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louiepotterbook's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
5.0
And now I will go read everything else this author has written. I cared so much about these characters and their lives! This book moved off my bedside table and into my armchair for daytime reading. Thorne perfectly captures that transitional time in life when you’ve left behind what you thought would be your life and need a new plan.
I loved the integration of life and music in NYC and the glimpse at a young artist’s creative process. Everyone grows in this novel and we are privileged to watch.
I loved the integration of life and music in NYC and the glimpse at a young artist’s creative process. Everyone grows in this novel and we are privileged to watch.
hellomadalyn's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 stars
When I first heard about Night Music, I thought I must have been dreaming. A YA contemporary by one of my favorite authors in that genre, centering around teenagers pursuing classical music careers over the course of one New York City summer? This book seemed made for me. And while Night Music was not at all what I anticipated it would be, it ended up grabbing my heart in fresh, unexpected ways.
Our protagonist in Night Music, Ruby Chertok, is the daughter of one of the classical music world’s most beloved conductors and composers. Though she has trained as a pianist her entire life and has grown up immersed in this world, she’s quickly realizing her future might lie outside of music. We follow Ruby both mourning the loss of music as the part of her life she always expected it to be, and her finding her footing in the “real world” outside of her family’s shadow.
A teenage composer named Oscar Bell, who is the rising star of the classical music scene after a video of him conducting an original arrangement went viral on YouTube, shows up on Ruby’s doorstep at the beginning of the summer to study with her father. Ruby and Oscar bond over their shared love of (and their shared complicated feelings toward) music, and their feelings for each other grow into romantic ones pretty quickly.
A huge thread in Night Music revolves around the racism, both overt and covert, in the classical music world. This is something that, as someone who has studied music all my life, has deeply bothered me. Even though I went to an incredibly diverse university, I did not see that racial diversity reflected in my School of Music, where my colleagues were disproportionately white. This could lead into further conversations about the inherent privilege it requires to study music, but we’ll save that for another day. 😉 In Night Music, we see the way the people in power on the classical music scene in New York City (donors, managers, press, etc.) constantly manipulate Oscar’s identity as a black man and use it to further their own ends. The book really highlighted the microaggressions people of color face on a daily basis, both inside and outside of the music world. It shows how the odds are automatically stacked against POC trying to make careers for themselves in music, and it did so without feeling tokenistic or preachy. (I am white, as is the author, so take my opinion with a heaping handful of salt. I cannot speak to the quality of the racial rep.)
The part of this story that struck a chord-- pun definitely intended-- with me most was Ruby’s journey of trying to find her identity outside of music. Not to get too personal, but ever since I left school and took a job outside the music field, I’ve felt intensely disconnected from this part of me that was pretty much my entire life for a decade. Reading about a character dealing with these same struggles– a character who still had such a deep love for music, and who didn’t lack talent, but whose heart just wasn’t in it anymore, no matter how much she wanted it to be– meant more to me than I can express. It made Night Music an extremely cathartic read for me, which I totally wasn’t expecting. We also get discussion of Ruby trying to forge her own identity outside the looming shadows of her parents and her older siblings, all of whom are classical celebrities.
I loved Oscar and Ruby’s romance so very much. Seeing them navigate the challenges in their individual lives together was a joy to read, and their relationship felt very true-to-life. They make mistakes, they apologize, they communicate– all very refreshing in YA romance. There is no shortage of witty banter between the two MCs– who, by the way, are both SO FUNNY on their own, too. Plus, I mean, come on: can you think of a better backdrop for a teenage love story than a summer studying music amongst the elite of New York City?
Of course, I also loved all the music talk. Every time a piece was name-dropped, anytime Ruby and Oscar got into a discussion about Mozart, whenever there was talk of pedagogy– all of the little things that only people whose lives have revolved around music would catch– it made my heart soar. Night Music feels like such a love letter to the classical music world (but also acknowledges that the things we love are not without flaws). Reading this book gave me a sense of home and comfort that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing since music school ended. Also, the last paragraph of the acknowledgements made me cry.
