Simon &
Schuster/Little Brown, 2011. 304p. $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-2052-6 jr/sr VG Realistic
Fiction
Seventeen-year-old
Carmen, a Grammy-winning child prodigy, must win the Guaneri, an elite violin
competition, to advance her adult career.
Standing in her way is Jeremy King, her sole competitor, and the source
of her first romance. This romance is a realistic one, and it frames this
readable and believable first novel. A
domineering stage mother, a budding romance with a competitor, and an
addiction to prescription anti-anxiety drugs all play important
parts in the plot. Carmen and Jeremy,
the main characters, are well-drawn and believable.
However, Carmen's domineering stage mother, Diana, seems little more than a
cardboard cutout. Some strong language and
the drug addiction dictate that this novel is for older teens.
First-time novelist Martinez knows of what she writes, having been a violin virtuoso herself. She brings the world of classical violin to the average reader, making it compelling reading, and world-expanding. The suspense, tension and drama bring this novel a cut above the average romance. Nominated for 2012 BBYA.
First-time novelist Martinez knows of what she writes, having been a violin virtuoso herself. She brings the world of classical violin to the average reader, making it compelling reading, and world-expanding. The suspense, tension and drama bring this novel a cut above the average romance. Nominated for 2012 BBYA.
Subject: Violin
Prodigies -- Fiction
Pat Naismith
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