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Escapement
***WINNER — 2018 National Indie Excellence Award ***
*** WINNER — 2018 Best Indie Book Award***
***WINNER — 2018 IPPY Book Award***
***WINNER — 2018 IndieReader Discovery Award***
***FINALIST — 2018 IAN Best Book of the Year Award***
From the bestselling author of THE WAY, hailed by O, The OPRAH Magazine as, "A Title to Pick Up Now!"
"There is no better tribute to the...passions of the heart than this enchanting novel...very highly recommended for those who love music, life, and stories of complex blossoming truths which lead to an unexpected crescendo of emotional power." —Midwest Book Review
""Every now and then someone writes something that...leaves you shaking your head in wonder at the skillful storytelling, the use of language, and the depth of characters. This is one such book."
—CURVE Magazine
"I loved this book so very much. From the plot, to the characters, to the sheer beauty of the writing this was a perfectly composed novel."
—Honestly Austen
“Tortured...emotional...passionate.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Cristofer Vaughn's star is poised to rise. Everyone expects the dashing and gifted composer to soar to the heights of musical genius—an expectation that terrifies the young artist as much as it drives him.
Walking into the fire with Cristofer is his housekeeper, Henri, a passionate and handsome young woman who takes pleasure in dressing as a man. Tending to her famed employer’s domestic needs, Henri crafts a carefree life of routine and diversion behind which she hides the truth of a dark and tragic past. Possessed herself of an extraordinary musical gift, she loyally steers her employer through the tempestuous trials of his artistic and romantic pursuits—while carefully guarding his most closely-held secret.
But Henri’s deceptively simple life is ripped apart when a wealthy and ruthless patron grants Cristofer a spectacular commission, then unwittingly hires Henri—whom he believes to be male—to give piano lessons to his alluring wife, Ava.
The tension intensifies as Cristofer struggles to create music of epic proportions while Henri’s heart is swept away by Ava and a love more powerful than any she has ever imagined possible.
The ensuing entanglements rise to a dangerous pitch when Cristofer's patron catches wind of a perverse duplicity within his circle and quickly mobilizes his henchmen to target the threat. Soon the only hope for Cristofer and Henri’s survival depends on one publicly exposing the other’s hidden truth—an act that would defy the bonds of love and friendship and bring all their lives crashing down.
Will Henri sacrifice her heart to stop the oncoming tragedy? Or will she find a way to save both her friend—and her truest love?
*** WINNER — 2018 Best Indie Book Award***
***WINNER — 2018 IPPY Book Award***
***WINNER — 2018 IndieReader Discovery Award***
***FINALIST — 2018 IAN Best Book of the Year Award***
From the bestselling author of THE WAY, hailed by O, The OPRAH Magazine as, "A Title to Pick Up Now!"
"There is no better tribute to the...passions of the heart than this enchanting novel...very highly recommended for those who love music, life, and stories of complex blossoming truths which lead to an unexpected crescendo of emotional power." —Midwest Book Review
""Every now and then someone writes something that...leaves you shaking your head in wonder at the skillful storytelling, the use of language, and the depth of characters. This is one such book."
—CURVE Magazine
"I loved this book so very much. From the plot, to the characters, to the sheer beauty of the writing this was a perfectly composed novel."
—Honestly Austen
“Tortured...emotional...passionate.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Cristofer Vaughn's star is poised to rise. Everyone expects the dashing and gifted composer to soar to the heights of musical genius—an expectation that terrifies the young artist as much as it drives him.
Walking into the fire with Cristofer is his housekeeper, Henri, a passionate and handsome young woman who takes pleasure in dressing as a man. Tending to her famed employer’s domestic needs, Henri crafts a carefree life of routine and diversion behind which she hides the truth of a dark and tragic past. Possessed herself of an extraordinary musical gift, she loyally steers her employer through the tempestuous trials of his artistic and romantic pursuits—while carefully guarding his most closely-held secret.
But Henri’s deceptively simple life is ripped apart when a wealthy and ruthless patron grants Cristofer a spectacular commission, then unwittingly hires Henri—whom he believes to be male—to give piano lessons to his alluring wife, Ava.
