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Four Movements: 50 years, four people, one piano
In 1959, Nancy’s life changes dramatically when her family moves to a new town, Stevenage. Now there is room for a piano, Nancy loses herself in an imagined past of Mozart’s lesser known sister, while making unexpected discoveries of her own inscrutable mother’s history.
In 1989 the piano becomes a fixture in a women’s community centre in the town, in a time of personal strife for Martha and her friends. The politics of the era threaten the existence of the centre, and the future of this group of women.
A troubled young man buys the piano in 1997 and places it in his sparse flat at a time of emotional turmoil, as he becomes involved in the party-political life of a town at the heart of the general election campaign.
By the time school girls Tamsin and Lauren find it in 2011, it has been long abandoned. They bring it back to life in a bid to forget the grief that holds them together.
In 1989 the piano becomes a fixture in a women’s community centre in the town, in a time of personal strife for Martha and her friends. The politics of the era threaten the existence of the centre, and the future of this group of women.
A troubled young man buys the piano in 1997 and places it in his sparse flat at a time of emotional turmoil, as he becomes involved in the party-political life of a town at the heart of the general election campaign.
By the time school girls Tamsin and Lauren find it in 2011, it has been long abandoned. They bring it back to life in a bid to forget the grief that holds them together.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2018
3 people want to read
About the author
Sally Brooks
7 books15 followersI'm Sally Brooks, a British writer of contemporary sapphic romance. These books are perfect for those of you who love diverse characters, romantic comedy and page-turning fiction.
In my books you will find compelling, funny and heartwarming stories - think all the lols with all the feels.
I love complex queer female characters so that's what I write and I'll keep you guessing right to the end.
I live in Birmingham with my wife, our three children and two cats - Cagney and Lacey, who are surprisingly bad at solving crime.
In my books you will find compelling, funny and heartwarming stories - think all the lols with all the feels.
I love complex queer female characters so that's what I write and I'll keep you guessing right to the end.
I live in Birmingham with my wife, our three children and two cats - Cagney and Lacey, who are surprisingly bad at solving crime.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 1, 2020
If this piano could talk!
In 1959 Nancy is lucky to be gifted a piano by her Uncle upon her family moving to Stevenage. As she grows up, the piano moves to a new home at a woman’s crisis centre, where it is a vital fixture in helping women find comfort but when the centre outgrows the premises the piano is sold one again. Tim, who buys the piano finds himself caught up in the politically changing world of 1997 thanks to the young woman he has bought the piano from and finally it finds itself dusty school practice room, abandoned. It quickly becomes the centre of an art project for two girls who bring it back to life for the community.
This was such a beautiful story. It isn’t what you’d call predominately a women loving woman book but it held representation of such relationships throughout the four separate stories it is made up of, and they were predominant in most of the stories. It very much had a ‘If These Walls Could Talk’ feel but with the piano being the linking factor. It was most interesting to experience a story like this. One where an object, just like people will have many experiences throughout its existence. And it wasn’t the only linking factor between the stories!
I was completely intrigued by this story, and after hearing about it at a book event where Sally was explaining the book I just knew that I had to read it one day. I learned a lot from it, about times, feelings, thoughts, emotions and music. It had a most clever plot, and a lovely sentiment between the stories that make up the story of the life of one piano. To each of the lives of the people met throughout the story, the piano holds different meaning and each is emotional and touching in its own way. I felt very emotionally connected to all the beautiful lives and stories told. Each character was unique and in their own little story had an important role to play, but the most important role played was most definitely by this piano.
I can’t explain how wonderful it felt to read this story (I also have the urge to want to play the piano and wish I could!). It was such an experience I would highly recommend picking it up and delving straight in. Although it is all linked, you could literally read this as separate stories and it was lovely how in a way they all came together, most intriguing. I absolutely adored this, and I really can’t recommend this enough! It is easily Sally’s strongest work, and one I am most in awe of. How so very beautiful and brilliant it is. Definitely a little gem that won’t disappoint!
In 1959 Nancy is lucky to be gifted a piano by her Uncle upon her family moving to Stevenage. As she grows up, the piano moves to a new home at a woman’s crisis centre, where it is a vital fixture in helping women find comfort but when the centre outgrows the premises the piano is sold one again. Tim, who buys the piano finds himself caught up in the politically changing world of 1997 thanks to the young woman he has bought the piano from and finally it finds itself dusty school practice room, abandoned. It quickly becomes the centre of an art project for two girls who bring it back to life for the community.
This was such a beautiful story. It isn’t what you’d call predominately a women loving woman book but it held representation of such relationships throughout the four separate stories it is made up of, and they were predominant in most of the stories. It very much had a ‘If These Walls Could Talk’ feel but with the piano being the linking factor. It was most interesting to experience a story like this. One where an object, just like people will have many experiences throughout its existence. And it wasn’t the only linking factor between the stories!
I was completely intrigued by this story, and after hearing about it at a book event where Sally was explaining the book I just knew that I had to read it one day. I learned a lot from it, about times, feelings, thoughts, emotions and music. It had a most clever plot, and a lovely sentiment between the stories that make up the story of the life of one piano. To each of the lives of the people met throughout the story, the piano holds different meaning and each is emotional and touching in its own way. I felt very emotionally connected to all the beautiful lives and stories told. Each character was unique and in their own little story had an important role to play, but the most important role played was most definitely by this piano.
I can’t explain how wonderful it felt to read this story (I also have the urge to want to play the piano and wish I could!). It was such an experience I would highly recommend picking it up and delving straight in. Although it is all linked, you could literally read this as separate stories and it was lovely how in a way they all came together, most intriguing. I absolutely adored this, and I really can’t recommend this enough! It is easily Sally’s strongest work, and one I am most in awe of. How so very beautiful and brilliant it is. Definitely a little gem that won’t disappoint!
September 25, 2018
Beautiful
This is a wonderful story told in four parts.
I can’t pretend that two of Xerri-Brooks’ mini stories aren’t better than the others - but that’s in the telling. When Xerri-Brooks fixes the POV on one character her writing is so much stronger than when she moves from character from character.
The stories themselves are brilliant though and nothing can take away from that. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading about the piano and the lives it touched.
This is a wonderful story told in four parts.
I can’t pretend that two of Xerri-Brooks’ mini stories aren’t better than the others - but that’s in the telling. When Xerri-Brooks fixes the POV on one character her writing is so much stronger than when she moves from character from character.
The stories themselves are brilliant though and nothing can take away from that. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading about the piano and the lives it touched.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews