Virtuosity

May 01, 2011 Cory rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cory by: John Egbert

Shelves: galleygrab

I was actually prompted to write this review after a friend pointed me to this interview: http://www.jessicamartinez.com/index....

In case you're reading this Jessica, I'm not a guy. I'm a seventeen-year-old girl. Just thought I'd get that out of the way.

Now, onto the review.

It's difficult for me to express what I disliked about this book. It wasn't the writing style, nor was it the romance.

No, I think it comes down to the protagonist. I like a protagonist that I'm able to sympathize with. As I...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Reynje rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, young-adult, contemp-or-realistic

I confess that I am one of those people that say: “I love music.” Probably a lot. And I do, in a certain sense of the word. I love music in that I find emotional connection and release in it. I love music in that I come home from work some days, pour myself a glass of wine, put on the Cure and dance around my lounge room. In that I listen to it every day without exception.

But when I stop to really think about it, I see how limited my appreciation of music really is. I watch my six-year-old niec...more I confess that I am one of those people that say: “I love music.” Probably a lot. And I do, in a certain sense of the word. I love music in that I find emotional connection and release in it. I love music in that I come home from work some days, pour myself a glass of wine, put on the Cure and dance around my lounge room. In that I listen to it every day without exception.

But when I stop to really think about it, I see how limited my appreciation of music really is. I watch my six-year-old niece playing Chopin over Skype, her small fingers confident, or my sister, curved around her cello, and I feel like I’m listening to a language I don’t understand. Like I’m standing in a room full of words I can’t translate, or trying to grasp something I want but can’t get a firm hold on. I gave up on music in Year 3, after my music teacher yelled at me and I cried in front of the class (view spoiler). I recall deciding right then and there that I was bad at it, although in hindsight, that’s probably not strictly true.

But I know now that I won’t ever understand it the way some people do. It won’t be the backbone of my life, upon which everything else hinges and grows.

This is where Jessica Martinez excels in Virtuosity, in portraying a character whose life is intrinsically bound up with music, where it saturates every element of her existence, for better or worse. For Carmen Bianchi, a talented violinist, her art is also her life. Her passion is her future – and winning the Guarneri music prize is critical. Yet when Carmen comes face to face with the competition, Jeremy King, she is forced to confront what is really important, and at what cost she is willing to win.

I was swept up in this book more than I expected to be, in all honesty. Given the subject matter, and the protagonist’s position, I didn’t think I would be able to connect with it on any level. However, Martinez has crafted a very compelling story, dealing with family, self-doubt and choice that is both fascinating and honest. It’s a deceptively simple premise that tackles a number of complex issues, not the least of which is Carmen’s complicated relationship with her Mother, who is also her manager.

For me, this was the most difficult part of the story to read. The depiction of Carmen’s mother’s lack of belief in own daughter was kind of heartbreaking. To see how much the lines between love and obsession were blurred, their relationship tainted by Diana’s own broken dreams and drive for success, was genuinely upsetting. In this respect, Martinez’s characterisation was very effective – rather than painting Diana was a one-note villain, the various nuances of the mother-daughter relationship and its unhealthy dynamic were well drawn. Carmen’s confusion and fear of trusting her own judgement felt completely understandable, given the web of parental love and clear manipulation she was caught in.

Similarly, I felt the way Carmen responded to Jeremy was believable, in terms of her inability to separate her burgeoning feelings for him from her compulsion to question his motives. While I felt that the mutual attraction was a little rushed, perhaps too quick to feel realistic, I did believe the hesitation to trust on both sides, and the difficulty in overcoming the enormous pressure on them due to their being in direct competition with each other. For most of the story, I found myself questioning Jeremy along with Carmen, unsure which side of him was real, how much of his interaction with her was genuine and how much was calculated.

But essentially, this isn’t so much a story about love, as much as it’s a story about Carmen reclaiming her right to choose, to take control of her life and decide what is important to her. It’s also about Carmen confronting her insecurities, or least acknowledging them. This was possibly the part that was the most resonant for me, watching Carmen struggle with doubt and fear and trying to untangle where the medicated calm ended and she began, where routine and commitment separated from her love for playing violin.

I do wish that the ending had shown more of the repercussions of Carmen’s choice. That it came with a price is clearly implied, however I did want to see a little more page time devoted to the real-life and probably long-lasting ramifications for the relationship between Carmen and Diana.

Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed Virtuosity. It’s a solid, impressive debut and I would definitely read Martinez’s further work.
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Sep 12, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ebook, ya-lit, swoooooon, hot-musicians

4.5/5 stars

When my good friend Maja mentioned in her review of Virtuosity that she recommended it for fans of Where She Went, I knew I couldn't possibly skip this book.
And she was right, if you like Gayle Forman, you will most probably like Jessica Martinez and this stunning debut as well.

In Virtuosity, Carmen is an accomplished violinist at only 17. Not only is she a child prodigy about to start Juilliard in the fall, but she might probably be the best out there with a Grammy award to her me...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Where She Went

Recommended to Maja by: Nomes

Shelves: all-the-right-choices, contemporary-fiction, favorites, galley-grab, ya, never-saw-it-coming, readalong, reviewed-in-2011, books-with-soundtracks

At first glance, Virtuosity is just another story about a girl who isn’t in control of her own life. And you know what? That’s exactly what it is on second glance as well. But unlike so many of these stories, it is well written, completely engrossing and definitely worth a read.

To say that Carmen grew up shielded from everyday life would be a serious understatement. She was homeschooled, she never had a real friend other than her tutor Heidi and she never spent any time with boys her age. You s...more At first glance, Virtuosity is just another story about a girl who isn’t in control of her own life. And you know what? That’s exactly what it is on second glance as well. But unlike so many of these stories, it is well written, completely engrossing and definitely worth a read.

To say that Carmen grew up shielded from everyday life would be a serious understatement. She was homeschooled, she never had a real friend other than her tutor Heidi and she never spent any time with boys her age. You see, Carmen is not a seventeen-year-old girl, she is not a daughter, she is not a student and she is not a friend. Carmen is a Grammy Award winning violinist and she has just been admitted to Julliard with a full scholarship. When people look at her, that’s all they see – and it’s only natural considering how good she is. She is so good, in fact, that there’s only one violin soloist who might prove to be better than her: Jeremy King.

Carmen and Jeremy are the most likely finalists in the Guarneri contest. They are both just one step away from that huge, life-altering victory. Falling in love under the circumstances really shouldn’t be an option... but it is.

"It's kind of funny, actually," she said. "Most girls have to worry about guys just being after sex, but you should really be more worried if he isn't after sex. You just can't do anything normally, can you?"

When you’re so valuable to everyone around you, you really are all alone. How do you trust a mother who’s living vicariously through you because her own career was ruined before it even started? How should you feel about your rich grandparents who only started noticing you when you became famous? And how do you fall in love with a boy whose success can’t come without your failure?

Virtuosity surprised me with two huge, jaw dropping moments – something that doesn’t happen very often. Just when I thought it's about to become predictable, Martinez did something I never saw coming. That alone makes it worth reading.
My big thanks to Nomes for pushing me in the right direction! :)
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Sep 09, 2011 Aleeeeeza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-netgalley-galleygrab, 2011-read, 2011-faves

The thing about reading books set heavily around music is that they get me sort of really obsessed. Like, when I read If I Stay by Gayle Forman, I totally fell for the cello. When I read Where She Went, If I Stay’s sequel, and Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, I totally fell in love with the guitar. When I read The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder, I thought: Dude, I NEED to learn how to play the drums… And so forth.

But it’s actually really awesome, falling in love with these different instruments an...more The thing about reading books set heavily around music is that they get me sort of really obsessed. Like, when I read If I Stay by Gayle Forman, I totally fell for the cello. When I read Where She Went, If I Stay’s sequel, and Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, I totally fell in love with the guitar. When I read The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder, I thought: Dude, I NEED to learn how to play the drums… And so forth.

But it’s actually really awesome, falling in love with these different instruments and learning about them. That’s why Virtuosity appealed to me from the very beginning. It focuses around Carmen, a famous teenage violinist about to enter an incredibly important violin competition that’ll determine the rest of her career. Along the way, though, she falls in love with Jeremy, her biggest competitor.

Forbidden love + classical music = I’m hooked. Totally.

So, I had a bit of a rocky start with the book. The prologue—I think that’s what it was, but more like a teaser from the book—was amazeballs and pulled me right in. The fifty pages after that…not so much.

You see, I'm not a very big fan of reading about people suffering from stage fright--it just really makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never really had to perform in front of a formidable-sized crowd myself, but I can imagine it wouldn’t go too well. That’s why it’s never fun feeling all that anxiety along with the main character Carmen, as was the case in this book. She’s also semi-addicted to these anti-anxiety pills she takes before concerts, and then becomes dependent enough that she’s taking them before doing anything she dreads, which is plenty of things, since she’s pretty wrecked.

And that’s kind of why I didn’t connect that much with her at the beginning. She was so…anxious about everything, that I felt it too. (Which is actually kind of a success for the author, when I think about it.) She’s so anxious that she’s kind of fallen out of love with the violin because of all the pressure that’s put on her.

Enter Jeremy, the enemy-competitor-arrogant arse (arse because he’s ENGLISH. Heh). He actually realllyyy annoyed me in the beginning. And that’s because he was supposed to, I’m pretty sure, since he could ruin Carmen’s career and all. But then! He turns out not to be so arrogant. And…yeah. You can guess where things go from there. What I loved about this whole turn of plot is that Jeremy is really a very 3D character. He’s swoonworthy, very much so, and he’s, yanno, English (though I wish the author has stressed his accent more often, that would have been great), but the thing I like about this the most is how he changes Carmen. How he turns her from a big ball of anxiety into someone more…easygoing. Independent. I loved that.

From thereon the violin-hating stuff turned into violin-lovin’ stuff, which, like I mentioned above, is something I’m really into. (Instrument-loving, that is.) And now, I like the violin too! Which is a victory in itself, really.

I loved the ending, mostly, but I wish it had been elaborated on just a little bit more. That would’ve been a lot more fulfilling, methinks. Although I did definitely like the setting. Not only was it well-done, it complemented the story pretty well, too! Go Chicago!

So all in all, I’m going to sum up this book into one word: INTENSE. And in the best way possible. I can’t wait to read everything else Ms. Martinez writes in the future!(less)

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Sep 23, 2011 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, e

“And once the nervousness had completely disappeared and the flatness descended, it seemed like whole world took on a matte finish. No gloss to slip on.”

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
That last page saved what would have been a ‘WHAT THE EFF’-type of ending… but we’ll get to that. Don’t worry.

High Points.
The cover… it really doesn’t have anything to do with the story but, man, do I wish my hair would do that. Music. Pizza. Ball gowns. Walks in the park. Jazz clubs. Curfews. Makeovers. Almost-there...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5/5

I have got a goofy grin pasted on my face right now because that ending has got me thinking about what could be. It's simply ripe with possibility! BUT I'm also recalling what I initially felt for Carmen: CONFUSED. I mean, what exactly was the problem here? She had got parents who support her and an actual talent for her passion! But read a bit more, and I saw that getting where she was was not easy especially with a mother who drove her a little too hard and her issues on perfoming on stag...more 3.5/5

I have got a goofy grin pasted on my face right now because that ending has got me thinking about what could be. It's simply ripe with possibility! BUT I'm also recalling what I initially felt for Carmen: CONFUSED. I mean, what exactly was the problem here? She had got parents who support her and an actual talent for her passion! But read a bit more, and I saw that getting where she was was not easy especially with a mother who drove her a little too hard and her issues on perfoming on stage. Am I making it so it sounds mundane and basic? It really wasn't either of those, but things did get more exciting and complicated with the entry of Jeremy into her life. It is this same fellow who had me at utterly shocked (and slightly indignant) at one point, only later to have me me at nodding my head in approval.

But other than that open ending, what else did I enjoy? Well, for starters there's an absence of false modesty. Both Carmen and Jeremy knew what they could do and avoided pretending about it. I loved that! But it's the fact that both of them are talented and in the same competition that caused the friction. Note, that I'd normally be put off by the blink-speed rate at which they got together, but I could let that aspect slide because the predicament they found themselves in was a novel one for me. A predicament that hinged on winning the contest because there could only be one winner right? And I seriously doubted that either of them would have taken losing to the other easily. Putting it simply, I wanted to know how things would turn out. Imagine it: They wanted the same thing, but also wanted each other. Could they both get what they wanted?

But I'll never know will I? Because when that thing took place, I was seriously angered! From being interesting and slightly different, VIRTUOSITY took a turn for the overly-dramatic! If that (and by that I mean, (view spoiler) had not taken place, I seriously could have LOVED this book.

Still, I do love how the VIRTUOSITY allows me to come up with my own what will be's.

Thanks Simon&Schuster!
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Sep 03, 2011 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: conflicted-thoughts, received-for-review

VIRTUOSITY is a book that I've seen all over the blogosphere, so I was pretty curious when I got it in the mail.

Carmen is a violinist. Her mother a failed musician has been the driving force that has pushed and encouraged Carmen to reach the potential that she has today. With a Grammy under her belt, and a place to compete for the Guarneri music prize - nothing is going to stop her. She's one of the best, if not THE best, but for the first time there's an ounce of doubt when she hears a boy cal...more VIRTUOSITY is a book that I've seen all over the blogosphere, so I was pretty curious when I got it in the mail.

Carmen is a violinist. Her mother a failed musician has been the driving force that has pushed and encouraged Carmen to reach the potential that she has today. With a Grammy under her belt, and a place to compete for the Guarneri music prize - nothing is going to stop her. She's one of the best, if not THE best, but for the first time there's an ounce of doubt when she hears a boy called Jeremy play.

Turns out he may just be the one to worry about, and although she knows he's competition - she can't help how she's starting to feel.

There's a ridiculous amount of pressure on this girl and if not from the industry then there's her mother breathing down her neck. It's a bit too much for a 17 year old girl, so it's not surprising when she starts to become overwhelmed.

Carmen's mother is an interesting character. She has kept her daughter sheltered - in a way - from the outside world and has made her eat and breath the Violin. To the point where Carmen, perhaps sub - consciously thinks this is all she wants to do. To top it all off she has her hooked on pills and refuses to tell her daughter about her father when she has every right to know. These things always get to me. Why take away a child's right to know their father? It's wrong and cruel, but there's a lot about her mother I don't understand, and yet, despite all this, I couldn't quite bring myself to dislike her. She is obviously still grieving over a loss that she has to live through her daughter every day. It must be incredibly painful seeing anyone dear to you thrive in something that you had no chance but to let go.

I'm a little indifferent when it comes to Jeremy. He was arrogant and a complete jerk - there's not all that much too him apart from that in my opinion. The thing is that he knows he is both those things and seems to think that being nervous or using it as a defence mechanism is some kind of excuse. Hardly. There really wasn't anything appealing about him or anything that I connected with anyway, but I can see why him and Carmen would click.

One thing I have to mention is the part that music plays in this novel. A part of me felt sad when I would hear her play, when I would hear Jeremy play. They are obviously wonderful at what they do but I felt out of the loop - left out so to speak. I've read books like NAKED by Kevin Brooks and WHERE SHE WENT By Gayle Forman where music is a pivotal part of the book, but in those instances - alongside the protagonist, I felt that buzz, that excitement and wonder as they played, but this time around I felt like I wasn't given that, or either, I couldn't understand the beauty of it, or how the characters felt because I wasn't a part of their world. And the thing is that I'm not sure if this is purely just me being me, or if it was done intentionally. I know that both Jeremy and our MC did feel like others who weren't musicians couldn't understand how it really felt to do what they did, and I know that they were both very arrogant - it comes with the territory so it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but when I felt out the loop, and when I felt like I couldn't feel that buzz - I wondered if it was the MC or author pushing me out, or the protagonist sub - consciously not connecting to her music anymore. I've probably completely confused you there, don't worry, I'm a little confused myself!

I have conflicted thoughts on the ending, but not ones that I can share without being spoiler-y - as much as I want to blurt them out, which sucks because I love to share my thoughts on every aspect of a novel. I will say that I would like to hope that she doesn't regret her choices when she looks back on life. That unlike her mother she is able to look back fondly at certain memories rather than allowing them to be too painful. Although the last page indicates to something more promising I still feel a little uneasy about how things ended, but I've never been good with loose ends and unanswered questions, I'm far to nosey for that!

Oh, and I found the constant British references quite amusing. I'm guessing she's a fan? As much as I wanted to say, we do not talk about the weather all the time, and we do not all drink tea! I kind of had to bite back a smile, because, well, I do. ;)
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Apr 16, 2011 Lenore Appelhans added it · review of another edition

Carmen is a 17 year old violin prodigy, already accepted to Julliard, already winner of a classical music Grammy. She is pushed to achieve increasing greater success by her mother Diana, a former opera singer who lost her promising career due to a medical condition. As the story opens, Carmen is preparing for a prestigious violin competition that takes place only once every four years. If Carmen wins, she’ll tour the world. Losing is not an option. Her main competition is Jeremy - a handsome Bri...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Eunice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: damn-gorgeous-males, death-tragedy-suicide, favourites, out-2012, realistic-fiction, ya-romance, young-adult

I've always wanted to learn how to play a violin but never really got the chance. The closest I get on that was learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (I did actually have to coax and force my friend to teach me play it) which I have totally forgotten by now. Ha! But violin has always fascinates and mesmerizes me. So when I read the blurb of this book and learned that the main characters are violin prodigies I was absolutely sold! And boy was I not disappointed. Because reading Virtuosity was just...more I've always wanted to learn how to play a violin but never really got the chance. The closest I get on that was learning Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (I did actually have to coax and force my friend to teach me play it) which I have totally forgotten by now. Ha! But violin has always fascinates and mesmerizes me. So when I read the blurb of this book and learned that the main characters are violin prodigies I was absolutely sold! And boy was I not disappointed. Because reading Virtuosity was just as mesmerizing and captivating as listening to a violinist play.

Carmen was a character I instantly identified with. I was amazed and impressed by her accomplishments at a very young age and I truly felt the strong passion and love she had on being a musician. She was a very real and genuine character and although at first she let almost everything in her life be in control of her mother/manager who was totally overbearing and quite manipulative, she sooner realized that she has to start making decisions and choices for her own life.

Jeremy, although he started to be quite this arrogant and kind of a jerk guy I sooner found out that he was also this very soft and gentle guy who just also get nervous and insecure but covers it with his cool and proud facade. I love how he directly and indirectly contributed on making Carmen see how her life was and be an independent woman. Although he did make this mistake with Carmen I saw how he truly felt sorry about it and that his feelings for her were definitely genuine.

The romance here did happen a little too fast which in most case would have make me ran off to the other side but for some reason it worked for me here. Or more like, I actually didn't mind it because I just loved the characters. Ha! It was definitely okay though since as the story went on the development of Carmen and Jeremy's relationship and how it was explored felt really genuine and natural.

The musical aspect here was also really good. The playing was describe in such a very colorful and dramatic way and not really in technical way that might have my mind spinning in confusion. It was more on the feelings of the player and what the musical piece is trying to tell.

Overall, this was truly a great novel that centers about music, passion, love, discovery and choices. You really don't have to be a music lover to enjoy this book. It was beautifully written that I'm pretty sure it would easily make its way in your mind and heart. I recommend this.

This review can also be seen at Book Overdose (less)

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Oct 19, 2011 ☆Jessie☆ (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, galley-grab-arc, standalone, reviewed, 2011-reads, 2011-reviews, contemporary-fiction, coverlove, arc

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First-person perspective young-adult novels and I have a tricky but pretty reliable relationship etched out: if they are handled well and maturely I can legitimately love them, but if the author doesn't have the panache to pass their voice as a believable teen it's a lost cause with no hope. Happily for me, Jessica Martinez shines in her debut novel in the voice, mind and world of Carmen Bianchi, world-class violinist. Believable without trying too...more Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

First-person perspective young-adult novels and I have a tricky but pretty reliable relationship etched out: if they are handled well and maturely I can legitimately love them, but if the author doesn't have the panache to pass their voice as a believable teen it's a lost cause with no hope. Happily for me, Jessica Martinez shines in her debut novel in the voice, mind and world of Carmen Bianchi, world-class violinist. Believable without trying too hard, without sounding too-mature for her years, Carmen is a great character in a more-than-good-but-not-great novel. Carmen shines in this vehicle, elevating a somewhat overused general plot, infusing it with personality and vitality. This is definitely a case of a character making the book better than it should be, on its own.

Carmen is a great character because she's real and grounded. She's anal, insecure, sarcastic, funny, kind and a complete pushover. I liked the multi-faceted and even conflicting aspects of her personality: by no means is this "Medusa-haired" heroine a Mary Sue. Like many teen girls, she constantly searches for approval, to be thought "normal" - usual teen emotions that keep her relatable amid the Grammys, and $1.2 million dollar instruments. She's unabashedly great at said violin as well: winner of a Grammy and world acclaim, she should be arrogant, cocky. . . but she remains herself throughout. I did find a couple of her actions to be pretty annoying and downright silly (her assumptions about Jeremy's email are immediate and judgmental) but I don't have to love everything the character does to love the character herself. She's just so human in an outrageous, extremely pressured position. Under ridiculous strain of her stage-mom's expectations and transferred dreams, Carmen has little to no control over her life. Day-to-day or even what her dreams are is dictated by her mother with "an iron fist with a french manicure." Carmen, sadly, though world-class and immensely talented, never plays for herself or her own pleasure. She plays for her mother to vicariously live a failed career, for a teacher to extend his own impact on the musical world and that is sadly representative for Carmen's entire life. As music is so personal with an almost tangible impact upon Carmen, it's incredibly easy to commiserate and mourn with her as her joy in violin is turned into something else.

Other characters sadly lack the vivacity and life of Carmen. Her taciturn Ukrainian teacher Yuri is particularly easy to visualize but lacks any dimensions or personality outside of "gruff old man." I found Carmen's mother, always referred by Carmen with her given name of Diana (which I also very telling of their relationship) to be a depressingly one-dimensional antagonist. She seems to have no love or empathy in her for her daughter or her largely unseen husband Clark - focusely solely on her daughter's career as a surrogate for her curtailed one earlier. Diana's motivations for pushing Carmen would be much more understandable, even palatable, if they were for Carmen (wanting her to be happy, great at what she loves, follow her dreams) instead of trying to mold her into Diana II. Jeremy King, he of the not-so-subtle-last-name also failed to impress me the first half of the novel. Though I didn't jump on Carmen's hate bandwagon he makes a pretty bad, then pretty bland impression. I never saw his supposedly irresistible charisma - hell, I barely saw any personality from him! He was more of a drain on Carmen than a support, in my opinion, and I would've liked a nicer, kinder character infinitely better. He's supposedly Carmen's love interest I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two until they were pretty much de facto paired up. They truly work together and the novel is most evoactive when either Jeremy or Carmen play the violin. The descriptions and personal reactions to music are beyond compare in this novel: they stand as my favorite parts of the entire book.

The finale of the novel took me by surprise, while being absolutely fulfilling. Not the big reveal/betrayal, but the action stemming from the event. Carmen took me by complete surprise, but did what ultimately feels right for her. Regardless of how you feel about her decision, at least this time, for once, it was HER decision. Not her mother's, not Yuri's, not the doctor's and not even Jeremy's. . . purely and wholly Carmen. The ending is rather open-ended for a conclusion to a standalone novel, but I loved how the author left it. The world seems limitless, with anything possible for Carmen.(less)

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Oct 19, 2011 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: good-uns, ya

Originally published here.

I wasn't really planning on reading VIRTUOSITY. I'm not sure why, because I'm actually often drawn to stories featuring prodigies or people with highly regimented lifestyles due to their skills/abilities/life choices. Also, I like the title. But, the cover doesn't do a whole lot for me (it looks more paranormal than contemporary). Nothing wrong with it, but I will say that it would help if she was at least holding a violin. Then a galley floated my way, and so I went on...more Originally published here.

I wasn't really planning on reading VIRTUOSITY. I'm not sure why, because I'm actually often drawn to stories featuring prodigies or people with highly regimented lifestyles due to their skills/abilities/life choices. Also, I like the title. But, the cover doesn't do a whole lot for me (it looks more paranormal than contemporary). Nothing wrong with it, but I will say that it would help if she was at least holding a violin. Then a galley floated my way, and so I went on the hunt for a few reliable reviews. And wouldn't you know, I found them. Enough of them to prod me to see for myself. I actually started VIRTUOSITY right after finishing another book, somewhere in the vicinity of midnight, and I was absorbed quickly and deeply enough that I just read it straight through. I kind of feel like it's one of the ones best read that way, one of the ones that benefits largely from a quantity of undivided attention and a lack of breaks throughout.

Carmen Bianchi is a virtuoso. Her mother sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera at an unprecedentedly young age. All set to ride her stardom high, her career was cut short by an unexpected operation and an unexpected pregnancy. And so she transferred all of her drive, all her expectation, all her determination onto her daughter. And so Carmen eats, drinks, and breathes the violin. Her days are regimented to within an inch of her life, and her activities are sharply curtailed by her demanding schedule. With the most important competition of her life just a few short weeks away, she decides to scope out the competition. But it turns out Jeremy King isn't exactly the way she pictured him. And yet while his manner (both onstage and off) is about as far from her own as possible, he does share an unmatched understanding of what her life is like. Both that overwhelmingly innate love of music and the unparalleled isolation the lifestyle engenders. And so an alarmingly inconvenient friendship is struck up just at the moment when she needs to be the most focused and cutthroat she's ever been in her life.

I have never come anywhere even remotely in the vicinity of the kind of talent and dedication Carmen (and Jeremy) possess in this story. But I did grow up surrounded by music, and I played one instrument or another (or a few) nearly every day of my life from the time that I was four years old on. My mother taught me two of them. I was one of her many students, and so there was always the sound of music, the talk of music, and the practice and performance of music in the house. As a result, I was immediately drawn to Carmen's focus and love of everything that goes into the composition, the discipline, the appreciation, and the skill involved in her vocation. Unlike Carmen, however, I was always given the choice. Given options. And so my heart went out to her in sympathy for having none of those. I wanted her to explore the world outside. I wanted her to stand up to her mother and her horrible, horrible destructive influence. And at the same time I was fearful of the repercussions, fearful of what might be unintentionally but inevitably lost in the process. Beauty and fear make up the primary emotions of this novel, and I think the strength of it lies in those emotions and in the incredibly authentic way Jessica Martinez portrayed Carmen's life. I liked her. I liked Jeremy. Both of them so painfully solitary in their ways. And I really liked her mother, her stepfather, her tutor Helen, and her trollish instructor Yuri. I mean, I hated some of them, but I hated them right, you know? In fact, my heart was wrung several times throughout VIRTUOSITY, and I was in the dark all the way up to the very end as to how things were going to turn out. I, for one, was very pleased with the "ending" Carmen got, and I'm definitely looking forward to Jessica Martinez's next offering.(less)

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Jan 02, 2012 Gabbi Calabrese rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com

I'm sitting here trying to write this review, and all I can think to say is, "OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVER. READ IT NOW OR PREPARE TO FACE MY WRATH." But somehow I know that is not an acceptable review. So I'll do my best to put all of Virtuosity's awesomeness into words.

I'd been on a pretty bad reading streak, and Virtuosity was just what I needed to break through that. This book had its claws in me from the very beginning. The back and forth banter between Ca...more http://bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com

I'm sitting here trying to write this review, and all I can think to say is, "OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVER. READ IT NOW OR PREPARE TO FACE MY WRATH." But somehow I know that is not an acceptable review. So I'll do my best to put all of Virtuosity's awesomeness into words.

I'd been on a pretty bad reading streak, and Virtuosity was just what I needed to break through that. This book had its claws in me from the very beginning. The back and forth banter between Carmen and her best friend is comical and realistic and the whole first scene is just very funny and awkward. I LOVED IT! The writing is so friggin amazeballs, too. Carmen's voice comes through loud and clear and I was emotionally invested IMMEDIATELY. I didn't want to stop reading at all, which is rare when I am reading off of a computer screen.

I adored Carmen. She was a funny, sweet, and completely naive. All she ever really knew how to do was be the best at violin, and then here comes some guy from London who may possibly be better than her and ruin her career! Carmen began on a very, very short leash with her mother, and she had to learn to make it longer and become more independent. She had to learn that there was more to life than just violin and being the best. She has to learn to do what her conscience tells her, rather than what everyone else tells her, and she has to make some major sacrifices. She was so, so, so, so easy to relate to. Her competitive streak, her desire to be able to be who she wanted to be, her need to be loved, her struggle to do the right thing. She's human and flawed and so very real.

And then there's Jeremy. OMG JEREMYYYYY. This dude has problems to. He's not perfect. He;s obnoxious, super competitive, and his motives are questionable. But he's so wonderful. He makes a lot of mistakes. A LOT. Like begging Carmen for something he should never in a million years even think bout asking her. He really did surprise me. I figured he was going to be an arrogant asshole, but he had a side to him that I would have never guessed and I LOVED IT. Oh my gosh did I love it.

Carmen's mom was a bitch. END OF STORY.

This whole thing was just GAAAAHH MARVELOUS. One of those books, you know? I expected this to be a lot darker. I figured the drug addiction would be a prominent point in the plot, and that this would be about Carmen's downward spiral into all the negative aspects of performing. I'm so glad it wasn't. Instead, it was more about Carmen discovering who she is, learning how to be her own person, learning to grow up and make decisions, learning to love even when she shouldn't, learning that nobody and nothing is perfect, learning that her life needs to be revolved around more than one thing, and simply learning to be Carmen.
(less)

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Oct 22, 2011 kristin (paper reader) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, to-review, arc

As a musician, I loved this book. As a music lover, I loved this book. Best change of pace that I've read in awhile.

More to come next week. Review then.
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Carmen Bianchi and her violin are inseparable. For as long as she can remember she's always known that her path in life goes like this: practice practice practice, win the Guarneri, impress the world of classical music, and afterward continue to tour and play venues such as Carnegie Hall. Already having won Grammys and several recording contract...more As a musician, I loved this book. As a music lover, I loved this book. Best change of pace that I've read in awhile.

More to come next week. Review then.
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Carmen Bianchi and her violin are inseparable. For as long as she can remember she's always known that her path in life goes like this: practice practice practice, win the Guarneri, impress the world of classical music, and afterward continue to tour and play venues such as Carnegie Hall. Already having won Grammys and several recording contracts, it almost seemed a certainty. Until it wasn't.

Other than books, music is what I live for. And while listening to music is astounding, being able to create that music yourself - well, there are no words for that feeling. Reading this book brought me back to every moment on stage, and for that alone it was worth it. One of my favorite things about Virtuosity, as a musician also, is that violin is never referred to as 'the violin', as that would imply a sense of distance between Carmen and her violin that does not exist. This phrasing continues throughout the story and every single time I saw that I just about burst into a smile. That's how you know the author fully gets music.

The flow of the story worked quite well for me, as in the beginning, we figure out that Carmen's mother, Diana, herself was an opera singer until she had to receive surgery on her throat that rendered her voice incompatible. It was strange to have Carmen's narrative voice refer to her mother as 'Diana' until later on I realised it felt like a distancing measure; while Diana was her mother, she was more so a manager and a stage parent. Throughout the story you get to see a transition of Diana's role from one end to the other, and to me it was almost as if Carmen thought that her mother would never do anything terrible, but this Diana possibly could.

This helped me to understand Carmen a lot better as well, as she's been home schooled and hasn't had the chance to experience the things that other people her age would have gotten to do. So when she finally meets the elusive Jeremy King she's shocked that he's not at all like she is, and wholly different than what she expected. The real person dynamic between Carmen and Jeremy was refreshing, and while reading I had the impression that I was getting to explore new things along with them, and never felt like I could anticipate what their outcome would be. Theirs is a story I would like to know more about.

