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rr_author's review
5.0
When I walked into my local library in Canada I never expected to see this book. But there it was! Right when I had been wanting to read it. Of course I devoured it in one sitting when I got home.
This book was amazing. Super deep, tragic, darker than what I usually read, and I loved it.
Beck was such a well written character. The whole book I just wanted to scoop him up in a hug. I just kept thinking, "somebody PLEASE LOVE HIM." He was so brave, even though he didn't see it himself.
Joey was a sweet character, I felt so sympathetic for her. And also she needed a big hug and to be swept away. Very well written, she was a little girl, and acted like one {in her circumstances} without being two dimensional.
Not going to lie, sometimes August annoyed me a little bit at first... The no shoes thing, kinda made me shudder. Talk about painful & unsanitary. She is a vegan {so am I}, but seemed a little stereotypical in some ways. But as the book went on I grew to like her more, because she was positive, and brought out the best in August, without being too unrealistic.
Beck's mother was also well written, she was a very hate-worthy character. I really appreciated the representation of women/mother abusers, because it is rarely spoken about is a reality.
Other pros to this book - the music aspect is amazing. The references to the different composers were all great. And how Beck loved music, but tried to convince himself he hated it because of how it was used against him.
This book did contain violence, abuse, and one {maybe two?} mild swear words. But that's all to be expected considering the synopsis.
The ending... ugh. No spoilers but first of all there was really clever foreshadowing which I never picked up on. Second of all, it is heartbreaking. Third of all, it leaves you with some hope so that only %90 of the joy has been leeched from your life.
But seriously, this is a really great book, you should read it.
This book was amazing. Super deep, tragic, darker than what I usually read, and I loved it.
Beck was such a well written character. The whole book I just wanted to scoop him up in a hug. I just kept thinking, "somebody PLEASE LOVE HIM." He was so brave, even though he didn't see it himself.
Joey was a sweet character, I felt so sympathetic for her. And also she needed a big hug and to be swept away. Very well written, she was a little girl, and acted like one {in her circumstances} without being two dimensional.
Not going to lie, sometimes August annoyed me a little bit at first... The no shoes thing, kinda made me shudder. Talk about painful & unsanitary. She is a vegan {so am I}, but seemed a little stereotypical in some ways. But as the book went on I grew to like her more, because she was positive, and brought out the best in August, without being too unrealistic.
Beck's mother was also well written, she was a very hate-worthy character. I really appreciated the representation of women/mother abusers, because it is rarely spoken about is a reality.
Other pros to this book - the music aspect is amazing. The references to the different composers were all great. And how Beck loved music, but tried to convince himself he hated it because of how it was used against him.
This book did contain violence, abuse, and one {maybe two?} mild swear words. But that's all to be expected considering the synopsis.
The ending... ugh. No spoilers but first of all there was really clever foreshadowing which I never picked up on. Second of all, it is heartbreaking. Third of all, it leaves you with some hope so that only %90 of the joy has been leeched from your life.
But seriously, this is a really great book, you should read it.
markalkman's review
3.0
Actual rating: 3.5 glorious stars!
I have to admit, I was kind of weary when I first started reading this. Not only because I kind of felt like there has been this crazy hype around ATPN the last few weeks - but also because the story started out pretty slow, which bothered me. It's only a 288 pages long book, so when it lacks in pace during the first 25 pages one can begin to wonder if this'll be the case for the entire book. Luckily, Cait proved me wrong. I absolutely enjoy reading her blogs, tweets and reviews, so it was a delight to discover that I loved her book as well. Of course, there were some aspects that kind of bothered me and things I found kind of pretentious and too far fetched, but the morale of the story and the eventual ending absolutely made up for that. I even got a little bit teary eyed during the last chapter. Cait, I can't believe you put precious Beck through all of that crap. He deserves all the chocolate and cake in the world. I absolutely adored Beck, and I loved the fact that this wasn't a 'boy who needs saving because he's too scared and too stupid to stand up for himself' kind of story. It was the complete opposite and I think that (together with the ending) is what made me love this book. Don't get me wrong, his interactions with August were so much fun to read, but at the same time they felt a little bit out of place and too much like comedic relief. Also... who wears no shoes whatsoever to school during fall and winter? I don't understand this. A little bit too hippie for my taste, I guess. Nevertheless, this book was a really great read (go buy it on Amazon Kindle it's currently only one dollar/euro!) and I finished it in less than 24 hours. Whoops. I would definitely recommend this to everyone who wants to read a heartwarming yet heartbreaking story about a boy who just wants to live his life.