The tension intensifies as Cristofer struggles to create music of epic proportions while Henri’s heart is swept away by Ava and a love more powerful than any she has ever imagined possible.
The ensuing entanglements rise to a dangerous pitch when Cristofer's patron catches wind of a perverse duplicity within his circle and quickly mobilizes his henchmen to target the threat. Soon the only hope for Cristofer and Henri’s survival depends on one publicly exposing the other’s hidden truth—an act that would defy the bonds of love and friendship and bring all their lives crashing down.
Will Henri sacrifice her heart to stop the oncoming tragedy? Or will she find a way to save both her friend—and her truest love?
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2018
475 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Wolf
4 books50 followersKristen Wolf is an award-winning author, filmmaker and producer.
Working across diverse media, she’s committed to telling the stories of daring outsiders whose lives spark change.
Wolf’s first novel, THE WAY: A Girl Who Dared to Rise, was hailed by O, The Oprah Magazine as, “A title to pick up now!” Her second novel, ESCAPEMENT: An Exquisite Tale of Love and Passion earned critical acclaim and multiple awards including the IPPY, IAN, NIEA, BIBA, LesFic Bard Award, IndieReader Discovery Award and the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award.
Wolf’s short documentary, CLUB Q: The Legendary Dance Party for Women, premiered at the Director’s Guild of America and went on to screen at festivals worldwide.
Her latest short film, SPARKLE, tells the story of a non-binary child struggling to find the perfect Father’s Day gift for their disapproving dad. The film is currently screening at festivals and was awarded Best LGBTQ+ Directed Short Film at the Phoenix Film Festival 2023.
Wolf’s producing credits include NASRIN (dir: Jeff Kaufman), I WAS BORN THIS WAY (dir: Daniel Junge, Sam Pollard), SUBJECT TO CHANGE (dir: Daniel Peddle, the 25-year follow up to the groundbreaking doc, THE AGGRESSIVES) and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway hit, A STRANGE LOOP.
Currently, she’s in pre-production on a new short film and preparing to direct her first feature, THE ADAGIO, a passionate queer love story adapted from her second novel.
Wolf serves proudly on Gamechanger Films’ NonProfit, driven by the mission to advance equity and authenticity in the entertainment industry and co-founded Women Have Wings, a grant-making organization that honors and supports courageous women activists around the globe.
Working across diverse media, she’s committed to telling the stories of daring outsiders whose lives spark change.
Wolf’s first novel, THE WAY: A Girl Who Dared to Rise, was hailed by O, The Oprah Magazine as, “A title to pick up now!” Her second novel, ESCAPEMENT: An Exquisite Tale of Love and Passion earned critical acclaim and multiple awards including the IPPY, IAN, NIEA, BIBA, LesFic Bard Award, IndieReader Discovery Award and the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award.
Wolf’s short documentary, CLUB Q: The Legendary Dance Party for Women, premiered at the Director’s Guild of America and went on to screen at festivals worldwide.
Her latest short film, SPARKLE, tells the story of a non-binary child struggling to find the perfect Father’s Day gift for their disapproving dad. The film is currently screening at festivals and was awarded Best LGBTQ+ Directed Short Film at the Phoenix Film Festival 2023.
Wolf’s producing credits include NASRIN (dir: Jeff Kaufman), I WAS BORN THIS WAY (dir: Daniel Junge, Sam Pollard), SUBJECT TO CHANGE (dir: Daniel Peddle, the 25-year follow up to the groundbreaking doc, THE AGGRESSIVES) and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway hit, A STRANGE LOOP.
Currently, she’s in pre-production on a new short film and preparing to direct her first feature, THE ADAGIO, a passionate queer love story adapted from her second novel.
Wolf serves proudly on Gamechanger Films’ NonProfit, driven by the mission to advance equity and authenticity in the entertainment industry and co-founded Women Have Wings, a grant-making organization that honors and supports courageous women activists around the globe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 9, 2018
I am absolutely floored by this book.
