both pace and tone, Blake strikes an enviable balance here between highlighting deeper themes, while also ensuring we are pulled along for an emotional and rather moving journey.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this tale, diving in blind as I did, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find such a thoughful and empassioned story, with an underlying ecological and emotional message running through the narrative like a deeply hummed lifesong itself.
It's sometimes difficult to make a wider-reaching point of the kind Blake attempts here, without coming off as either heavy-handed or preachy, but the author deftly avoids this by skillfully couching the message of conservation, care and the search for meaning within a terse and fast-flowing story which is part fantasy, part sci-fi, and refreshingly devoid of unwanted fluff or filler.
Novella's are a quick read, and suited very well to this kind of concept.
would certainly reccomend this to anyone looking for something thoughtful and a little different.
A neat and well balanced book in both pace and tone, Blake strikes an enviable balance here between highlighting deeper themes, while also ensuring we are pulled along for an emotional and rather moving journey.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this tale, diving in blind as I did, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find such a thoughful and empassioned story, with an underlying ecological and emotional message running through the narrative like a deeply hummed lifesong itself.
It's sometimes difficult to make a wider-reaching point of the kind Blake attempts here, without coming off as either heavy-handed or preachy, but the author deftly avoids this by skillfully couching the message of conservation, care and the search for meaning within a terse and fast-flowing story which is part fantasy, part sci-fi, and refreshingly devoid of unwanted fluff or filler.
Novella's are a quick read, and suited very well to this kind of concept.
would certainly reccomend this to anyone looking for something thoughtful and a little different.
July 5, 2017
I was gifted with this PDF by the author in exchange for an unbiased review. No money, chocolate, gifts of finery, or anything else changed hands during the process...although I was kinda hoping for the money thing...
This is the first work I've ever read by the author, and it will not be the last. What Lifesong is, is a short, easy to read, but not simplistic message weaving sci-fi and ecological messages together in a seamless fashion. I won't go into the details of the plot, but suffice it to say that this is a deeply moving work.
Highly recommended.
This is the first work I've ever read by the author, and it will not be the last. What Lifesong is, is a short, easy to read, but not simplistic message weaving sci-fi and ecological messages together in a seamless fashion. I won't go into the details of the plot, but suffice it to say that this is a deeply moving work.
Highly recommended.
March 18, 2017
Full disclosure: the author was my landlady when I lived in the UK! Despite our age difference, we got along quite well because of our penchant for watching science fiction and humorous British TV shows, or documentaries with luminaries such as Lucy Worsley. Julia first gave me a copy of Lifesong to take with me on my final flight back home, telling me not to read it until I was on the plane. More recently, I received a final draft copy of Lifesong from her in return for some feedback and then a review. It was good then, and it’s good now.
The unnamed protagonist lives on a world where every living thing has this eponymous quality of the lifesong. Everyone can hear lifesongs, and interacting with these songs is an essential part of everyone’s life and comes as easily as breathing. Our protagonist is renowned as a lifesong sculptor, shaping wood and other objects through their lifesongs. At the start of the story, she has just lost her grandfather, a respected member of her village’s community and surrogate parent for her after her parents died when she was young. While grieving for her grandfather, our protagonist discovers a way to follow the universal lifesong away from her world. She winds up on Earth, at least in a psychic projection kind of way, and is horrified to discover that nothing on this planet has or can hear a lifesong. Nevertheless, she manages to form a close connection with a human who has lost someone close to him—but her frequent visits come with a cost, and she soon finds herself unable to return to her world, where her physical form is at risk of wasting away.
Lifesong is very much a character-driven story in which the main character’s emotions and the depth of her connection to the world are the most important elements. This is where the novella form excels: a short story is not enough to develop the character or her adventure in enough detail, but a novel would require a lot more explanations, more scenes and exposition. This length is perfect, with enough time to build to a climax without getting bogged down in subplots and side-characters. The first two acts of the story are a little slow, but they are steady, with each chapter introducing the reader to new concepts and expanding on what we know about the protagonist’s world and life. That final act though … once she discovers she might be “trapped” on Earth and doomed to die, that’s intense.