I have to admit, I was kind of weary when I first started reading this. Not only because I kind of felt like there has been this crazy hype around ATPN the last few weeks - but also because the story started out pretty slow, which bothered me. It's only a 288 pages long book, so when it lacks in pace during the first 25 pages one can begin to wonder if this'll be the case for the entire book. Luckily, Cait proved me wrong. I absolutely enjoy reading her blogs, tweets and reviews, so it was a delight to discover that I loved her book as well. Of course, there were some aspects that kind of bothered me and things I found kind of pretentious and too far fetched, but the morale of the story and the eventual ending absolutely made up for that. I even got a little bit teary eyed during the last chapter. Cait, I can't believe you put precious Beck through all of that crap. He deserves all the chocolate and cake in the world. I absolutely adored Beck, and I loved the fact that this wasn't a 'boy who needs saving because he's too scared and too stupid to stand up for himself' kind of story. It was the complete opposite and I think that (together with the ending) is what made me love this book. Don't get me wrong, his interactions with August were so much fun to read, but at the same time they felt a little bit out of place and too much like comedic relief. Also... who wears no shoes whatsoever to school during fall and winter? I don't understand this. A little bit too hippie for my taste, I guess. Nevertheless, this book was a really great read (go buy it on Amazon Kindle it's currently only one dollar/euro!) and I finished it in less than 24 hours. Whoops. I would definitely recommend this to everyone who wants to read a heartwarming yet heartbreaking story about a boy who just wants to live his life.
lenaoknihach's review against another edition
5.0
Panebože. Tohle mi neskutečně sedlo. Bylo to naprosto úžasné čtení. I když jsem na konci zrovna já nebrečela, tak se vsadím, že vy byste to nevydrželi.
Já zbožňuju hru na klavír a od 1. třídy na základní škole mě ta láska ještě neopustila. A tenhle příběh pro mě znamenal o to víc, poněvadž já jsem si to hraní vždycky užívala, hrála jsem pro radost, ale to, čím si v knize prochází Beck... to mě postupem času úplně odrovnalo.
Teď jen sedím u psaní této recenze a myslím jen na to, že na tom snad nikde na světě není někdo stejně jako Beck. Že každého to hraní na klavír baví a že není fyzicky i psychicky trestaný za špatný tón.
Já zbožňuju hru na klavír a od 1. třídy na základní škole mě ta láska ještě neopustila. A tenhle příběh pro mě znamenal o to víc, poněvadž já jsem si to hraní vždycky užívala, hrála jsem pro radost, ale to, čím si v knize prochází Beck... to mě postupem času úplně odrovnalo.
Teď jen sedím u psaní této recenze a myslím jen na to, že na tom snad nikde na světě není někdo stejně jako Beck. Že každého to hraní na klavír baví a že není fyzicky i psychicky trestaný za špatný tón.
adelle_bookworm's review
4.0
Oh well.
Silné a dost bolestivé. Příběh je vyprávěn takovým odlehčeným jazykem, plyne to docela rychle bez zádrhelů, na což jsem si vzhledem k tématu tedy chvilku musela zvykat. Ale některé stránky vyloženě bolelo číst.
Silné a dost bolestivé. Příběh je vyprávěn takovým odlehčeným jazykem, plyne to docela rychle bez zádrhelů, na což jsem si vzhledem k tématu tedy chvilku musela zvykat. Ale některé stránky vyloženě bolelo číst.
a_jayne222's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
votesforwomen's review
4.0
This is Cait's book, and so OBVIOUSLY I've wanted to read it since I heard it was coming out (like a year ago? Wow it's been a long time). The positive reviews have been overwhelming, and I was almost nervous to read it since I tend to go against hype...but then I won it in a giveaway and decided to read it in one sitting once it arrived.
I read this book in TWO HOURS, people. No joke.
There is nothing easy about this book. It gets into the down and dirty of abuse and it's violent and bloody and heartbreaking and I had to look away from the page more than once. I felt such sorrow for Beck and Joey, and I love them both...and August and her unquenchable love for them and the way she never gave up on Beck even when he treated her horribly. He came around, which I appreciated. This book was not sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows in the least.
However, it did have some of the most beautiful scenes I can remember in any book for a while. Cait, as most of her followers know, is the Queen of Cake, and so there genuinely is a scene in this book where August and Beck cut school together to get cake. Which is such a Cait scene and I loved it so much. The band Twice Burgundy sounds amazing (and Cait confirmed that they are based on a combination of the Civil Wars and Imagine Dragons! So that's AWESOME because I love both of those bands).
Then there's the music. My goodness, the music.
I have never read a book that spoke to my musician heart like this before.
Cait is a pianist, and that much is very obvious just from reading this book. Song spills off the page, and I can HEAR the melody in every word. When Beck plays, his songs are real in my ears. His pain, his love-hate relationship with the piano, the fact that although he despises playing it he CANNOT STOP...I have never been FORCED to play the piano, but as someone who does play, I empathized SO MUCH. The love of music is clear in this book. And it's not the music that is the abuse...it's the way it's being used. I love it so so so much.
There were some minor content concerns (some cussing, most of it in German, as well as the inevitable violence of a book about abuse). But overall A Thousand Perfect Notes was a beautiful tribute to music, what family TRULY is, and the classical composers. Absolutely amazing. Well done, Cait.
I read this book in TWO HOURS, people. No joke.