Virtuosity is a book that's not just about music, but about exploring your choices and having the ability to figure out that everything isn't quite set in stone. That said, Virtuosity is one that I think that anyone could pick up and really fall into - and if you have ever played an instrument, particularly a string instrument like I have, then I imagine that this book and you have an upcoming date.(less)

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Jan 08, 2012 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I feel like this book would probably be really enjoyable for a non musician or someone who is a light musician, but as medical people do in cancer movies, there are always things that will bother you that are in your own field.

I enjoyed the general plot of the book, and of course, prestigious classical music competitions are fascinating!

Carmen was in need of either a big reality check or a loss in a competition. She acted like she was the only one who deserved to win when these other musicians...more I feel like this book would probably be really enjoyable for a non musician or someone who is a light musician, but as medical people do in cancer movies, there are always things that will bother you that are in your own field.

I enjoyed the general plot of the book, and of course, prestigious classical music competitions are fascinating!

Carmen was in need of either a big reality check or a loss in a competition. She acted like she was the only one who deserved to win when these other musicians have been working their tails off instead of complaining about things...they should be just as qualified and she acts as if Jeremy & her are the only two competitors.

Also, I wish that the book would have focused on the pills more. It seemed like a really minor thing and I wish it had been more of a really deep emotional focus on the subject.

However, I enjoyed the boy, Jeremy. He was kind and I liked how he didn't get it super easy. (i.e, his parents took out a second mortgage for his violin and they are not always with him on his travels.) I felt Carmen really did have it easy, and wasn't as passionate about music as I imagine someone at her level. The successful violinists I've met are a bit more passionate and wouldn't really complain about Tchaikovsky Violin concerto not being as beautiful as Amazing Grace. (that kind of ticked me off.) She sounded like she just did it because she was good at it and already came so far, rather than really loving it.

Nevertheless, I wish there was a more extended period time of the book for the romance to grow. All I really recalled was a few dates.

The book was good, but frustrating. I wish it was a little bit lengthier too, because it kind of rushed by quickly without giving me exactly what I wanted. (or expected.) It was entertaining though, and I appreciate the effort and idea of making a story about the pressure of classical musicians lives because it is stressful!

(parent material: this was a really clean book. Only one or two swear words, and a kiss.) e(less)

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Jun 22, 2011 Stacy/GirlsInTheStacks.com rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Usually, when I read stories about prodigies I end up with feelings of inadequacies (unless you count my mad ability to clean). Happily, this one left me just wishing I had actually practiced my clarinet.

This is a beautifully real story with characters that have depth and soul. The book description does not even come close to describe the heart of this story. It’s more than just a mere girl meets boy love story. The relationship between Carmen and Jeremy is the key catalyst that pushes Carmen i...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Amber (Books of Amber) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-debut

Despite not liking music, I really enjoyed this book!

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Virtuosity is told from the point of view of Carmen, an award winning violinist who is about to enter a competition and is going up against Europe’s best male violinist. I’m not a huge fan of music to be honest. I mean, I love listening to it, but I don’t understand most of the terms that musicians use and I can’t play an instrument to save my life. Actually, that’s a lie. I used to play the recorder. Boo-yeah. Anyway, what I was leading t...more Despite not liking music, I really enjoyed this book!

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Virtuosity is told from the point of view of Carmen, an award winning violinist who is about to enter a competition and is going up against Europe’s best male violinist. I’m not a huge fan of music to be honest. I mean, I love listening to it, but I don’t understand most of the terms that musicians use and I can’t play an instrument to save my life. Actually, that’s a lie. I used to play the recorder. Boo-yeah. Anyway, what I was leading to before I got sidetracked was that the music in this book, while being a huge part of the novel, wasn't overpowering and there weren't music terms thrown around left, right and centre.

I really enjoyed reading from the point of view of Carmen, as she was easily relatable and I loved her personality. I was led to feel so sorry for her, and I was cheering her on during the latter half of the book. For coming from such a rich family, she’s definitely not spoilt and she’s really down to earth once you get to know her. I would have liked to have seen some development in the relationship between her and her biological father, perhaps just some sort of communication, because I felt like this could have been a goof focus for the novel. However, Carmen has a great relationship with her stepdad, which was awesome to read about.

Carmen’s relationship with Jeremy did move very fast. I would have preferred a little more build up, but without much action happening – this is contemporary, after all! – I think Jessica Martinez handled this quite well. Jeremy was a really sweet guy, and a well developed character. We learnt a lot about his own family, which I enjoyed. Tip: If a guy from Britain was to state his nationality, he would not say he’s British. He would say he’s English, Welsh etc.

I absolutely hated Carmen’s mother, Diana. I think that if I had seen more of her then I would have despised her as much as Nash from the Soul Screamers series. I almost do. She was an awful mother to Carmen, for various reasons. The main reason being she put her daughter on anti-anxiety drugs, and she practically forced her to take them. This made me so unbelievably angry. Diana was a very controlling mother, and ran Carmen’s life for her. I was very pleased with how their relationship turned out in the end.

Overall I enjoyed Virtuosity to an extent that was completely unexpected! Jessica Martinez is a fabulous author, and she told Carmen’s story really well. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of contemporary fiction, whether you like music or not. It’s a great book! (less)

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Apr 22, 2011 Shanyn (Chick Loves Lit) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wow, read-these-pam

I have been looking forward to reading Virtuosity from the moment my friend Katie (sophistikatied.com) told me about it. I really love the cover and music is a topic that I generally love to read about.

I had not read any violin/classical music based books, and did not know much about the topic in general, but Jessica Martinez does an excellent job of showing the passion and dedication of serious violin players. She even mentions the marks the players have on their necks from holding the violin,...more I have been looking forward to reading Virtuosity from the moment my friend Katie (sophistikatied.com) told me about it. I really love the cover and music is a topic that I generally love to read about.

I had not read any violin/classical music based books, and did not know much about the topic in general, but Jessica Martinez does an excellent job of showing the passion and dedication of serious violin players. She even mentions the marks the players have on their necks from holding the violin, which I had never considered before (BEWARE: If you search Google images to see what this mark may look like you will see many pictures of spiders, as there is apparently one called the violin).

I had high expectations overall for this book, but I did not know how complicated and emotional it would be. It is not simply a story about a girl training for a violin competition - Martinez really gets deep into Carmen's emotions and life. When there is such a huge focus on a competition, often a book will neglect other aspects of the main character's life as they prepare - Virtuosity did an excellent job of balancing it all appropriately. Yes, Carmen did think about her violin playing and the competition quite a bit, but she also dealt with family and a relationship, and her thought processes were divided appropriately.

I read this book while on a plane, and it kept me riveted and passed the time quite well. I had a few 'OH!' moments while reading, which really amped up the book for me - when an author can write in a plot scene that catches me off guard (and flows well with the story), I am extra appreciative because it shows the depth of the author and their writing.

I feel I have a slightly better understanding of the classical music world after reading Virtuosity - of course, there is no way I can totally understand without being a violinist myself, but Carmen describes her thoughts in such a way that you can relate even if you have no knowledge of her world.

I really can't wait for another book from Jessica Martinez. Virtuosity was beautiful, full of emotion, and heartbreaking. This is a must read for fans of music.(less)

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Oct 15, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a Jane Eyre fan. Okay, Jane Eyre is my favorite Chick Lit. Of all time. Gush all you want about Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I liked it, too, but mostly for the snark, spunk, and romance. But Jane Eyre features Jane, a rather unremarkable protagonist with little voice or choice in her life who finds just a little bit of happiness only to have it yanked away from her. The easy way would be to continue on in the house. Instead, she found the strength within herself to do the right thing even...more I'm a Jane Eyre fan. Okay, Jane Eyre is my favorite Chick Lit. Of all time. Gush all you want about Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I liked it, too, but mostly for the snark, spunk, and romance. But Jane Eyre features Jane, a rather unremarkable protagonist with little voice or choice in her life who finds just a little bit of happiness only to have it yanked away from her. The easy way would be to continue on in the house. Instead, she found the strength within herself to do the right thing even though it was painful and at her own peril.

