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Songs Of Us
If Melody hadn't run out of de-icer that day, she would never have slipped and banged her head. She wouldn't be left with a condition that makes her sing when she's nervous. And she definitely wouldn't have belted out the Arctic Monkeys' 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' in assembly at her son's school.
If Dev hadn't taken the kids to the zoo that day, then the accident wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't have left Flynn and Rose without a dad. Or shattered the love of his life's heart.
But if they hadn't seen the missing person report that day, they might never have taken the trip to Cornwall. And, in the last place they expected, discovered what it really means to be 'Us'.
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2018
133 people are currently reading
1603 people want to read
About the author
Emma Cooper
8 books220 followersEmma Cooper is a former teaching assistant, who lives in Shropshire, with her partner and four children. Her spare time consists of writing novels, drinking wine and watching box-sets with her partner of twenty-four years, who still makes her smile every day.
Emma has always wanted to be a writer – ever since her childhood, she’s been inventing characters (her favourite being her imaginary friend ‘Boot’) and is thrilled that she now gets to use this imagination to bring to life all of her creations.
The Songs of Us was inspired by Emma’s love of music and her ability to almost always embarrass herself, and her children, in the most mundane of situations. She was so fascinated by the idea of combining the two, that she began to write Melody’s story. Working full-time with a large family meant that Emma had to steal snippets of ‘spare’ time from her already chaotic and disorganised life; the majority of her novel was written during her lunchtime in a tiny school office. She never expected to fall so deeply in love with the King family and is overwhelmed that others feel the same.
She has three loves in life: reading, writing and her family…oh, and music, cheese, pizza, films – Maths is not one of her talents.
Emma keeps in touch with her readers and loves to hear from them on twitter @ItsEmmacooper and on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EmmacooperAuthor/
Emma has always wanted to be a writer – ever since her childhood, she’s been inventing characters (her favourite being her imaginary friend ‘Boot’) and is thrilled that she now gets to use this imagination to bring to life all of her creations.
The Songs of Us was inspired by Emma’s love of music and her ability to almost always embarrass herself, and her children, in the most mundane of situations. She was so fascinated by the idea of combining the two, that she began to write Melody’s story. Working full-time with a large family meant that Emma had to steal snippets of ‘spare’ time from her already chaotic and disorganised life; the majority of her novel was written during her lunchtime in a tiny school office. She never expected to fall so deeply in love with the King family and is overwhelmed that others feel the same.
She has three loves in life: reading, writing and her family…oh, and music, cheese, pizza, films – Maths is not one of her talents.
Emma keeps in touch with her readers and loves to hear from them on twitter @ItsEmmacooper and on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EmmacooperAuthor/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
March 29, 2018
So, I have just got off a seven-and-a-half hour trans-Atlantic flight where I had planned on watching ‘Darkest Hour’ and grabbing a few hours sleep. Instead, I sat up all night and devoured Emma Cooper’s new novel from cover to cover in one sitting and I don’t regret a single second of lost sleep.
This book is, quite frankly, astonishing. It manages to be funny and heart-wrenching at the same time, and explores some huge themes of love, loss, personal struggle and family, deeply but without being the least bit heavy-going or preachy.
It starts off with a hilarious scene in a supermarket which launches us straight into the complicated and mad world of the main character of Melody King who, following an unfortunate accident, has the embarrassing habit of launching into song at times of stress and anxiety, which leads to some extremely toe-curling but funny moments. Her two children, Flynn and Rose, both in those awkward teenage years and struggling with complicated issues of their own, tend to find this less amusing. I absolutely love the way Emma has chosen the perfect appropriately inappropriate song for Melody to sing at any given moment.
The book is written in the first person from the points of view of four main characters, Melody, Flynn, Rose and Dev, Melody’s missing husband. Each has a distinct voice, totally fitting their character and the personal stresses they are under and Emma has done this so well that we are right inside each of their individual heads, seeing the situation from four totally different points of view with the tint that their specific outlooks gives to the situation. It is so cleverly and perfectly done that we have a complete emotional insight into the whole perspective of the situation they are in, you can’t help getting sucked right into the drama.
And, oh, how much did I love these characters. Emabattled, troubled, sullen but warm-hearted Flynn. My heart broke for him and I was willing him to conquer his demons and become the amazing person you can see under the surface. Brilliant but confused Rose, fragile but not, having to grow up faster than she perhaps can cope with and trying to take control in dangerous ways. I just wanted to fold her in my arms and take care of her. And Melody. I don’t really know what to say about Melody except she is so perfectly imperfect, so valiant. She has stolen into my heart and taken firm root.
This book is a rollercoaster that takes you to unexpected places emotionally and has left me bruised, battered but ultimately uplifted. It is such a brilliant portrayal of how flawed and struggling people can be, but how love and family will hold us up and help us overcome if we have each other. I know I will go back and re-read this book soon, and I will feel exactly the same way about it again. It made me laugh and cry and I didn’t want it to end, to let go of these characters that took such firm hold of me in such a short space of time. This book is something really special, I might even venture to say, perfect.
Just don’t finish it on a jumbo jet full of hundreds of curious people as it comes in to land whilst wearing non-waterproof mascara.
This book is, quite frankly, astonishing. It manages to be funny and heart-wrenching at the same time, and explores some huge themes of love, loss, personal struggle and family, deeply but without being the least bit heavy-going or preachy.
It starts off with a hilarious scene in a supermarket which launches us straight into the complicated and mad world of the main character of Melody King who, following an unfortunate accident, has the embarrassing habit of launching into song at times of stress and anxiety, which leads to some extremely toe-curling but funny moments. Her two children, Flynn and Rose, both in those awkward teenage years and struggling with complicated issues of their own, tend to find this less amusing. I absolutely love the way Emma has chosen the perfect appropriately inappropriate song for Melody to sing at any given moment.
The book is written in the first person from the points of view of four main characters, Melody, Flynn, Rose and Dev, Melody’s missing husband. Each has a distinct voice, totally fitting their character and the personal stresses they are under and Emma has done this so well that we are right inside each of their individual heads, seeing the situation from four totally different points of view with the tint that their specific outlooks gives to the situation. It is so cleverly and perfectly done that we have a complete emotional insight into the whole perspective of the situation they are in, you can’t help getting sucked right into the drama.
And, oh, how much did I love these characters. Emabattled, troubled, sullen but warm-hearted Flynn. My heart broke for him and I was willing him to conquer his demons and become the amazing person you can see under the surface. Brilliant but confused Rose, fragile but not, having to grow up faster than she perhaps can cope with and trying to take control in dangerous ways. I just wanted to fold her in my arms and take care of her. And Melody. I don’t really know what to say about Melody except she is so perfectly imperfect, so valiant. She has stolen into my heart and taken firm root.
This book is a rollercoaster that takes you to unexpected places emotionally and has left me bruised, battered but ultimately uplifted. It is such a brilliant portrayal of how flawed and struggling people can be, but how love and family will hold us up and help us overcome if we have each other. I know I will go back and re-read this book soon, and I will feel exactly the same way about it again. It made me laugh and cry and I didn’t want it to end, to let go of these characters that took such firm hold of me in such a short space of time. This book is something really special, I might even venture to say, perfect.
Just don’t finish it on a jumbo jet full of hundreds of curious people as it comes in to land whilst wearing non-waterproof mascara.
April 8, 2019
I bought this book ages ago and it's been buried in my TBR pile for months. On Saturday I actually moved my physical TBR pile and remembered I was excited to read this so I and moved it to the top. Well, within 24 hours I'd be a weepy, soggy mess, having read it pretty much non stop.
This is a quirky, sweet book which is part of what sucked me in, the first few pages were so intriguing I just didn't want to stop reading. Then I was happily reading along and by about the 1/3 point I felt pretty sure I knew where I was headed. I was not at all expecting to cry, but the plot took a direction I wasn't anticipating and that made the emotional punch at the end all the more poignant.
My favourite kind of books are ones where the writers' voice is easy to devour but the characters are still fully fleshed out and unique, and that's exactly what I got here. I loved this family and I completely believed the world they lived in.
Emma's writing style is brilliantly smooth and her handling of a somewhat unique and complicated premise impressed me so much. I loved this book and I can't wait for her next.
This is a quirky, sweet book which is part of what sucked me in, the first few pages were so intriguing I just didn't want to stop reading. Then I was happily reading along and by about the 1/3 point I felt pretty sure I knew where I was headed. I was not at all expecting to cry, but the plot took a direction I wasn't anticipating and that made the emotional punch at the end all the more poignant.
My favourite kind of books are ones where the writers' voice is easy to devour but the characters are still fully fleshed out and unique, and that's exactly what I got here. I loved this family and I completely believed the world they lived in.
Emma's writing style is brilliantly smooth and her handling of a somewhat unique and complicated premise impressed me so much. I loved this book and I can't wait for her next.
June 23, 2021
Melody'nin hatalığı ne kadar kötü olsa da yazarın şarkı ve dans kısımlarını anlatışı o kadar komikti ki kahkahalarımı tutamadım okurken. Güzel, değişik bir kitaptı. Ancak yaklaşık son 100 sayfayı okumak duygusal olarak zorladı beni, ağlamaktan içim çıktı 😒 Keşke böyle yapmasaydın, kurguyu o şekilde uzatmayıp, beni de ağlatmasaydın sevgili yazar 🥺
September 29, 2021
Yine boşluğuma geldi ve ağır dram bir kitap okudum. Kalbim aşırı kırıldı 😞 Hemen komedi tarzı bir şeyler bulmalıyım…
March 26, 2019
Melody King slipped on the ice and banged her head. Ever since then she has had a condition that makes her sing, very often at inopportune times. This condition produces embarrassment for her as well as her teenage children, especially when it comes complete with all sorts of actions and dance moves. After her husband Dev disappeared eleven years before, Melody has more than enough issues to deal with as a single parent to Flynn and Rose. Flynn, blind in one eye and badly scarred from an accident when his father was driving, has been bullied and taunted so much it has resulted in anger issues. Though an excellent student, Rose copes with her problems and issues in a different way but no less problematic. Years before Melody had searched for Dev until ultimately she came to the conclusion he must be dead, as he loved them and would never have left them otherwise. That is until they see a missing person‘s report that throws all preconceived up in the air. Could Dev be alive? If so why did he leave? And what does it mean for their family?
