From Library Journal
World-class pianist Philippa (Pip) Martin ends her European concert tour abruptly. Gone is her concentration on the music, her single-minded devotion. Exhausted, she returns to the stern grandfather in Boston who, as a surrogate parent to Pip, kindled her passion for classical music in the first place. In this familiar setting, Pip tries to heal from a long chain of grief and loss, including separation from her mother, loss of her music career, the breakup of a romance with a woman named Corrinne, and, eventually, the death of her grandfather. With the help of others who bolster her self-confidence, Pip reintergrates music into her life and reunites with a mother she barely knows. First novelist Newport writes gracefully about difficult emotional issues, creating colorful, spirited, and, above all else, believable characters. The only drawback is the title, which doesn't seem to be related to the book's content.
World-class pianist Philippa (Pip) Martin ends her European concert tour abruptly. Gone is her concentration on the music, her single-minded devotion. Exhausted, she returns to the stern grandfather in Boston who, as a surrogate parent to Pip, kindled her passion for classical music in the first place. In this familiar setting, Pip tries to heal from a long chain of grief and loss, including separation from her mother, loss of her music career, the breakup of a romance with a woman named Corrinne, and, eventually, the death of her grandfather. With the help of others who bolster her self-confidence, Pip reintergrates music into her life and reunites with a mother she barely knows. First novelist Newport writes gracefully about difficult emotional issues, creating colorful, spirited, and, above all else, believable characters. The only drawback is the title, which doesn't seem to be related to the book's content.
