Author: M.J. Rose
Originally Published: November 2008
Length: 464 pages
Personal Enjoyment Factor: 4/5
Amazon.com Rating:4/5 (14 Customer Reviews)
This review is a stop on a TLC Book Tour. For other reviews on The Memorist this week, check out these sites:
Monday, January 19th: The Bluestocking Society
Length: 464 pages
Personal Enjoyment Factor: 4/5
Amazon.com Rating:4/5 (14 Customer Reviews)
This review is a stop on a TLC Book Tour. For other reviews on The Memorist this week, check out these sites:
Monday, January 19th: The Bluestocking Society
Tuesday, January 20th: She is Too Fond of Books
Thursday, January 22nd: A Striped Armchair
Reincarnation. Meer Logan doesn't believe in it. She has convinced herself that the disturbing memories and music that disrupt her life are created by her imagination, despite the insistence of her father, whose experiences and study of Kaballah have shaped his belief in past lives.
When a gaming-box that once belonged to Beethoven, a feature of Meer's memories, is put up for auction in Vienna, a series of events unfolds that leads Meer to question her skepticism. The box contains clues that lead to a simple bone flute that allegedly has the power to reveal the past lives of its listeners. As Meer travels in Vienna, memories from an 18th-century life surface which help her come closer to finding the flute's hiding place.
Whether you're a believer in reincarnation or not, the concept is an excellent tool in this book to merge together events from ancient India, 18th-century Europe, the Holocaust and the present day--not an easy task! I also appreciated the reverent nod to the power of music throughout the story, both negative and positive. Time to break out the Beethoven CD!
If you're like me, and you get excited about things like exploring Roman catacombs , getting up close and personal with historic artifacts, and figuring out the clues to a treasure hunt, you should enjoy this one. I'm no expert on this genre, but this story did keep the pages turning, my heart pumping, and my mind pondering.
Related links:
M.J. Rose's Site
Excerpt
Reading Guide
PRUDE-OMETER (subjective content assessment): excessive language by one of the minor characters, attempted war-related rape scene near end of book, non-graphic violence.When a gaming-box that once belonged to Beethoven, a feature of Meer's memories, is put up for auction in Vienna, a series of events unfolds that leads Meer to question her skepticism. The box contains clues that lead to a simple bone flute that allegedly has the power to reveal the past lives of its listeners. As Meer travels in Vienna, memories from an 18th-century life surface which help her come closer to finding the flute's hiding place.
Whether you're a believer in reincarnation or not, the concept is an excellent tool in this book to merge together events from ancient India, 18th-century Europe, the Holocaust and the present day--not an easy task! I also appreciated the reverent nod to the power of music throughout the story, both negative and positive. Time to break out the Beethoven CD!
If you're like me, and you get excited about things like exploring Roman catacombs , getting up close and personal with historic artifacts, and figuring out the clues to a treasure hunt, you should enjoy this one. I'm no expert on this genre, but this story did keep the pages turning, my heart pumping, and my mind pondering.
Related links:
M.J. Rose's Site
Excerpt
Reading Guide
Sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteReincarnation is something I have a tough time swallowing, but I've heard good things about this and your last paragraph about searching around in catacombs and going on a treasure hunt definitely has my attention!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteAs you read, I enjoyed this, too. I was up well past my usual "lights out" time so I could keep reading!
Good point about the positive and negative effects of music. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast", but in this case it also brought out beasts/discord from the past.
I was going to leave a comment, but Trish said what I was going to say . . . .
ReplyDeleteI guess it was her turn to talk. My turn next time. :)
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteFun is probably a good word for it, although there are some heartbreaking situations in it.
Trish,
I don't believe in reincarnation either, but it makes for a good story almost with a fantasy feel to it.
Dawn,
This book made me want to find out more about the scientific aspect of music--I'll have to see if there are any good books about it.
Rose City Reader,
That happens to me a lot. Thanks for commenting anyway!
What a great review, Chain Reader! I am going to get this and give it a try - I'm very interested in reincarnation, and I love Beethoven, and history, so plenty of reasons to read this one! thanks as I would have missed it otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI have this one on my TBR list. It does sound good and I'm excited to read it :)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one, too, particularly the setting and how it was fast-paced.
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
These blog tours sure are an effective way of marketing because I'm seeing this book everywhere. It sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm long overdue with my comment but I wanted to say THANK YOU for participating in MJ's tour and for a great review! BTW I love your PRUDE-OMETER. What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one, too, particularly the setting and how it was fast-paced.
ReplyDelete--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteAs you read, I enjoyed this, too. I was up well past my usual "lights out" time so I could keep reading!
Good point about the positive and negative effects of music. "Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast", but in this case it also brought out beasts/discord from the past.