This is very much a story along the lines of thought experiment social SF. It reminds me of Ursula K. Le Guin’s short stories, and its environmental themes are quite reminiscent of recurring themes in Le Guin’s work, from Earthsea to Always Coming Home. The lifesongs as a codified embodiment of the Gaia hypothesis directly challenge any Western reader’s conception of the Earth as a set of resources to be extracted, exploited, used, or even just managed. The attitudes of the characters in the protagonist’s world remind me of a lot of the attitudes we find in many Indigenous cultures with regards to caring for and living in balance with the natural world. However, Blake smartly avoids any temptation to draw those direct parallels, and so you won’t see any stereotypical “tribal people” or “noble primitive” tropes in this story.
Blake’s writing style is quite lyrical, with the kind of rich descriptions in roundabout ways that help suggest the alienness of the observer. It’s not a style that always works for me, but I liked it here. I think it helps that it contributes to the theme and this idea that humans are the Other here. Lifesong is definitely a Humans Through Alien Eyes story with an ending that hints at humans being the real monsters (TVTropes alert). In particular, I like the ambivalence of the ending—well, I like that it made me feel ambivalent. I’d enjoy seeing a sequel, because Blake leaves avenues open that would make for a nice follow-up story.
Lifesong will probably feel familiar in the channels it follows to people who have read a lot of SF. But it’s a good familiarity, a nice execution of these ideas. Despite having characters who are distant and ultimately ineffable, the story makes you care and makes you think about what actually matters in this world of ours. And that’s what I like my science fiction to do.
The unnamed protagonist lives on a world where every living thing has this eponymous quality of the lifesong. Everyone can hear lifesongs, and interacting with these songs is an essential part of everyone’s life and comes as easily as breathing. Our protagonist is renowned as a lifesong sculptor, shaping wood and other objects through their lifesongs. At the start of the story, she has just lost her grandfather, a respected member of her village’s community and surrogate parent for her after her parents died when she was young. While grieving for her grandfather, our protagonist discovers a way to follow the universal lifesong away from her world. She winds up on Earth, at least in a psychic projection kind of way, and is horrified to discover that nothing on this planet has or can hear a lifesong. Nevertheless, she manages to form a close connection with a human who has lost someone close to him—but her frequent visits come with a cost, and she soon finds herself unable to return to her world, where her physical form is at risk of wasting away.
Lifesong is very much a character-driven story in which the main character’s emotions and the depth of her connection to the world are the most important elements. This is where the novella form excels: a short story is not enough to develop the character or her adventure in enough detail, but a novel would require a lot more explanations, more scenes and exposition. This length is perfect, with enough time to build to a climax without getting bogged down in subplots and side-characters. The first two acts of the story are a little slow, but they are steady, with each chapter introducing the reader to new concepts and expanding on what we know about the protagonist’s world and life. That final act though … once she discovers she might be “trapped” on Earth and doomed to die, that’s intense.
This is very much a story along the lines of thought experiment social SF. It reminds me of Ursula K. Le Guin’s short stories, and its environmental themes are quite reminiscent of recurring themes in Le Guin’s work, from Earthsea to Always Coming Home. The lifesongs as a codified embodiment of the Gaia hypothesis directly challenge any Western reader’s conception of the Earth as a set of resources to be extracted, exploited, used, or even just managed. The attitudes of the characters in the protagonist’s world remind me of a lot of the attitudes we find in many Indigenous cultures with regards to caring for and living in balance with the natural world. However, Blake smartly avoids any temptation to draw those direct parallels, and so you won’t see any stereotypical “tribal people” or “noble primitive” tropes in this story.
Blake’s writing style is quite lyrical, with the kind of rich descriptions in roundabout ways that help suggest the alienness of the observer. It’s not a style that always works for me, but I liked it here. I think it helps that it contributes to the theme and this idea that humans are the Other here. Lifesong is definitely a Humans Through Alien Eyes story with an ending that hints at humans being the real monsters (TVTropes alert). In particular, I like the ambivalence of the ending—well, I like that it made me feel ambivalent. I’d enjoy seeing a sequel, because Blake leaves avenues open that would make for a nice follow-up story.
Lifesong will probably feel familiar in the channels it follows to people who have read a lot of SF. But it’s a good familiarity, a nice execution of these ideas. Despite having characters who are distant and ultimately ineffable, the story makes you care and makes you think about what actually matters in this world of ours. And that’s what I like my science fiction to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2017
The first thing that struck me about this book was the beauty of the language. Each sentence has been exquisitely crafted to ensure it has the most impact and meaning on the reader. Although it was not my sort of book, I appreciated the artistic skill of the author and must congratulate her that she portrayed such a worrying concept so beautifully.
