The Music Shop: A Novel

by Rachel Joyce Narrated by Steven Hartley

Overview

“An unforgettable story of music, loss and hope. Fans of*High Fidelity,*meet your next quirky love story.”-People

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY*THE TIMES*(UK) AND THE WASHINGTON POST

It is 1988. On a dead-end street in a run-down suburb there is a music shop that stands small and brightly lit, jam-packed with records of every kind. Like a beacon, the shop attracts the lonely, the sleepless, and the adrift; Frank, the shop's owner, has a way of connecting his customers with just the piece of music they need. Then, one day, into his shop comes a beautiful young woman, Ilse Brauchmann, who asks Frank to teach her about music. Terrified of real closeness, Frank feels compelled to turn and run, yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to reopen, as well as a past it seems he will never leave behind. Can a man who is so in tune with other people's needs be so incapable of connecting with the one person who might save him? The journey that these two quirky, wonderful characters make in order to overcome their emotional baggage speaks to the healing power of music-and love-in this poignant, ultimately joyful work of fiction.

Praise for The Music Shop
*
“Captures the sheer, transformative joy of romance.”-The Washington Post
*
“Love, friendship, and especially the healing powers of music all rise together into a triumphant crescendo. . . . This lovely novel is as satisfying and enlightening as the music that suffuses its every page.”-The Boston Globe
*
“Magnificent . . . If you love words, if you love music, if you love love, this [novel] will be without question one of the year's best.”-BookPage (Top Pick in Fiction)
*
“Joyce has a knack for quickly sketching characters in a way that makes them stick. [The Music Shop] will surprise you.”-Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Rachel Joyce has established a reputation for novels that celebrate the dignity and courage of ordinary people and the resilience of the human spirit. . . . But what really elevates The Music Shop is Joyce's detailed knowledge of-and passion for-music.”-The Guardian

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Music Shop is an unabashedly sentimental tribute to the healing power of great songs, and Joyce is hip to greatness in any key. . . . [The novel] captures the sheer, transformative joy of romance—‘a ballooning of happiness.’ Joyce’s understated humor . . . offers something like the pleasure of A. A. Milne for adults. She has a kind of sweetness that’s never saccharine, a kind of simplicity that’s never simplistic. . . . I wouldn’t change a single note. Rachel Joyce, if music be the food of love, write on!”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Rachel Joyce’s charming and deceptively simple fourth novel chronicles an offbeat love story between a mystery woman and an ardent, if lonely, collector and gently explores the power of memory and music and the certainty of change. . . . Love, friendship, and especially the healing powers of music all rise together into a triumphant crescendo. . . . This lovely novel is as satisfying and enlightening as the music that suffuses its every page.”—The Boston Globe

“Magnificent . . . If you love words, if you love music, if you love love, this [novel] will be without question one of the year’s best.”—BookPage (Top Pick in Fiction)

“An unforgettable story of music, loss and hope. Fans of High Fidelity, meet your next quirky love story. Vinyl fans, hold on to your turntables—Joyce’s latest is a buoyant homage to the healing power of music well-played.”—People

“Joyce has a knack for quickly sketching characters in a way that makes them stick. [The Music Shop] will surprise you.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Inspiring . . . The Music Shop is a warm, familiar place where everybody knows your name.”—Associated Press
 
“While this tale is easily the most charming novel you will read this year, it is also one of the most profound. . . . The Music Shop is a life-affirming novel that depicts human beings at their best.”— Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

“Magical . . . Joyce has a winner in this deceptively simple love story. . . . Joyce’s odes to music . . . and the notion that the perfect song can transform one’s life make this novel a triumph.”—Publishers Weekly

“Whether on foot, as in her novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, or track by track, on this unlikely musical odyssey, Joyce excels in enveloping readers in epic journeys of lost connections and loving reunions.”—Booklist

“Joyce sets up a charming cast of characters, and her spirals into the sonic landscapes of brilliant musicians are delightful, casting a vivid backdrop for the quietly desperate romance between Frank and Ilse. From nocturnes to punk, this musical romance is ripe for filming.”—Kirkus Reviews

“[A] beautiful ode to music, community and love.”—The Sun

MARCH 2018 - AudioFile

Listeners will be glad to discover kindhearted vinyl devotee Frank, who has his own music shop in a rough-and-tumble neighborhood. His patrons are a cast of quirky, lonely characters who gather to receive his musical suggestions, always tailored perfectly to what they need to hear at that moment. When a mysterious woman shows up, Frank finds himself drawn to her but scared to emerge from his own solitude. Narrator Steven Hartley's raspy, unrefined, British accent is a natural fit for characters who are rough around the edges. His narration underscores the psychological states of the ragtag group—which range from contemplative to anxious to angry. The story and the narration complement each other and remind us that music can bring people together and allow them to heal. S.E.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171790349
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/02/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,039,457

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Excerpted from "The Music Shop"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Rachel Joyce.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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