It's interesting that it is about music because the writing is absolute lyrical magic. This book tells the story of Henri and her relationship with a composer named Cristopher, but it is also so much more. It is a tale of true passion, not just for a person but for art and beauty. It is so beautifully written I am astonished. How have I never heard of Kristen Wolf before? I feel blessed to have read this amazing book and cannot wait to tell people.
If you love truly evocative and richly written historical fiction I highly recommend this book. This author is one to watch.
It's interesting that it is about music because the writing is absolute lyrical magic. This book tells the story of Henri and her relationship with a composer named Cristopher, but it is also so much more. It is a tale of true passion, not just for a person but for art and beauty. It is so beautifully written I am astonished. How have I never heard of Kristen Wolf before? I feel blessed to have read this amazing book and cannot wait to tell people.
If you love truly evocative and richly written historical fiction I highly recommend this book. This author is one to watch.
July 7, 2018
With her most recent richly textured and emotionally absorbing novel, Escapement Kristen Wolf illustrates her awesome ability to impart a distinctive voice to each of her women characters leading readers to an understanding of the dilemmas and ambiguities of their respective relationships through their complex psychological, sexual and philosophical mazes. Along with intense characters, Wolf intertwines music as an important theme of the narrative, which is no small undertaking, particularly when you strive, as she has masterly done, to accurately convey the emotions music conjures and the powerful persistent impact it has pertaining to her characters' lives.
Wolf employs classical music not just simply as part of the background of the story but rather as an integral element of the storyline. She even mentions within the novel's back page a few classical composers and a sampling of their music that inspired her as Johannes Brahms, Frederick Chopin, Robert Schumann and Henrietta Worth. And if you are a music connoisseur, you may even recognize another theme, the hidden role of female composers in the evolution of classical music which is often underappreciated.
The biggest reason for nestling this book in your lap are the compelling challenges the various characters face involving secrets, romance, charades, deceptions, nuances of intimate and dangerous liaisons, as well as scandals that ensnare them in complex webs.
Set during the tumultuous Romantic era, Wolf brings to life several complex characters. We have the brilliant composer Cristopher Vaughn who hopelessly yearns for Clara Thorne (you may recognize her as being Clara Schumann), the wife of his dearest friend and his most ardent supporter. Then there is the mentally ill and tormented Richard Thorne, who is willing to sacrifice his genius in order to gain the love of his wife, Clara, who is “unavailable to husband and admirer alike and desirous only of achievement.”
Above all, we have the principal narrator, Henri Worth, a female dressed up as a male, who owes her life to Cristopher and is more than his housekeeper, but rather someone who composes music under the shadow of another and has an enormous influence on his employer's music compositions. He pines for Ava, who is “the vine that tangles” everyone in the plot. “The one who yearns for Henri-a housekeeper of little means. An impossibility trapped in disguise.” Henri, a truly unique character whose astute observations reveals much about herself as well as others and allures us to root for her and succeed in overcoming the many challenges and obstacles that are thrown her way.
And we must not forget about Jacque Bertrand, husband of Ava, who is a womanizer and who holds Cristopher's musical hopes in his clutches “casting himself as music's great benefactor who is a collector of grand pianos, a connoisseur of composers, and a confidant of famed performers.”
Wolf has crafted a novel with extraordinary sensitivity and no one will deny the pleasure of her seductive prose and the skill with which she unfolds the many-layered saga, which exacts quite an emotional toll on her readers. Moreover, anyone who responds emotionally to music, in whatever form, would get something from this book. How many people would this leave out? Not too many.
Follow Here https://waa.ai/aqI1 To Read Norm's Interview With Kristen Wolf
Wolf employs classical music not just simply as part of the background of the story but rather as an integral element of the storyline. She even mentions within the novel's back page a few classical composers and a sampling of their music that inspired her as Johannes Brahms, Frederick Chopin, Robert Schumann and Henrietta Worth. And if you are a music connoisseur, you may even recognize another theme, the hidden role of female composers in the evolution of classical music which is often underappreciated.
The biggest reason for nestling this book in your lap are the compelling challenges the various characters face involving secrets, romance, charades, deceptions, nuances of intimate and dangerous liaisons, as well as scandals that ensnare them in complex webs.