One of the main things I look for in a book is the strength of its characters. The author developed all the characters well in the short time she had given herself, so I felt the characters’ concern and pain alongside them.
I found the novella a little dark for my taste (this is purely a matter of personal taste) and I would have liked a little more hope in the story. The end seemed satisfactory – and not – at the same time. I acknowledge, however, that this is important for the message the story conveys.
One of the main things I look for in a book is the strength of its characters. The author developed all the characters well in the short time she had given herself, so I felt the characters’ concern and pain alongside them.
I found the novella a little dark for my taste (this is purely a matter of personal taste) and I would have liked a little more hope in the story. The end seemed satisfactory – and not – at the same time. I acknowledge, however, that this is important for the message the story conveys.
November 26, 2020
Lifesong grew out of two great loves in my life - the world we live in and the world of fantasy. Several years ago, these two loves coalesced into a thought, an image of a story, a niggling whisper that demanded to be heard and would not be silenced.
Then I heard of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future novella competition and the whisper became a shout, the thought expanding until finally, it became Lifesong, a novella of exactly 17,000 words as demanded by the competition rules. I honed and polished it for many months before submitting, never expecting to hear anything again. The competition was international, popular, and open to all. To my delighted surprise, it was placed within the top ten, gaining me an honourable mention, a certificate and a letter from the judges personally commending it and urging me to not give up writing.
Then it lay in a drawer, unread, unloved and barely thought of for years until my first novel, The Book of Eve was published and I looked around, thinking, what next? I wanted to try my hand at self-publishing and it seemed logical to start with something small, like a novella. Then I remembered Lifesong, dug it out and read it, realising I'd forgotten just how good it is - I'm not blowing my own trumpet, just letting you know I have one - when I say Lifesong is excellent, well-written, strong and poignant.
As there was no longer a word restriction, I was able to expand it in ways I'd been unable to before, going into more detail and being freer with description and dialogue. Finally, I stopped at 18,500 - it was done and it was perfect.
Although Lifesong is classed as fantasy and SciFi, if those are not really your genres still give it a try because I promise there is not an elf, dragon or wizard in sight, no alien spaceships, no battles beyond the stars. What Lifesong is instead, is a hauntingly beautiful tale of love and despair. The story of an alien girl who comes from a very different world from ours, a place where everyone exists in a state of grace and harmony with the lifesong that flows through each and everything, connecting us all to the great song of the universe. Suddenly - for reasons I won't go into now -she's trapped on another world. A planet where greed and self rule supreme, where its inhabitants blindly poison the oceans, spoil the land, destroy the trees and pollute the very air they breathe. Sound familiar?
Horrified to discover this world has no lifesong, her burning question is - what kind of a world is this, that can treat itself so?
Lifesong is a story that will make you stop and think, make you question the choices we as a species are making, and our headlong rush into ecological suicide. It will make you wonder, is one woman's love enough to save a world?
Then I heard of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future novella competition and the whisper became a shout, the thought expanding until finally, it became Lifesong, a novella of exactly 17,000 words as demanded by the competition rules. I honed and polished it for many months before submitting, never expecting to hear anything again. The competition was international, popular, and open to all. To my delighted surprise, it was placed within the top ten, gaining me an honourable mention, a certificate and a letter from the judges personally commending it and urging me to not give up writing.
Then it lay in a drawer, unread, unloved and barely thought of for years until my first novel, The Book of Eve was published and I looked around, thinking, what next? I wanted to try my hand at self-publishing and it seemed logical to start with something small, like a novella. Then I remembered Lifesong, dug it out and read it, realising I'd forgotten just how good it is - I'm not blowing my own trumpet, just letting you know I have one - when I say Lifesong is excellent, well-written, strong and poignant.
As there was no longer a word restriction, I was able to expand it in ways I'd been unable to before, going into more detail and being freer with description and dialogue. Finally, I stopped at 18,500 - it was done and it was perfect.
