Page 2 of 3
There are currently 20 member reviews
for The Music Teacher
-
Debbie (Grand Junction CO)
The Music Teacher
The "Music Teacher" by Barbara Hall is a wonderful exploration of mid-life. The ideas from our youth and how we not only change but prioritize events differently as we age. Pearl thinks she has her life laid out before her and is surprised to find she has to reevaluate and rethink where she is headed.
The book was very readable and I enjoyed it. I'd definitely recommend it my book friends.
-
Mary (Fairfax CA) (Rohnert Park CA)
fine as a bees wing
When I saw Barbara Hall's TV credits–four of my all-time favorite shows–the bar was set high. When on page three she identified my favorite musician (RT) as Guitar God, the bar shot so high I figured it could only go down. I was wrong. The bar remained at the same high level and I couldn't stop turning the pages.
The exploration of music in general and talent in particular is fascinating and thought-provoking. There's a lot going on: the blessing/curse of an artistic gift, the responsibilities of a teacher, the responsibilities of a human. The way we care, the way we're damaged, the way we seek redemption–or not: the stories of lives. Hall is a terrific writer; every page reflects her intelligence and perception. My only major frustration was with the length of the book, or rather the lack of length. Pearl's inner life as well as her external one warrant much more attention.
A person extends herself, one of the characters says. Hall extends herself brilliantly in these pages, never shying away from hard truths. I'm certain she can extend herself a bit further and I'll be reading more of her. All in all a wonderful book that I will definitely be recommending.
-
Heather (Waterville KS)
The music teacher
The opening sentence of this book was a great hook, and the rest of the story was just as gripping. I'd love to read a sequel in which we found out what happened to the other employees of the music store. It was a fascinating look at wannabe musicians in L.A.
-
Lisa (Millbury MA)
Those Who Can't
The Music Teacher plays with the idea that "those who can't do, teach." Readers who teach or play an instrument will be drawn in to the excitement of Pearl Swain giving violin lessons a gifted yet troubled student. A couple of unexpected plot twists kept me turning the pages; I finished in one sitting. As a bookseller, I see lots of new fiction. This one is worth the time.
-
Connie (woodhaven MI)
Pleasantly surprised
I thought this book was going to be a quick, predictable read about a child prodigy and the teacher who lives vicariously through him/her. Instead, it is more about the teacher's failures and how they shape her life and the decisions she makes. Although I found myself disliking the teacher, I still felt myself drawn to her, feeling sorry for her, and hoping she would succeed.
-
Ruth, Downingtown, PA (Downingtown PA)
Too much angst
Music is a theme that runs through this book, appropriate for ‘The Music Teacher’! It’s about music, but not about music. The heroine has a lot of personal issues that intertwine with the music. The book had a bit too much angst for my taste, and the writing was in choppy sentences which is a style that generally doesn’t appeal to me. I finished it (luckily it was a short book), but it dragged on for a while without getting to the point. I wouldn’t read it again, nor would I recommend it to a friend.
-
Dicksie (Harrison AR)
Not for fun
If you want a dark, sad, certainly not typical story, then this book is for you.
I am a musician and I am sorry that some who read this may think some of these thoughts go with making music.
Pearl teaches violin lessons in a music shop/music school. It seems that everything she tries to do ends up very sad. Although she's not responsible for most happenings and is trying to help, the fault always falls on her.
I read to the end in the hope that Pearl might have a success or the story might have a conclusion.....neither happened.
