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The Forty Watt Flowers
A comic novel as colorful and gritty as Georgia red clay, The Forty Watt Flowers gives you a moshpit view of the indie band world of Athens, GA.
All Trisha wants to do is create something meaningful. Since she's living in the indie band capital of North America, she brings four other women together and The Forty Watt Flowers are formed. Unfortunately, making great music isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Rosemarie, on keyboards, has a libido as fierce as a hurricane. Aline, the singer, is a hermit, scratching out poems in her antebellum mansion. Juanita, on drums, has a poison tongue too quick on the draw. Toni, on guitar, made the mistake of heading South to come out of the closet.
More challenging than managing this crew of misfits, Trisha needs to undo the destruction of a family. If she reaches out to her parents after two years of radio silence, will they still blame her for the death of her sister?
From the jock atmosphere of the garage where they rehearse to the beer-soaked bars where they gig, these five young women struggle to find beauty in the mess of notes they try to play and the chaos of their lives.
A playful and sparkling novel full of characters you’ll love to hate and hate to love, The Forty Watt Flowers explores the liberating powers of rock’n’roll in a notorious music town full of the charm of the New South.
All Trisha wants to do is create something meaningful. Since she's living in the indie band capital of North America, she brings four other women together and The Forty Watt Flowers are formed. Unfortunately, making great music isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Rosemarie, on keyboards, has a libido as fierce as a hurricane. Aline, the singer, is a hermit, scratching out poems in her antebellum mansion. Juanita, on drums, has a poison tongue too quick on the draw. Toni, on guitar, made the mistake of heading South to come out of the closet.
More challenging than managing this crew of misfits, Trisha needs to undo the destruction of a family. If she reaches out to her parents after two years of radio silence, will they still blame her for the death of her sister?
From the jock atmosphere of the garage where they rehearse to the beer-soaked bars where they gig, these five young women struggle to find beauty in the mess of notes they try to play and the chaos of their lives.
A playful and sparkling novel full of characters you’ll love to hate and hate to love, The Forty Watt Flowers explores the liberating powers of rock’n’roll in a notorious music town full of the charm of the New South.
- GenresMusic
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
670 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Subasic
1 book72 followersDo you remember that burning, itching feeling of youth? The feeling that you need to create something… special?
At fourteen, I took that feeling and wrote a sequel to the movie Stars Wars. I sent the manuscript down to 20th Century Fox. And so, my first rejection letter was pretty fancy. Luke Skywalker stood in the centre of a circle, holding a light sabre toward the sky.
These days, in addition to my own writing projects, I work with writers as a substantive editor or dramaturge. Together, we’re on a quest to answer a seemingly simple question: What really is this story do you want to write?
What does it its essence? Why should anyone care?
This process is like an unveiling, as little bit by bit, the story takes shape.
I currently live in Fenelon Falls.
At fourteen, I took that feeling and wrote a sequel to the movie Stars Wars. I sent the manuscript down to 20th Century Fox. And so, my first rejection letter was pretty fancy. Luke Skywalker stood in the centre of a circle, holding a light sabre toward the sky.
These days, in addition to my own writing projects, I work with writers as a substantive editor or dramaturge. Together, we’re on a quest to answer a seemingly simple question: What really is this story do you want to write?
What does it its essence? Why should anyone care?
This process is like an unveiling, as little bit by bit, the story takes shape.
I currently live in Fenelon Falls.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 18, 2015
This is an excellent book. The author adeptly captures the feel of a small city music scene. I lived in Champaign/Urbana, Tucson and Austin—all of which have a vibrant music scene. Though I’ve never been to Athens, I recognized the flavor from my own experiences in those other places.
I also spent several years in a working band in Tucson and I completely identified with those parts of the book that related to The Forty Watt Girls playing and practicing. Those first few times playing together as a new band. The bewildering moments of those first gigs. The tendency to be harder on yourself than your audience ends up being. The pure joy of the moment the band meshes for the first time. The pure magic of the music itself. The author nails every one of those things skillfully and artfully.
This book succeeds on so many levels. From the prose to the tone, the book draws you in right at the start. And the characters are almost impossible not to like—even the ones that provide conflict. The author does a good job painting the picture without telling the reader too much. I was able to sink into the book and attach my imagination to the story in enough places that it became mine for a while.
I had a hard time putting this book down and read it in basically two sittings. My only real complaint? I wish it was longer. That’s probably more praise than criticism though. I just wanted more of these women and their growth. I’ll definitely be watching for the author’s next book.
Kudos to C.M. Subasic for delivering a great novel!
I also spent several years in a working band in Tucson and I completely identified with those parts of the book that related to The Forty Watt Girls playing and practicing. Those first few times playing together as a new band. The bewildering moments of those first gigs. The tendency to be harder on yourself than your audience ends up being. The pure joy of the moment the band meshes for the first time. The pure magic of the music itself. The author nails every one of those things skillfully and artfully.
This book succeeds on so many levels. From the prose to the tone, the book draws you in right at the start. And the characters are almost impossible not to like—even the ones that provide conflict. The author does a good job painting the picture without telling the reader too much. I was able to sink into the book and attach my imagination to the story in enough places that it became mine for a while.
I had a hard time putting this book down and read it in basically two sittings. My only real complaint? I wish it was longer. That’s probably more praise than criticism though. I just wanted more of these women and their growth. I’ll definitely be watching for the author’s next book.
Kudos to C.M. Subasic for delivering a great novel!
August 20, 2014
"The Forty Watt Flowers" is as colorful and gritty as Georgia red clay. C.M. Subasic has created an ensemble of fully dimensional characters who at times you love to hate, and at others you hate to love. I'm a Southerner, a musician, and book lover, so this novel really spoke to me; however, anyone with a pulse can relate to feeling like a misfit in a world where you just want to make a difference. I won this book through the Goodreads First Read giveaway and I couldn't be happier to have been exposed to this awesome novel!
September 12, 2023
A very enjoyable story that covers the internal dynamics of a group in a captivating way. The drawbacks are some conflicts feel a little soap opera lite and descriptions of the rock scene get a little cornball. Plus, the history interludes and lyrics seem more filler than integral elements to the novel. Still, I liked much of it.
March 28, 2016
Little did I know Athens was – and still is – not only the home of the University of Georgia, but a hubbub of rock n’ roll, blues, jazz, and all alternative music in-between. It is the birthplace of such famed groups as R.E.M and the B-52’s. But not much has been written about the electrifying culture and broiling atmosphere until two years ago when C. M. Subasic, a talented Canadian playwright, wrote the definitive novel about starting a band and making it big on the music scene. "The Forty Watt Flowers" is a refreshingly frank exposé of Athen’s musical sub-culture, delving into the complexities of what it takes for a band to make it big.
A transplant from the north, young Trisha is relatively new in the community. Struggling with deep hurt, guilt, and misunderstanding, she searches for importance in her life beset by family and boyfriend issues. In her quest to create “something meaningful,” she decides to start an altrock band, bringing together four other young women; each one a unique individual with her own set of divergent issues, quirks, talents, and problems: a black Canadian bass player; a hard-nosed Latino drummer; a spoiled, selfish “southern belle”; and a shy, withdrawn, wealthy recluse who breaks out of her shell to become their lead singer. Together they form the Forty Watt Flowers in the hopes of lighting up the music world with their talents.
The band becomes a mini-cosmos of creativity mixed with complex relationships that threaten to tear it apart.-Trisha is their leader who, mired in her own insecurities, is the most mature of its members. As the well-constructed plot progresses from the band’s first rehearsal in a beer-soaked seedy garage to their dreamed-of gig at the prestigious 40 Watt Club, she becomes their leader, mentor, band-promoter, and problem solver.
This is a well-tuned debut novel from a very talented, seasoned writer. A noted editor and publishing consultant in her own right, Subasic couples her easy-read writing style with a vast knowledge of music, empathetically probing in-depth the finer points of inter-personal relationships. Writing with a light touch and often a jaundiced tongue-in-cheek, she uniquely twists common phrases into fresh, new usages. Her style, not quite hip-hop jivey, is pert and to the point. Through her characters, she often waxes eloquent philosophies, and slams home poignant observations like a musician playing finely-tuned instruments. There are only two flaws in this otherwise exceptional story: some of the lyrics are hard-to-grasp and somewhat arcane, and some of the songs lack basic structure.