Although Lifesong is classed as fantasy and SciFi, if those are not really your genres still give it a try because I promise there is not an elf, dragon or wizard in sight, no alien spaceships, no battles beyond the stars. What Lifesong is instead, is a hauntingly beautiful tale of love and despair. The story of an alien girl who comes from a very different world from ours, a place where everyone exists in a state of grace and harmony with the lifesong that flows through each and everything, connecting us all to the great song of the universe. Suddenly - for reasons I won't go into now -she's trapped on another world. A planet where greed and self rule supreme, where its inhabitants blindly poison the oceans, spoil the land, destroy the trees and pollute the very air they breathe. Sound familiar?
Horrified to discover this world has no lifesong, her burning question is - what kind of a world is this, that can treat itself so?
Lifesong is a story that will make you stop and think, make you question the choices we as a species are making, and our headlong rush into ecological suicide. It will make you wonder, is one woman's love enough to save a world?
March 21, 2017
This little beauty and I mean beauty - just look at the cover, downloaded to my kindle at midnight as I was clever enough to pre-order . . . And, upon opening it, it certainly delivers.
It's one woman's unexpected voyage across the universe, where, with her need for understanding and longing to find what's missing, she embarks on a journey across our strange planet, leaving her in a state disbelief and emotional devastation . . . with near fatal consequences.
Lifesong is a truly beautiful provocative tale, cleverly combining sci-fi fantasy and environmental issues, seamlessly woven into a tender love story. It touches your heart with a softness of melody and serene chorus then gradually taints with sorrow and then the devastation hits you - hard. Julia Blake's unique voice carries this heartfelt voyage in this truly thought provoking book.
The author has embraced the shortness of a novella, allowing for stripped back storytelling, keeping it poignant and fast-paced. A wonderfully crafted tale, a welcome change from anything else I've recently read.
This is the second offering from this author, her debut, The Book of Eve, and I'm excited to read further work. Highly recommended to not only lovers of fantasy but generally well-executed writing.
It's one woman's unexpected voyage across the universe, where, with her need for understanding and longing to find what's missing, she embarks on a journey across our strange planet, leaving her in a state disbelief and emotional devastation . . . with near fatal consequences.
Lifesong is a truly beautiful provocative tale, cleverly combining sci-fi fantasy and environmental issues, seamlessly woven into a tender love story. It touches your heart with a softness of melody and serene chorus then gradually taints with sorrow and then the devastation hits you - hard. Julia Blake's unique voice carries this heartfelt voyage in this truly thought provoking book.
The author has embraced the shortness of a novella, allowing for stripped back storytelling, keeping it poignant and fast-paced. A wonderfully crafted tale, a welcome change from anything else I've recently read.
This is the second offering from this author, her debut, The Book of Eve, and I'm excited to read further work. Highly recommended to not only lovers of fantasy but generally well-executed writing.
April 21, 2017
Lifesong is beautiful and masterfully crafted story that addresses the issues of grief and environmentalism in it's short span - no small task by any stretch of the imagination. The world building, too, is exquisitely done. I think everyone should read this book. It's not like it's going to cost you a lot of time with a piece this short after all. The message is so important, and it's beautifully written.
November 15, 2019
On a far distant planet, filled with the glorious lifesong flowing through every living thing, a female discovers that she carries an extraordinary talent; the ability to project her song across the cosmos to a small, curiously silent planet. But what will she find there?
Lifesong is extraordinary, exploring relationship and environmental issues within the taught plot of the novella. It teems with imagination, managing to be both poetic literature and an easy to read engaging, and topical, story. I found it quite beautiful and a pleasure to read.
Lifesong is extraordinary, exploring relationship and environmental issues within the taught plot of the novella. It teems with imagination, managing to be both poetic literature and an easy to read engaging, and topical, story. I found it quite beautiful and a pleasure to read.
April 15, 2017
I have to admit, sci-fi/fantasy is not really my thing. However, I'd really enjoyed a previous book by this author, and I'd heard good things about this novella, so I thought I'd give it a go. I'm so glad I did. Lifesong does what all good art should- shows you things you already know from a different perspective. In it, we get to see our world through the eyes of a being from another planet. The story highlights the destruction, greed, selfishness, violence and loneliness that all of us live with, but have grown too accustomed too. An enlightening read.
March 7, 2020
Lifesong is a beautifully crafted novella tackling some deep human and planetary issues, even more relevant now than it was in 2018 when it was first published. By turns, the 'lifesong' of the book itself shifts from celebration to lament to exaltation through Julia Blake's melodic storytelling, and leaves the reader with a wistful kind of longing for what could be. A one-sitting read to get totally absorbed in.
