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15th out of 86 books
—
105 voters
The Unicorn Sonata
by
Peter S. Beagle (Goodreads Author),
Robert Rodriguez
On a hot summer day in Los Angeles, thirteen-year-old Josephine "Joey" Rivera - a misfit in junior high school but a born musician - meets a disquieting young man named Indigo who plays ghostly, haunting music on a horn the hue of a conch shell. The sound of his music stays with her, distant and beguiling, until she follows it down an ordinary street and across an unseen b...more
Hardcover, 154 pages
Published
October 1st 1996
by Turner Publications Inc
(first published January 1st 1996)
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This book is hard to put into words but I'm going to try. I'm going to try really, really hard because it's an awesome book and it should be read by all, if I can be dramatic for a moment.
Peter S. Beagle wrote one of my favorite books, the Last Unicorn. If you know him for something, it's that book or the animated movie based on it. While at a con that he was attending, I realized that I hadn't read any of his other books. So while picking up (and having him sign) my new copy of the Last Unicorn...more
Peter S. Beagle wrote one of my favorite books, the Last Unicorn. If you know him for something, it's that book or the animated movie based on it. While at a con that he was attending, I realized that I hadn't read any of his other books. So while picking up (and having him sign) my new copy of the Last Unicorn...more
I started reading this a week or weeks ago. (What meaning, Time?) I stopped because, while it had some elements I was excited to find (like the music elements), it had one thing that just drained me. And that was that when Joey crossed the border between ours and Shei’rah, what does she meet but a satyr. And I was just so mad that it wasn’t something better, something far from Narnia.
But when I was able to get over that, I was able to realize the differences, and then it seemed...well, an elemen...more
But when I was able to get over that, I was able to realize the differences, and then it seemed...well, an elemen...more
I love Peter S. Beagle, but this is definitely a weak work of his- possibly because it was intended for a young adult audience. I would also venture to say- young girls, in particular. There are a couple of shining moments where Peter's unique style and prose show up- not to mention his particular brand of humor (namely the unicorn Indigo's love of coffee drinks) but mostly this is unicorns in a meadow being pretty while nymphs and fauns play. It sort of reminds one of the pastoral sequence in F...more
I don't think this is one of Beagle's best (which is why it is, I think, the only one of his books I don't own). Nicely written, as always, but the plot moved slowly, and I found the ending rather unconvincing.
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I wasn't super impressed by this book, which was too bad, because I loved The Last Unicorn (probably because I grew up on the movie...)
I found the characters here to be lackluster, the storyline to be flat, and the world created to be pretty standard. There is really nothing new here, so real sense of magic that I found, and very little intrigue. I suppose this book is meant for younger readers, but, quite honestly, I think the best young adult books should appeal to older readers as well, and s...more
I found the characters here to be lackluster, the storyline to be flat, and the world created to be pretty standard. There is really nothing new here, so real sense of magic that I found, and very little intrigue. I suppose this book is meant for younger readers, but, quite honestly, I think the best young adult books should appeal to older readers as well, and s...more
As a BIG fan of The Last Unicorn (I grew up with the movie and adored the book) I was interested in this book as well. It is a completely different world, however, so if you are looking for more of the same you might be disappointed. This is a unique story and I very much enjoyed it. It's also a good story and now that I have it on the brain, I'm very tempted to read it again. In fact, I think I might yank it off the shelf and give it a whirl right now...
Enjoyable read. The feel of an urban fantasy. The main character, Joey, stumbles upon a magical land and adventure ensues. She, like the reader, are easily captivated by the creatures and troubles in this new land (Shei'rah). The aspect of music is added too, and it's power.
It reminded me a lot of Charles de Lint's Moonheart and T.A. Barron's The Ancient One.
It reminded me a lot of Charles de Lint's Moonheart and T.A. Barron's The Ancient One.
This was fantastic! I read The Last Unicorn long ago, but this is, I think, better. The modern setting and the fully-realized fantasy world combined with an immature, unreasonable, incredibly talented, teenaged main character made this book--well, believable, if that's a word you can use for fantasy. That, combined with the quick read and the amazing illustrations made this a perfect choice for a blizzard day.
Definitely intended for younger tweens or even younger. But given the intended audience, still good even if it isn't Beagle's best work. The illustrations are really good, however! I also like how a black unicorn is the oldest and wisest of the unicorns, and the two most import characters are women of colour, one very young and one very old.
Jan 27, 2013
C
added it
Somehow I missed reading this when it first came out. Now I have: it's not as good as his other books I read long ago, but still worth reading. Definitely Juvenile reading level, but that doesn't detract as much as I feared. Very good other-world-portal setup, Ilustrations are nice.
Not nearly as captivating, heartbreaking, or as beautifully written as "The Last Unicorn" but still an enjoyable quick read. My only real issue with it was the dialog; a lot of it was just annoying. I hate it when I'm reading a story and constantly have to think to myself "This is not how people really talk."
This is one of Beagle's weaker books, in my opinion. While his style continues to be delicious, the fantasy world in this book seems cliche. It's as if it's saying "Look! I'm a fantasy world! The trees here are red and purple! Satyrs and tiny dragons live here! And talking unicorns!". It isn't very original, unfortunately.
The main character is also a typical troubled teen girl looking for more to her mundane life, who befriends an old man with a music shop. I was disappointed there was no twist...more
The main character is also a typical troubled teen girl looking for more to her mundane life, who befriends an old man with a music shop. I was disappointed there was no twist...more
Favorite line:
"I want to see you wear it now, here, not looking down from heaven. That's too faraway, heaven, my eyes aren't so good anymore."
Her Abuelita was wonderful! And so was Joey for how much she loved her.
"I want to see you wear it now, here, not looking down from heaven. That's too faraway, heaven, my eyes aren't so good anymore."
Her Abuelita was wonderful! And so was Joey for how much she loved her.
Aug 06, 2011
Stephanie
added it
A magical story, and I can see the "story within" that Mr. Beagle is currently turning into a longer story, I think three books long. A wonderful read for any fantasy lover or initiate.
I have, in my head, an ever growing list of books that I can't wait to introduce my child to, if I have one ... and this is one of them. Great stuff.
Hard to find gem of a book from the Unicorn master. If you can find it, you won't be sorry. Touching and mystical.
I don't remember much about this book except that I read it...
Bittersweet. A good read for a different take on the unicorn mythology.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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It was a nice enough book, and I loved the illustrations, but ultimately I like about everything else I've read by Beagle better than this.
Very very sweet book, took me in straight away! Will ready it again!
second book I read by Mr. Beagle. from what I can recall, not as good as his Last Unicorn, but what is? I got the opportunity to meet him at a convention this pas spring and finally bought a copy of my own. he was very gracious and funny- signed my book! I think if you like his other titles, you will like this one too.
not bad, but not quite great to me either. the last unicorn is one of my all time favorite books and this didn't quite reach the same sort of standard. still enjoyable on many levels, but definitely not the same sort of classic as the last unicorn. a bit disappointing to me overall.
I am very surprised that this got such a low average rating. No, it is not as good as The Last Unicorn. It is, however, original and very good in its own way. I would certainly recommend it to any fan of Peter S. Beagle and to anyone else for that matter.
I'm tempted to say that I would recommend anything by Peter S. Beagle. . . This is a contemporary fantasy. If you like music and/or unicorns, read this book.
This book was awesome!
An inner journey for a bright young lady, this book was interesting. A few twists within that pique the interest, it's a decent read.
No Last Unicorn, but a nice story about a girl who finds her way into a magical land where all the unicorns are going blind.
Fairly standard but enjoyable story about a magical land connected to earth. It did not take long to read, but was fun.
Couldn't put it down. Really good especially if you like unicorns.
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| Goodreads Librari...: How to UN-merge books | 2 | 29 | Aug 15, 2011 01:43am |
Peter Soyer Beagle (born April 20, 1939) is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. He is also a talented guitarist and folk singer. He wrote his first novel, A Fine and Private Place , when he was only 19 years old. Today he is best known as the author of The Last Unicorn, which routinely polls as one of the top ten fantasy novels of all time, and at least two of...more
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