Set during the tumultuous Romantic era, Wolf brings to life several complex characters. We have the brilliant composer Cristopher Vaughn who hopelessly yearns for Clara Thorne (you may recognize her as being Clara Schumann), the wife of his dearest friend and his most ardent supporter. Then there is the mentally ill and tormented Richard Thorne, who is willing to sacrifice his genius in order to gain the love of his wife, Clara, who is “unavailable to husband and admirer alike and desirous only of achievement.”
Above all, we have the principal narrator, Henri Worth, a female dressed up as a male, who owes her life to Cristopher and is more than his housekeeper, but rather someone who composes music under the shadow of another and has an enormous influence on his employer's music compositions. He pines for Ava, who is “the vine that tangles” everyone in the plot. “The one who yearns for Henri-a housekeeper of little means. An impossibility trapped in disguise.” Henri, a truly unique character whose astute observations reveals much about herself as well as others and allures us to root for her and succeed in overcoming the many challenges and obstacles that are thrown her way.
And we must not forget about Jacque Bertrand, husband of Ava, who is a womanizer and who holds Cristopher's musical hopes in his clutches “casting himself as music's great benefactor who is a collector of grand pianos, a connoisseur of composers, and a confidant of famed performers.”
Wolf has crafted a novel with extraordinary sensitivity and no one will deny the pleasure of her seductive prose and the skill with which she unfolds the many-layered saga, which exacts quite an emotional toll on her readers. Moreover, anyone who responds emotionally to music, in whatever form, would get something from this book. How many people would this leave out? Not too many.
Follow Here https://waa.ai/aqI1 To Read Norm's Interview With Kristen Wolf
January 11, 2020
Sensual, lyrical Ms. Wolf transports the reader into the scene each sitting by appealing to the senses. I felt like I was floating, suspended above the story many times while reading. The author gave life to the creative experience of composing, muses and piano into classical music. The novel was low on action but a feast for the senses. You didn't just read it, you experienced it.
August 31, 2018
Never have I been compelled to mark up the pages of a book. I would worry though that once I started to highlight the pages they would end up entirely covered. I loved this book so very much.
I felt there was a staccato nature to her story structure creating a steady rhythm for the lyrical quality of the words to dance across the page. Never have I felt the structure of a story and the writing of an author so perfectly matched the premise within the novel.
She had a way of illustrating sound with her amazing and richly descriptive words as though I could actually see it as her main character Henri appeared to. I didn't know that musical notes could be described in such a way.
From the plot, to the characters, to the sheer beauty of the writing this was a perfectly composed novel with each piece uniquely crescendoing when needed and melding together to create a perfect composition. (Are we sick of my review dripping with a musical theme?)
I was even more pleased that the page breaks were quarter rests! (Insert heart eye emoji here!)
Well I shall leave it here literary lovelies as I could go on and on about how much I loved this work of fiction and just wish you get a chance to read and hear the stunning qualities within this novel!
***Copy received from author in exchange for an honest review***
I felt there was a staccato nature to her story structure creating a steady rhythm for the lyrical quality of the words to dance across the page. Never have I felt the structure of a story and the writing of an author so perfectly matched the premise within the novel.
She had a way of illustrating sound with her amazing and richly descriptive words as though I could actually see it as her main character Henri appeared to. I didn't know that musical notes could be described in such a way.
From the plot, to the characters, to the sheer beauty of the writing this was a perfectly composed novel with each piece uniquely crescendoing when needed and melding together to create a perfect composition. (Are we sick of my review dripping with a musical theme?)
I was even more pleased that the page breaks were quarter rests! (Insert heart eye emoji here!)
Well I shall leave it here literary lovelies as I could go on and on about how much I loved this work of fiction and just wish you get a chance to read and hear the stunning qualities within this novel!
***Copy received from author in exchange for an honest review***
September 10, 2018
Amazing!
Never have I experienced hearing and feeling music by reading words on a page. And what a beautiful story! I'm a new fan of this author.
Never have I experienced hearing and feeling music by reading words on a page. And what a beautiful story! I'm a new fan of this author.