Overall, I felt an intensely personal connection to this book, but it’s also just a cute YA contemporary with excellent social commentary I think so many readers will fall for. I highly recommend picking this one up this spring!
*all quotations are taken from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change in the final copy
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
ACTUAL RATING: 4.5 stars
When I first heard about Night Music, I thought I must have been dreaming. A YA contemporary by one of my favorite authors in that genre, centering around teenagers pursuing classical music careers over the course of one New York City summer? This book seemed made for me. And while Night Music was not at all what I anticipated it would be, it ended up grabbing my heart in fresh, unexpected ways.
“It’s love.” Oscar peered at the ceiling again. “Most classical music is. Not all, but most. You know…” He rolled over to face me. “I can appreciate all kinds of music, I really can. I think there’s something there. But hip-hop, pop, it speaks to front, you know? It’s the face you show to the world, what you want to project. Classical speaks right to what you’re feeling. What you long for.”*
Our protagonist in Night Music, Ruby Chertok, is the daughter of one of the classical music world’s most beloved conductors and composers. Though she has trained as a pianist her entire life and has grown up immersed in this world, she’s quickly realizing her future might lie outside of music. We follow Ruby both mourning the loss of music as the part of her life she always expected it to be, and her finding her footing in the “real world” outside of her family’s shadow.
A teenage composer named Oscar Bell, who is the rising star of the classical music scene after a video of him conducting an original arrangement went viral on YouTube, shows up on Ruby’s doorstep at the beginning of the summer to study with her father. Ruby and Oscar bond over their shared love of (and their shared complicated feelings toward) music, and their feelings for each other grow into romantic ones pretty quickly.
“Okay,” Oscar said, hopping up on the counter. “How about, Mozart nails what I want falling in love to feel like.” He let his legs swing out, back in. “If I could choose, I’d much rather have that purity, that peace, that grace to come home to than any drama, however gorgeous and sweeping and complex and… you get it.”*
A huge thread in Night Music revolves around the racism, both overt and covert, in the classical music world. This is something that, as someone who has studied music all my life, has deeply bothered me. Even though I went to an incredibly diverse university, I did not see that racial diversity reflected in my School of Music, where my colleagues were disproportionately white. This could lead into further conversations about the inherent privilege it requires to study music, but we’ll save that for another day. 😉 In Night Music, we see the way the people in power on the classical music scene in New York City (donors, managers, press, etc.) constantly manipulate Oscar’s identity as a black man and use it to further their own ends. The book really highlighted the microaggressions people of color face on a daily basis, both inside and outside of the music world. It shows how the odds are automatically stacked against POC trying to make careers for themselves in music, and it did so without feeling tokenistic or preachy. (I am white, as is the author, so take my opinion with a heaping handful of salt. I cannot speak to the quality of the racial rep.)
The part of this story that struck a chord-- pun definitely intended-- with me most was Ruby’s journey of trying to find her identity outside of music. Not to get too personal, but ever since I left school and took a job outside the music field, I’ve felt intensely disconnected from this part of me that was pretty much my entire life for a decade. Reading about a character dealing with these same struggles– a character who still had such a deep love for music, and who didn’t lack talent, but whose heart just wasn’t in it anymore, no matter how much she wanted it to be– meant more to me than I can express. It made Night Music an extremely cathartic read for me, which I totally wasn’t expecting. We also get discussion of Ruby trying to forge her own identity outside the looming shadows of her parents and her older siblings, all of whom are classical celebrities.
“I mourned belonging to this. I probably always would.”*
I loved Oscar and Ruby’s romance so very much. Seeing them navigate the challenges in their individual lives together was a joy to read, and their relationship felt very true-to-life. They make mistakes, they apologize, they communicate– all very refreshing in YA romance. There is no shortage of witty banter between the two MCs– who, by the way, are both SO FUNNY on their own, too. Plus, I mean, come on: can you think of a better backdrop for a teenage love story than a summer studying music amongst the elite of New York City?
