Monday, September 2, 2013

Review: Nocturne by Andrea Randall & Charles Sheen Miles



Title: Nocturne

Author: Andrea Randall & Charles Sheen Miles
Release Date: 1st September

Rating: 2.5 stars




Savannah Marshall is a gifted flutist and daughter of musical royalty when she enrolls in the elite New England Conservatory of Music. Brilliant, eclectic and passionate, she lives music, but struggles with her plans for the future.

Gregory Fitzgerald is one of the most renowned cellists of his generation. A member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Conservatory, he is laser focused on his career to the exclusion of friends, family and especially romance.

When Gregory and Savannah’s paths cross in the classroom, it threatens to challenge more than their wildly differing beliefs on music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are put on the line as Gregory and Savannah play a symphony of passion and heartbreak.

In the final movement, Gregory and Savannah are handed their greatest challenge, as the loss of absolutely everything they’ve held as truths hangs in the balance.








Nocturne is without doubt intriguing, passionate and breathtaking story with great potential. I loved every sentence in the first 50% of it, but then something horrible happened that made me hate it. I was devastated when beautiful magic and charm of the first half of the book slowly started disappearing only to be replaced by the thing I despair the most – infidelity. When this started I just couldn’t look past it no matter how hard I tried.



This is a story told in alternating point of views. Savannah is student in Boston’s music conservatory where she plays flute. She’s a free spirit and exceptionally talented young woman. Gregory is the youngest cellist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Savannah’s professor. Gregory has “broody, insufferable uptight exterior” and is reclusive misanthrope. I have never thought I could be attracted to someone who is so rigid and closed, but with every chapter I’ve read I started to appriciate he’s unique personality even more. If I had to compare him to someone, I would chose Gregory House . Just like House, Gregory is recluse devoted to his music, without personal life. Frigid, harsh and with a hint of sarcasm on his lips.

Despite the fact Savannah and Gregory have different visions about music, which often leads to scenes and arguing in front of entire class, both of them share deep, magnificient love for it. Every breath they take, every thing they do in their lifes it’s for music that sings in their veins.

This is the part I loved. Everything was perfect by this point and I was glued to the pages. I breathed in classical music only by reading impressive, vivid descriptions that almost made me hear every musical piece and the feelings that slowly grew between Gregory and Savannah were beautiful and passionate. They love for music connected them and entwined their’s souls in mesmerazing way. My heart swell with love and I was almost on the cloud nine.



Equally with music they shared their relationship progressed.


“I caught my breath because it was as if she was speaking to me in a private language only we knew. The room had narrowed, only the two of us, and the music between us.”



Then something horrible happened and 5 years passed without them speaking to each other. And then we have the part that fucked up everything for me. I don’t want to spoil you the book, so I can only say that I have never been so frustrated and so disappointed. This great, beautiful story started falling apart, shreding to pieces everything I adored and I couldn’t do anything to stopped it only stare at the pages and read. I gritted my teeth and started pulling my hair out. I wanted to howl and sob in the most stabbing pain I’ve ever felt. I couldn’t believe this story progressed THAT WAY.

Toward the end I didn’t give a damn about Gregory and Savannah. I stopped caring for them, especially for Gregory who crushed my heart. I didn’t want them to even end up together.
Rating this book is painful. How can I give this book only one rating? When the first part deserved 5+ the second is worth mere 1 or 2 stars?

Overall, Nocturne will be on my list of DISAPPOINTMENTS OF THE YEAR. Because I don't feel well with giving this book 3 stars, I'll have to leave it with 2.5.
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