August 9, 2018
Kristen Wolf uses a mechanical musical analogy to open the world of Late Romantic music and manners to readers who may or may not have a great familiarity with classical music. The impact of artists’ and lovers’ lives, she asserts, depend heavily on the resonance of their choices and decisions, not just at the moment but through time that follows after. The full effect, she suggests, can be seen only after the note is played, the deed is done, and the choice made. The effects may be substantial both for the artist and for those whose lives they touch.
Wolf’s characters illustrate familiar cultural themes from mid-19th-century Central Europe with vivid, passionate language and actions. There’s a lot of talk about the powers and passions of music, a reminder that at the time of the story, music existed only in performance. (An unnamed “scientist” roams through the story, conducting early experiments with a wax-cylinder device, the “phonoautograph,” which a decade later developed into the first machine for recording music.) All major characters are deeply engaged in the creation, composition, and performance of music. Wolf chooses a watershed period in which to stage her story: the real battle between Romantic and traditional classic composers which led to elevation of solo instruments and performers; composition techniques based on emotion rather than tightly-regulated rhythms and harmonies; and the battle to come with those who to whom Romantic musical expression was rooted in imperial nation-building. A list of musical works that inspired her story let readers begin to satisfy their curiosity; perhaps, in the next edition, a brief lexicon of musical terms would expand readers’ knowledge even further.
Even those with very different tastes in music will find Wolf’s blend of romantic story and Romantic social commentary irresistible. Her characters are truly creatures of their time, and readers look closely at the struggles of women to achieve autonomy and authority over even parts of their lives. Wolf’s story examines how women confront suffocating gender roles and taboos and the irrevocable bond between male dominance and money. Here her escapement motif comes to full flower: like the Romantic hero, the Romantic heroine must ultimately dare to act alone and wait for the full resonance of her actions.
June 29, 2018
This really missed the mark for me. It was reminiscent of a Sarah Waters period piece, but no where near as lush and world building as one of her books. The author gives us a handful of what could be interesting characters, but the surface is barely scratched on their personalities, backstory, and even their dialogue with each other seem to be truncated. The possibility was there but I never identified with any of them. And my god this plot dragged! Perhaps if the extremely long passages describing composing and concertos had instead been spent on the characters and their relationships, it wouldn't have felt so long and dull. I never "got" Henri, nor the obsession with Ava other than the fact that she was attractive. The climax and resolution felt both obvious and disappointing after so much build up.
October 21, 2018
A treat for the senses. Kristen Wolfe has the talent to spirit you away into a world you never knew would captivate your very soul.Having read two of her books now I am thrilled to begin reading the next one! I love everything about her writing style and the marvelous stories comings forth from her incredible mind!!! Kristen, you must never ever stop writing!
out her writing style and the marvelous stories comings forth from her incredible mind!!! Kristen, you must never ever stop writing
out her writing style and the marvelous stories comings forth from her incredible mind!!! Kristen, you must never ever stop writing
October 25, 2018
We are proud to announce that ESCAPEMENT by Kristen Wolf is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
Want to read
August 14, 2018ESCAPEMENT is FREE on Kindle! August 13-16! https://t.co/aCwzHOKzEG
September 9, 2018
I was drawn in from the cover and the summary. What an intriguing story! I had no choice but to try it just to quench my curiosity.
So the story follows Henri. Henri is a woman who dresses as a man for multiple reasons. One of the main reasons is to help her employer, Cristofer, manage his career and romantic pursuits. Cristofer knows of Henri's secret and is a total supporter and loyal to keeping the secret since it benefits him as well since Henri is equally as gifted with music as he is. They meet Ava and her husband who decide to be patrons of Cristofer and hire Henri as Ava's personal teacher for the piano. Of course, Henri falls for Ava hard. Things happen and everything hangs in the balance.
Can you blame Henri for wanting to be a male in this world? Being a woman can really suck in this society. The only real goals for women is to marry and have children. Henri wants so much more! She wants to write music and if she has to write with Cristofer then so be it. I did like Henri a lot, but she really is tortured by her past and her obsession with Ava. Poor thing.
Ava? She was okay...I didn't really get the allure of her. Sure she is pretty and likes to play music, but I really didn't get it. I wish we would've gotten to learn more about her. She felt 2D to me.