In case you haven't read it, the ending warmed me up. For years. I still pull it out every few years just to live it all over again. It's happy.

In Virtuosity we meet Carmen, the gifted yet sheltered child prodigy who is home schooled and semi-charmed. It seems that she'd not be a protagonist that one could relate. But the truth is that Carmen is very normal but controlled. Her mother, Diana, is a calculating and well versed manager. Her best friend is her home school teacher. Her social life consists of old men in orchestras. Her one joy she has chosen is running with her stepdad for fun. She loves the music and the joy of playing the music, but has now been conditioned to carry the expectations of her mother, her violin teacher, her grandparents, the conductor, and the audience. The burden is sapping her.

Yes, there is a love interest, Jeremy, who happens to be her best competition but that is only part of the story. The real story is how Carmen finds who she is and what she stands for. It's the way she individuates herself from her mother and everybody else vested in her musical career. It's the time when Carmen realizes she has a choice.

Diana is the perfect stage mom. She manages every part of Carmen's life. On the other hand, there are some surprising and non-cliche'ed relationships. Carmen and her stepdad share a respectful and close relationship. Jeremy is not the "bad boy" boyfriend so prevalent in YA lit. His personality is not fully explored but he and Carmen express some fun dialogue.

Also prevalent in YA lit. is the idea that in order to separate from an overbearing parent, the child throws everything out the window for a full blown rebellion. Carmen's rebellion is real but clean. There is no sex,inappropriate dialogue or language, or violence. It's clean enough to give to my 13 year old but tackles complicated issues.

It's a fun, easy read and I get to keep it on my bookshelf without feeling self-conscious about it with my kids.(less)

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Oct 22, 2011 Danya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: psychology, books-i-own

My reaction: I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the music performance industry; I thought the portrayal rang quite true from everything I've heard about it. The main characters Carmen and Jeremy were both likeable and easy to relate to, despite the fact that unlike them I have never participated in any major music competitions. Carmen may be innocent and naive, but it's believable, because she's intelligent too. We see her mature throughout the novel and end up making some decisions I had to really...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Ashley - Book Labyrinth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: galleygrab, from-publisher, for-review, canadian, dac-2011, won-in-contest, my-books

4.5 stars

This book offers an incredibly interesting look at the world of classical music: the seedy side of competition, the stress, the rivalries, and how important every little note can be.

Carmen is just a girl loving music, trying to deal with the horrible pressure from her mom, her teacher, the music community, and herself. Carmen’s addiction to pills is a very interesting aspect of the story, and her mother’s role in this was terrible. Carmen’s mom upset me greatly: it makes me so sad and u...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Kerri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-books

You don't have to be a music lover to love "Virtuosity."

Seventeen-year-old Carmen was just weeks away from the biggest violin competition of her life when she meets Jeremy King. Jeremy is infuriating, arrogant and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen winning. Both child prodigies, they understand each other better than anyone else could, yet Carmen must not let Jeremy know her secret - she takes anti-anxiety drugs to help her perform.

"Virtuosity" sings with passion and romance and...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Isabel Barraza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to say that I love music. I listen to it as much as possible. All kinds, from Guns 'n' Roses to Yo Yo Ma. I live by what the music says, even if there are no words.
But when I look around me I see people with their fingers flying over black and white keys, or holding a bow as if it where an extension of their arm, I realize how limited my perspective of music is. I feel that each time I listen to a song, I'm hearing a foreign language, or only perceive half of its true meaning.
Reading boo...more I have to say that I love music. I listen to it as much as possible. All kinds, from Guns 'n' Roses to Yo Yo Ma. I live by what the music says, even if there are no words.
But when I look around me I see people with their fingers flying over black and white keys, or holding a bow as if it where an extension of their arm, I realize how limited my perspective of music is. I feel that each time I listen to a song, I'm hearing a foreign language, or only perceive half of its true meaning.
Reading books like Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez, helps me see the music world in a completely new way. The things musicians go through every time they perform, things that fans never realize, is mesmerizing.
Virtuosity basically tells the story of Carmen and her life as a violinist. She takes pills to calm her nerves on stage, but it grows from that, and she starts taking them for her lessons or for simple tasks. She goes from needing one to taking three or four at a time. Although she is to ashamed to admit it she starts to rely on these pills, and becomes addicted to the sensation of feeling nothing at all. But when the biggest competition in classical music arrives, she meets her opponent Jeremy King. She hates him, yet likes him, and her while future depends on if Jeremy losses or wins.
They soon fall in love and Carmen starts melting out of the frozen cage her mom had put her in. She experiences things she never thought possible, and in a totally random conversation they end up talking about the calming pills Carmen takes. Of course Jeremy doesn't know about them, and Carmen feels guilty. She decides to go without them for one of the recitals, and she falls ins love with the feeling of flying, when you are about to finish and you feel invincible.
Carmen's mom goes to extreme measures for her to win, and Jeremy loses. All because of a deal her mother made with the judges. In a depressing moment Carmen is about to hurl her 1.2 million dollar violin out Jeremy's hotel balcony. She tells everyone what happened, and faces the consequences.
But Carmen and Jeremy's love won't break because of that. They grow out of it and end up in a happily ever after. (less)

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Jan 29, 2013 Michael Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Seventeen-year-old Carmen Bianchi is a violin prodigy, a world-class, Grammy-winning, Stradivarius-wielding musician at the top of her game. She's on track to compete in, and quite possibly win, the prestigious Guarneri competition, which would catapult her to a new level of fame and fortune. Her life should be perfect.

It's not. Her mother is a control freak, a former singer now living vicariously through her daughter's career. Carmen's stage fright is so bad, she's now hooked on anti-anxiety me...more Seventeen-year-old Carmen Bianchi is a violin prodigy, a world-class, Grammy-winning, Stradivarius-wielding musician at the top of her game. She's on track to compete in, and quite possibly win, the prestigious Guarneri competition, which would catapult her to a new level of fame and fortune. Her life should be perfect.

It's not. Her mother is a control freak, a former singer now living vicariously through her daughter's career. Carmen's stage fright is so bad, she's now hooked on anti-anxiety meds. She's seventeen but has never had a "real life." And she's obsessed with her competition, the flamboyant, handsome Jeremy King.

As the Guarneri draws closer, Carmen's life takes an unpredictable turn. She meets Jeremy King face-to-face, and unexpectedly finds a kindred spirit. They should be enemies, but they develop a friendship blossoming into romance over stolen moments of baseball and Chicago pizza. But can two people competing for the same prize also be in a relationship?

To be honest, Virtuosity is fairly standard romantic fare in how it's structured. It hits most of the usual beats like it's playing from a music sheet: girl meets guy, they bond over their similarities, quarrel over the differences, have a huge fight when the tension gets to them both, and ultimately find a resolution. Furthermore, we've seen Carmen's character arc numerous times before. Of course she's going to yearn for a normal life, and break training to find a measure of happiness, and find out what it's like to be a teenage girl in love. It's a common arc for Character Driven To Excel In A Field, and she plays her part to perfection.

When prompted to make a moral choice near the end of the book, Carmen again plays along without missing a beat. It's the dramatic twist that puts her entire life into perspective and we'd almost be disappointed if she didn't take that course of action.

So we've established that Virtuosity is, regrettably, a fairly predictable coming-of-age romance. However, it's a beautifully-written one. It starts off with, "Everything before me was perfectly still: a black starless sky over Lake Michigan, my bare arm jutting out between metal bars, and the burnt-orange scroll of my violin rising out of my clenched fist." The entire book is full of these little bits of evocative imagery, which help to sell this as a story in a lovely evening gown, all gussied up for a more discerning crowd.

Martinez, herself a former student of the violin and classical music, uses that experience to good effect, bringing the performance scenes to life, balancing detail with suggestion. Few readers want to slog through the intricate specifics of performing a violin solo, they just want to understand why it was good, and so she obliges. "Tentative at first, the music began to flow, and then rush, and then soar. I was free, and everything else melted away."