Of course, I also loved all the music talk. Every time a piece was name-dropped, anytime Ruby and Oscar got into a discussion about Mozart, whenever there was talk of pedagogy– all of the little things that only people whose lives have revolved around music would catch– it made my heart soar. Night Music feels like such a love letter to the classical music world (but also acknowledges that the things we love are not without flaws). Reading this book gave me a sense of home and comfort that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing since music school ended. Also, the last paragraph of the acknowledgements made me cry.
Overall, I felt an intensely personal connection to this book, but it’s also just a cute YA contemporary with excellent social commentary I think so many readers will fall for. I highly recommend picking this one up this spring!
*all quotations are taken from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change in the final copy
itsmethebibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
You know those library books that you’re reading/loving/savoring & then you all of sudden think...”I MUST HAVE MY OWN COPY OF THIS BOOK!!!!”. And when it's over you think "I want to know what else happens...where else does this story go???". Well, that was Night Music for me.
I am wrecked. This book has EASILY become one of my favorite books of all time. The writing, the character development, the musicality, the author's ability to discuss important topics & explore morals...it was simply a masterpiece. Funnily enough, this is the second time I picked this book up. The first go around, I was swamped with work & overwhelmed by other things...I couldn't enjoy it...so I gave it (& reading in general) a break. I'm so grateful that I was able to pick it back up & have the opportunity to be immersed in this story. It was beautiful.
I am wrecked. This book has EASILY become one of my favorite books of all time. The writing, the character development, the musicality, the author's ability to discuss important topics & explore morals...it was simply a masterpiece. Funnily enough, this is the second time I picked this book up. The first go around, I was swamped with work & overwhelmed by other things...I couldn't enjoy it...so I gave it (& reading in general) a break. I'm so grateful that I was able to pick it back up & have the opportunity to be immersed in this story. It was beautiful.
manaledi's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't know enough classical music for this book to really hit home, but it made me wish I did. Some of the falling in love felt very rushed. Good treatment of the race and inequality aspects.
emilie_rose's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a beautiful testament to so many different things, music, love, friendship, family and learning who you really are.
I found myself engrossed in this book from the start and it never really let go.
It did a great job of putting so many things into it, including never shying away from the pervasive racism that our culture has, which was a really important thing to include in this book, being that one of the main characters was a young black boy. It was evident in the way that the narrator, Ruby, both noticed it in the world around them and, even if unintentional, said or did things that simply come with being a white person in a place of privilege.
All in all, this was a well written book that really tugged at your heartstrings, but also was not just about the romance, but everything that goes on around a relationship that can be difficult. I really liked that Ruby and Oscar had to fight and did fight to keep their relationship alive, when they had so many obstacles. It made it seem really real.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes romances that have a little more to them.
I found myself engrossed in this book from the start and it never really let go.
It did a great job of putting so many things into it, including never shying away from the pervasive racism that our culture has, which was a really important thing to include in this book, being that one of the main characters was a young black boy. It was evident in the way that the narrator, Ruby, both noticed it in the world around them and, even if unintentional, said or did things that simply come with being a white person in a place of privilege.
All in all, this was a well written book that really tugged at your heartstrings, but also was not just about the romance, but everything that goes on around a relationship that can be difficult. I really liked that Ruby and Oscar had to fight and did fight to keep their relationship alive, when they had so many obstacles. It made it seem really real.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes romances that have a little more to them.
annika_de's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a cute and charming YA. The setting is a summer in New York, and you can feel that it's written by someone who knows the city. Every single character had so much personality, the dialogue (particularly between the two main characters) was fantastic, and the detailed music references were a lovely touch. What was already a compelling, enjoyable story gained depth from the thoughtful discussions of diversity and privilege in the world of classical music. I also loved that Ruby starts the book trying to figure out what she's doing with her life but doesn't end up stumbling upon an easy solution or a spectacular hidden talent (which happens far too often in YA novels). I thought things got a bit busy plot-wise towards the end, but truly, this book made me smile so many times. A wholesome, joyful weekend read.
ladymavrick's review against another edition
5.0
*** I received an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of this book from a giveaway on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. ***
Key thoughts:
This book is Amazing. Wonderful. Beautiful. Gutwrenching. Perfection. Prepare to pull an all-nighter with this page-turner and have a box of tissues handy!!! I could not put it down even as tears blurred my vision and made reading difficult.
Review:
NIGHT MUSIC is a coming of age story about 17-year-olds, Ruby Chertok, and Oscar Bell. Ruby has grown up in a very white, influential family of musical geniuses but has always felt her life was underwhelming and almost as if she was an afterthought in her family. Oscar is a musical genius in his own right and comes from a black, suburban, well-off home with loving parents and siblings. Oscar travels to New York to study under Ruby’s father and attend the summer music program. He moves into the apartment in the basement of their home and dives right into his work, much to the dismay of Ruby.
Ruby is taking the summer off from everything music and is branching out to look for her niche. Oscar’s presence completely throws a wrench in her plans. Romance was not in the plans for either of them when the summer started, but there is an undeniable attraction that is too hard for them to ignore.
This story explores the stereotypes of color and wealth. It also digs down and shows how expectations and control expressed by the adults affect the psyche of young, impressionable teenagers. Are the choices the adults are making done in respect to helping Ruby and Oscar achieve their goals or is it more for implied diversity and financial gain that could be achieved for the school?
The quirky, awkwardness of teenagers finding their first true love and the struggle to be who they want to be will make your heart ache as well as cheer for Ruby and Oscar. The struggles Ruby goes through will have you guessing up until the end to see what path she decides to take.
I hope you will check out this book and that you enjoy reading this story as much as I did.
After you read it, visit my blog at https://djchristensen74.wixsite.com/djsramblings/ and let me know what you think!
Key thoughts:
This book is Amazing. Wonderful. Beautiful. Gutwrenching. Perfection. Prepare to pull an all-nighter with this page-turner and have a box of tissues handy!!! I could not put it down even as tears blurred my vision and made reading difficult.
Review:
NIGHT MUSIC is a coming of age story about 17-year-olds, Ruby Chertok, and Oscar Bell. Ruby has grown up in a very white, influential family of musical geniuses but has always felt her life was underwhelming and almost as if she was an afterthought in her family. Oscar is a musical genius in his own right and comes from a black, suburban, well-off home with loving parents and siblings. Oscar travels to New York to study under Ruby’s father and attend the summer music program. He moves into the apartment in the basement of their home and dives right into his work, much to the dismay of Ruby.
Ruby is taking the summer off from everything music and is branching out to look for her niche. Oscar’s presence completely throws a wrench in her plans. Romance was not in the plans for either of them when the summer started, but there is an undeniable attraction that is too hard for them to ignore.
This story explores the stereotypes of color and wealth. It also digs down and shows how expectations and control expressed by the adults affect the psyche of young, impressionable teenagers. Are the choices the adults are making done in respect to helping Ruby and Oscar achieve their goals or is it more for implied diversity and financial gain that could be achieved for the school?
The quirky, awkwardness of teenagers finding their first true love and the struggle to be who they want to be will make your heart ache as well as cheer for Ruby and Oscar. The struggles Ruby goes through will have you guessing up until the end to see what path she decides to take.
I hope you will check out this book and that you enjoy reading this story as much as I did.
After you read it, visit my blog at https://djchristensen74.wixsite.com/djsramblings/ and let me know what you think!
ariel937's review against another edition
3.0
solid 3*
so...i have a lot of thoughts about this book.
overall, if you want a cute, romantic YA book that has a little family drama and comments on elitism sprinkled on top - i think just about anyone would enjoy this. it was full of emotion, regret, aspiration, and romance. a young girl trying to navigate her life after everything she knows is being twisted up and turned upside down makes for a really good read. it definitely talks about things on race that i haven't seen explored in YA very much at all.
