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A Woman of Note
Virtuoso pianist Isabette Grüber captivates audiences in the salons and concert halls of early nineteenth-century Vienna. Yet in a profession dominated by men, Isabette longs to compose and play her own music―a secret she keeps from both her lascivious manager and her resentful mother. She meets and loves Amelia Mason, a dazzling American singer with her own secrets, and Josef Hauser, an ambitious young composer. But even they cannot fully comprehend the depths of Isabette’s talent. Her ambitions come with a price when Isabette embarks on a journey that delicately walks the line between duty and passion. Amid heartbreak and sacrifice, music remains her one constant. With cameos from classical music figures such as Chopin, Schubert, and Berlioz, A Woman of Note is an intricately crafted and fascinating tale about one woman’s struggle to find her soul’s song in a dissonant world.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2015
64 people are currently reading
888 people want to read
About the author
Carol M. Cram
13 books72 followersCarol M. Cram is the author of five novels including her latest "The Choir", an historical novel set in Yorkshire in the 1809s.
In her beautifully wrought novel, The Choir, set in 1890s England, Carol Cram deftly composes a lyrical portrait of courage, forgiveness, and the redemptive power of music. This story is rich with history and heart, and will remain with you like a favorite song. (Herb Williams-Dalgart, author of The Jingle Boys and The French Girl's War
Cram has also written a contemporary novel ("Love Among the Recipes" that received a Publishers Weekly starred review and three award-winning historical novels about women in the arts. "The Towers of Tuscany" was published by Lake Union Publishing in 2014. The novel was awarded the Chaucer Award (Chanticleer Reviews) for best historical fiction and Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Review. "The Towers of Tuscany" tells the story of a woman painter in fourteenth century Italy. "A Woman of Note" was published in 2015 by Lake Union Publishing and was awarded the Goethe Award for Best in Category (Chanticleer Reviews) and Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Society. The novel is set in Vienna in the 1830s and tells the story of a woman composer. Carol's third novel, "A Muse of Fire" (Kindle Books & New Arcadia Publishing 2018) received a Bronze for Best Historical Fiction from the Independent Publishers Book Awards and the Goethe Award for Best in Category. Set in 1809 in London, the novel delves into the riotous world of early 19th Century theater.
Carol is podcaster and travel blogger. She hosts The Art In Fiction Podcast on which she interviews novelists inspired by the arts. Her travel website Artsy Traveler (www.artsy-traveler.com) features artsy travel experiences throughout Europe, North America and beyond.
Carol has enjoyed a great career as an educator, teaching at Capilano University in North Vancouver for over twenty years and authoring fifty-plus bestselling textbooks on business communications and software applications for Cengage Learning. She holds an MA in Drama from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. She and her husband, painter Gregg Simpson, share a life on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, Canada.
In her beautifully wrought novel, The Choir, set in 1890s England, Carol Cram deftly composes a lyrical portrait of courage, forgiveness, and the redemptive power of music. This story is rich with history and heart, and will remain with you like a favorite song. (Herb Williams-Dalgart, author of The Jingle Boys and The French Girl's War
Cram has also written a contemporary novel ("Love Among the Recipes" that received a Publishers Weekly starred review and three award-winning historical novels about women in the arts. "The Towers of Tuscany" was published by Lake Union Publishing in 2014. The novel was awarded the Chaucer Award (Chanticleer Reviews) for best historical fiction and Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Review. "The Towers of Tuscany" tells the story of a woman painter in fourteenth century Italy. "A Woman of Note" was published in 2015 by Lake Union Publishing and was awarded the Goethe Award for Best in Category (Chanticleer Reviews) and Editor's Choice by the Historical Novel Society. The novel is set in Vienna in the 1830s and tells the story of a woman composer. Carol's third novel, "A Muse of Fire" (Kindle Books & New Arcadia Publishing 2018) received a Bronze for Best Historical Fiction from the Independent Publishers Book Awards and the Goethe Award for Best in Category. Set in 1809 in London, the novel delves into the riotous world of early 19th Century theater.
Carol is podcaster and travel blogger. She hosts The Art In Fiction Podcast on which she interviews novelists inspired by the arts. Her travel website Artsy Traveler (www.artsy-traveler.com) features artsy travel experiences throughout Europe, North America and beyond.
Carol has enjoyed a great career as an educator, teaching at Capilano University in North Vancouver for over twenty years and authoring fifty-plus bestselling textbooks on business communications and software applications for Cengage Learning. She holds an MA in Drama from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. She and her husband, painter Gregg Simpson, share a life on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 29, 2015
I was looking forward to reading Carol Cram’s newest book, “A Woman of Note.” Unfortunately, the book turned out to be a bit too one note – and off-key at that.
The book’s premise holds promise. Virtuoso pianist Isabette Gruber lives in Vienna in the 1830’s. Not only is she among the most talented performers of her day, she is also a gifted composer. However, no publisher will consider her pieces since she is a woman, so she submits her pieces under a pen name to much critical acclaim. Many of the era’s well-known composers have cameo appearances in this book. I was curious to know if Isabette was a real person, but she is completely fictional (it did get me wondering if any women composers did publish under pen names in this era, though.)
While Isabette’s character is developed almost every other character in the book is a caricature. People are all good, or all bad. When we are introduced to the man who will become Isabette’s husband, he is initially portrayed as a kind man and competent musician. He then turns on a dime. There are backstories with members of Isabette’s family that are never fully fleshed out.
While the story does take place primarily in the 1830’s, a time more formal than today, the dialogue is stiff and unconvincing. (In one piece of dialogue a character describes another’s behavior as “saccharine”. Since saccharine wasn’t invented until 1879, this word most definitely wouldn’t have been used in the early 1830’s. I read a galley copy – not sure if this was caught by the editors and corrected in the final version).
As a person who loves music, I did enjoy reading Cram’s evocative descriptions of music throughout the book, as well as her line that “attending the concert with someone who loves music as much as you do increases the pleasure.”
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book’s premise holds promise. Virtuoso pianist Isabette Gruber lives in Vienna in the 1830’s. Not only is she among the most talented performers of her day, she is also a gifted composer. However, no publisher will consider her pieces since she is a woman, so she submits her pieces under a pen name to much critical acclaim. Many of the era’s well-known composers have cameo appearances in this book. I was curious to know if Isabette was a real person, but she is completely fictional (it did get me wondering if any women composers did publish under pen names in this era, though.)
While Isabette’s character is developed almost every other character in the book is a caricature. People are all good, or all bad. When we are introduced to the man who will become Isabette’s husband, he is initially portrayed as a kind man and competent musician. He then turns on a dime. There are backstories with members of Isabette’s family that are never fully fleshed out.
While the story does take place primarily in the 1830’s, a time more formal than today, the dialogue is stiff and unconvincing. (In one piece of dialogue a character describes another’s behavior as “saccharine”. Since saccharine wasn’t invented until 1879, this word most definitely wouldn’t have been used in the early 1830’s. I read a galley copy – not sure if this was caught by the editors and corrected in the final version).
As a person who loves music, I did enjoy reading Cram’s evocative descriptions of music throughout the book, as well as her line that “attending the concert with someone who loves music as much as you do increases the pleasure.”
2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2015
Classical music fans will be fascinated by this tale. A virtuoso pianist in Vienna is secretly composing her own works, but cannot compete with Schubert when it comes to gaining publication. A young man who is a hopeful composer and piano teacher, arranges to teach the lady so he can get her to perform his works. But he doesn't realise that she is a better composer than he.
The locations include concert halls, a Schubertiade (piano evening in a grand house), the inside of the first mental asylum built and beautiful cities such as Paris and Vienna. There's romance, but far from the adventure ending with marriage, it continues to pose the question of whether a woman can have a career after wedding and bearing children.
The characters are fictional but based on real women of the day. Romance fans and women's fiction readers will enjoy this unusual historical story and learn about the difficulties of the times.
The locations include concert halls, a Schubertiade (piano evening in a grand house), the inside of the first mental asylum built and beautiful cities such as Paris and Vienna. There's romance, but far from the adventure ending with marriage, it continues to pose the question of whether a woman can have a career after wedding and bearing children.
The characters are fictional but based on real women of the day. Romance fans and women's fiction readers will enjoy this unusual historical story and learn about the difficulties of the times.
October 8, 2015
I've read several reviews that said A Woman of Note was boring, but I personally did not find it to be boring in the least. Perhaps it was the beautiful writing, or the steadily building suspense between Isabette and those around her, or perhaps it was Isabette being a source of light and innocence in a cast of characters that were, more often than not, less than sympathetic. I agree there were a couple of flaws, but nothing that made me want to set the book down. In fact, I read this in a few days, which is not something I ordinarily do.
I believe that the readers who claimed the characters were all one note did not either a) read past the first third of the book, or b) missed the subtleties of the depths of the characters. The personas that each character portrays to society are, indeed, a bit one note, but this is the middle- and upper-middle-class in 19th century Vienna. You had to put on a bit of a performance in this society. Underneath, however, I took note of multiple instances in which Cram showed more than this one side to the readers. Isabette was not just an innocent virtuoso looking for love of both the romantic and musical varieties. Amelia was not just a spoiled American brat. Josef was not just a dull cad who had an over-inflated sense of self. Frau Gruber was not just a domineering bitch. Were they these things? Yes. But they were not just these pigeon-holed stereotypes. Cram did give them layers, although I will mention that the layers were often subtle and not always developed to their fullest extent.
I adored every time Isabette sat down to the piano. Her passion came alive on the pages. I often played the pieces she was working on, unless she was working on Josef's. I liked that Cram showed how difficult it was to be both a woman and a professional. I liked that she showed how emotions - and the display and/or concealment of such emotions- were confusing for Isabette, Amelia and Isabette's mother. These women were not pushovers, yet they wrestled with the societal conventions of their time nonetheless.
I enjoyed following along with Isabette and finding out where her heart and ambition might lead. I wanted to much for her!
I believe that the readers who claimed the characters were all one note did not either a) read past the first third of the book, or b) missed the subtleties of the depths of the characters. The personas that each character portrays to society are, indeed, a bit one note, but this is the middle- and upper-middle-class in 19th century Vienna. You had to put on a bit of a performance in this society. Underneath, however, I took note of multiple instances in which Cram showed more than this one side to the readers. Isabette was not just an innocent virtuoso looking for love of both the romantic and musical varieties. Amelia was not just a spoiled American brat. Josef was not just a dull cad who had an over-inflated sense of self. Frau Gruber was not just a domineering bitch. Were they these things? Yes. But they were not just these pigeon-holed stereotypes. Cram did give them layers, although I will mention that the layers were often subtle and not always developed to their fullest extent.
I adored every time Isabette sat down to the piano. Her passion came alive on the pages. I often played the pieces she was working on, unless she was working on Josef's. I liked that Cram showed how difficult it was to be both a woman and a professional. I liked that she showed how emotions - and the display and/or concealment of such emotions- were confusing for Isabette, Amelia and Isabette's mother. These women were not pushovers, yet they wrestled with the societal conventions of their time nonetheless.
I enjoyed following along with Isabette and finding out where her heart and ambition might lead. I wanted to much for her!
September 14, 2015
A Woman of Note
Carol Cram has written an enchanting novel on the struggle of a female pianist/ composer in the 1800s, even though the character was fictional the struggle was real. I am thankful for the strong passionate women that proceeded me, and I regret they were subjected to the men's inferiority complex that needed to belittle women to make them feel big. Only true genius can appreciate another genius without prejudice. Thank you Ms. Cram.
Carol Cram has written an enchanting novel on the struggle of a female pianist/ composer in the 1800s, even though the character was fictional the struggle was real. I am thankful for the strong passionate women that proceeded me, and I regret they were subjected to the men's inferiority complex that needed to belittle women to make them feel big. Only true genius can appreciate another genius without prejudice. Thank you Ms. Cram.
June 9, 2015
Very cool historical fiction. Loved that a woman finally gets some credit. Girl Power!
July 2, 2024
This novel is focused on a fictional female composer in 19th-century Vienna, a place full of musical genius and possibility. Isabelle Gruber begins as a talented performer, delighting audiences with her ability, but once she starts altering some of the pieces she's given to play, Isabelle's journey to composer is inevitable. She struggles to balance family, marriage, and motherhood with composing, but finds ways to continue. An interesting read, with a setting more historical fiction writers should utilize.
September 9, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.
==
I really wanted to like A WOMAN OF NOTE. Although I’m not into classical music, I do enjoy historical fiction about women artists of any type. I hoped this book would remind me of THE PASSION OF ARTEMISIA by Susan Vreeland, or COLOR SONG by Victoria Strauss, as Isabette Grüber faces the same struggle: succeeding in a male-dominated world.
Isabette has minor success as a virtuoso pianist. Most of her life has been devoted to practice and playing; after her father’s death and sister’s commitment to an asylum, she’s the only one who can support herself and her mother. Her real dream is to compose and play her own music, but that’s an impossibility in 1820s Vienna. Over the course of the book, Isabette’s relationships with Amelia and Josef steer her life. Amelia is a singer from America, who widens Isabette’s world, showing her there’s more to life than practicing the piano. Josef is an aspiring composer, and when Isabette improves his compositions, she wonders if they could be partners in life and music.
My main complaint with A WOMAN OF NOTE is that, well, it’s very one note. Isabette is the only developed character. Josef is such a dummkopf -- my eyes rolled every time he shows because he’s a jerk. Why does he believe he’s so superior? Because he’s a guy? I don’t know, because the author never told me. Josef in particular impacted my enjoyment of the book. Amelia’s quite selfish, often hiding information from Isabette if it suits her desires. Why? Isabette’s mother is understandably downtrodden by a difficult life, but why doesn’t she ever believe her daughter?
I also wish the book was just a little longer, so that we could see Isabette’s presumably happy ending. She’s unhappy and has a raw deal for so much of A WOMAN OF NOTE that it would have been nice to see more of her making her own choices.
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
==
I really wanted to like A WOMAN OF NOTE. Although I’m not into classical music, I do enjoy historical fiction about women artists of any type. I hoped this book would remind me of THE PASSION OF ARTEMISIA by Susan Vreeland, or COLOR SONG by Victoria Strauss, as Isabette Grüber faces the same struggle: succeeding in a male-dominated world.
Isabette has minor success as a virtuoso pianist. Most of her life has been devoted to practice and playing; after her father’s death and sister’s commitment to an asylum, she’s the only one who can support herself and her mother. Her real dream is to compose and play her own music, but that’s an impossibility in 1820s Vienna. Over the course of the book, Isabette’s relationships with Amelia and Josef steer her life. Amelia is a singer from America, who widens Isabette’s world, showing her there’s more to life than practicing the piano. Josef is an aspiring composer, and when Isabette improves his compositions, she wonders if they could be partners in life and music.
My main complaint with A WOMAN OF NOTE is that, well, it’s very one note. Isabette is the only developed character. Josef is such a dummkopf -- my eyes rolled every time he shows because he’s a jerk. Why does he believe he’s so superior? Because he’s a guy? I don’t know, because the author never told me. Josef in particular impacted my enjoyment of the book. Amelia’s quite selfish, often hiding information from Isabette if it suits her desires. Why? Isabette’s mother is understandably downtrodden by a difficult life, but why doesn’t she ever believe her daughter?
I also wish the book was just a little longer, so that we could see Isabette’s presumably happy ending. She’s unhappy and has a raw deal for so much of A WOMAN OF NOTE that it would have been nice to see more of her making her own choices.
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
September 10, 2015
Woman of Note transports the reader to the nineteenth century. It vividly portrays Vienna’s coffee houses, elegant salons, and cutthroat world of performing arts. From the first scene where Isabette Grüber appears, flushed and out of her depth, she enchanted me. Isabette is physically plain, overly tall, and a gifted pianist and composer. But she is a prisoner of social convention. Her talent is strictly controlled.
Both her mother and her manager ride her coattails. Their livelihoods depend on her and they intend to make sure she delivers. In a world where a women’s options are few, Isabette’s future looks like a bleak life of servitude and repression. And she is only nineteen years old.
Enter Amelia Mason, a feisty, confident American girl, with little regard for the stifling protocols of the day. With her comes a small ray of hope for Isabette to find her voice and decide what she wants from life.
Men cluster around Amelia and with them comes proximity to the patriarchal power structure.
Josef Hauser is one of these men and when he realizes Amelia’s wealthy family will not accept him as her suitor, he turns his attention to Isabette. At first he admires her talent. Naively, Isabette sees Josef as a possible musical collaborator as well as a husband. She marries him hoping to realize her artistic potential. His lukewarm feelings for her deteriorate until he becomes another person who sees her as a meal ticket.
The sweeping themes of this novel are: filial duty, the struggle for independence, artistic integrity, forbidden love, betrayal, and artistic fulfillment.
I’m not musically inclined but this story brought me right into Isabette’s skin. I felt her fingers over the piano keys. Her passion and her pain are brilliantly told as she plays. Her voice is strong in the novel and her music is even stronger. This book made classical music accessible to me in an effortless, elegant way. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a sizzle.
Both her mother and her manager ride her coattails. Their livelihoods depend on her and they intend to make sure she delivers. In a world where a women’s options are few, Isabette’s future looks like a bleak life of servitude and repression. And she is only nineteen years old.
Enter Amelia Mason, a feisty, confident American girl, with little regard for the stifling protocols of the day. With her comes a small ray of hope for Isabette to find her voice and decide what she wants from life.
Men cluster around Amelia and with them comes proximity to the patriarchal power structure.
Josef Hauser is one of these men and when he realizes Amelia’s wealthy family will not accept him as her suitor, he turns his attention to Isabette. At first he admires her talent. Naively, Isabette sees Josef as a possible musical collaborator as well as a husband. She marries him hoping to realize her artistic potential. His lukewarm feelings for her deteriorate until he becomes another person who sees her as a meal ticket.
The sweeping themes of this novel are: filial duty, the struggle for independence, artistic integrity, forbidden love, betrayal, and artistic fulfillment.
I’m not musically inclined but this story brought me right into Isabette’s skin. I felt her fingers over the piano keys. Her passion and her pain are brilliantly told as she plays. Her voice is strong in the novel and her music is even stronger. This book made classical music accessible to me in an effortless, elegant way. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a sizzle.
July 7, 2015
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Isabette Grüber as she struggles to make a name for herself in a male dominated profession, and shows how she fights to achieve her dreams. Not only does she play beautifully, but she also wants to compose music which is almost unheard of for her gender.
Her sister and father both were committed to an asylum, where her father died. That leaves her and her horrible mother (in my opinion). She befriends a singer Amelia Mason from America who helps her gain confidence in herself.
Josef is the next major character that makes an appearance in the book. I did not like him at all. I didn't like him in the beginning, or the middle, a little more towards the very end (you will understand if you read the book, I don't want to give away any spoilers). His feeling change repeatedly, and he is super self centered.
There were a lot of parts of this book that I loved. Pretty much every time Isabette sat at her piano and played was a treasure. The rest of it was just so full of drama and felt really rushed. I would love to have had a couple more chapters. The last sentence left with the potential to be a great happy ending. Instead leave you wondering what really happened. I just keep coming back to I wish that there was an epilogue. That would have pushed me into giving this book 5 stars.
Overall the book was really good, you really felt like you were right there in the salon with Isabette as she plays.
This book follows Isabette Grüber as she struggles to make a name for herself in a male dominated profession, and shows how she fights to achieve her dreams. Not only does she play beautifully, but she also wants to compose music which is almost unheard of for her gender.
Her sister and father both were committed to an asylum, where her father died. That leaves her and her horrible mother (in my opinion). She befriends a singer Amelia Mason from America who helps her gain confidence in herself.
Josef is the next major character that makes an appearance in the book. I did not like him at all. I didn't like him in the beginning, or the middle, a little more towards the very end (you will understand if you read the book, I don't want to give away any spoilers). His feeling change repeatedly, and he is super self centered.
There were a lot of parts of this book that I loved. Pretty much every time Isabette sat at her piano and played was a treasure. The rest of it was just so full of drama and felt really rushed. I would love to have had a couple more chapters. The last sentence left with the potential to be a great happy ending. Instead leave you wondering what really happened. I just keep coming back to I wish that there was an epilogue. That would have pushed me into giving this book 5 stars.
Overall the book was really good, you really felt like you were right there in the salon with Isabette as she plays.
November 7, 2015
A woman of note was a book I couldn't put down. Vienna is beautifully described and all the musicians that the author talks about is wonderful. I know quite a bit about music and this book brought back the beauty in totally loosing yourself in a passion of the arts. Isabette is beautiful in all her innocence, but when push comes to shove she can hold her own. I would read this book again with no reservations.
December 17, 2016
Good from start to finish
First time reading from this author and I thought this book was beautifully written. I loved the way she intertwined music with life itself. Must read.
First time reading from this author and I thought this book was beautifully written. I loved the way she intertwined music with life itself. Must read.
February 6, 2018
I enjoyed this book. The characters have some funny moments. Reminds me of a Mary Balogh book, whose books I find delightful.
January 29, 2019
I listened to this one on Audible. I think I may have enjoyed it more if I had read it. The narration put me off a bit. However, the story itself was ok. Isabette is a sympathetic character, a strong woman at a time when women weren't supposed to be strong, a clever, talented woman who rose above her station to be exceptional. However, those around her sought to drag her up or down at their own whims. Sometimes the annoyance of the other characters dragged the narrative in ways that didn't feel natural. However, as I said, this could have been to the narration. If I had read it in my own head, it may have sounded more natural. Still, the time period and place were interesting. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter elevated the text, reminding the reader that some of the characters were real people. As an admirer of Hans Schubert, it was nice to read him as a sympathetic character. There were others. The story began with Beethoven's funeral and went from there. Chopin, Berlioz, Schumann and his wife, Lizt all make an appearance. It's interesting to read about music and Europe during that time period. I just wish the story had been a bit better. Still, I found myself hooked enough to listen through. I am in an unfortunate place at the moment where I have more time for Audiobooks than for reading.
September 24, 2018
Set in the early nineteenth century, this is the story of Isabette, a virtuoso pianist and composer. At the start of the novel, Isabette is nineteen and living with her mother, one of the most miserable creatures ever. All Isabette’s mother thinks about is money and the only way for her to get money is for Isabette to perform. For that, Isabette needs a manager and so we meet the creepy Herr Dietrich. From that point onwards, Isabette is used and abused by a string of people who only see what she can offer them. All Isabette wants is to play and to compose. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But society at the time frowned on women playing and believed that the idea of women composing was ludicrous. Isabette has a hard time before finally taking her life into her own hands at the very end of the book.
Enjoyable if a touch melodramatic at times. I particularly liked the quotes from female musicians of the period.
Enjoyable if a touch melodramatic at times. I particularly liked the quotes from female musicians of the period.
May 10, 2018
A Woman of Note is a page-turner. The protagonist, Isabette, is an unusual and fascinating character. Her physical stature plays into the story in a manner that is so believable and compelling. I immediately sympathized with the challenges she faced as a woman in that time period. Although it is set in the early 19th century, it felt immediate in its emotional grip.
The story gave me a new perspective on how a passion, such as music, can fill other voids.
This is the second in the trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one.
The story gave me a new perspective on how a passion, such as music, can fill other voids.
This is the second in the trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one.
September 20, 2021
While I am not a musician, I love classical music and I have the greatest respect for musicians. I know some of the terminology, and the musical parts of this felt spot-on. But the characters fell flat for me. Cram flirts with lesbianism but it never goes anywhere. Most of all, Josef is a problem. I have no idea why our heroine Isabette falls in love with him. He's not only unworthy of her but appalling in multiple ways. Yet Cram never makes him into a full-on villain. It's puzzling and frustrating. I couldn't root for a heroine whose goal is to marry such a man.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2018
This is one of the best (Historical Fiction) books I've read in a while. I couldn't put it down and finished it quickly. It opens with Beethoven's funeral and talks of many of the famous composers in Vienna. It is a story of a young girl growing into a woman. It so clearly depicts her struggles as a woman in the 1800's, her friendships, loves and career. I don't see any way this book would disappoint. I felt like I was there listening to her playing the piano.
January 22, 2025
musical virtuoso
This is a book about a young woman with a tremendous talent as a pianist set in an era where women are not considered smart enough to compose music. Her talent is such that she eventually finds a way to get paid for her work and reaches a mild following of admiration from fellow musicians. Set in Vienna during the great musical time of Beethoven and Mozart among others.
This is a book about a young woman with a tremendous talent as a pianist set in an era where women are not considered smart enough to compose music. Her talent is such that she eventually finds a way to get paid for her work and reaches a mild following of admiration from fellow musicians. Set in Vienna during the great musical time of Beethoven and Mozart among others.
May 21, 2017
This historical fiction was interesting but predictable. The central character exists in the 1800s when the music scene was exploding with creativity. A time dominated by the men; Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and women were thought to not have the ability to excel in this sphere. She struggles to be accepted not only as a performer but as a composer and artist.
February 5, 2018
Wonderful book!
As a woman who can't carry a tune in a basket, the technical musical details were beyond me. However, I loved the character development, the relationships' development, the adventurous, if tenuous, exploration of lesbian love . The hopefullness at the end contrasts very well with the anguish and pathos of the beginning and middle. Great Read!
As a woman who can't carry a tune in a basket, the technical musical details were beyond me. However, I loved the character development, the relationships' development, the adventurous, if tenuous, exploration of lesbian love . The hopefullness at the end contrasts very well with the anguish and pathos of the beginning and middle. Great Read!
February 16, 2019
If I knew more of music, I would have enjoyed this even more than I did. Oh, I recognized the names of composers that Cram included, but the details--over my head. None the less, Cram opens a window into an incredibly rich period in music and the situations of women during that period.
There was a bit of the romance novel about this, but not so much as to spoil it for someone like me.
There was a bit of the romance novel about this, but not so much as to spoil it for someone like me.
June 4, 2019
In preparation for our river cruise up the Danube, I read this novel about a young woman concert pianist and composer from Vienna. It held my interest because of how the brilliant female mind was exploited in the past. Not unlike the movie "the wife" of current day. It was a good read, if a bit slow.
November 13, 2017
A fascinating account of a womans place in society .
The information about composers of the time and the historical details were so interesting .
I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more.
The information about composers of the time and the historical details were so interesting .
I really enjoyed this book and would like to read more.
June 5, 2023
It was a great read and I love the musical references in this book. It may not be my favorite but the way the author made my favorite composers come to life in this book is great. I also love how she gave a new perspective in the land of Vienna, where musicians are born.
November 2, 2018
A wonderful story of Vienna and its music
June 3, 2021
A must read book for music lovers.
I loved the travel and music references. This was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It had a good storyline.
I loved the travel and music references. This was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
It had a good storyline.
March 6, 2024
Great read
Always kept me reading. Sign of a good novel.
Interesting insights into classical music with a feminist twist.
Characters were real and believable.
Highly recommend.
Always kept me reading. Sign of a good novel.
Interesting insights into classical music with a feminist twist.
Characters were real and believable.
Highly recommend.
June 8, 2016
Sometimes I get so caught up on a topic that I immediately start hunting down books. This time it was piano fiction. Turns out there’s not much in the way of adult fiction but if you’re a kid who wants to see how fun piano can be, well, there’s plenty of books for you, my friend.
A Woman of Note was about the only book I could find of interest in my extensive search. Unfortunately it left me craving more piano fiction!
Isabette Gruber is a young pianist on the rise. With Beethoven’s recent passing, Vienna is in need of passionate musicians, and Isabette is one such person. Writing music from a young age, born with a gift for piano, all of her talents nurtured by her sister and father–she dreams of being a virtuoso and not only performing her songs but having them performed across the world. But with her father dead and her sister in an asylum, Isabette is alone in her pursuit of music. Her mother prefers to keep an icy distance and only cares about marrying rich.
Then Isabette meets Amelia Mason. She is the definition of “manic pixie dream girl”–short, blond, energetic, and always pushing the main character out of their comfort zone. As an aspiring diva, Amelia convinces Isabette to be her accompanist and the two soon become inseparable. The girls spend their evenings practicing their arts, gossiping, and making plans to travel with their music. But where Isabette is fully dedicated to the piano, Amelia can’t relate. Her newfound appreciation of music comes from watching and listening to Isabette. Soon Amelia is swept away by feelings she can’t describe–feelings that aren’t for music.
Also in Vienna, trying to kickstart his career, is Josef Hauser. A young composer trying to write the next big thing, Josef makes ends meet by giving piano lessons to spoiled rich girls. He meets Isabette and Amelia at a concert, and Amelia–always pining for the next cute boy–convinces him to give lessons to Isabette. But Amelia quickly learns it’s not Josef she’s interested in; she’s in love with Isabette.
The writing is for fans of purple prose. Plenty of flying buttresses here! Yet Cram doesn’t beat around the bush to describe every color or action every time; it all simply flows together to paint a vivid picture. It makes it easy to get lost in the book… until about the halfway point. In the beginning all of the characters have their own voices and goals but as they grow up, the book starts to read like any other historical fiction.
Isabette and Josef get married. There’s no romance between them; if there was, it was lost somewhere in Isabette’s goals and accomplishments. While Josef was always in awe–not love–of Isabette’s ability with the piano, he begins to magically hate her for the talent he once adored; having a kid puts her out of work; Josef insists she loves their kid more and goes to find trouble.
But Isabette does eventually go back to work on compositions and concerts. Her love of music, the support of her friends, helps her to realize she can achieve her goals. She doesn’t have to fall into a single category and leave her dreams behind like her mother and Josef tried to make her believe.
My final thoughts are basically summed up in this: SURPRISE LESBIAN! Although Amelia begins as a stereotypical manic pixie dream girl, she becomes one of my favorite characters. When she moves to Paris and finds the woman of her dreams, I was practically squealing with delight. Then inviting Isabette and her kid to come live with the rich, fashionable lesbians? YAY! No tragic lesbian here, folks! For that reason alone, go ahead, pick it up!
A Woman of Note was about the only book I could find of interest in my extensive search. Unfortunately it left me craving more piano fiction!
Isabette Gruber is a young pianist on the rise. With Beethoven’s recent passing, Vienna is in need of passionate musicians, and Isabette is one such person. Writing music from a young age, born with a gift for piano, all of her talents nurtured by her sister and father–she dreams of being a virtuoso and not only performing her songs but having them performed across the world. But with her father dead and her sister in an asylum, Isabette is alone in her pursuit of music. Her mother prefers to keep an icy distance and only cares about marrying rich.
Then Isabette meets Amelia Mason. She is the definition of “manic pixie dream girl”–short, blond, energetic, and always pushing the main character out of their comfort zone. As an aspiring diva, Amelia convinces Isabette to be her accompanist and the two soon become inseparable. The girls spend their evenings practicing their arts, gossiping, and making plans to travel with their music. But where Isabette is fully dedicated to the piano, Amelia can’t relate. Her newfound appreciation of music comes from watching and listening to Isabette. Soon Amelia is swept away by feelings she can’t describe–feelings that aren’t for music.
Also in Vienna, trying to kickstart his career, is Josef Hauser. A young composer trying to write the next big thing, Josef makes ends meet by giving piano lessons to spoiled rich girls. He meets Isabette and Amelia at a concert, and Amelia–always pining for the next cute boy–convinces him to give lessons to Isabette. But Amelia quickly learns it’s not Josef she’s interested in; she’s in love with Isabette.
The writing is for fans of purple prose. Plenty of flying buttresses here! Yet Cram doesn’t beat around the bush to describe every color or action every time; it all simply flows together to paint a vivid picture. It makes it easy to get lost in the book… until about the halfway point. In the beginning all of the characters have their own voices and goals but as they grow up, the book starts to read like any other historical fiction.
Isabette and Josef get married. There’s no romance between them; if there was, it was lost somewhere in Isabette’s goals and accomplishments. While Josef was always in awe–not love–of Isabette’s ability with the piano, he begins to magically hate her for the talent he once adored; having a kid puts her out of work; Josef insists she loves their kid more and goes to find trouble.
But Isabette does eventually go back to work on compositions and concerts. Her love of music, the support of her friends, helps her to realize she can achieve her goals. She doesn’t have to fall into a single category and leave her dreams behind like her mother and Josef tried to make her believe.
My final thoughts are basically summed up in this: SURPRISE LESBIAN! Although Amelia begins as a stereotypical manic pixie dream girl, she becomes one of my favorite characters. When she moves to Paris and finds the woman of her dreams, I was practically squealing with delight. Then inviting Isabette and her kid to come live with the rich, fashionable lesbians? YAY! No tragic lesbian here, folks! For that reason alone, go ahead, pick it up!
September 20, 2015
Please read more of my reviews at http://ultraviolentlit.blogspot.ca!
In early nineteenth century Vienna, there was an explosion of new music, performers, and composers. The styles were new and modern, yet the profession was still dominated by men. Isabette Gruber is born into this world, and as a virtuoso piano player, she is seen as a threat to all of the men around her. Even Isabette’s mother is resentful of her passion and of her eventual success, essentially telling her that she must either submit to a man or spend the rest of her life in an asylum like her sister.
Isabette is kept down by these threats, and by the controlling nature of her manager who will do anything he can to have her to himself – until she meets Amelia Mason, a young singer visiting from Boston. She and Isabette learn to love and respect each other, encouraging the other to grow and succeed. But when it becomes clear to Isabette that Amelia wants more than friendship, she pushes away from her friend and instead turns to her music teacher, Josef Hauser.
Because of her mother’s mistreatment – and the institutionalization of her father and sister – Isabette is desperate for affection, even at the cost of her music career. She believes in Josef’s love, although it immediately becomes clear that he is using her only to advance his own career. Isabette is ambitious too, and believes in her own talent, but it is not enough as she is eclipsed first by Amelia and then by Josef. She must balance her sense of womanly duty with her own desire to be recognized for her music, and this struggle is pivotal to the course of the novel.
Various classical musicians make appearances in A Woman of Note, including Chopin, Liszt and Schubert. Although Isabette is a fictional character, her behaviour is accurate to the time, and is in fact based on real female musicians such as Schubert’s wife Clara, and Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny. It was easy to understand Isabette’s frustrations when, like Clara and Fanny, she was overlooked by her male contemporaries even though her talents outshone them.
Isabette struggles throughout the book to balance her career and her personal life. Near the end, Amelia asks her, “Can you have love and music?” (Loc. 4711) Isabette tells her friend that she wants what she’s always wanted – music – and she refuses to sacrifice it anymore. I loved the strength of Amelia’s character, and the fact that she got a happy ending that was perfect for her unique character. Isabette’s ending is more ambiguous, but she finally realizes that if she puts her music first, the rest will come with time.