The romantic chemistry between Carmen and Jeremy is genuine and sweet, exactly what you'd expect from a pair of musical prodigies trying to carve out space for themselves against a backdrop of practices, performances, and high expectations.

So while Virtuosity may be a new iteration of an oft-played song, a YA romance that we've seen in dozens of other circumstances, it's still a well-played one, done by a promising author. You could do a lot worse if you want a feel-good story set in the high-stakes, high-strung world of classical music.

(Originally published at Schrodinger's Bookshelf, 2013)(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Carmen Bianchi is 17, but she isn’t a typical teen. Since age four, she has been groomed and cosseted and promoted as a child prodigy violinist. Unlike most other kids, her childhood was filled with music lessons, concerts, tours, recordings, and even a Grammy. Now, the most prestigious competition in classical music – the Guarneri – is coming up, and Carmen desperately wants to win. She even starts stalking her most likely rival, her 17-year-old British equivalent, Jeremy King. Jeremy, currentl...more Carmen Bianchi is 17, but she isn’t a typical teen. Since age four, she has been groomed and cosseted and promoted as a child prodigy violinist. Unlike most other kids, her childhood was filled with music lessons, concerts, tours, recordings, and even a Grammy. Now, the most prestigious competition in classical music – the Guarneri – is coming up, and Carmen desperately wants to win. She even starts stalking her most likely rival, her 17-year-old British equivalent, Jeremy King. Jeremy, currently in Carmen’s hometown of Chicago to play at the finals before the Guarneri, turns out to be smug and flippant and – to Carmen’s embarrassment – even catches her “spying” on him. As much as he infuriates her and makes her want to wilt away from humiliation, he is also very cute, disarmingly vulnerable when he’s not preening over his talent, and utterly fantastic on the violin.

This has all the makings of a predictable romance, but that’s actually only a small part of a more interesting story. As readers discover in the prologue, Carmen’s life is not as halcyon as it seems. Carmen is addicted to the anti-anxiety drugs foisted upon her by her helicopter mom, Diana, who is also her manager. Diana’s own dreams of musical success were cut short by the development of polyps on her vocal chords, and she does not intend to lose out on this second chance to reach the pinnacle of success, albeit vicariously through her daughter. Her efforts to control her daughter’s life get more hysterical as the time shortens until the Guarneri Competition. The author adds some sympathetic notes to Diana’s song, but I found it hard to like her at all. Fortunately for Carmen, she also has a wonderful parent in the form of her stepdad, Clark. The only puzzle was what Clark saw in Diana.

As the big day approaches, there are several disasters just waiting to happen. Is Jeremy genuinely interested in the naïve and inexperienced Carmen, or is he just trying to sabotage her concentration and take up her practice time? Does Carmen’s illegitimate method to control her anxiety with drugs compromise her playing as well as give her an unfair advantage? Will the addiction destroy her in the long run? Just how far will her mother go to make sure Carmen wins?

Discussion: There are quite a few good discussion issues raised in this arresting story of a girl who is pressed to succeed so strongly that she loses track of who she really is or what she really wants. Similarly, Jeremy’s plight brings up questions of morality and identity as well. How they manage to cope with the strains upon them will keep readers riveted to the story.

In addition, this book provides an interesting twist on the usual triangle: we have a girl, we have a boy, and we have: the violin!

Finally, hooray for an author with the courage to portray the stepparent as the more loving caregiver!

Evaluation: This is not just a story about the desire for “Fame” in the arts. It’s much deeper than that: the hurts endured by both Carmen and Jeremy will tug at your heartstrings, even as they tug on their violin strings to create worlds of pure beauty instead of their real worlds full of heartache and pain.

Rating: 3.5/5
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Jan 03, 2013 Luckyflier95 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hmm... After reading Virtuosity I believe I have a love hate relationship with this book...

LOVE:
The musical aspect of the novel. Personally I have not read many books that include people immersed in the culture of classical music so I found the plot line pretty unique.

Clark! He is a cutie of a character and definitely a sweetheart to the core. However I do not see how then a relationship between him and Diana ever developed because she is so controlling and self absorbed.

I also enjoyed the chara...more Hmm... After reading Virtuosity I believe I have a love hate relationship with this book...

LOVE:
The musical aspect of the novel. Personally I have not read many books that include people immersed in the culture of classical music so I found the plot line pretty unique.

Clark! He is a cutie of a character and definitely a sweetheart to the core. However I do not see how then a relationship between him and Diana ever developed because she is so controlling and self absorbed.

I also enjoyed the character, Diana. She is a villain as a reader, I love to dislike! But at the same time, her background was quite interesting. The author did a swell job of showing Diana living through her daughter. This is why the plot twist (will not go into specifics) did not really surprise me; even though it put Carmen in a terrible positive (between a rock and a hard place?).

Jeremy... Hmmm. I liked Jeremy when he crossed obvious moral lines. For example, when he was talking to Carmen in the hotel room and begged her (no spoilers!). At this point, Jeremy, as a character, became more real. This was a moment of passion and inhibition and it was quite neat to read! In most situations, he was a breath of fresh air from Carmen. However I do not like how he was introduced as a character.

Jessica Martinez, the author, also captivated me. Because of her writing, Virtuosity flew by! It was a very short read but enjoyable.

HATE:
Carmen. I simply cannot relate to her. At all. Though I think it was a good idea, to write about Carmen gaining her choices and independence, I do not think it was executed well. It seemed rather sudden when Carmen started fighting back. Also perhaps I was the only one, but I did not think her mom was that bad (in the beginning).
In addition, it seemed like Carmen gave up rather quickly. Though I am not in the music industry, I would think if you truly loved something, you would continue. Even if Carmen may never perform in front of a crowd again, no one is preventing her from making music.

Overall, the plot of course made me wonder what my choice would have been. I cannot imagine having something be such a huge part of my life ripped away! I don't really know what I would've done... I guess we never really until we are truly in such a situation!
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Nov 25, 2012 Blueberry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Meine Meinung:

Es ist ein sehr schönes Buch!
Gleich am Anfang taucht man in die Welt von Carmen ein. Man merkt wie viel Druck ihr gemacht wird und dem sie nur durch Medikamente Stand halten kann. Schockierend ist hier auch, dass ihre Mutter sie dabei auch noch unterstützt und noch mehr Druck macht!
Auch ist Carmen wie von Jeremy besessen. Sie denkt nur an ihn, will ihn andauernd sehen und sieht ihn als ihren größten Konkurrenten an. Man kann sogar sagen, dass sie ihn so richtig hasst!
Am Anfang konn...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Louisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would've liked this book more if Carmen hadn't pressed so many wrong buttons. Not that I thought she wasn't a well-developed character. I just couldn't sympathise with her as much as a reader should have.

Everything else seemed perfectly up my alley - classical music, the pressure of performing, a conflicting love interest, and beautiful prose and a lovely setting. You can tell Jessica Martinez has played the violin since a young age. The music terms make a huge difference. She especially captu...more I would've liked this book more if Carmen hadn't pressed so many wrong buttons. Not that I thought she wasn't a well-developed character. I just couldn't sympathise with her as much as a reader should have.

Everything else seemed perfectly up my alley - classical music, the pressure of performing, a conflicting love interest, and beautiful prose and a lovely setting. You can tell Jessica Martinez has played the violin since a young age. The music terms make a huge difference. She especially captured the fear and enormous pressure of being in the professional music industry.

I did piano for six years as a kid, then guitar since the age of 12. I've never fallen out of love with music like Carmen did. Neither have I ever taken anxiety drugs before a performance, probably because I mostly performed with an ensemble both competitively and concert-wise. My family's never given me the choice of feeling out of touch with the music I play, but overall I could understand Carmen's growing apathy towards her violin and soaring career. The thing was, she just didn't have a backbone. I spent a good portion of the book going, "Stand up for yourself! I know plenty of homeschooled kids and they aren't as awkward as you make them out to be! Oh, stop crying." Some characters point out numerous times that she has a Strad, a well-meaning mother and a Grammy, recording deal and albums under her bow, and that she shouldn't take that for granted, etc. etc. I don't feel like Carmen didn't appreciate what she had, but she does come off bratty and whiny at times.