However, taken as a whole, "The Forty Watt Flowers" is, in totality, a literary song unto itself and well worth reading.
A transplant from the north, young Trisha is relatively new in the community. Struggling with deep hurt, guilt, and misunderstanding, she searches for importance in her life beset by family and boyfriend issues. In her quest to create “something meaningful,” she decides to start an altrock band, bringing together four other young women; each one a unique individual with her own set of divergent issues, quirks, talents, and problems: a black Canadian bass player; a hard-nosed Latino drummer; a spoiled, selfish “southern belle”; and a shy, withdrawn, wealthy recluse who breaks out of her shell to become their lead singer. Together they form the Forty Watt Flowers in the hopes of lighting up the music world with their talents.
The band becomes a mini-cosmos of creativity mixed with complex relationships that threaten to tear it apart.-Trisha is their leader who, mired in her own insecurities, is the most mature of its members. As the well-constructed plot progresses from the band’s first rehearsal in a beer-soaked seedy garage to their dreamed-of gig at the prestigious 40 Watt Club, she becomes their leader, mentor, band-promoter, and problem solver.
This is a well-tuned debut novel from a very talented, seasoned writer. A noted editor and publishing consultant in her own right, Subasic couples her easy-read writing style with a vast knowledge of music, empathetically probing in-depth the finer points of inter-personal relationships. Writing with a light touch and often a jaundiced tongue-in-cheek, she uniquely twists common phrases into fresh, new usages. Her style, not quite hip-hop jivey, is pert and to the point. Through her characters, she often waxes eloquent philosophies, and slams home poignant observations like a musician playing finely-tuned instruments. There are only two flaws in this otherwise exceptional story: some of the lyrics are hard-to-grasp and somewhat arcane, and some of the songs lack basic structure.
However, taken as a whole, "The Forty Watt Flowers" is, in totality, a literary song unto itself and well worth reading.
March 14, 2015
This book is about an all-girl band. About being a artist as a woman. The focus is on how hard it is to have the desire to create something... anything. And inspirational.
I get why some other reviewers find it hard to get into at first. There's -- count them -- five characters to get to know before the story gets going, so I get it. But once you're past, I'd say just the first time they get together playing, it's hysterical, fun, tear-jerking, thoughtful, poetic, gritty (as one of the other reviews says), an addictive read I couldn't put down.
Part of the book is a walk through the most obvious Athens music history (mind you, if I'd never been to Athens I never would have heard of the forty watt club). It tells the story of B52s, REM, and I think the singer character is based on Vanessa from Pylon (?). The book really captures the feeling of walking the streets of Athens, of being in the southern states, the heat, the character of the local setting. It's like you're there.
In addition to the story of the band, there is the story of the main character, Trisha, leaving behind her family and her challenges with her boozing boyfriend. She's placed in a bad position by her parents, mostly her mother. The situation with the boyfriend made me think about so many people I've known who have had substance abuse problems, which may have been related to depression. With her mother, well, I don't think I can say much about that or it would spoil it. But just let me say, whenever a family goes through something traumatic, everybody acts in ways to save themselves. It's never easy.
I have quibbles, like some of the song lyrics. But those are so small, it's not enough to dim my enthuasiasm.
Anyone who has ever wondered what it's like to be in a band, to live in Athens (or any music town), or has ever had the desire to create something, can get something out of this book. It's about hope, about finding your way... and I'm inspired, searching for my paint brushes in their boxes and waiting for a sequel. The way this book ended... I'm hoping there's another one following.
I get why some other reviewers find it hard to get into at first. There's -- count them -- five characters to get to know before the story gets going, so I get it. But once you're past, I'd say just the first time they get together playing, it's hysterical, fun, tear-jerking, thoughtful, poetic, gritty (as one of the other reviews says), an addictive read I couldn't put down.
Part of the book is a walk through the most obvious Athens music history (mind you, if I'd never been to Athens I never would have heard of the forty watt club). It tells the story of B52s, REM, and I think the singer character is based on Vanessa from Pylon (?). The book really captures the feeling of walking the streets of Athens, of being in the southern states, the heat, the character of the local setting. It's like you're there.
In addition to the story of the band, there is the story of the main character, Trisha, leaving behind her family and her challenges with her boozing boyfriend. She's placed in a bad position by her parents, mostly her mother. The situation with the boyfriend made me think about so many people I've known who have had substance abuse problems, which may have been related to depression. With her mother, well, I don't think I can say much about that or it would spoil it. But just let me say, whenever a family goes through something traumatic, everybody acts in ways to save themselves. It's never easy.
I have quibbles, like some of the song lyrics. But those are so small, it's not enough to dim my enthuasiasm.
Anyone who has ever wondered what it's like to be in a band, to live in Athens (or any music town), or has ever had the desire to create something, can get something out of this book. It's about hope, about finding your way... and I'm inspired, searching for my paint brushes in their boxes and waiting for a sequel. The way this book ended... I'm hoping there's another one following.
October 8, 2014
I’m musically inept but I still enjoyed this book about five women trying to make it as a band in the male-dominated music industry. The book revolves around Trisha who gathers an assortment of people, essentially on a whim, to form a rock band. Trisha is a likeable character who you grow to feel for as you find out more about her, most of the other characters – not so much. I felt some of the others were slightly two-dimensional in the way that we are not told much of their back story. This is a shame in my opinion because I felt that there was potential for them to be very interesting. However it was still refreshing to read about an all women band, which in itself is a rarity IRL. Throughout the book I did wish I could have listened to their music as you do believe in them as a band.
I liked that the book represented race and sexuality well and was unproblematic in that vein. However I do feel that the ‘allegation’ nearer the end of the book slightly spoilt it for me, as it was unnecessary to the plot and just didn’t fit very well into the story.
Overall, this was an easy to read, enjoyable book. I really liked Trisha as a character and wanted to read more! I received this book as part of a Goodreads 'first reads' giveaway.
I liked that the book represented race and sexuality well and was unproblematic in that vein. However I do feel that the ‘allegation’ nearer the end of the book slightly spoilt it for me, as it was unnecessary to the plot and just didn’t fit very well into the story.
Overall, this was an easy to read, enjoyable book. I really liked Trisha as a character and wanted to read more! I received this book as part of a Goodreads 'first reads' giveaway.
August 20, 2016
I received this book as a GOODREADS FIRST READ
This book took a bit to get into, but once it got going I couldn't put it down. The characters were wonderful to read about, even if they weren't the nicest of people, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. There was one instance, which I won't say for spoilers, I found a little unrealistic. On the whole I loved how these women dealt with real life issues whilst trying to succeed as a band.
This book took a bit to get into, but once it got going I couldn't put it down. The characters were wonderful to read about, even if they weren't the nicest of people, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. There was one instance, which I won't say for spoilers, I found a little unrealistic. On the whole I loved how these women dealt with real life issues whilst trying to succeed as a band.
April 22, 2015
Subasic does a great job of capturing the blossoming of a band in the 90s, the heyday of the Athens music scene. Some of the descriptions go a little long, but overall, it's packed with ass-kicking girl power and people who are finally taking control of their own lives. I'd recommend this to any child/teen of the 90s, people interested in the ups and downs of starting their own bands, and people who love music!
September 3, 2014
I found it a bit slow at the beginning but once I got into it I liked it. I don't know anything about forming a rock band. I learned a lot, about that. I would recommend this the book. The interaction between the characters was realistic and gives a glimpse of how different personalities have to learn to get along to work towards a common goal.
May 14, 2015
A great book for all those who love the feel of the music scene. The plot and characters will captivate you! The authors ability of writing shows each page you read, never a disappointing moment. This book also inspire, at least I think it does, for more women to do what it is they love to do! A great read for all!
*Received for an honest review*
*Received for an honest review*
July 10, 2014
Like a cold beer pulled from a frosty cooler on a hot sticky day this novel satisfies. Music and women tell the truth of their stories in way that is both honest and bold. For anyone who loves music, dreamt of band life or lived it a snap shot of a time and a timeless dream.
September 28, 2014
Quite an interesting read. Tells a great story of 5 girls trying to make in the music world as a group. Keeps you entertained throughout as you follow their trials and tribulations. Would recommend this book.
July 1, 2015
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Dancing Through the Pages!
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review contains spoilers.
To the author: I realize that this review is coming out way later than when I actually received the book. So to make up for that long wait period, I’m writing a really long review. Enjoy~
This book was fun.
Now I actually enjoyed this book a lot. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like it because of the fact that the first chapter read a lot like an adult novel to me (not that I have anything against those). I just tend to stay away from it because I feel like I have trouble relating with the characters. As a teenager, I just can’t begin to fathom some of the daily issues they go through.
The book itself was about rock music and bands, which is one of my favorite genres of music. I love the raw and unadulterated sound of a band just making music. So obviously, when I was offered a copy from the author, I was pretty excited about reading it.
If I could summarize this book in a sentence, it’d probably be this.
“Bartending playwright goes through a mid-life crisis and starts a female rock band.”
The focus of this book was friendship and self-discovery. Rock bands require a lot of teamwork to provide the right sound and make meaningful music that has a life of it’s own. So while this book lacked a plot, there was definitely a lot of development of the relationships within the book. Friendships are yay! I liked most of the relationships in the book. They were well written and realistic.
The band was made up of five women: Trisha, Rosemarie, Aline, Juanita, and Toni. Each of them were important to the band and had their own important backstories.
Trisha, being the main character, obviously had the most character development. The problem is that I found her kind of bland. She didn’t stand out as a protagonist to me at all. I had a little trouble connecting with her character. However, as a whole, her character wasn’t bad at all. She was likable, reasonable, and had a lot of development within the novel. But while her character was relatively well-done, her backstory wasn’t done to my liking. She has a lot of baggage when it comes to family relationships and her sister’s death but it felt…. really glossed over. The emotions felt off and anticlimatic. We learn a lot about how her parents blamed her sister’s death on her and as a result, I was expecting a huge, emotional confrontation. This family schism had extended numerous years for god’s sake! But alas, it was fixed with a few emails and phone calls.
(Okay this might not be as important because the book was focused on the band’s formation, not individual stories. But as a result, I’m not too sure if the book was more about Trisha’s personal life or the band’s formation. I suspect that it is the latter but it was a little confusing.)
On top of this, Trisha’s relationship with her boyfriend, Brent was crumbling. I could tell from the very first time I met Brent that the relationship was going to fall apart. This was handled relatively well. Trisha was smart and left the relationship as soon as warning signs went up. It’s probably the first time I’d ever read a book where the girl doesn’t try to stay with a bad relationship. So kudos to Trisha! More points to her for being a smart, strong woman.
Party because I like Trisha’s strength
Rosemarie, on the other hand, annoyed me to no end. Even though I’m way younger than her (by a lot), there were innumerable times that I wanted to just tell her to act her age or to be more mature in certain situations. Juanita was my soul sister during this part. I was just as annoyed as she was with Rosemarie. The constant lack of responsibility and regard for her bandmates really really grated on me. And the fact that she never thinks that she does anything wrong just made me want to scream. If that doesn’t scream personality glitch, I don’t know what does. The way that she cheated on her boyfriend sucked. But what really made me annoyed was that she cheated on him with Trisha’s ex-boyfriend. The worst thing was that Toni had a crush on her, and as soon as Rosemarie learned, she just outright rejected it. Like really girl? You were friends with her for such a long time. In this way, I thought that Trisha acted too lenient towards Rosemarie. She seriously gave me headache but since it was a part of her character, I’m not going to take off points from the book’s score. Even if she was a pain, she contributed to the band’s story and still felt genuine.
The other characters, Toni, Juanita, and Aline were okay. Toni and Juanita came in a package deal but both of them had their own quirks and differences. I liked Juanita quite a bit. Her personality reminded me of other hardy, tomboyish characters. Toni was also a pretty good character.
Overall, the characters were well done, but I think they could have been pushed more. They had a lot of potential but I don’t think they completely reached it.
Something I liked a lot were the little inserts between the chapters. There was always a little history about Athens, GA or a little blurb of the lyrics. I thought it was great because it was always connected to the chapter in some way. It was fun and effective way to help readers visualize the magnitude of the location and clubs.
The Forty-Watt Flowers has a lot of heart and is simultaneously inspiring and educational. Even if the writing isn’t my favorite thing about the book, the development of the band and the struggles they faced felt genuine. I felt like I could understand their problems with finding their sound and teamwork. It was a realistic look at bands and their creations. Everything from stage fright to member cooperation is included well and gives readers a great view at the dynamics of band interactions.
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This review contains spoilers.
To the author: I realize that this review is coming out way later than when I actually received the book. So to make up for that long wait period, I’m writing a really long review. Enjoy~
This book was fun.
Now I actually enjoyed this book a lot. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t like it because of the fact that the first chapter read a lot like an adult novel to me (not that I have anything against those). I just tend to stay away from it because I feel like I have trouble relating with the characters. As a teenager, I just can’t begin to fathom some of the daily issues they go through.
The book itself was about rock music and bands, which is one of my favorite genres of music. I love the raw and unadulterated sound of a band just making music. So obviously, when I was offered a copy from the author, I was pretty excited about reading it.
If I could summarize this book in a sentence, it’d probably be this.
“Bartending playwright goes through a mid-life crisis and starts a female rock band.”
The focus of this book was friendship and self-discovery. Rock bands require a lot of teamwork to provide the right sound and make meaningful music that has a life of it’s own. So while this book lacked a plot, there was definitely a lot of development of the relationships within the book. Friendships are yay! I liked most of the relationships in the book. They were well written and realistic.
The band was made up of five women: Trisha, Rosemarie, Aline, Juanita, and Toni. Each of them were important to the band and had their own important backstories.
Trisha, being the main character, obviously had the most character development. The problem is that I found her kind of bland. She didn’t stand out as a protagonist to me at all. I had a little trouble connecting with her character. However, as a whole, her character wasn’t bad at all. She was likable, reasonable, and had a lot of development within the novel. But while her character was relatively well-done, her backstory wasn’t done to my liking. She has a lot of baggage when it comes to family relationships and her sister’s death but it felt…. really glossed over. The emotions felt off and anticlimatic. We learn a lot about how her parents blamed her sister’s death on her and as a result, I was expecting a huge, emotional confrontation. This family schism had extended numerous years for god’s sake! But alas, it was fixed with a few emails and phone calls.
(Okay this might not be as important because the book was focused on the band’s formation, not individual stories. But as a result, I’m not too sure if the book was more about Trisha’s personal life or the band’s formation. I suspect that it is the latter but it was a little confusing.)
On top of this, Trisha’s relationship with her boyfriend, Brent was crumbling. I could tell from the very first time I met Brent that the relationship was going to fall apart. This was handled relatively well. Trisha was smart and left the relationship as soon as warning signs went up. It’s probably the first time I’d ever read a book where the girl doesn’t try to stay with a bad relationship. So kudos to Trisha! More points to her for being a smart, strong woman.
Party because I like Trisha’s strength
Rosemarie, on the other hand, annoyed me to no end. Even though I’m way younger than her (by a lot), there were innumerable times that I wanted to just tell her to act her age or to be more mature in certain situations. Juanita was my soul sister during this part. I was just as annoyed as she was with Rosemarie. The constant lack of responsibility and regard for her bandmates really really grated on me. And the fact that she never thinks that she does anything wrong just made me want to scream. If that doesn’t scream personality glitch, I don’t know what does. The way that she cheated on her boyfriend sucked. But what really made me annoyed was that she cheated on him with Trisha’s ex-boyfriend. The worst thing was that Toni had a crush on her, and as soon as Rosemarie learned, she just outright rejected it. Like really girl? You were friends with her for such a long time. In this way, I thought that Trisha acted too lenient towards Rosemarie. She seriously gave me headache but since it was a part of her character, I’m not going to take off points from the book’s score. Even if she was a pain, she contributed to the band’s story and still felt genuine.
The other characters, Toni, Juanita, and Aline were okay. Toni and Juanita came in a package deal but both of them had their own quirks and differences. I liked Juanita quite a bit. Her personality reminded me of other hardy, tomboyish characters. Toni was also a pretty good character.
Overall, the characters were well done, but I think they could have been pushed more. They had a lot of potential but I don’t think they completely reached it.
Something I liked a lot were the little inserts between the chapters. There was always a little history about Athens, GA or a little blurb of the lyrics. I thought it was great because it was always connected to the chapter in some way. It was fun and effective way to help readers visualize the magnitude of the location and clubs.