I received this book for free from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In early nineteenth century Vienna, there was an explosion of new music, performers, and composers. The styles were new and modern, yet the profession was still dominated by men. Isabette Gruber is born into this world, and as a virtuoso piano player, she is seen as a threat to all of the men around her. Even Isabette’s mother is resentful of her passion and of her eventual success, essentially telling her that she must either submit to a man or spend the rest of her life in an asylum like her sister.
Isabette is kept down by these threats, and by the controlling nature of her manager who will do anything he can to have her to himself – until she meets Amelia Mason, a young singer visiting from Boston. She and Isabette learn to love and respect each other, encouraging the other to grow and succeed. But when it becomes clear to Isabette that Amelia wants more than friendship, she pushes away from her friend and instead turns to her music teacher, Josef Hauser.
Because of her mother’s mistreatment – and the institutionalization of her father and sister – Isabette is desperate for affection, even at the cost of her music career. She believes in Josef’s love, although it immediately becomes clear that he is using her only to advance his own career. Isabette is ambitious too, and believes in her own talent, but it is not enough as she is eclipsed first by Amelia and then by Josef. She must balance her sense of womanly duty with her own desire to be recognized for her music, and this struggle is pivotal to the course of the novel.
Various classical musicians make appearances in A Woman of Note, including Chopin, Liszt and Schubert. Although Isabette is a fictional character, her behaviour is accurate to the time, and is in fact based on real female musicians such as Schubert’s wife Clara, and Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny. It was easy to understand Isabette’s frustrations when, like Clara and Fanny, she was overlooked by her male contemporaries even though her talents outshone them.
Isabette struggles throughout the book to balance her career and her personal life. Near the end, Amelia asks her, “Can you have love and music?” (Loc. 4711) Isabette tells her friend that she wants what she’s always wanted – music – and she refuses to sacrifice it anymore. I loved the strength of Amelia’s character, and the fact that she got a happy ending that was perfect for her unique character. Isabette’s ending is more ambiguous, but she finally realizes that if she puts her music first, the rest will come with time.
I received this book for free from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
A Woman of Note by Carol M. Cram is a historical novel set from 1827 through the 1830’s. Isabette Gruber is a pianist in Vienna. Isabette is nineteen years old, very shy, and seriously lacking social skills (she is also tall and thin). Her father (who taught her and her sister, Joanna to play and compose) passed away. Her sister, Joanna has been committed to the asylum by their mother, Frau Marta Gruber. Isabette is the sole bread winner. Marta Gruber has hired Herr Gustav Dietrich (nasty lech) to manage Isabette’s career. He takes 30% (I have a feeling he helps himself to a little more than that) off the top of her earnings. Isabette’s mother takes the rest of her money. They keep her busy practicing and discourage her from composing (which she loves to do).
One night Isabette meets Amelia Mason from Boston, Massachusetts. She has a beautiful singing voice. Amelia decides she wants Isabette to be her accompanist. Amelia is a flighty young girl (eighteen) who is more interested in shopping and having fun. Amelia is a young lady who likes to have her own way. Through Amelia, Isabette meets Josef Hauser. Josef is a piano teacher and believes himself to be a great composer (he is awful). In exchange for teaching Isabette, Josef gets Isabette to agree to play his compositions at her performances. Isabette takes it upon herself to chance Josef’s composition (which makes it much better). Josef is upset until he finds out that someone wants to publish it. Everyone wants something from Isabette. What does Isabette really want?
A Woman of Note takes us through about ten years of Isabette’s life. We get to travel from Vienna to Paris. I found A Woman of Note to be a very boring novel. It had no depth or enjoyment. The characters were all shallow and greedy (except Isabette). The mother was cruel, Amelia was selfish, Josef was selfish, grasping, and covetous, Herr Dietrich was a nasty, greedy reprobate. This novel needed more work especially on the development of the characters. I give A Woman of Note 2 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of A Woman of Note from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
One night Isabette meets Amelia Mason from Boston, Massachusetts. She has a beautiful singing voice. Amelia decides she wants Isabette to be her accompanist. Amelia is a flighty young girl (eighteen) who is more interested in shopping and having fun. Amelia is a young lady who likes to have her own way. Through Amelia, Isabette meets Josef Hauser. Josef is a piano teacher and believes himself to be a great composer (he is awful). In exchange for teaching Isabette, Josef gets Isabette to agree to play his compositions at her performances. Isabette takes it upon herself to chance Josef’s composition (which makes it much better). Josef is upset until he finds out that someone wants to publish it. Everyone wants something from Isabette. What does Isabette really want?
A Woman of Note takes us through about ten years of Isabette’s life. We get to travel from Vienna to Paris. I found A Woman of Note to be a very boring novel. It had no depth or enjoyment. The characters were all shallow and greedy (except Isabette). The mother was cruel, Amelia was selfish, Josef was selfish, grasping, and covetous, Herr Dietrich was a nasty, greedy reprobate. This novel needed more work especially on the development of the characters. I give A Woman of Note 2 out of 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of A Woman of Note from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own.
http://bibliophileandavidreader.blogs...
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