Other than that? I had no real issues. I enjoyed the story. It was a little slow here and there, but I felt it was necessary. It fit the tone of the book. It was told in a very musical way. The author did wonder in the writing style. It truly fits the story.
The ending was good. I wasn't sure what to expect! I had my theories and I was wrong. Very good indeed!
In the end, this was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the story and the ending surprised me. There were some slow parts but it seemed to fit. I didn't quite get Ava or really like her much, but the story is about Henri. Henri was intriguing. I recommend this to everyone who likes a good people story. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
So the story follows Henri. Henri is a woman who dresses as a man for multiple reasons. One of the main reasons is to help her employer, Cristofer, manage his career and romantic pursuits. Cristofer knows of Henri's secret and is a total supporter and loyal to keeping the secret since it benefits him as well since Henri is equally as gifted with music as he is. They meet Ava and her husband who decide to be patrons of Cristofer and hire Henri as Ava's personal teacher for the piano. Of course, Henri falls for Ava hard. Things happen and everything hangs in the balance.
Can you blame Henri for wanting to be a male in this world? Being a woman can really suck in this society. The only real goals for women is to marry and have children. Henri wants so much more! She wants to write music and if she has to write with Cristofer then so be it. I did like Henri a lot, but she really is tortured by her past and her obsession with Ava. Poor thing.
Ava? She was okay...I didn't really get the allure of her. Sure she is pretty and likes to play music, but I really didn't get it. I wish we would've gotten to learn more about her. She felt 2D to me.
Other than that? I had no real issues. I enjoyed the story. It was a little slow here and there, but I felt it was necessary. It fit the tone of the book. It was told in a very musical way. The author did wonder in the writing style. It truly fits the story.
The ending was good. I wasn't sure what to expect! I had my theories and I was wrong. Very good indeed!
In the end, this was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the story and the ending surprised me. There were some slow parts but it seemed to fit. I didn't quite get Ava or really like her much, but the story is about Henri. Henri was intriguing. I recommend this to everyone who likes a good people story. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
August 26, 2020
I approached this book openhearted and ready for a bit of the enchantment I've craved since finishing the Starless Sea. In only a few pages I encountered a stylistic choice that I have never liked outside of poetry: Strings of sentence fragments for effect. Everywhere. Sometimes multiple uses on a single page. Instead of winding, gentle sentences, the reader is constantly stilted and jarred with full stops after short phrases. To me this technique conjures melodrama--another element of the novel that prevented me from nestling into it. Great artists losing control of their faculties and unraveling at every turn of the page isn't awe-inspiring to me. I did enjoy the vast and varied descriptions of music. I did not enjoy the handful of glaring wrong words that were missed during editing. I really wanted to love this book, but it wasn't meant to be.
February 17, 2020
A Work of Ethereal and Excruciating Beauty
Anything I could write here trying to express the experience of reading this book will be clumsy and only reveal a single second of the time spent with Kristen Wolf’s words. Love and Passion as the title suggests are interwoven with music, genius, loyalty, joy, despair, and death to create this tale of a life in costume. Not since reading Jeannette Winterson’s Written on the Body have I felt words pouring out their meaning as though they whispered, sang, and shouted into my soul.
Anything I could write here trying to express the experience of reading this book will be clumsy and only reveal a single second of the time spent with Kristen Wolf’s words. Love and Passion as the title suggests are interwoven with music, genius, loyalty, joy, despair, and death to create this tale of a life in costume. Not since reading Jeannette Winterson’s Written on the Body have I felt words pouring out their meaning as though they whispered, sang, and shouted into my soul.
August 8, 2018
Escapement shows Kristen Wolf's ability to impart a distinctive voice and seductive prose. Along with intense characters, Wolf intertwines music as an integral element of the storyline. The book does lack in worldbuilding and some of the characters aren't as fully developed as they should have been. There are definitely sections of the book that drag and feel more like filler. But overall, it was an enjoyable read.
November 15, 2020
This was a very different read. It took me about 100 pages before I was convinced that I would read it in its entirety. However, I am so very happy that I did! It is an exciting, and unexpected book. It is written extremely well, almost like prose! I absolutely loved it~quite different from anything I have ever read before. If you decide to give it a chance, I say stick with it, you will be glad you did!
May 28, 2019
Melodic and Dissonant
Like a tug of war, the push and pull of relationships are reflected in this tale, the need for one another and the need for separateness; the love and the hate, the passion and the dispassion, the heat and the coldness, the joy and the dismay, the rise and fall of tides, and sun, and spirit.
Like a tug of war, the push and pull of relationships are reflected in this tale, the need for one another and the need for separateness; the love and the hate, the passion and the dispassion, the heat and the coldness, the joy and the dismay, the rise and fall of tides, and sun, and spirit.
May 18, 2020
I loved this book! It is one of the most well written books I have ever read. I loved the unique story line and the way in which it was told. I have never read a book that was able to convey passion in the way that it did. I was sad when I was finished and wish there was a sequel as it left the reader with many unanswered question.
May 19, 2020
I barely made it past the first few pages because the excessively flowery language was so overwhelming. I've read beautifully written, lyrical prose before & this just seemed "busy." I got about a quarter of the way through & couldn't connect to the characters & the story took forever to go anywhere & I gave up.
December 22, 2018
Remarkable
Wolf presents her readers with love in many forms. Music, unrequited, mutual and not mutual. The love of music is unprecedented. Deliciously served to this reader's total enjoyment.
Wolf presents her readers with love in many forms. Music, unrequited, mutual and not mutual. The love of music is unprecedented. Deliciously served to this reader's total enjoyment.
September 3, 2020
So compelling
This is all about the story. The topics themselves, music, artistry, composition, don't interest me in the slightest. The story carried me and enticed me skillfully to the end.
This is all about the story. The topics themselves, music, artistry, composition, don't interest me in the slightest. The story carried me and enticed me skillfully to the end.
January 2, 2021
This book is so beautifully written words escape me. I was transported into another world, floating through the entire book with words transcribed into musical notes. Kristen Wolf is a truly exceptional writer and I thank her for this wonderful reading experience.
March 31, 2021
The writing style was too flowery and over the top for me. The problem may have been exacerbated in the audible book. The narrator got on my nerves. I didn’t think much happened in the story—lots of internal dialogue ruminating over the same issues.
June 7, 2021
Incredible read
This deserves all the stars because it is not only an assiduously thought out narrative but the terminology in the composition elevated this novel to a higher level. To simply put it I was blown away by the words used as much as the story.
This deserves all the stars because it is not only an assiduously thought out narrative but the terminology in the composition elevated this novel to a higher level. To simply put it I was blown away by the words used as much as the story.
October 16, 2023
Music of My Soul
An exquisite depiction of an artist’s soul and the music that must soar to the heavens. The agony of being the genius who must suffer for their creation is depicted with astonishing precision and detail. Absolutely incredibly brilliant.
An exquisite depiction of an artist’s soul and the music that must soar to the heavens. The agony of being the genius who must suffer for their creation is depicted with astonishing precision and detail. Absolutely incredibly brilliant.
July 28, 2024
Amadeus meets The Queen's Gambit. Interesting writing style and almost cleaver gender roles and bending. The reviews make it clear this book not for everyone (seemed you love it or you hate it) and I wouldn't say either, but I enjoyed this period piece deeply saturated in musicality.
January 9, 2019
An exquisite book
A very unusual book, beautifully written and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. It gave me an appreciation for musicianship and creative genius
A very unusual book, beautifully written and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. It gave me an appreciation for musicianship and creative genius
April 21, 2019
Very unusual story. It sucks you in. Worth reading.
August 14, 2019
Well-written, but not enjoyable to me.
September 28, 2019
Oh My
This writer can WRITE! I read this on Kindle and I truly believe this is the most I’ve ever highlighted so many wonderful lines. I can’t imagine anyone not liking this book.
This writer can WRITE! I read this on Kindle and I truly believe this is the most I’ve ever highlighted so many wonderful lines. I can’t imagine anyone not liking this book.
March 29, 2020
A fulfilling read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews