A Noteworthy Man

by Thomas Shields

In a small Illinois town, piano prodigy Ned Godwin is living in a world vibrating with the optimism of youth and the sweet promise of success. But in one heart-stopping moment, the young man's journey to greatness is interrupted.



Fortified by talent, but fractured by trauma, Ned's once-clear path becomes a labyrinth of unanswered questions as Ned wages a silent war against his own potential. As he witnesses his friends' lives blossoming, he struggles with the suffocating weight of unshed grief and guilt.



Woven with the timeless threads of healing and self-discovery, Thomas Shields leads readers through the angst of adolescence, and the lessons of love, loyalty and sacrifice. Will Ned succumb to an extraordinary encounter with the hidden verses of his family's past, or will it be the catalyst needed for Ned's renaissance?



Imprinted with raw emotion and timeless revelations, A Noteworthy Man invites you to witness the resurrection of a spirit muted too soon. It leaves us aching to uncover the final note in Ned's life's composition---a note suspended, hauntingly, just beyond reach.

378 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2025

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story lacks impact, with a writing style that feels unpolished and underdeveloped. The characters feel one-dimensional and come across as caricatures rather than fully developed individuals. While the story includes minority characters, such as a Mexican character and a Japanese character, their portrayal lacks depth. The Kimanis, a Black family, is depicted in such a stereotypical and exaggerated manner that it raises doubts about whether the author has meaningful familiarity with Black people. For example, the author consistently uses a lowercase 'b' when referring to Black individuals — a seemingly minor detail, yet one that dismisses the sense of identity and community inherent in capitalizing the term. This oversight reflects a lack of understanding and research into the Black experience. One character with alopecia is addressed in a way that feels superficial. The text contains numerous offensive or outdated terms, such as "cripple" or the incorrect usage of "Afro-American," along with others that are too sensitive to mention here as they might trigger flags.These examples demonstrate that the author is unfamiliar with "The Diversity Style Guide", a resource that could have been incredibly helpful to them.

It’s not to say that white authors can’t write about minority characters, however, it must be approached with thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and a commitment to genuine representation. Researching and engaging with the cultures and experiences they depict is vital to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes and tropes. Unfortunately, this author fell short, leaving the portrayal feeling inauthentic and problematic.

[Lauren Wisker · Rating 2 out of 5]

It looks like the author used to write children's books, and is venturing into adult literature. Maybe they should stick to writing for Children. The book tries to hard to sound clever, but comes off sounding pompous. This book reads like the author swallowed a thesaurus and chased it with a shot of pretentiousness. Every sentence screams, "Look at me! I'm so clever!" but instead of wowing, it just wobbles under the weight of its own self-importance. The plot? Barely there. The characters? Cardboard cutouts. If you're into eye-roll-inducing prose and metaphors that try so hard they pull a muscle, this one's for you. Otherwise, save yourself the headache.

[Clara Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was like a magic trick—poof, all my interest disappeared. The plot was predictable enough to make soap operas seem original, the characters had less depth than a kiddie pool, and the writing? Let's just say it had me wondering if my time would’ve been better spent alphabetizing my spice rack. There were tiny flickers of promise here and there, but not nearly enough to make up for the slog. Read at your own risk!

[Kayce O'Donoghue · Rating 1 out of 5]

I find it tiring when cisgender white men try to represent female characters or those from marginalized communities without a genuine understanding of their experiences. It often feels forced and lacks authenticity.