September 5, 2019
This story is tantalizing, if we are to take in the shape we're leaving our own world in. It reminds me of certain of Ursula K. Le Guin's work in its core of setting along a preservational and conservatorial message through easy, poetic, flowing narrative. It's not preachy and judgemental in a derisive way, it is, though, an eye opener and will make you think and wonder if we actually got this right, the way we go about life. It should be a must read, honestly, if only for the uplifting feel that we can still revert what we are doing. We can, if we really try, hear the lifesong in our world too, and right now it is not a pretty song. Again, as I do in most Blake's work, I find a sense of hope and resilience embedded throughout the story, and it is what keeps dragging me back to her books - sometimes you need reassurance that yes, there is hope, and yes, you can also overcome hardship. Lifesong is no different. A really great read.
April 22, 2017
Hard, but necessary to hear.
Beautiful, stunning writing. This is not a story for light entertainment. Through the use of poetic story-telling, Julia brings to the forefront the root of evil poisoning our planet and our souls. The story is fictional, but it is telling a very real and very harsh truth. Absolutely incredible and very well done!
Beautiful, stunning writing. This is not a story for light entertainment. Through the use of poetic story-telling, Julia brings to the forefront the root of evil poisoning our planet and our souls. The story is fictional, but it is telling a very real and very harsh truth. Absolutely incredible and very well done!
June 27, 2017
An absolutely beautifully written story that's both poignant in its message as well as bittersweet. I was drawn in immediately and kept in wonder as to where this story was headed. The writing is thoughtful and emotive and left me feeling utterly satisfied. I love the message it presents us about humanity and it's egocentric ways. Well done Julia. I look forward to more stories from you
October 27, 2021
Lifesong is set on an alien word where music is part of every day, every being, every thought. So what happens when one singer encounters a race with seemingly no heart song? Worse, what happens when she is trapped in that world with no song, and confronting pollution? Can one woman make a difference in a world stuck in generational self destruction?
What a treat! Blake's writing reminds me more of poetry than prose. If you like your scifi a little clifi with a liberal dose of fantasy, then you are going to love this book.
What a treat! Blake's writing reminds me more of poetry than prose. If you like your scifi a little clifi with a liberal dose of fantasy, then you are going to love this book.
March 27, 2017
This is such poignant read! Not only is it a fascinating story, written so beautifully, but it carries a rich and deep message within its depths. A must read for any lover of nature!
January 28, 2019
This review first appeared on scifiandscary.com
I liked Julia Blake’s novel ‘The Forest’ so much I was keen to read something else by her. Her earlier novella ‘Lifesong’ is in many ways very different, although it does share a similar love of the natural world. Thankfully it’s also just as engaging and well written.
‘Lifesong’ is an allegorical science fiction novella about a female alien who travels to Earth and meets a bereaved man. Initially the travel is something like astral projection and she regularly returns to her own world to muse on what she has learned about the man and our planet. Eventually there is a physical element to her journey as well and after time she realises she is trapped and can’t return home. The plot is almost incidental though, not because it’s bad, but because that isn’t really what the book is about. Instead it’s a heartfelt ode to nature and a polemic against the destruction of the environment that has resulted from the global spread of capitalism.
This is the kind of book that I often avoid, where the message is at the forefront, but here it works. The alien visitor spends much time comparing life on Earth with that on her own world, where the society is a simpler, more spiritual one with a barter economy and a communal approach to the sharing of natural resources and labour. The “lifesong” of the title is the natural force that the planet and all living things share, something that is known to all on the alien world, but which is completely absent on Earth. The inference is that we had it in the distant past, but our pursuit of wealth over everything else has gradually killed it.
The use of an outsider’s perspective to hold a mirror up to humanity’s destruction of the planet isn’t desperately original, in fact at times the book feels like it could have been written in the 1960s or 70s. It works though because Blake writes with clarity and passion and doesn’t labour the point too much. The book is short and engaging and I found myself feeling the sorrow that the alien visitor feels as she comes to understand our society. There is nothing here that we don’t hear on the news regularly, but by framing it in an enjoyable story, Blake makes the message accessible and emotional rather than intellectual. The book doesn’t provide any easy answers, probably because there aren’t any, but it did make me consider again our collective responsibility to both the planet and future generations. If you fancy a quick, reflective read I’d recommend it.
I liked Julia Blake’s novel ‘The Forest’ so much I was keen to read something else by her. Her earlier novella ‘Lifesong’ is in many ways very different, although it does share a similar love of the natural world. Thankfully it’s also just as engaging and well written.
‘Lifesong’ is an allegorical science fiction novella about a female alien who travels to Earth and meets a bereaved man. Initially the travel is something like astral projection and she regularly returns to her own world to muse on what she has learned about the man and our planet. Eventually there is a physical element to her journey as well and after time she realises she is trapped and can’t return home. The plot is almost incidental though, not because it’s bad, but because that isn’t really what the book is about. Instead it’s a heartfelt ode to nature and a polemic against the destruction of the environment that has resulted from the global spread of capitalism.
This is the kind of book that I often avoid, where the message is at the forefront, but here it works. The alien visitor spends much time comparing life on Earth with that on her own world, where the society is a simpler, more spiritual one with a barter economy and a communal approach to the sharing of natural resources and labour. The “lifesong” of the title is the natural force that the planet and all living things share, something that is known to all on the alien world, but which is completely absent on Earth. The inference is that we had it in the distant past, but our pursuit of wealth over everything else has gradually killed it.
The use of an outsider’s perspective to hold a mirror up to humanity’s destruction of the planet isn’t desperately original, in fact at times the book feels like it could have been written in the 1960s or 70s. It works though because Blake writes with clarity and passion and doesn’t labour the point too much. The book is short and engaging and I found myself feeling the sorrow that the alien visitor feels as she comes to understand our society. There is nothing here that we don’t hear on the news regularly, but by framing it in an enjoyable story, Blake makes the message accessible and emotional rather than intellectual. The book doesn’t provide any easy answers, probably because there aren’t any, but it did make me consider again our collective responsibility to both the planet and future generations. If you fancy a quick, reflective read I’d recommend it.
April 7, 2018
A beautifully thought provoking read about one woman's journey and the song she wants to bring to a silent earth.
A blend of fantasy and science-fiction, Lifesong follows a young woman from her world to our own, from a place where the world is alive with a song, to one on the verge of death. Julia Blake does an exceptional job of exploring this emotional journey, balancing it with a theme of environmentalism.
It is an eye opening read with a message at its heart. But it is also an engaging story, one that invests you in the plight of a woman who becomes trapped on our dying earth. I wish it could have been longer, but as a novella it does an excellent job of telling its story and fulfilling its promise of an engaging and thoughtful read.
What more, Julia's talent as a storyteller shines through her stunning prose and exceptional world building. A page turner that keeps your heart and mind attuned to the story unfolding.
Consider this a high recommendation for a memorable narrative with a profound message.
A blend of fantasy and science-fiction, Lifesong follows a young woman from her world to our own, from a place where the world is alive with a song, to one on the verge of death. Julia Blake does an exceptional job of exploring this emotional journey, balancing it with a theme of environmentalism.
It is an eye opening read with a message at its heart. But it is also an engaging story, one that invests you in the plight of a woman who becomes trapped on our dying earth. I wish it could have been longer, but as a novella it does an excellent job of telling its story and fulfilling its promise of an engaging and thoughtful read.
What more, Julia's talent as a storyteller shines through her stunning prose and exceptional world building. A page turner that keeps your heart and mind attuned to the story unfolding.
Consider this a high recommendation for a memorable narrative with a profound message.
April 22, 2024
Everything has a season. Everything has a time. Everything has a song. But what happens when that song is a mere whisper or silent? This is both a short sci-fi and love story that are intricately intertwined by one woman’s journey to Earth only to discover its song is slowly disappearing. What happens when only silence is heard? Lifesong by Julia Blake asks the question...Is the love of one woman enough to save the world?
Lifesong is an awakening of the path we have chosen to take and decisions we have made along the way. This is a fast read and bare bones story as there is no fluff. I found the story a bit unsettling at times only because I, too, have noticed the diminishing of earth’s “song”. We are on a precipice; but Lifesong gives us hope. This is a well written and thought provoking story of balance, harmony and love. It reads with a melody and a rhythm that will envelope you if you are willing to open the book and let it in.