Jeremy, Carmen's love interest, didn't feel particularly special either. Hot young British violinist. You would think I'd be swooning. His motives for winning over Carmen felt somewhat shoved in our faces. I also kind of resented his attitude towards the Guarneri. Surely the competitors in the most elite violin competition worldwide should be considered in the running to be the winner too.

The ending redeemed the book somewhat. Do what you want, Carmen! Go for it! (Though I would REALLY like a sequel.)

Overall, I wouldn't tell anyone to rush out to get this book. A better YA classical music centered novel would be Gayle Forman's If I Stay. I'll still look out for Jessica Martinez's future stuff... just not holding my breath for it.(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-2011s, ya-baby-ya, i-burn-i-pine-i-perish, gorgeous-covers, fake-people-real-problems, beautiful-words-lets-swim-in-them, book-boyfriends, ouch-right-in-the-feels, reviewed, crème-de-la-crème, originality-rocks

Carmen Bianchi is one of the best violin prodigies in the world and right now, she's preparing for a competition that could not only settle her placement in the hierarchy of violin prodigies for good, but also make or break her entire career in music. To help her relax enough for performances, she takes a tranquilizer called Inderal, which she has become psychologically addicted to over the years. Her mother puts tons of pressure on her, living out her own failed music career vicariously through...more Carmen Bianchi is one of the best violin prodigies in the world and right now, she's preparing for a competition that could not only settle her placement in the hierarchy of violin prodigies for good, but also make or break her entire career in music. To help her relax enough for performances, she takes a tranquilizer called Inderal, which she has become psychologically addicted to over the years. Her mother puts tons of pressure on her, living out her own failed music career vicariously through her daughter. Carmen's life makes her miserable, but she doesn't feel like she has a choice in the matter.

All this changes when Carmen meets fellow prodigy Jeremy King, England's answer to Carmen Bianchi. Not only is he a stone-cold fox, he's also got a sexy accent, and far more talent than she does. Maybe. It's going to be a close match, and Carmen's anxiety won't help. They start out hating each other, exchanging pithy insults and scathing remarks, but then they start to fall for each other. Why not? They've got a lot in common: 98% of the world doesn't give a shit who they are, and the other 2%, who constitute their fanbase, puts enough pressure on them to crack diamond. But does Jeremy really like her? Or is this just some twisted scheme to knock her emotions off-kilter, so he can swoop in and steal the grand prize?

When we first meet Carmen, she's on the top of a high building, seconds from throwing her million-dollar Stradivarius violin- and maybe herself- from the rooftop. "What the hell is she doing?" I thought. "What a spoiled little bitch." But the writing was compelling, and suggested that maybe Carmen wasn't overentitled so much as overwhelmed. I was curious and pressed on, and as the next two hundred pages unfolded, learned what drove Carmen to make her feel as if there were no other way out.

I loved this. The writing was beautiful, the characters were complex and interesting and flawed, and the romance between Jeremy and Carmen was pretty well done for 'instalove.' Plus, Virtuosity is about music, and as an ex-musician myself, I found that really appealing. Apparently Jessica Martinez was a professional musician- it shows. She captures the pressures of performing perfectly, as well as the snootiness of music 'experts.' The difference between playing an instrument well and playing an instrument like a master virtuoso is like the difference between a chess novice and a GM.

I played flute for ten years, piccolo for five, and alto flute for two, and eventually the increasing demands of my instructors led me to quit. I did not want to pursue music as a vocation, and my instructors were not sympathetic to that. Performing in everything from orchestra to marching band to flute choir to an ill-conceived piccolo duet (there's an old joke out there- how do you get two piccolo players in tune? Shoot one), I eventually just got tired of the constant competition and need for practice. I just wanted to have fun, and to hell with auditions. I actually left my private lessons because my teacher was constantly pushing me to be first chair (I was first flute, but only second chair; the fact that I really liked the girl who was first chair and didn't want to supplant her, and considered her abilities far beyond mine were irrelevant). She got mad at me one lesson for not practicing the arpeggios she had assigned, because I wanted to work on my school stuff. She kicked me out early and told me to come back when I was "prepared."

I didn't come back- because, really, you should do something because you love it and not because some hag is beating you over the head with your music stand to do better (note: she didn't actually beat me- although one of my elementary school music teachers threw a pen at me, once, for resting my elbow on the counter while playing). I think that's why I loved the ending so much. Carmen makes a similar choice: do I do it because I have to, or because I want to? And even if you choose the former, it should still be about choice.

Your choice.

What a beautiful book.

4.5 to 5 stars.(less)

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Aug 04, 2012 Heartykiss rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beschreibung:
Carmen ist 17 Jahre alt und leidenschaftliche Geigerin. Seit 4 Jahren bereitet sie sich auf den ultimativen großen Auftritt vor. Ein wenig aufgeregt ist sie trotz der vielen Proben dennoch.
Um ihre Angst und das ständige Lampenfieber in den Griff zu bekommen, schluckt sie fast täglich Tabletten. Hat sie damals nur 1 gebraucht um nicht mehr ganz so nervös zu sein, braucht sie mittlerweile ganze 3 Tabletten.

Da sie wissen möchte, wer ihre Konkurrenz ist, beschließt sie Jeremy King zu be...more Beschreibung:
Carmen ist 17 Jahre alt und leidenschaftliche Geigerin. Seit 4 Jahren bereitet sie sich auf den ultimativen großen Auftritt vor. Ein wenig aufgeregt ist sie trotz der vielen Proben dennoch.
Um ihre Angst und das ständige Lampenfieber in den Griff zu bekommen, schluckt sie fast täglich Tabletten. Hat sie damals nur 1 gebraucht um nicht mehr ganz so nervös zu sein, braucht sie mittlerweile ganze 3 Tabletten.

Da sie wissen möchte, wer ihre Konkurrenz ist, beschließt sie Jeremy King zu beschatten. Ein Junge, der in der Welt der Klassik in aller Munde ist. Carmen selbst kennt ihn nur von Fotos. Als sie ihm dann jedoch begegnet ist sie erstaunt, wie anders er doch aussieht. Sie ist der Meinung, dass es unmöglich der gleiche Junge sein kann, den sie auf all den Fotos gesehen hat.. Als sie eines Nachts nicht schlafen kann, beschließt sie, ihren Computer anzuschalten. Dort erwartetete sie eine komische Nachricht. Sie war schon kurz davor die Mail zu löschen, als sich in ihr ein Gefühl breitmachte, dass ihr vermittelte, jene doch zu öffnen. Was sie dort las, machte sie rasend.. Da schrieb ihr doch tatsächlich dieser Jeremy King..

Mit der Zeit kommen sich die beiden immer näher.. Doch der Wettbewerb rückt auch immer näher. Wer wird gewinnen? Und vorallem - was wird aus den beiden? Denn nur einer von beiden kann gewinnen!

Eigene Meinung:
Anfangs dachte ich, dass das Buch nichts für mich wäre, da es sich um Musik dreht und ich vorher noch kein Buch gelesen habe, in dem es wirklich NUR hauptsächlich darum geht!
Ich wurde jedoch nicht enttäuscht. Bereits mit den ersten Seiten hat mich die Autorin mit der Art und Weise wie sie schreibt, in ihren Bann gezogen.

Carmen ist ein Mädchen mit dem man sich wunderbar identifizieren kann und mit der man das ganze Buch hindurch mitfühlt und leidet.

Ich weiß gar nicht wie viel Stellen es in dem Buch gab, bei denen ich dachte - okay, jetzt passiert sicher dieses und jenes - aber jedes Mal habe ich mich auf's neue getäuscht bzw. geeirrt - KLASSE!

Fazit:
Alles in einem hat mir das Buch wirklich sehr gut gefallen und ich würde es jederzeit nocheinmal lesen (wäre da nicht mein großer SUB) ;) (less)

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title link	preview: Virtuosity: Liebe um jeden Preis
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Quotes from Virtuosity: Liebe um j...