The Forty-Watt Flowers has a lot of heart and is simultaneously inspiring and educational. Even if the writing isn’t my favorite thing about the book, the development of the band and the struggles they faced felt genuine. I felt like I could understand their problems with finding their sound and teamwork. It was a realistic look at bands and their creations. Everything from stage fright to member cooperation is included well and gives readers a great view at the dynamics of band interactions.
December 19, 2018
Had a little trouble getting into it.
July 7, 2016
I was offered a copy of this book in audio format from the author/narrator in exchange for an honest review.
This book narrates the formation of a women band in Athens, Georgia. The book also mentions musical events happened in this location. Trisha decides one day to form a band and find other four women interested in being part of it. They all have very different personalities and they will have to find the way to work together in a world lead by men.
I confess that it took me a third of the book to get into the story, and even after that I felt that I was missing something. It could have been my difficulty to connect to the characters since I expected more mature ones and we were presented with five twenty something women with their ideas not at all clear. There was in general too much drama going on, and despite the fact that I understand that there should be a lot of internal problems in a band, most of the stuff were teenage troubles.
Trisha was the only character that was somewhat developed, the other four women were quite plain, and I had issues understanding their motivations. It could be that we live in too different worlds and not the author's fault.
The book is read by Subasic herself and she did a good job in general, adding a lot of passion to the characters. One thing I was not convinced was the southern accent. It sounded like she was high.
For the rest I enjoyed the book and I find it interesting for anyone wanting to form a band, or interested in the music scene in Athens, Georgia.
This book narrates the formation of a women band in Athens, Georgia. The book also mentions musical events happened in this location. Trisha decides one day to form a band and find other four women interested in being part of it. They all have very different personalities and they will have to find the way to work together in a world lead by men.
I confess that it took me a third of the book to get into the story, and even after that I felt that I was missing something. It could have been my difficulty to connect to the characters since I expected more mature ones and we were presented with five twenty something women with their ideas not at all clear. There was in general too much drama going on, and despite the fact that I understand that there should be a lot of internal problems in a band, most of the stuff were teenage troubles.
Trisha was the only character that was somewhat developed, the other four women were quite plain, and I had issues understanding their motivations. It could be that we live in too different worlds and not the author's fault.
The book is read by Subasic herself and she did a good job in general, adding a lot of passion to the characters. One thing I was not convinced was the southern accent. It sounded like she was high.
For the rest I enjoyed the book and I find it interesting for anyone wanting to form a band, or interested in the music scene in Athens, Georgia.
April 17, 2016
I thought this was an interesting book about a group of girls starting their own band in a small town. I listened to the audio version, and the author did a good job of narrating, providing many different voices to the characters. I think this book would be particularly interesting to people who are starting their own bands, or who are just interested in music, especially of the 1990's. I was a teenager in the 1990's and knew all the music references that were made, which made it interesting. This book shows a lot about the dynamics of people in a band, troubles they may have working together, and having a life outside of a band. Overall, an interesting read. I probably wouldn't read it a second time, but I'm glad I read it once.
May 16, 2016
Having lived in Georgia for the last 20+ years, it was very fun to read/listen to a story that was took place in Athens, GA. I was given the Audible version of this book in exchange for an honest review. The author was the narrator and she did a good job bringing the various personalities to life.
The book was a little hard for me to get into initially, but I’d say after the first 20% it had me hooked! The characters were all so well developed I felt like I really knew them by the end. It was interesting to learn about the real challenges of starting up a band and keeping everyone on the same page.
All in all this was a very enjoyable book which I am so glad I had the opportunity to read (listen).
The book was a little hard for me to get into initially, but I’d say after the first 20% it had me hooked! The characters were all so well developed I felt like I really knew them by the end. It was interesting to learn about the real challenges of starting up a band and keeping everyone on the same page.
All in all this was a very enjoyable book which I am so glad I had the opportunity to read (listen).
March 18, 2016
Blaring with insight, sharply drawn characters and exceptional dialogue, 40 Watt Flowers is a fine, often funny chronicle of four young female musicians and the subculture they inhabit. Though a rather splintered sisterhood at times, together they overcome collective fear to form a band, a shared vision, a sound. Subasic is a marvelous storyteller, evocatively portraying place, process.
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