Lifesong is an awakening of the path we have chosen to take and decisions we have made along the way. This is a fast read and bare bones story as there is no fluff. I found the story a bit unsettling at times only because I, too, have noticed the diminishing of earth’s “song”. We are on a precipice; but Lifesong gives us hope. This is a well written and thought provoking story of balance, harmony and love. It reads with a melody and a rhythm that will envelope you if you are willing to open the book and let it in.
April 1, 2018
Lovely read with deep implications to this planet's disconnect. I would have loved more into the characters. I was left humming in the middle of the night hoping to find a song.
November 17, 2018
A woman from another place finds herself trapped here on Earth, a place bereft of the music that unifies all living things, the Lifesong. It's hard enough to deal with losing the world she was familiar with, but dealing with the seemingly blind destructiveness of the world she finds herself in is what's truly distressing. Can she heal the sickness and help others to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the Lifesong?
I couldn't put this novella down. It's exactly the kind of story I gravitate to, sci-fi/fantasy with strong overtones of social consciousness. But the philosophy and ecological warnings are blended so seamlessly into the storyline, and the smooth-as-silk narrative flows so easily through the mind, that the reader hardly realizes they're being educated at the same time they're being entertained. Five stars; I recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction and fantasy, music, cares about the environment, or who just enjoys beautifully written fiction.
I couldn't put this novella down. It's exactly the kind of story I gravitate to, sci-fi/fantasy with strong overtones of social consciousness. But the philosophy and ecological warnings are blended so seamlessly into the storyline, and the smooth-as-silk narrative flows so easily through the mind, that the reader hardly realizes they're being educated at the same time they're being entertained. Five stars; I recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction and fantasy, music, cares about the environment, or who just enjoys beautifully written fiction.
August 24, 2023
Well done!
Lifesong is much shorter than the other volumes in Blake’s body of work, but it definitely wasn’t lacking! A poignant story of love and loss paves the road for a transcendent tale rife with the elements of our own destruction. Told from the perspective of a woman whose people our kind would consider primitive, it doesn’t take long to realize we are the ones with much to learn. A meaningful read!
Lifesong is much shorter than the other volumes in Blake’s body of work, but it definitely wasn’t lacking! A poignant story of love and loss paves the road for a transcendent tale rife with the elements of our own destruction. Told from the perspective of a woman whose people our kind would consider primitive, it doesn’t take long to realize we are the ones with much to learn. A meaningful read!
August 2, 2017
‘Lifesong’ is a brilliant story following a female protagonist who journeys between her world and ours all the while struggling to cope with a world that is without lifesong—the philosophical concept that our universe and all living beings are part of a celestial “music.” Historically, it is known as Musica Universalis.
For such a complex concept, Blake tells this story so well without a lick of confusion over what lifesong is and how beautiful and wonderful it is. From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story, recalling my past reading of JRR Tolkien’s creation of the world using a similar concept of Musica Universalis. I followed this story closely, never once breaking from it, reading it in one sitting. There was never a moment where I didn’t want to turn the page because I just had to know what happened next.
Though the concept of lifesong is philosophical, the story does not read as such, and holds a strong theme on the preservation and restoration of planet earth.
Overall, this is a wonderful read that I give 5 bright stars and would recommend to anyone, whether they are fans of fiction, romance, or fantasy like myself.
For such a complex concept, Blake tells this story so well without a lick of confusion over what lifesong is and how beautiful and wonderful it is. From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story, recalling my past reading of JRR Tolkien’s creation of the world using a similar concept of Musica Universalis. I followed this story closely, never once breaking from it, reading it in one sitting. There was never a moment where I didn’t want to turn the page because I just had to know what happened next.
Though the concept of lifesong is philosophical, the story does not read as such, and holds a strong theme on the preservation and restoration of planet earth.
Overall, this is a wonderful read that I give 5 bright stars and would recommend to anyone, whether they are fans of fiction, romance, or fantasy like myself.
October 11, 2018
What a beautiful story. A woman lives in a world where everything has a song . The music connects all of them, creating a world of unity and joy. Each creature's song is part of an ever-changing symphony. The woman finds she can travel in her dreams to another world, one where each creature is separate from the ones around it. There is no unifying song, no understanding of how each is dependent on the other. Instead, in this world they seem bent on destruction. She meets someone who she desires but his world creates a void in her. The tale of the two worlds is well written.
In the real world, it seems these two ideals exist. Some feel for the world, for every creature great and small. They believe life itself is the greatest treasure. Then there are those who crave wealth, gold and gems to fill their pockets. Unconcerned by the cost, just the illusion of greatness they have created for themselves.