This story starts with an incident in a supermarket that had me cracking up. It has always been a thing in our family that there is a song to fit any situation and one or more of us have been known to break into a line or two from various songs when it fits. Nothing like as exhaustive, embarrassing or uncontrollable as Melody though. But this trait certainly helped me connect with Melody. I agreed with the writing about true love being made up of all the little things one does to please the other in a marriage. ‘True love is selfless…or is it? There is no greater reward than watching the person you love be happy. Maybe the answer is in the word itself. Selfish or selfless? If you’re truly in love … doesn’t the word “self” kind of become obsolete anyway?’ Maybe if more of us lived that way, we would have less marriage breakups and family problems?
The King family had me laughing at times, but then the story took a path I was not expecting. It changed the tenor of the story. The songs continued but there was, at times, less laughter and instead tears.
From the beginning I became quite involved with this rather quirky story and the issues faced by the King family. I loved all the song references. It covers a huge variety of songs, most of which I knew but a few I didn’t know. There were a couple of things I thought were unnecessary in the story but overall, I loved this and would recommend it as a really good read. A debut novel, it will be interesting to see what this author writes next. Anyone who loves music and family stories that can make you laugh and cry should greatly enjoy this one as I did.
This story starts with an incident in a supermarket that had me cracking up. It has always been a thing in our family that there is a song to fit any situation and one or more of us have been known to break into a line or two from various songs when it fits. Nothing like as exhaustive, embarrassing or uncontrollable as Melody though. But this trait certainly helped me connect with Melody. I agreed with the writing about true love being made up of all the little things one does to please the other in a marriage. ‘True love is selfless…or is it? There is no greater reward than watching the person you love be happy. Maybe the answer is in the word itself. Selfish or selfless? If you’re truly in love … doesn’t the word “self” kind of become obsolete anyway?’ Maybe if more of us lived that way, we would have less marriage breakups and family problems?
The King family had me laughing at times, but then the story took a path I was not expecting. It changed the tenor of the story. The songs continued but there was, at times, less laughter and instead tears.
From the beginning I became quite involved with this rather quirky story and the issues faced by the King family. I loved all the song references. It covers a huge variety of songs, most of which I knew but a few I didn’t know. There were a couple of things I thought were unnecessary in the story but overall, I loved this and would recommend it as a really good read. A debut novel, it will be interesting to see what this author writes next. Anyone who loves music and family stories that can make you laugh and cry should greatly enjoy this one as I did.
April 1, 2018
Wow, wow and wow, what a wonderful and unique storyline. It’s difficult to know how to define this novel. Is it a dark comedy? A mystery? An emotional family saga? Well, it’s all of those things and then some.
I loved the aptly named, Melody, the lonely worn out mum of two teenagers, Flynn, who has been scarred after a car accident, and Rose, who is dealing with her own teenage angst.
Melody is trying to make the best of things after her husband, Dev mysteriously disappeared over a decade ago. And she certainly has a lot on her plate. After an accident where she slipped and banged her head, she now has to deal with a unique uncontrollable condition – she sings aloud, whenever she gets anxious, in all kinds of public places – and it’s anything from ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia to Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ … along with imitating the white gloved one’s dance moves.
Sensitively and sympathetically written, Cooper gives us a bitter sweet drama that encompasses life’s rich tapestry that made me laugh outloud, and shed tears at the heart rending challenges this family have to face.
PS I cried at the end.
I loved the aptly named, Melody, the lonely worn out mum of two teenagers, Flynn, who has been scarred after a car accident, and Rose, who is dealing with her own teenage angst.
Melody is trying to make the best of things after her husband, Dev mysteriously disappeared over a decade ago. And she certainly has a lot on her plate. After an accident where she slipped and banged her head, she now has to deal with a unique uncontrollable condition – she sings aloud, whenever she gets anxious, in all kinds of public places – and it’s anything from ‘Torn’ by Natalie Imbruglia to Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’ … along with imitating the white gloved one’s dance moves.
Sensitively and sympathetically written, Cooper gives us a bitter sweet drama that encompasses life’s rich tapestry that made me laugh outloud, and shed tears at the heart rending challenges this family have to face.
PS I cried at the end.
September 4, 2018
Melody King, single mother of Flynn and Rose, is trying her hardest to get through life as best she can.
Life has been unkind for the King family, each member facing obstacles they struggle to get over. Flynn, suffered facial injuries and blindness in one eye in a car accident as a young child. His father was driving the car and could not live with himself, giving him no option to abandon his family.
Melody, had to learn to be a single parent, all the while wondering if Dev (her husband) was still alive. She later suffers a head injury resulting in a condition that makes her sing whole song aloud, in public, with dance moves, when she gets anxious.
Rose was the one who found her mum with her head injury. She is the one who is also desperate to find her father and make everything better.
I am rating Emma Coopers, The Songs Of Us, four stars because although it was heartwarming and funny at times, I found it hard to get into at first. Have your tissues at the ready.
Life has been unkind for the King family, each member facing obstacles they struggle to get over. Flynn, suffered facial injuries and blindness in one eye in a car accident as a young child. His father was driving the car and could not live with himself, giving him no option to abandon his family.
Melody, had to learn to be a single parent, all the while wondering if Dev (her husband) was still alive. She later suffers a head injury resulting in a condition that makes her sing whole song aloud, in public, with dance moves, when she gets anxious.
Rose was the one who found her mum with her head injury. She is the one who is also desperate to find her father and make everything better.
I am rating Emma Coopers, The Songs Of Us, four stars because although it was heartwarming and funny at times, I found it hard to get into at first. Have your tissues at the ready.
January 14, 2019
Okay so if it wasn't for my book club having highly recommend this book, they literally went on and on and on about it lol, I probably wouldn't have picked it up to read it, given that it wasn't an author I'd come across before.
Anyway, as it happen I did decide to give this book a go and wow am I glad I did. This was an absolutely wonderful heartfelt story but careful as it was also very emotional in places, especially near the very end. I actually had tears in my eyes at one point.
I loved the story and getting to know all of the characters was truly a delight, they were all so very real, I almost forgot that they were just characters in a book.
I started this book on Saturday morning and finished it Sunday lunchtime, I literally couldn't put it down and ended up whizzing through those pages, desperate to find out what would happen next and how it would all end.
As for how the story ended, at first I was like no no no, don't let this happen, I don't want it to end like this, but then I read the epilogue which was beautiful and I came to understand that it was in fact the perfect ending for the book and I can now see why the author ended the story the way she did.
Anyway, as it happen I did decide to give this book a go and wow am I glad I did. This was an absolutely wonderful heartfelt story but careful as it was also very emotional in places, especially near the very end. I actually had tears in my eyes at one point.
I loved the story and getting to know all of the characters was truly a delight, they were all so very real, I almost forgot that they were just characters in a book.
I started this book on Saturday morning and finished it Sunday lunchtime, I literally couldn't put it down and ended up whizzing through those pages, desperate to find out what would happen next and how it would all end.
As for how the story ended, at first I was like no no no, don't let this happen, I don't want it to end like this, but then I read the epilogue which was beautiful and I came to understand that it was in fact the perfect ending for the book and I can now see why the author ended the story the way she did.
June 28, 2018
DNF - just couldn't get on with this book, so ended up skipping through a lot of it to get to the end. I found the endless descriptions of Melody's singing episodes boring and repetitive - was this supposed to be funny? Nothing else was mildly amusing and the plot was predictable.
October 15, 2018
I read The Songs of Us during my holiday in Rhodes at the end of September. I rarely cry. I never cry in public. I cried as I was reading The Songs of Us, I cried in public, sitting by the pool. There were big fat tears, some snot and a few strange looks from fellow holiday makers. This is a beautifully written, heartbreaking yet uplifting story. I fell in love with the characters immediately, and they continue to haunt me.
Melody lives with her two children Flynn and Rose. Melody is a single parent, the kids Dad; Dev, left years ago, after a terrible accident that tore the family apart. Dev didn't just leave. He disappeared one ordinary day, with no warning. Melody is a fun-loving, compassionate mother, she's also a little unusual in that after slipping and banging her head, she now bursts into song at the most inappropriate moments.
Flynn and Rose have their own personal issues to deal with. Flynn's scars from the accident make him the target for stares and bullying, and he often fights back. Rose spends most of her time trying her best to track down her missing father, whilst hiding her own coping mechanisms from those that love her.
This little family unit are as strong as possible. The relationship between Melody and her children is wonderfully portrayed, these two young people have suffered so much yet their dedication to Melody and the way that they deal with her spontaneous singing is just so heart warming.
Emma Cooper writes with such flair and compassion. Her ability to create characters that the reader cannot fail to fall in love with is just superb.
There's so much hope within this fabulous book and as a reader, I was desperately hoping that their dreams would come true. However, this extremely talented author does not spare the reader and we are subjected to some absolutely heart-wrenching scenes ... cue the snot-ridden tears. Yet, even through the devastation, Emma Cooper's sparkling wit shines through and she turns what could be an almost impossible to bear situation into one of hope, filled with love and joy.
Thoughtful, sensitive and a complete tear-jerker. The Songs of Us is a truly beautiful book. I adored the characters, the story and the impeccable writing. Highly recommended from me.
Melody lives with her two children Flynn and Rose. Melody is a single parent, the kids Dad; Dev, left years ago, after a terrible accident that tore the family apart. Dev didn't just leave. He disappeared one ordinary day, with no warning. Melody is a fun-loving, compassionate mother, she's also a little unusual in that after slipping and banging her head, she now bursts into song at the most inappropriate moments.