the best, and i mean the BEST parts of this book that I wish Thorne had focused on more, was the personal growth Ruby experienced. the unique plot of this book being the youngest of a family full of world-famous classical musicians working out how to move on and figure herself out while a young, talented black man is being used as a check-marked "diversity" box are both equally as compelling story lines that i think work together beautifully. two people from completely different walks of life, not quite meeting in the middle, but finding solace in their shared, uncertain futures. and for Ruby, it's made even less clear because even by the end, as Ruby tries and fails to find another "calling" big enough to fill the void left behind, we never find out what, or even if, she finds it. that's also what makes this book so great - the fact that it doesn't end all neat, wrapped up in a bow. it felt real, raw, and questioning. that it's okay to be unsure, to not know.
however, the romance felt...forced (at least in the beginning). i honestly think that if the romance was put on the back burner, it would be more compelling to read about two kids figuring themselves out and flirting with each other - maybe even ending the book with a kiss! - while not totally wrapping their complete identity around each other. i mean, yeah, a hormonal, teenage boy calling a girl he has a crush on his "muse" is kind of sweet, but when Ruby brought it up as kind of weird but ultimately brushed it off was a little...odd. i don't know, i might just be looking too much into it, but the fact that Ruby finally, FINALLY, took a stand for herself and said "i don't want to be your housekeeper, your plus one, your muse," only for her to run back to him like he's her knight in shining armor... :/ idk, maybe i'm hard-hearted lol, but i think them making up was just a little too cheesy.
also, can i PLEASE get some more Jules. honestly, i felt more chemistry between Jules and Ruby, especially when Jules said that Ruby wasn't Oscar's prop/muse and that Ruby is her own person that doesn't need to be Oscar's prized possession....!! like GIRL! on god, i wanted them to be together. WHY THORNE, WHY DID YOU LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS!!
over all, i liked it. i just personally wish there was less romance and more figuring-life-out.
so...i have a lot of thoughts about this book.
overall, if you want a cute, romantic YA book that has a little family drama and comments on elitism sprinkled on top - i think just about anyone would enjoy this. it was full of emotion, regret, aspiration, and romance. a young girl trying to navigate her life after everything she knows is being twisted up and turned upside down makes for a really good read. it definitely talks about things on race that i haven't seen explored in YA very much at all.
the best, and i mean the BEST parts of this book that I wish Thorne had focused on more, was the personal growth Ruby experienced. the unique plot of this book being the youngest of a family full of world-famous classical musicians working out how to move on and figure herself out while a young, talented black man is being used as a check-marked "diversity" box are both equally as compelling story lines that i think work together beautifully. two people from completely different walks of life, not quite meeting in the middle, but finding solace in their shared, uncertain futures. and for Ruby, it's made even less clear because even by the end, as Ruby tries and fails to find another "calling" big enough to fill the void left behind, we never find out what, or even if, she finds it. that's also what makes this book so great - the fact that it doesn't end all neat, wrapped up in a bow. it felt real, raw, and questioning. that it's okay to be unsure, to not know.
however, the romance felt...forced (at least in the beginning). i honestly think that if the romance was put on the back burner, it would be more compelling to read about two kids figuring themselves out and flirting with each other - maybe even ending the book with a kiss! - while not totally wrapping their complete identity around each other. i mean, yeah, a hormonal, teenage boy calling a girl he has a crush on his "muse" is kind of sweet, but when Ruby brought it up as kind of weird but ultimately brushed it off was a little...odd. i don't know, i might just be looking too much into it, but the fact that Ruby finally, FINALLY, took a stand for herself and said "i don't want to be your housekeeper, your plus one, your muse," only for her to run back to him like he's her knight in shining armor... :/ idk, maybe i'm hard-hearted lol, but i think them making up was just a little too cheesy.
also, can i PLEASE get some more Jules. honestly, i felt more chemistry between Jules and Ruby, especially when Jules said that Ruby wasn't Oscar's prop/muse and that Ruby is her own person that doesn't need to be Oscar's prized possession....!! like GIRL! on god, i wanted them to be together. WHY THORNE, WHY DID YOU LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS!!
over all, i liked it. i just personally wish there was less romance and more figuring-life-out.