In the real world, it seems these two ideals exist. Some feel for the world, for every creature great and small. They believe life itself is the greatest treasure. Then there are those who crave wealth, gold and gems to fill their pockets. Unconcerned by the cost, just the illusion of greatness they have created for themselves.
March 6, 2018
Lifesong is a story that embodies several themes. It's a romance novella but it's also a lesson on our environment and the abuse we give it. Lastly, it's the embodiment of science fiction. You can't help but enjoy them all, as the relationships between them collide into a book I practically read in one sitting! Blake wrote quixotic fantasy and made it romantically entertaining, while delivering a lesson on what we're doing wrong and how it truly affects all we know and hold dear.
I enjoyed this story, even though I'm not one of those romantics at heart. It allowed me to see through both the eyes of both characters and found beauty. Check out Lifesong, a novella by Julia Blake while I move on to the next read. Cheers!
*Full review available 04/24/18 at www dot areneehunt dot com!
Lifesong
Julia Blake
Amazon Digital Services
75 pages
I enjoyed this story, even though I'm not one of those romantics at heart. It allowed me to see through both the eyes of both characters and found beauty. Check out Lifesong, a novella by Julia Blake while I move on to the next read. Cheers!
*Full review available 04/24/18 at www dot areneehunt dot com!
Lifesong
Julia Blake
Amazon Digital Services
75 pages
January 13, 2021
A very interesting piece of writing
In some ways this reads more like a fable with a point to be made at the end. Thus, it succeeds in emphasising what most of us already know, we are the problem and we are also the solution in what happens to this planet we call home.
Do not expect a novel in the normal sense of the word. This is a telling, an unfolding of a story so connection is a little difficult. Readers are viewers only. However, if you accept this at the beginning, and I found that easy to do, there is a lot here to make us reflect and overall it becomes a very interesting reading experience, and also at times an emotional one.
In some ways this reads more like a fable with a point to be made at the end. Thus, it succeeds in emphasising what most of us already know, we are the problem and we are also the solution in what happens to this planet we call home.
Do not expect a novel in the normal sense of the word. This is a telling, an unfolding of a story so connection is a little difficult. Readers are viewers only. However, if you accept this at the beginning, and I found that easy to do, there is a lot here to make us reflect and overall it becomes a very interesting reading experience, and also at times an emotional one.
October 21, 2017
A Prophetic Legend of the Fullness of Life
Reading this novella was like hearing a traditional myth of an unknown people. The concept of Lifesong was so compelling that I could imagine it being true of our people in the deep past. The "high" language did not make the story difficult to read, and it shielded the reader from some of the sadness in the tale, which was nonetheless salient. Music lovers, fantasy fans, and lovers of nature would find this story captivating. There is a lovely romance and a model for grieving loss here, as well. Recommended.
Reading this novella was like hearing a traditional myth of an unknown people. The concept of Lifesong was so compelling that I could imagine it being true of our people in the deep past. The "high" language did not make the story difficult to read, and it shielded the reader from some of the sadness in the tale, which was nonetheless salient. Music lovers, fantasy fans, and lovers of nature would find this story captivating. There is a lovely romance and a model for grieving loss here, as well. Recommended.
February 10, 2019
Lifesong is a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale that explores humanity's slow destruction of Earth and all who dwell here. It's a little bit science-fiction, a little bit fantasy, yet it weaves a picture of our world that is anything but speculative fiction. The truths revealed in this story are difficult to behold, especially when viewed through the eyes of a far-off species who never lost their connection with the great lifesong that pulses through all living things. But there's love in the story, too, and hope. It's a quick read and one I think we all need to take a moment to read.
December 18, 2017
I had no idea what this book was about when I began to read and I wasn't sure it was my kind of story. I'm not a lover of ethereal beings from other worlds.
Suddenly the story took a turn and it made me sit up and take notice. From that point forward, I couldn't stop turning the page until I'd reached the end.
This is a beautiful book with a wonderful tale of something that will resonate with us all.
Highly recommended!
Suddenly the story took a turn and it made me sit up and take notice. From that point forward, I couldn't stop turning the page until I'd reached the end.
This is a beautiful book with a wonderful tale of something that will resonate with us all.
Highly recommended!
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