Flynn and Rose have their own personal issues to deal with. Flynn's scars from the accident make him the target for stares and bullying, and he often fights back. Rose spends most of her time trying her best to track down her missing father, whilst hiding her own coping mechanisms from those that love her.
This little family unit are as strong as possible. The relationship between Melody and her children is wonderfully portrayed, these two young people have suffered so much yet their dedication to Melody and the way that they deal with her spontaneous singing is just so heart warming.
Emma Cooper writes with such flair and compassion. Her ability to create characters that the reader cannot fail to fall in love with is just superb.
There's so much hope within this fabulous book and as a reader, I was desperately hoping that their dreams would come true. However, this extremely talented author does not spare the reader and we are subjected to some absolutely heart-wrenching scenes ... cue the snot-ridden tears. Yet, even through the devastation, Emma Cooper's sparkling wit shines through and she turns what could be an almost impossible to bear situation into one of hope, filled with love and joy.
Thoughtful, sensitive and a complete tear-jerker. The Songs of Us is a truly beautiful book. I adored the characters, the story and the impeccable writing. Highly recommended from me.
September 11, 2018
Oh Emma, you had me laughing and crying with this wonderful story - how on earth did you weave that magic?! And I loved the way that the song lyrics became part of the narrative, that was a little bit of genius.
The story follows a family that has suffered its fair share of tragedies, including Dev, the father, disappearing eleven years ago after a car crash that maimed his infant son. Mel banged her head and ever since has a condition that means she sings when she's stressed. Which leads to some properly hilarious situations.
This is a love story at its heart, although we have two troubled teenagers in the mix as well. And the ending although monstrously sad, was touched with an epic bit of magic. Thank you Emma, for the best read of the year! That image of Mel and Shane in the bathroom will stay with me for a very long time, in fact, I'm giggling just thinking about it.
The story follows a family that has suffered its fair share of tragedies, including Dev, the father, disappearing eleven years ago after a car crash that maimed his infant son. Mel banged her head and ever since has a condition that means she sings when she's stressed. Which leads to some properly hilarious situations.
This is a love story at its heart, although we have two troubled teenagers in the mix as well. And the ending although monstrously sad, was touched with an epic bit of magic. Thank you Emma, for the best read of the year! That image of Mel and Shane in the bathroom will stay with me for a very long time, in fact, I'm giggling just thinking about it.
October 1, 2018
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Can someone please pass me more tissues?
I'm not even joking! Oh my god. I finished reading 'The Songs of Us' late Sunday night, and I STILL am trying to fight the urge to burst into tears when I think about this book!
Okay, okay, I'll admit that there were a lot of moments where I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud at Melody's actions, with one quote having me bent over double in hysterics; 'swerve to the left, swerve to the right'. Obviously it will make sense for those who have already read the book, but if you haven't read it yet, go.....go!!!!
Before anyone thinks that I am being a nasty moo moo by what I said above about laughing at Melody's actions, just hear me out. I wasn't laughing at the fact that Melody had a condition a bit similar to Tourette's, where she ended up singing in public spaces anytime she became stressed. Not at all, because a health condition isn't funny. However, it was the songs at the right (or wrong) moment which were cleverly written into the storyline, making Melody who she was. Of course I felt for her when she ended up doing the dance moves to a song when she was in a 'serious' situation. I can't even begin to imagine how that must have made her felt, but I thought she handled it brilliantly with great humour, which in turn made me feel as though I was allowed to laugh along with her, even though I felt bad. Does that make sense?
Whilst there was a lot of humour in the storyline, there was also a lot of heartache and devastation. I shan't go into detail as that wouldn't be fair on the author or the readers, but please do trust me when I say that 'The Songs of Us' is a tearjerker. Melody's situation does govern a lot of the book, however, her children, Flynn and Rose, also have their own fair share of turbulence as they try to combat their own teenage emotions. I love how the storyline is told from several of the characters points of view, as I felt as though I was able connect with them on a much deeper level as it was more of a 'one to one'.
'The Songs of Us' left me sobbing my heart out. I'm not going to lie, I was absolutely devastated by the concluding part of the storyline, and no I don't mean that in a negative way. It was as though I could feel my heart shattering into millions of pieces, the tears were just falling from my eyes. Emma Cooper has written an outstanding, powerful, devastatingly beautiful, heart wrenching, emotional, humorous, and utterly, utterly brilliant novel which has given me the biggest book hangover I have ever had in my life. Yes, I am exhausted from the amount of tears I shed, but holy cannoli was it worth it!
Honestly, what a diamond in a rough of a book this is and, despite having read 282 books already this year, 'The Songs of Us' has swooped into the sought after top spot of my most favourite books of 2018, and I don't think it will be leaving anytime soon! I'd even go one better and say that this book is now an all-time favourite read of mine, ever!
This book truly deserves to be turned into a movie for the big screen, and the songs covered in the book need to be brought out as a soundtrack to Melody's life, so that everyone can #beabitMelody when they feel as though their life is knocking them down.
Grab your tissues, turn off your phone and prepare yourself to be swept away by Emma Cooper's incredibly moving, beautifully written novel - this is absolutely perfection (and yes, my eyes are STILL incredibly puffy!)
Can someone please pass me more tissues?
I'm not even joking! Oh my god. I finished reading 'The Songs of Us' late Sunday night, and I STILL am trying to fight the urge to burst into tears when I think about this book!
Okay, okay, I'll admit that there were a lot of moments where I couldn't stop myself from laughing out loud at Melody's actions, with one quote having me bent over double in hysterics; 'swerve to the left, swerve to the right'. Obviously it will make sense for those who have already read the book, but if you haven't read it yet, go.....go!!!!
Before anyone thinks that I am being a nasty moo moo by what I said above about laughing at Melody's actions, just hear me out. I wasn't laughing at the fact that Melody had a condition a bit similar to Tourette's, where she ended up singing in public spaces anytime she became stressed. Not at all, because a health condition isn't funny. However, it was the songs at the right (or wrong) moment which were cleverly written into the storyline, making Melody who she was. Of course I felt for her when she ended up doing the dance moves to a song when she was in a 'serious' situation. I can't even begin to imagine how that must have made her felt, but I thought she handled it brilliantly with great humour, which in turn made me feel as though I was allowed to laugh along with her, even though I felt bad. Does that make sense?
Whilst there was a lot of humour in the storyline, there was also a lot of heartache and devastation. I shan't go into detail as that wouldn't be fair on the author or the readers, but please do trust me when I say that 'The Songs of Us' is a tearjerker. Melody's situation does govern a lot of the book, however, her children, Flynn and Rose, also have their own fair share of turbulence as they try to combat their own teenage emotions. I love how the storyline is told from several of the characters points of view, as I felt as though I was able connect with them on a much deeper level as it was more of a 'one to one'.
'The Songs of Us' left me sobbing my heart out. I'm not going to lie, I was absolutely devastated by the concluding part of the storyline, and no I don't mean that in a negative way. It was as though I could feel my heart shattering into millions of pieces, the tears were just falling from my eyes. Emma Cooper has written an outstanding, powerful, devastatingly beautiful, heart wrenching, emotional, humorous, and utterly, utterly brilliant novel which has given me the biggest book hangover I have ever had in my life. Yes, I am exhausted from the amount of tears I shed, but holy cannoli was it worth it!
Honestly, what a diamond in a rough of a book this is and, despite having read 282 books already this year, 'The Songs of Us' has swooped into the sought after top spot of my most favourite books of 2018, and I don't think it will be leaving anytime soon! I'd even go one better and say that this book is now an all-time favourite read of mine, ever!
This book truly deserves to be turned into a movie for the big screen, and the songs covered in the book need to be brought out as a soundtrack to Melody's life, so that everyone can #beabitMelody when they feel as though their life is knocking them down.
Grab your tissues, turn off your phone and prepare yourself to be swept away by Emma Cooper's incredibly moving, beautifully written novel - this is absolutely perfection (and yes, my eyes are STILL incredibly puffy!)
September 23, 2018
Poignant, emotive, honest and beautifully written, I just loved this book.
An easy 4+ stars ⭐️
An easy 4+ stars ⭐️
September 26, 2018
Life hasn't been kind for the King family. Melody is trying her best after her husband Dev mysteriously disappeared years ago. Flynn, having suffered facial injuries and being blind in one eye in end result has his own battles to fight at school, as well as his sister Rose. Melody, following an unfortunate accident, has a very unusual and embarrassing habit of launching into song when she's stressed or in anxiety. Rose is desperate to find her father and when she comes across a notification about a missing person, a whole new chapter in the King's family life begins...
Ah, feck guys, what a gorgeous, poignant and at the same time funny book it was! I've never supposed it's going to end in this way, and even though I felt disappointed how it turned out - I didn't want it to end like this - No. Way. Please. No. Just. No - but I accepted the way the author decided to wrap this story up. It didn't spoil the book for me - it's really hard to explain, to be honest, because you may say, what, you didn't like the ending and yet you loved the book, hello? Yes, it's exactly like this, because I totally, absolutely fell for Melody and it was just so unfair, but on the other hand it signed the story off in a beautiful, poignant way.
It is this kind of book that you're going to devour in one sitting, wanting to read one chapter more and more. Yes, there were moments that I thought it drags too much, it focused too much on Melody's condition and it felt as if it was repeating itself, and also the moments when Melody was singing, especially the quoting of the songs almost line after line were too much for my liking, but you know, those were only a few minor problems and altogether it was simply beautiful - an emotional roller - coaster journey, full of tears and laughs. It was funny and heart - wrenching, and it's going to break your heart, mend it and break it again - be prepared and have your tissues at the ready.
This story is told in the first person's narration, from the four main characters points of view. Those four characters are Melody, her children Flynn and Rose and her missing husband Dev. They all had beautiful, distinctive voices full of personality and the way they were telling their stories was heart - breaking. I immediately fell for them all and to see what they're all going through, their stress, it was so sad. Emma Cooper has written all those feelings and emotions in such a beautiful, realistic way and you really have a feeling that you're sitting in the characters' heads. Melody was absolutely brilliant, full of life and so vibrant and I loved how she was around her children and how she fought for them. Flynn, such a typical teenager but with a huge heart in the right place. And Rose, the troubled Rose who tried to solve her problems in her own way - such a perfectly imperfect family that is going to stay with you for a very long time. The bond between the family is beautiful, so poignant and the way the children went to protect their mother was simply heart - wrenching.
I'm not sure how the author did this, but she has written a book where you just feel a part of the characters' world, you feel as if you know them from inside out, all their problems and luck become yours. It doesn't happen often that I feel that way when reading the book. I also loved that it has a darker side, challenging characters in some really difficult situations. It wasn't too light, but is also wasn't heavy, just the perfect mix of everything you look for in your books.
"The Songs of Us" was a truly surprising novel, full of twists and turns, sad but also incredibly uplifting. The characters were portrayed in very realistic way and they were very true to life, full of flaws and facing thousand little battles and showing what a real family looks like. It had a refreshing, unique storyline written in a sensitive, gentle way. Bitter - sweet and close to life, it's going to make you laugh out loud and cry crocodile tears. A story of love, hope, broken hearts, forgiveness and second chances, about awful coincidences and fate playing with your life, an astonishing tale about unconditional love and loss, grief, relationships and family dynamics. Powerful and honest and I can't recommend it highly enough!
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 31, 2020
Melody King is a single mother of two teenagers who is trying to do the best she can for her children. But with her unfortunate condition she is usually embarrassing them wherever they go. Melody starts singing when she is nervous. She can't control it, she can't stop it. Her singing is also usually followed by a choreography and she doesn't always get the lyrics right.
But a main problem, that is bothering Melody and her children for years is a sudden disappearance of their father and husband Dev. They don't know what happend to him, one day he just went missing.
Did something happened to him or did he just left them?
Melody doesn't belive he is alive, their love was so strong that this is not even a possibility. Flynn, her son is determined that he was a coward who left them. Rose, her daughter, is desperately trying to find out the truth about what have happend to him. One day she finds man who is strangely alike their father on the missing person pages. When they decide to track him down and find out the truth, they are not aware how that decision is going to change their lives...
This book was so funny and so sad at the same time. I laughed and cried a lot while reading it, it was very very emotional. I liked Melody, her sense of humor, her choice of songs (there were a lot great songs there!), her personality. She would do anything for her children, but for her husband too. She loved them unconditionally. She dealt with the problems of her children the best she could and she always put them first.
The other characters were also very likeable, funny but also very real. They weren't some perfect characters. They had flaws, they had issues and they fought them through the whole book.
Melody had a problem with nervousness that she dealt with singing.
Flynn had anger issues that he dealt with violence.
Rose has abandonment issues and rejection issues that she dealt with cutting herself.
Tom had guilt issues because he was responsible for accident in which Flynn got seriously hurt, he dealt with it by suppressing memory and forgetting everything about who he was.
This book was not only about running away from problems, it was also about family, true love, fighting with serious illnesses when things just started to get better...
I was not expecting book with a sad ending. I somehow presumed that this is going to be a happy book. The second half of the book was much more serious, with a gloomy atmosphere. I was postponing to finish it, because I wasn't sure I can get through with what I was expecting. I survived but I cried a lot. Although, the ending was still somehow beautiful and poetic.
So after so much praise, why only four stars?
Well, it was a bit too long book for my taste. I'm not usually having issue with a lot of pages but I felt at times that the plot was moving too slow for that many pages.
Nevertheless, beautiful book with a powerful message that is worth reading!
But a main problem, that is bothering Melody and her children for years is a sudden disappearance of their father and husband Dev. They don't know what happend to him, one day he just went missing.
Did something happened to him or did he just left them?
Melody doesn't belive he is alive, their love was so strong that this is not even a possibility. Flynn, her son is determined that he was a coward who left them. Rose, her daughter, is desperately trying to find out the truth about what have happend to him. One day she finds man who is strangely alike their father on the missing person pages. When they decide to track him down and find out the truth, they are not aware how that decision is going to change their lives...
This book was so funny and so sad at the same time. I laughed and cried a lot while reading it, it was very very emotional. I liked Melody, her sense of humor, her choice of songs (there were a lot great songs there!), her personality. She would do anything for her children, but for her husband too. She loved them unconditionally. She dealt with the problems of her children the best she could and she always put them first.
The other characters were also very likeable, funny but also very real. They weren't some perfect characters. They had flaws, they had issues and they fought them through the whole book.
Melody had a problem with nervousness that she dealt with singing.
Flynn had anger issues that he dealt with violence.
Rose has abandonment issues and rejection issues that she dealt with cutting herself.
Tom had guilt issues because he was responsible for accident in which Flynn got seriously hurt, he dealt with it by suppressing memory and forgetting everything about who he was.
This book was not only about running away from problems, it was also about family, true love, fighting with serious illnesses when things just started to get better...
I was not expecting book with a sad ending. I somehow presumed that this is going to be a happy book. The second half of the book was much more serious, with a gloomy atmosphere. I was postponing to finish it, because I wasn't sure I can get through with what I was expecting. I survived but I cried a lot. Although, the ending was still somehow beautiful and poetic.
So after so much praise, why only four stars?
Well, it was a bit too long book for my taste. I'm not usually having issue with a lot of pages but I felt at times that the plot was moving too slow for that many pages.
Nevertheless, beautiful book with a powerful message that is worth reading!
August 4, 2018
Well... this was a complete surprise, a real 'wow' of a book that I really wasn't expecting. I expected a quite light, funny book, with someone who couldn't help singing at inappropriate times, and it was that.... but so very much more emotional than I'd expected. It was hysterically funny in parts but so sad in others. Make sure you have the time, and box of tissues, to read the last half hour on your own, my eyes didn't stop leaking, but I just couldn't put it down!
Melody is a single mother to her two teenage children, Flynn and Rose, after her husband, Dev, went out one day and didn't come back, this was 11 years ago. This was shortly after a car accident that her husband and children were in where Flynn ended up blinded in one eye and with a large scar across one side of his face. Dev was driving and blamed himself. Their relationship was very stressed straight after that, even though they'd been blissfully happy and complete soulmates before, and one day Dev just disappeared out of their lives.
Melody's life fell apart and she searched for Dev for ages, but never found him, and one day just decided that she couldn't keep searching and dragging her children through her grief and gave up, assuming he was dead. Then one day Melody slipped on ice and hit her head and after that she started singing songs when she got stressed that related to how she was feeling, with all the dance moves added in too, along with singing at night which often kept her children awake. This started off very funny, but soon we realise quite what an effect both Dev disappearing and Melody's singing have on her children, who are quite troubled in parts, but who are absolutely amazing considering all the hassle in their lives.
I really don't want to say too much more as it would ruin the story, but there is a missing person report that Rose finds and they all end up in Cornwall following up that lead, and the story progresses from there. Then probably about two-thirds through the book something happened that I really didn't see coming... I thought something else was about to happen and then there was this massive curveball which took the book on a totally different path.
This was such an amazing book, so funny in lots of place, but also so sad (bittersweet, sobbing sort of sad) but a complete page-turner and something just that bit different as it kind of mixed a bit of every emotion into one book, a complete rollercoaster. Definitely a keeper, one of those books that will stick in my mind, and one to go on my favourite books list. A must read.
Melody is a single mother to her two teenage children, Flynn and Rose, after her husband, Dev, went out one day and didn't come back, this was 11 years ago. This was shortly after a car accident that her husband and children were in where Flynn ended up blinded in one eye and with a large scar across one side of his face. Dev was driving and blamed himself. Their relationship was very stressed straight after that, even though they'd been blissfully happy and complete soulmates before, and one day Dev just disappeared out of their lives.
Melody's life fell apart and she searched for Dev for ages, but never found him, and one day just decided that she couldn't keep searching and dragging her children through her grief and gave up, assuming he was dead. Then one day Melody slipped on ice and hit her head and after that she started singing songs when she got stressed that related to how she was feeling, with all the dance moves added in too, along with singing at night which often kept her children awake. This started off very funny, but soon we realise quite what an effect both Dev disappearing and Melody's singing have on her children, who are quite troubled in parts, but who are absolutely amazing considering all the hassle in their lives.
I really don't want to say too much more as it would ruin the story, but there is a missing person report that Rose finds and they all end up in Cornwall following up that lead, and the story progresses from there. Then probably about two-thirds through the book something happened that I really didn't see coming... I thought something else was about to happen and then there was this massive curveball which took the book on a totally different path.
This was such an amazing book, so funny in lots of place, but also so sad (bittersweet, sobbing sort of sad) but a complete page-turner and something just that bit different as it kind of mixed a bit of every emotion into one book, a complete rollercoaster. Definitely a keeper, one of those books that will stick in my mind, and one to go on my favourite books list. A must read.
April 1, 2018
A very lovable book.
A powerfully raw and heart wrenching novel. You will be moved and blown away. This book is riddled with songs and melodies but, will fit just fine for even the less musically inclined.
The Songs Of Us will soften your heart and make you smile so much but get quite teary-eyed too. A book about a mother navigating her past, making sense of why her husband left her, whilst also living her present. The Songs Of Us also touches on the topics of mental health, life's struggles and surprises, and the nature of a pure love. Emma Cooper wrote it all so fantastically, the way the songs melded into the story, the seamless shift in character perspective, or into a character's recollections and, the descriptions of feelings in relation to another sensation was so thoughtfully executed. Just... Wow!
Every character will capture a piece of your heart, without a doubt. Especially the ever-singing Melody, but that's granted. But also, her lovely kids who can't help but want to protect their mother from the unknown and protect her happiness. Everyone was so vulnerable but gosh, the kids were so hilarious! Every family's a little bit crazy, you just have to approach life with a dose of humour!
I urge you to add this book to your reading list. You can thank me later. I've already added it to my favourites list! They aren't wrong in comparing this novel's style to Jojo Moyes', but be assured this book is definitely brilliant in its own right.
I received this book through Netgalley.
A powerfully raw and heart wrenching novel. You will be moved and blown away. This book is riddled with songs and melodies but, will fit just fine for even the less musically inclined.
The Songs Of Us will soften your heart and make you smile so much but get quite teary-eyed too. A book about a mother navigating her past, making sense of why her husband left her, whilst also living her present. The Songs Of Us also touches on the topics of mental health, life's struggles and surprises, and the nature of a pure love. Emma Cooper wrote it all so fantastically, the way the songs melded into the story, the seamless shift in character perspective, or into a character's recollections and, the descriptions of feelings in relation to another sensation was so thoughtfully executed. Just... Wow!
Every character will capture a piece of your heart, without a doubt. Especially the ever-singing Melody, but that's granted. But also, her lovely kids who can't help but want to protect their mother from the unknown and protect her happiness. Everyone was so vulnerable but gosh, the kids were so hilarious! Every family's a little bit crazy, you just have to approach life with a dose of humour!
I urge you to add this book to your reading list. You can thank me later. I've already added it to my favourites list! They aren't wrong in comparing this novel's style to Jojo Moyes', but be assured this book is definitely brilliant in its own right.
I received this book through Netgalley.
September 23, 2018
The Songs of Us is such a fitting title for this book, at first I couldn’t figure out what on earth was going on or in fact the ridiculous purpose. I mean who suddenly starts singing in public!? But at the same time as fathoming all this out I understood that I shouldn’t really read it in public either due to the myriad of emotions played on. By the end of this book expect to be emotionally drained one way or the other.
The author has managed to introduce the family to us in such a way that we are bound to care about them to some extent even if they do have their foibles This is not an ordinary family, they have been through their fair or should that be unfair series of challenges. Sometimes when life comes to give you a damn good kicking it wears a huge pair of boots!
I found the beginning quite slow to get into but with hindsight it was just laying the foundations so we would become enthralled and care about them all by the end.
Mum Melody, kids Rose and Flynn along with Dev and further along Tom pretty well sum up the book .. this revolves around them. I’m not sure if I had a particular favourite family member but at least they did blend together mainly. Be prepared to shed a few tears especially near the end just based on the storyline alone. I personally found it quite a harrowing read.
Thanks to the author, publisher & netgalley. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
The author has managed to introduce the family to us in such a way that we are bound to care about them to some extent even if they do have their foibles This is not an ordinary family, they have been through their fair or should that be unfair series of challenges. Sometimes when life comes to give you a damn good kicking it wears a huge pair of boots!
I found the beginning quite slow to get into but with hindsight it was just laying the foundations so we would become enthralled and care about them all by the end.
Mum Melody, kids Rose and Flynn along with Dev and further along Tom pretty well sum up the book .. this revolves around them. I’m not sure if I had a particular favourite family member but at least they did blend together mainly. Be prepared to shed a few tears especially near the end just based on the storyline alone. I personally found it quite a harrowing read.
Thanks to the author, publisher & netgalley. I read and reviewed voluntarily.
July 28, 2018
I’m an avid book reader for psychological thrillers but ventured into a different genre after many book club members had read and recommended The Songs of Us by Emma Cooper.
I’m not really sure where to start. Rendering me speechless, which is rare for me, I had to take a few days to process this amazingly wonderful and beautifully written debut novel by Emma Cooper.
It’s rare but just as equally wonderful when you discover such a beautifully written story of love, laughter and heartbreak in one novel that has you processing so many emotions throughout the book that you are not conscious of your surroundings while reading. I laughed out load as well as cried in public which to my embarrassment was captured by strangers.
I was fully emerged in the story which was executed perfectly with a balance of laughter and tears... which I rarely shed I may add! The story was so perfectly executed along with characters I wanted to get to know, they’re troubles became mine, their tears shed through me and the outcome even though sad was described with the perfect balance of heartache as well as a happy conclusion.
I’m not sure I can verbally describe how good this debut is but I urge anyone reading this review to go and read it for yourself. It’s a novel everyone should read.
Emma Cooper is a novelist to watch!
I’m not really sure where to start. Rendering me speechless, which is rare for me, I had to take a few days to process this amazingly wonderful and beautifully written debut novel by Emma Cooper.
It’s rare but just as equally wonderful when you discover such a beautifully written story of love, laughter and heartbreak in one novel that has you processing so many emotions throughout the book that you are not conscious of your surroundings while reading. I laughed out load as well as cried in public which to my embarrassment was captured by strangers.
I was fully emerged in the story which was executed perfectly with a balance of laughter and tears... which I rarely shed I may add! The story was so perfectly executed along with characters I wanted to get to know, they’re troubles became mine, their tears shed through me and the outcome even though sad was described with the perfect balance of heartache as well as a happy conclusion.
I’m not sure I can verbally describe how good this debut is but I urge anyone reading this review to go and read it for yourself. It’s a novel everyone should read.
Emma Cooper is a novelist to watch!
June 13, 2019
Oh my word, this one is beautiful. It's unusual, funny, quirky ... and then just when I think I'm in for an easy, light, fun ride, it broke my heart well and truly. If you love books that are warmly written, with super real characters, and a tragic but uplifting storyline, this is totally for you. I read it in two days, and I'm now haunted by it. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2021
This book wasn't at all what I expected....... box of tissues would have been handy!
May 23, 2022
Se eu pudesse daria 10 estrelas, é maravilhoso perfeito, penso que poderiam fazer um filme com essa história, um daqueles músicais. Toda a história me fez refletir sobre a família que tenho o quanto é apaixonante esse amor e todos os detalhes que nos tornam uma família!!!
O primeiro parágrafo já é muito top.
"Nossa vida - não importa o que aconteça entre o início e o fim - começa e termina com uma batida do coração: nosso próprio ritmo, nossa própria música. Uma música pode subir e descer como o ar em nossos pulmões; pode começar com uma única e solitária nota e então se expandir a cada verso: uma família de sons. Para mim, porém, uma música tem um significado mais profundo."
E depois ela contando as situações de vergonha que passava por cantar e dançar quando lidava com situações de stress kkkk eu ri muito tive que contar esse primeiro capítulo p/ família toda rir comigo !!!!
Adorei que cada capítulo conta com narrações dos próprios personagens!
A parte da Rose mostra o quanto ela se sente envergonhada e constrangida pelo problema da mãe, tem situações engraçadas o tempo todo, mas a gente sente o quanto deve ser difícil p/ elas tbm.
Depois Melody conta sua relação com sua mãe, e tbm entende um pouco de mágoa, a mãe dela foi durante toda a vida distante. Entretanto ela a reconhece como uma boa mãe e ótima avó.
Flyn o filho da 16 anos tbm narra sua história é muito guerreiro, e toda a sua história de vida até o momento o torna maduro, afinal ter sofrido um acidente com 5 anos, que o fez perder a visaão e ficar com uma cicatriz enorme, depois o pai desaparecer e ainda ter uma mãe um tanto quanto "doida" sim o torna um jovem mega notável!!! É o que Melody fala e expõe na reunião quando é chamada na escola de Flyn para reclamarem dele.
Melody é chamada novamente nas escolas dos filhos, Rose nunca fez nada que pudesse ser chamada mas dessa vez roubou dinheiro de caridade para encontrar o pai. Apesar de tudo, Melody se sai muito bem lutando pelos filhos apesar de dar vários shows de canto e dança, pede uma semana para que possa resolver o problema dos filhos. Então ela resolve que irá atrás do "possível" marido, o qual Rose diza ter encontrado, um homem com características muito similares ao pai.
A forma como Melody apresenta a família e o valor que isso tem é sem sombra de dúvida linda de mais...
"... Atrás de mim posso ouvir as crianças assumindo seus papéis: Flynn pondo a mesa, Rose pegando os pratos e servindo nos copos a Coca diet comprada na promoção. Isso me faz sorrir: a garantia do familiar, uma rotina de componentes banais que, quando reunidos, podem envolver você em um manto de estabilidade. Imagine que um só desses componentes seja arrancado da sua vida: tire a comida e o que lê sobra é a fome, tire a casa e você fica sem o aconchego, tire os filhos e lhe falta amor. Tire o marido e o que lhe resta é um buraco escancarado."
Sim isso é a família!!!
Eles pegam o trem e tudo vai bem, uma parte me chama atenção quando umas garotas ficam com gracinha para Flyn até perceberem a cicatriz e o olharem com piedade, a forma como Melody descreve esse momento é interessante nunca analisei o sentimento de piedade por esse prisma...
"As garotas agora olham abertamente em sua direção... Flynn se vira para mim e pede uma bebida. O amor que sinto por ele se multiplica quando as garotas veem ao seu lado esquerdo. Os sorrisos de flerte se transforma em choque e em seguida em piedade. A piedade é a mais ofensiva das emoções. Ela desafia sua própria definição. Em vez de transmitir um sentimento de camaradagem ou apoio, ela inflige dor e julgamento. A piedade evoca um rosto aflito, o sorriso triste e esperançoso, o toque no braço que diz "aguenta firmeza". Piedade - sinto o sabor da palavra com desprezo enquanto vejo o sentimento cruzar o rosto das garotas como uma infecção. A essa altura o olhar dele é apunhalado por ela. A piedade se enterra como uma faca que ele arranca, descarta e desconsidera..."
Depois disso o trem da um problema e Melody não consegue evitar dar um show cantando e dançando Don't stop me now do Queen, o que causa diversão mas eles são chamados atenção pois essa conduta não é aceita conforme as normas e Flynn briga por sua mãe, o que os faz perder o trem...
Por fim chegam ao local que tinha que chegar, vão a delegacia questionar informação sobre o homem ...
Depois vão ao hospital onde o tinham localizado, lá a Melody vê a pulseirinha que ele usava .... E suas ideias e conhecimento entram em conflito como podia ser ???
Depois do hospital eles vão p/ shopping onde o possível "pai" havia desmaiado. E a medida que Melody vai ficando mais tensa, novos shows vai fazendo... Até que vê uma pomba esculpida por ele e tem certeza que ele está vivo. Vão até uma loja onde vendia outras esculturas dele e chegam ao nome do escultor que era outro e não o dele. Quando voltam p/ hotel Rose faz uma busca no Facebook e encontra o perfil, constatam ser realmente seu pai. Então a decepção é geral, se ele está vivo então os abandonou?
Eu fiquei pensando como em nenhum momento eles podiam pensar que ele sofreu algum acidente e perdeu a memória? Eu sempre otimista tento ver sempre o lado bom. Porém eles tem tanto sofrimento, são 11 anos, é compreensível que não nutrem o melhor sentimento em relação a isso.
Eles decidem ir embora .
As crises da Melody só pioram, ela narra quando está trabalhando como passadeira e sua patroa pede que ela assine uns documentos e se passe por ela, pois sua mãe teve um infarto e ela precisava vê-la. Ela fica e como a sua chefe tinha deixado ela vai tomar um banho de banheira, mas nesse momento chega Shane, o professor de artes de seu filho e tbm marido da sua chefe e ela nem sabia. Eles conversam e quando ela ia embora recebe chamada de Tom/Dev. Daí desmaia.
Em casa quando dorme Melody tem gritado o que tem tirado o sono de Flynn e Rose e tbm assustado os vizinhos que acabaram chamando a polícia.
Em outra ocasião ela achou que estava mandando mensagem de áudio p/ Tom, mas enviou p/ Flynn um áudio dela cantando Hello de Lionel Richie, o que pegou mal com os amigos que escutaram, ele acaba brigando com eles e chega com a mão sangrando junto com Shane em sua casa.
Melody decide encontrar Tom, indo a uma exposição de artes. Então se arruma e fica em um hotel próximo. Antes do horário da exposição Tom a vê e vai ao seu encontro em uma lanchonete. Ela se dá conta que ele não se lembra dela.
Ou seja, perdeu a memória. Exatamente como eu desconfiava.
Depois começa um novo capítulo com a narração de Tom. É sensacional e muito linda, a forma como ele descreve o sentimento quando vê a Melody.
" Quando a toquei, eu sabia qual seria a sensação. Sabia que a palma da sua mão se encaixaria na minha perfeitamente, sabia que seu cabelo teria cheiro de maçã. Sabia que meu destino era ficar com você. Amei o subir e descer da sua respiração e o aroma de pêssego em seu hálito e o modo como você sorria timidamente, como se conhecesse uma piada secreta sobre mim."
O momento que ela vai a exposição e vê a escultura da Estabilidade, é maravilhoso, quando ela começa a cantar e a forma como Tom descreve tudo isso é de uma sensibilidade linda de mais.
Melody oculta seu verdadeiro nome, diz que se chama Melissa e eles vivem uns dias de amor na casa/chalé onde o Dev/Tom vive, em dado momento ele diz que não se lembra de nada de seu passado, apenas de 11 anos p/ frente, depois conta sobre o pesadelo que tem com um menino com metade do rosto. Melody algumas vezes tenta falar porque precisa voltar mas não consegue, até que ele com dor de cabeça, enquanto ela dorme e grita, procura um remédio e encontra a bolsa dela, daí encontra a foto de Flynn e se dá conta que ele é o menino que sonha sempre, quando ela acorda ele questiona quem é ela. No que eles iriam talvez começar a conversar Melody recebe uma chamada de sua mãe dizendo que Rose tentou se matar. Ela volta desesperada e no caminho acaba tendo suas crises de canto e dança e ofende os seguranças e polícias do metrô. Vai presa mas depois vai para o hospital em que está sua família pois é dada como louca ...
Depois de saírem do hospital, Rose e Melody ficam bem. Melody resolve não contar as crianças sobre Tom, e tbm resolve fazer ressonância pois desconfia de cancer, mas tbm não conta nada.
Flynn narra sobre seu envolvimento com Kate a menina que conheceu no trem indo em busca do pai, e detalha como vê a Tom e depois deixa recado no hotel em que ele estava.
Tom por sua vez tenta resgatar o passado e ir atrás do menino da foto, mas retorna quando recebe a carta de Flynn.
Depois do passeio do balão com as crianças onde passa mal Melody conta sobre o cancer.
Sigo pensando e buscando se não tem um filme com a história desse livro. Penso que a Jenifer Aniston seria a personagem Melody perfeita.
As crianças vão atrás do pai, Flynn sem querer ouve a conversa da mãe com Shane e descobre que a mãe tinha encontrado ele e que o pai perdera a memória. Entao no dia que Melody passaria por um procedimento para análise do tumor ele foge durante a noite e vai com a namorada atrás do pai. A irmã dele tenta cobrir a barra, eles tinham ficado aos cuidados de Jô a mulher p/ quem a mãe trabalhava e era ex de Shane. Mas ela acaba descobrindo da fuga de Flynn e junto com Rose vão as duas encontrar o casal. As crianças conhecem o pai e explicam tudo o que acontece.
É uma cena linda, cheia de emoções guardadas e descobertas de ambos os lados. Aliás o livro todo é cheio de emoções
Por fim Tom vai com as crianças, "Sua família" que acaba de descobrir que tem, em busca de Melody e de viver o tempo perdido.
Melody tenta mostrar que está bem, mas a intensidade de seu problema já mostra duramente que não será fácil.
Eles vivem um dia de família em um passeio ao parque e depois cinema ao ar livre, dia lindo, revivendo memórias do passado p/ ver o que Tom podia lembrar.
No dia seguinte Tom acompanha Mel ao retorno do médico e descobrem que ela tem um tumor grande e precisará fazer cirurgia de retirada que pode tirar a vida ou se nao talvez deixe sequelas, e tbm o médico disse que se Tom pretende ajudar precisa procurar médico para ver o problema da memória.
Quando retornam e contam p/s crianças Flynn fica revoltado e sai, Rose sobe e Melody preocupada com o que ela pode fazer não a deixa fechar a porta. Melody conta p/ Tom os problemas que enfrentam com eles. Quando Flynn retorna vem com Shane ele tinha batido em um colega que tinha feito comentario idiota. Tom então repreende o rapaz e indica que ele irá assumir uma postura diferente ainda que não saiba muito como fazer.
Um tempo depois chega o dia da cirurgia, e mais uma vez é cheio de emoções, eu chorei muito claro, eles cortam os cabelos carecas em apoio a Melody.
O câncer é cruel, mas tem todo um ensinamento e resgate por trás.
Os momentos finais de Melody são muito lindos e tristes.
O casamento que eles fizeram e cada imagem e escultura preparada com amor, com certeza ela teve uma despedida Feliz. Partiu com as certeza e a satisfação de saber que sua missão estava cumprida.
Os filhos ficaram aos cuidados do pai, que se redescobria e a Melody permanecia viva em suas recordações que multas vezes ele tinha como flashes.
Enfim, este livro merecia estrelas infinitas...
O primeiro parágrafo já é muito top.
"Nossa vida - não importa o que aconteça entre o início e o fim - começa e termina com uma batida do coração: nosso próprio ritmo, nossa própria música. Uma música pode subir e descer como o ar em nossos pulmões; pode começar com uma única e solitária nota e então se expandir a cada verso: uma família de sons. Para mim, porém, uma música tem um significado mais profundo."
E depois ela contando as situações de vergonha que passava por cantar e dançar quando lidava com situações de stress kkkk eu ri muito tive que contar esse primeiro capítulo p/ família toda rir comigo !!!!
Adorei que cada capítulo conta com narrações dos próprios personagens!
A parte da Rose mostra o quanto ela se sente envergonhada e constrangida pelo problema da mãe, tem situações engraçadas o tempo todo, mas a gente sente o quanto deve ser difícil p/ elas tbm.
Depois Melody conta sua relação com sua mãe, e tbm entende um pouco de mágoa, a mãe dela foi durante toda a vida distante. Entretanto ela a reconhece como uma boa mãe e ótima avó.
Flyn o filho da 16 anos tbm narra sua história é muito guerreiro, e toda a sua história de vida até o momento o torna maduro, afinal ter sofrido um acidente com 5 anos, que o fez perder a visaão e ficar com uma cicatriz enorme, depois o pai desaparecer e ainda ter uma mãe um tanto quanto "doida" sim o torna um jovem mega notável!!! É o que Melody fala e expõe na reunião quando é chamada na escola de Flyn para reclamarem dele.
Melody é chamada novamente nas escolas dos filhos, Rose nunca fez nada que pudesse ser chamada mas dessa vez roubou dinheiro de caridade para encontrar o pai. Apesar de tudo, Melody se sai muito bem lutando pelos filhos apesar de dar vários shows de canto e dança, pede uma semana para que possa resolver o problema dos filhos. Então ela resolve que irá atrás do "possível" marido, o qual Rose diza ter encontrado, um homem com características muito similares ao pai.
A forma como Melody apresenta a família e o valor que isso tem é sem sombra de dúvida linda de mais...
"... Atrás de mim posso ouvir as crianças assumindo seus papéis: Flynn pondo a mesa, Rose pegando os pratos e servindo nos copos a Coca diet comprada na promoção. Isso me faz sorrir: a garantia do familiar, uma rotina de componentes banais que, quando reunidos, podem envolver você em um manto de estabilidade. Imagine que um só desses componentes seja arrancado da sua vida: tire a comida e o que lê sobra é a fome, tire a casa e você fica sem o aconchego, tire os filhos e lhe falta amor. Tire o marido e o que lhe resta é um buraco escancarado."
Sim isso é a família!!!
Eles pegam o trem e tudo vai bem, uma parte me chama atenção quando umas garotas ficam com gracinha para Flyn até perceberem a cicatriz e o olharem com piedade, a forma como Melody descreve esse momento é interessante nunca analisei o sentimento de piedade por esse prisma...
"As garotas agora olham abertamente em sua direção... Flynn se vira para mim e pede uma bebida. O amor que sinto por ele se multiplica quando as garotas veem ao seu lado esquerdo. Os sorrisos de flerte se transforma em choque e em seguida em piedade. A piedade é a mais ofensiva das emoções. Ela desafia sua própria definição. Em vez de transmitir um sentimento de camaradagem ou apoio, ela inflige dor e julgamento. A piedade evoca um rosto aflito, o sorriso triste e esperançoso, o toque no braço que diz "aguenta firmeza". Piedade - sinto o sabor da palavra com desprezo enquanto vejo o sentimento cruzar o rosto das garotas como uma infecção. A essa altura o olhar dele é apunhalado por ela. A piedade se enterra como uma faca que ele arranca, descarta e desconsidera..."
Depois disso o trem da um problema e Melody não consegue evitar dar um show cantando e dançando Don't stop me now do Queen, o que causa diversão mas eles são chamados atenção pois essa conduta não é aceita conforme as normas e Flynn briga por sua mãe, o que os faz perder o trem...
Por fim chegam ao local que tinha que chegar, vão a delegacia questionar informação sobre o homem ...
Depois vão ao hospital onde o tinham localizado, lá a Melody vê a pulseirinha que ele usava .... E suas ideias e conhecimento entram em conflito como podia ser ???
Depois do hospital eles vão p/ shopping onde o possível "pai" havia desmaiado. E a medida que Melody vai ficando mais tensa, novos shows vai fazendo... Até que vê uma pomba esculpida por ele e tem certeza que ele está vivo. Vão até uma loja onde vendia outras esculturas dele e chegam ao nome do escultor que era outro e não o dele. Quando voltam p/ hotel Rose faz uma busca no Facebook e encontra o perfil, constatam ser realmente seu pai. Então a decepção é geral, se ele está vivo então os abandonou?
Eu fiquei pensando como em nenhum momento eles podiam pensar que ele sofreu algum acidente e perdeu a memória? Eu sempre otimista tento ver sempre o lado bom. Porém eles tem tanto sofrimento, são 11 anos, é compreensível que não nutrem o melhor sentimento em relação a isso.
Eles decidem ir embora .
As crises da Melody só pioram, ela narra quando está trabalhando como passadeira e sua patroa pede que ela assine uns documentos e se passe por ela, pois sua mãe teve um infarto e ela precisava vê-la. Ela fica e como a sua chefe tinha deixado ela vai tomar um banho de banheira, mas nesse momento chega Shane, o professor de artes de seu filho e tbm marido da sua chefe e ela nem sabia. Eles conversam e quando ela ia embora recebe chamada de Tom/Dev. Daí desmaia.
Em casa quando dorme Melody tem gritado o que tem tirado o sono de Flynn e Rose e tbm assustado os vizinhos que acabaram chamando a polícia.
Em outra ocasião ela achou que estava mandando mensagem de áudio p/ Tom, mas enviou p/ Flynn um áudio dela cantando Hello de Lionel Richie, o que pegou mal com os amigos que escutaram, ele acaba brigando com eles e chega com a mão sangrando junto com Shane em sua casa.
Melody decide encontrar Tom, indo a uma exposição de artes. Então se arruma e fica em um hotel próximo. Antes do horário da exposição Tom a vê e vai ao seu encontro em uma lanchonete. Ela se dá conta que ele não se lembra dela.
Ou seja, perdeu a memória. Exatamente como eu desconfiava.
Depois começa um novo capítulo com a narração de Tom. É sensacional e muito linda, a forma como ele descreve o sentimento quando vê a Melody.
" Quando a toquei, eu sabia qual seria a sensação. Sabia que a palma da sua mão se encaixaria na minha perfeitamente, sabia que seu cabelo teria cheiro de maçã. Sabia que meu destino era ficar com você. Amei o subir e descer da sua respiração e o aroma de pêssego em seu hálito e o modo como você sorria timidamente, como se conhecesse uma piada secreta sobre mim."
O momento que ela vai a exposição e vê a escultura da Estabilidade, é maravilhoso, quando ela começa a cantar e a forma como Tom descreve tudo isso é de uma sensibilidade linda de mais.
Melody oculta seu verdadeiro nome, diz que se chama Melissa e eles vivem uns dias de amor na casa/chalé onde o Dev/Tom vive, em dado momento ele diz que não se lembra de nada de seu passado, apenas de 11 anos p/ frente, depois conta sobre o pesadelo que tem com um menino com metade do rosto. Melody algumas vezes tenta falar porque precisa voltar mas não consegue, até que ele com dor de cabeça, enquanto ela dorme e grita, procura um remédio e encontra a bolsa dela, daí encontra a foto de Flynn e se dá conta que ele é o menino que sonha sempre, quando ela acorda ele questiona quem é ela. No que eles iriam talvez começar a conversar Melody recebe uma chamada de sua mãe dizendo que Rose tentou se matar. Ela volta desesperada e no caminho acaba tendo suas crises de canto e dança e ofende os seguranças e polícias do metrô. Vai presa mas depois vai para o hospital em que está sua família pois é dada como louca ...
Depois de saírem do hospital, Rose e Melody ficam bem. Melody resolve não contar as crianças sobre Tom, e tbm resolve fazer ressonância pois desconfia de cancer, mas tbm não conta nada.
Flynn narra sobre seu envolvimento com Kate a menina que conheceu no trem indo em busca do pai, e detalha como vê a Tom e depois deixa recado no hotel em que ele estava.
Tom por sua vez tenta resgatar o passado e ir atrás do menino da foto, mas retorna quando recebe a carta de Flynn.
Depois do passeio do balão com as crianças onde passa mal Melody conta sobre o cancer.
Sigo pensando e buscando se não tem um filme com a história desse livro. Penso que a Jenifer Aniston seria a personagem Melody perfeita.
As crianças vão atrás do pai, Flynn sem querer ouve a conversa da mãe com Shane e descobre que a mãe tinha encontrado ele e que o pai perdera a memória. Entao no dia que Melody passaria por um procedimento para análise do tumor ele foge durante a noite e vai com a namorada atrás do pai. A irmã dele tenta cobrir a barra, eles tinham ficado aos cuidados de Jô a mulher p/ quem a mãe trabalhava e era ex de Shane. Mas ela acaba descobrindo da fuga de Flynn e junto com Rose vão as duas encontrar o casal. As crianças conhecem o pai e explicam tudo o que acontece.
É uma cena linda, cheia de emoções guardadas e descobertas de ambos os lados. Aliás o livro todo é cheio de emoções
Por fim Tom vai com as crianças, "Sua família" que acaba de descobrir que tem, em busca de Melody e de viver o tempo perdido.
Melody tenta mostrar que está bem, mas a intensidade de seu problema já mostra duramente que não será fácil.
Eles vivem um dia de família em um passeio ao parque e depois cinema ao ar livre, dia lindo, revivendo memórias do passado p/ ver o que Tom podia lembrar.
No dia seguinte Tom acompanha Mel ao retorno do médico e descobrem que ela tem um tumor grande e precisará fazer cirurgia de retirada que pode tirar a vida ou se nao talvez deixe sequelas, e tbm o médico disse que se Tom pretende ajudar precisa procurar médico para ver o problema da memória.
Quando retornam e contam p/s crianças Flynn fica revoltado e sai, Rose sobe e Melody preocupada com o que ela pode fazer não a deixa fechar a porta. Melody conta p/ Tom os problemas que enfrentam com eles. Quando Flynn retorna vem com Shane ele tinha batido em um colega que tinha feito comentario idiota. Tom então repreende o rapaz e indica que ele irá assumir uma postura diferente ainda que não saiba muito como fazer.
Um tempo depois chega o dia da cirurgia, e mais uma vez é cheio de emoções, eu chorei muito claro, eles cortam os cabelos carecas em apoio a Melody.
O câncer é cruel, mas tem todo um ensinamento e resgate por trás.
Os momentos finais de Melody são muito lindos e tristes.
O casamento que eles fizeram e cada imagem e escultura preparada com amor, com certeza ela teve uma despedida Feliz. Partiu com as certeza e a satisfação de saber que sua missão estava cumprida.
Os filhos ficaram aos cuidados do pai, que se redescobria e a Melody permanecia viva em suas recordações que multas vezes ele tinha como flashes.
Enfim, este livro merecia estrelas infinitas...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2022
Well I have been reading a lot of trauma filled books recently and this was no exception, but I thoroughly enjoyed this despite it and because of it.
Melody slips on some ice and is left with a rather strange tick of singing random songs when she gets nervous, her husband has vanished and she is left to raise her two children on her own.
I loved Melody's character and how strong she was throughout and let me tell you she goes through ALOT in this book. So many CW I don't even know where to start.
The dual narrative let's us spend time with her children in turn and her missing husband and it was good to be able to see his side, but also how every affects the kids too.
Emma Cooper is a fabulous writer and always has such great imagination with the themes of her books, highly recommend this one.
Melody slips on some ice and is left with a rather strange tick of singing random songs when she gets nervous, her husband has vanished and she is left to raise her two children on her own.
I loved Melody's character and how strong she was throughout and let me tell you she goes through ALOT in this book. So many CW I don't even know where to start.
The dual narrative let's us spend time with her children in turn and her missing husband and it was good to be able to see his side, but also how every affects the kids too.
Emma Cooper is a fabulous writer and always has such great imagination with the themes of her books, highly recommend this one.
March 31, 2021
Mart ayını chick lit tarzı kitapla bitirmek istedim. Yazarın bizde çevrilen ilk kitabı, kitabın kapağına aşık oldum ve sırf o sebeple kitaba şans vermek istedim.
Bir hevesle başladım kitaba ama tamamen hayal kırıklığına uğradım.
Melody’nin kocası kaza geçirerek ölüyor; iki çocuğuyla baş başa kalan Melody de ilerleyen yıllarda buzda başını çarpması sonucu gergin zamanlarda yüksek sesle şarkılar söylemeye başlıyor.
Melody sık sık gergin ortamlarda bulunduğu için de genelde kendini şarkı söylerken bularak utanç verici durumlarda kalıyor.
Kitabı zar zor bitirdim, kurgunun içine girmekte zorlandım. Okumasam da olurmuş diyebileceğim bir kitaptı.
Bir hevesle başladım kitaba ama tamamen hayal kırıklığına uğradım.
Melody’nin kocası kaza geçirerek ölüyor; iki çocuğuyla baş başa kalan Melody de ilerleyen yıllarda buzda başını çarpması sonucu gergin zamanlarda yüksek sesle şarkılar söylemeye başlıyor.
Melody sık sık gergin ortamlarda bulunduğu için de genelde kendini şarkı söylerken bularak utanç verici durumlarda kalıyor.
Kitabı zar zor bitirdim, kurgunun içine girmekte zorlandım. Okumasam da olurmuş diyebileceğim bir kitaptı.
January 4, 2020
I cried. I really did. I cried and I had to take at least forty-eight hours before writing my review because my words just wouldn’t come out properly and I really needed to think. So I truly hope that I do this book justice. Firstly, I am truly honoured that this book kick-started my 2020 reading. It’s been on my Kindle for quite a while and was part of my reading goals for 2020 – to read more of what I already own, whilst also making sure I keep up with my reviewing tasks. I needed to treat myself to a book that I wanted to read to start the year off – rather than one that was awesome but that I was reading to a reviewing deadline. This was perfect for that.
Emma writes powerfully – she has equal doses of humour and devastation in her writing. She will have you laughing at one paragraph and distraught by the next. She will have you reading for several hours straight just to get to the end of the book and find out what happens – at the same time you will be absolutely devastated that it’s over.
Massive themes are explored within this book, from single-parenting to loss, discovery to grief, personal struggles and family trauma – Emma traverses all of these with an immense talent for words, for phrasing and for painting characters you will absolutely adore. If this is on your list to read this year, bump it up, you won’t regret it.
Emma writes powerfully – she has equal doses of humour and devastation in her writing. She will have you laughing at one paragraph and distraught by the next. She will have you reading for several hours straight just to get to the end of the book and find out what happens – at the same time you will be absolutely devastated that it’s over.
Massive themes are explored within this book, from single-parenting to loss, discovery to grief, personal struggles and family trauma – Emma traverses all of these with an immense talent for words, for phrasing and for painting characters you will absolutely adore. If this is on your list to read this year, bump it up, you won’t regret it.
January 12, 2020
Chick-lit on steroids, this is an intriguing read with quite some depth to it. Minus two stars because I found the writing style slightly too frenetic to be truly enjoyable, though I'm well aware this is probably a personal thing rather than a 'reader beware'.
March 9, 2020
5 BIG STARS! I'm in tears literally! I was not waiting for this outcome it broke me! I'm feeling numb! I just have to thanks to this amazing author, it was so beautifully written ♡
June 29, 2018
I would like to thank the author and publisher for sending me an ARC copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Where does one begin? I can say I went in to this book without a real expectation for what the story would entail. Let's get that out of the way - I didn't read the description but I had a longing for a book that would connect. I've felt a wee bit Debbie Downerish lately because I've been left disappointed and thinking of all the bits and bobs I would redo in my previous reads.
Well, Emma Cooper, bravo because you gave me my first book hangover of 2018, MAYBE even 2017. I've been shouting about this book over on Twitter for the past three weeks and I am not ashamed of my fangirl actions.
To start, I adore the cover art and follow this particular designer closely. After reading the book, the simplicity, the colors, everything really represents and encapsulates the story beautifully. Bravo for the packaging!
Now, to the beautiful interior words (and I will do my review spoiler free).
Emma really has a talent for writing realistic but descriptive, fluid but funny, quirky but not overdone prose. I found myself highlighting sentences frequently because they were just beautiful, which one might not expect from a book that many may classify as light reading, chick-lit, etc (at least on my side of the pond). Descriptions of items, the carry through on action, and even the dialogue was as smooth as a soft flowing river and I could not turn the pages fast enough.
One of the reasons I connected with this book was Melody and her accident. Eight years ago, my father had a near death accident that left him with severe neurological injuries including a loss of short term memory and some out of of character actions. My dad has always been brainy, full of trivia, and my Jeopardy partner. Watching him learn to redo some basic actions or not remember that he ate only an hour before was difficult. We often forget that those close to us have these neurological injuries because they're hidden. I was able to connect with both of Melody's children - I've felt the frustration and embarrassment as well as the acceptance of it's just a new condition.
While my father didn't break out in random song at inopportune times, music was a huge part of his therapy and playing the "Who sang it?" game helped him with his recovery to a point we didn't think he'd get to. I imagined Melody using the music that just burst forth from her at some of the most awkward times (but with the most perfect songs) as a way to express her emotions or to find the words that were suppressed. I can't imagine a more perfect way to express these slips in recognition as music, songs, and lyrics mean so much to so many of us.
Now, with my personal connection out of the way, each character is on their own journey even when a very large journey involves all of them. The pain, frustration, and sadness was palpable. Melody's moment of recognition in a café was brilliant and showed how painstakingly developed the secondary characters, subplots, and side details were. Reading through the pieces that connected perfectly made me wonder if Emma's plot room looked like one of the rooms in murder mysteries where the wall is covered in details connected through color coded string. The small introductions of important details weren't harsh, in your face, or screamed at you to notice them - they just fell in to place and only appeared when you needed to realize you had this information.
This may be the American side of me, but I feel that I have to be completely honest with my review and say there were a few (very few) parts that made me cringe slightly. This is probably because of production work I've done with sensitivity readers and diverse authors. Full disclaimer that everything is subjective and I do realize that you cannot PC the real conversations out of every book. Therefore, this did not impact my overall rating. For example (not word for word as the book is not in front of me at the moment): "Mom, you're going to turn me gay," said by the son in the car after one of Melody's song outbreaks. I'm fairly sure this would be edited out of a US edition, and while I don't want to be seen as oversensitive or nitpicky, I feel it's only fair to mention a cringe for me in my otherwise glowing review.
I cannot say enough good things about this book and I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to read a copy in advance. This is a book that I will likely read again and probably notice even more beautiful pieces to rave about.
Where does one begin? I can say I went in to this book without a real expectation for what the story would entail. Let's get that out of the way - I didn't read the description but I had a longing for a book that would connect. I've felt a wee bit Debbie Downerish lately because I've been left disappointed and thinking of all the bits and bobs I would redo in my previous reads.
Well, Emma Cooper, bravo because you gave me my first book hangover of 2018, MAYBE even 2017. I've been shouting about this book over on Twitter for the past three weeks and I am not ashamed of my fangirl actions.
To start, I adore the cover art and follow this particular designer closely. After reading the book, the simplicity, the colors, everything really represents and encapsulates the story beautifully. Bravo for the packaging!
Now, to the beautiful interior words (and I will do my review spoiler free).
Emma really has a talent for writing realistic but descriptive, fluid but funny, quirky but not overdone prose. I found myself highlighting sentences frequently because they were just beautiful, which one might not expect from a book that many may classify as light reading, chick-lit, etc (at least on my side of the pond). Descriptions of items, the carry through on action, and even the dialogue was as smooth as a soft flowing river and I could not turn the pages fast enough.
One of the reasons I connected with this book was Melody and her accident. Eight years ago, my father had a near death accident that left him with severe neurological injuries including a loss of short term memory and some out of of character actions. My dad has always been brainy, full of trivia, and my Jeopardy partner. Watching him learn to redo some basic actions or not remember that he ate only an hour before was difficult. We often forget that those close to us have these neurological injuries because they're hidden. I was able to connect with both of Melody's children - I've felt the frustration and embarrassment as well as the acceptance of it's just a new condition.
While my father didn't break out in random song at inopportune times, music was a huge part of his therapy and playing the "Who sang it?" game helped him with his recovery to a point we didn't think he'd get to. I imagined Melody using the music that just burst forth from her at some of the most awkward times (but with the most perfect songs) as a way to express her emotions or to find the words that were suppressed. I can't imagine a more perfect way to express these slips in recognition as music, songs, and lyrics mean so much to so many of us.
Now, with my personal connection out of the way, each character is on their own journey even when a very large journey involves all of them. The pain, frustration, and sadness was palpable. Melody's moment of recognition in a café was brilliant and showed how painstakingly developed the secondary characters, subplots, and side details were. Reading through the pieces that connected perfectly made me wonder if Emma's plot room looked like one of the rooms in murder mysteries where the wall is covered in details connected through color coded string. The small introductions of important details weren't harsh, in your face, or screamed at you to notice them - they just fell in to place and only appeared when you needed to realize you had this information.
This may be the American side of me, but I feel that I have to be completely honest with my review and say there were a few (very few) parts that made me cringe slightly. This is probably because of production work I've done with sensitivity readers and diverse authors. Full disclaimer that everything is subjective and I do realize that you cannot PC the real conversations out of every book. Therefore, this did not impact my overall rating. For example (not word for word as the book is not in front of me at the moment): "Mom, you're going to turn me gay," said by the son in the car after one of Melody's song outbreaks. I'm fairly sure this would be edited out of a US edition, and while I don't want to be seen as oversensitive or nitpicky, I feel it's only fair to mention a cringe for me in my otherwise glowing review.
I cannot say enough good things about this book and I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to read a copy in advance. This is a book that I will likely read again and probably notice even more beautiful pieces to rave about.
September 23, 2023
Loved this book with its interesting storyline and warm characters. Was reading this book on a plane and had to stop as tears started running down my face at a particularly emotional part.
April 2, 2018
Wow this book has it all and more. It is darkly comic, mystery of a family saga type of book. That has you racing through the pages of the book and has you loving the book for the beginning to the very end.
Emma writes so sensitively and beautifully. As she has you feeling for the characters and wanting to reach through the pages to give them a much needed hug.
It had me laughing and crying in equal measures and I certainly will be looking out for more by this author in the future.
Emma writes so sensitively and beautifully. As she has you feeling for the characters and wanting to reach through the pages to give them a much needed hug.
It had me laughing and crying in equal measures and I certainly will be looking out for more by this author in the future.
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