There is nothing easy about this book. It gets into the down and dirty of abuse and it's violent and bloody and heartbreaking and I had to look away from the page more than once. I felt such sorrow for Beck and Joey, and I love them both...and August and her unquenchable love for them and the way she never gave up on Beck even when he treated her horribly. He came around, which I appreciated. This book was not sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows in the least.
However, it did have some of the most beautiful scenes I can remember in any book for a while. Cait, as most of her followers know, is the Queen of Cake, and so there genuinely is a scene in this book where August and Beck cut school together to get cake. Which is such a Cait scene and I loved it so much. The band Twice Burgundy sounds amazing (and Cait confirmed that they are based on a combination of the Civil Wars and Imagine Dragons! So that's AWESOME because I love both of those bands).
Then there's the music. My goodness, the music.
I have never read a book that spoke to my musician heart like this before.
Cait is a pianist, and that much is very obvious just from reading this book. Song spills off the page, and I can HEAR the melody in every word. When Beck plays, his songs are real in my ears. His pain, his love-hate relationship with the piano, the fact that although he despises playing it he CANNOT STOP...I have never been FORCED to play the piano, but as someone who does play, I empathized SO MUCH. The love of music is clear in this book. And it's not the music that is the abuse...it's the way it's being used. I love it so so so much.
There were some minor content concerns (some cussing, most of it in German, as well as the inevitable violence of a book about abuse). But overall A Thousand Perfect Notes was a beautiful tribute to music, what family TRULY is, and the classical composers. Absolutely amazing. Well done, Cait.
meyrathedreamer's review
5.0
This book made me cry, so it deserved five stars, it was emotional, different from what I usually read and I loved it
fairytalearista's review
4.0
https://aristasdirectory.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-thousand-perfect-notes-cg-drews.html
julie_reads15's review
3.0
Summary
A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews is a young adult contemporary novel about the power of music to create both darkness and light.
Fifteen-year-old Beck lives with his abusive mother, nicknamed the Maestro, and vibrant five-year-old sister Joey.
Ever since a stroke ended his mother's career as a famous pianist, Beck is forced to play the same etudes on the piano over and over again every day. The Maestro desperately wants her legacy to live through Beck. She will go to any extreme, including physical and emotional abuse, to make sure she's not forgotten.
Beck dreams of composing his own music and sharing it with the world. However, he's too scared to stand up to the Maestro.
When Beck meets August, she becomes a beacon of hope for him. She's full of happiness and energy. She shows him the importance of friendship.
A powerful story of domestic abuse with glimpses of hope.
Review
It was a heartbreaking and intense read.
The instances of detailed abuse were a little hard to read at times due to their intensity and recurrence.
I sympathised for Beck. His internal conflict was heartbreaking. However, he needed more character development, particularly near the end.
Beck and August's friendship was refreshing to read, and I liked their banter. However, I would've liked to see more depth in August. She's happy and bubbly all the time, and it made her seem a little one dimensional. I would've liked to learn more about her backstory.
I liked Beck and Joey's relationship and how he was protective of his younger sister and tried to remain positive around her. Joey's personality was vibrant and energetic.
The theme of music and its varying degrees of lightness and darkness was interesting. I liked how I could imagine the music in my head.
I liked how there was humour incorporated. It was a refreshing break from the darkness.
I liked the poetic writing style, but there were times when the writing seemed too flowery.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 14 years and older and is interested in a music-themed novel about domestic abuse with glimpses of hope.
A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews is a young adult contemporary novel about the power of music to create both darkness and light.
Fifteen-year-old Beck lives with his abusive mother, nicknamed the Maestro, and vibrant five-year-old sister Joey.
Ever since a stroke ended his mother's career as a famous pianist, Beck is forced to play the same etudes on the piano over and over again every day. The Maestro desperately wants her legacy to live through Beck. She will go to any extreme, including physical and emotional abuse, to make sure she's not forgotten.
Beck dreams of composing his own music and sharing it with the world. However, he's too scared to stand up to the Maestro.
When Beck meets August, she becomes a beacon of hope for him. She's full of happiness and energy. She shows him the importance of friendship.
A powerful story of domestic abuse with glimpses of hope.
Review
It was a heartbreaking and intense read.
The instances of detailed abuse were a little hard to read at times due to their intensity and recurrence.
I sympathised for Beck. His internal conflict was heartbreaking. However, he needed more character development, particularly near the end.
Beck and August's friendship was refreshing to read, and I liked their banter. However, I would've liked to see more depth in August. She's happy and bubbly all the time, and it made her seem a little one dimensional. I would've liked to learn more about her backstory.
I liked Beck and Joey's relationship and how he was protective of his younger sister and tried to remain positive around her. Joey's personality was vibrant and energetic.
The theme of music and its varying degrees of lightness and darkness was interesting. I liked how I could imagine the music in my head.
I liked how there was humour incorporated. It was a refreshing break from the darkness.
I liked the poetic writing style, but there were times when the writing seemed too flowery.
I recommend this book for anyone who's 14 years and older and is interested in a music-themed novel about domestic abuse with glimpses of hope.