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Chasing Harmony
Since she was a child, piano prodigy Anna Stern has always stood out. As she becomes a teenager, Anna struggles to find her identity without the soundtrack of sonatas and concertos. There's also the worry that comes with the crushing expectations of her musical gift and her parents' imploding marriage.
Anna finds refuge in her best friend Liss, who is full of magic and escape plans, and the mysterious new boy at school... which is becoming more complicated as she develops feelings for both of them. Most importantly, Anna has concerts to perform that will determine the course of her future as the haunting specter of burnout lurks close by. As everything builds to a crescendo, what follows is an authentic life in the making.
Anna finds refuge in her best friend Liss, who is full of magic and escape plans, and the mysterious new boy at school... which is becoming more complicated as she develops feelings for both of them. Most importantly, Anna has concerts to perform that will determine the course of her future as the haunting specter of burnout lurks close by. As everything builds to a crescendo, what follows is an authentic life in the making.
- GenresYoung Adult
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2022
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 8, 2023
3.5/5 stars
I was granted complimentary access to Chasing Harmony as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Chasing Harmony is a dual timeline coming of age sort of story about a musical prodigy named Anna. She has lived in both BC and PEI (Canadian provinces,) her parents are divorced in the teen (older) timeline, and her best friend Liss has a lot of existential thoughts about adoption.
I wasn't really sure where this was going at first. It just seemed like a stream of jumbled biographical scenes about a music student until quite far into the book Anna discovers her mother's porn stash. It's a teen discovers sex and sexual partners and pushes everything else to the backburner until something gives story.
This book is billed as an LGBTQIA+ story and there are indeed non-cis/het relationships present in the book, but I must point out that this female protagonist is all about the boys in her class for most of the book once the plot starts.
I have mixed feelings about the narrative style and the writing on this one. On one hand, the teen experience comes forward so well. The narrative voice IS a 16 year old girl in all her inexperienced naivete. On the other hand, so is the younger timeline. They are both 16 year old girls, even though one is 5. The narrative voice is so similar, and transitions are sometimes so vague, that at one point I only realized we had left BC and hopped to PEI when one character referred to another as "you people from away," which is a very Atlantic Canada island culture thing to say. (Seriously, I'm a mainlander living in Newfoundland and I hear it all the time. Most people don't mean anything by it but after over a decade, a marriage and a child, it's a hurtful reminder that to some extent I'm still not seen as belonging here. And I happen to be from BC.)
Similar to the narrative voice, the quality of the prose in general is also very 16 year old girl. I can't decide if it was a stylistic choice to enhance the narrative voice or not, but a lot of the scenery building description stuff that some readers might gloss over feels like the extended metaphor sort of on the nose things I included in my English Honours essays in grade 10. There's a scene that comes to mind where Anna is learning to drive and she's distracted by the boy situation and the road signs seem to be warning her about more than just the rules of the road. I wrote an extended metaphor essay at this character's age that was about finding friendship and road signs seen from a bus were calling out the phases of that journey. It felt the same.
Overall I think this book does an excellent job of conveying what it's like to be a teenage girl discovering certain adult things in life and learning to find balance between that and other responsibilities. I think a lot of teen girl readers would find Anna relatable. I do feel the need to warn potential readers and their parents/guardians that there is very detailed description of porn and sexual fantasies.
I was granted complimentary access to Chasing Harmony as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Chasing Harmony is a dual timeline coming of age sort of story about a musical prodigy named Anna. She has lived in both BC and PEI (Canadian provinces,) her parents are divorced in the teen (older) timeline, and her best friend Liss has a lot of existential thoughts about adoption.
I wasn't really sure where this was going at first. It just seemed like a stream of jumbled biographical scenes about a music student until quite far into the book Anna discovers her mother's porn stash. It's a teen discovers sex and sexual partners and pushes everything else to the backburner until something gives story.
This book is billed as an LGBTQIA+ story and there are indeed non-cis/het relationships present in the book, but I must point out that this female protagonist is all about the boys in her class for most of the book once the plot starts.
I have mixed feelings about the narrative style and the writing on this one. On one hand, the teen experience comes forward so well. The narrative voice IS a 16 year old girl in all her inexperienced naivete. On the other hand, so is the younger timeline. They are both 16 year old girls, even though one is 5. The narrative voice is so similar, and transitions are sometimes so vague, that at one point I only realized we had left BC and hopped to PEI when one character referred to another as "you people from away," which is a very Atlantic Canada island culture thing to say. (Seriously, I'm a mainlander living in Newfoundland and I hear it all the time. Most people don't mean anything by it but after over a decade, a marriage and a child, it's a hurtful reminder that to some extent I'm still not seen as belonging here. And I happen to be from BC.)
Similar to the narrative voice, the quality of the prose in general is also very 16 year old girl. I can't decide if it was a stylistic choice to enhance the narrative voice or not, but a lot of the scenery building description stuff that some readers might gloss over feels like the extended metaphor sort of on the nose things I included in my English Honours essays in grade 10. There's a scene that comes to mind where Anna is learning to drive and she's distracted by the boy situation and the road signs seem to be warning her about more than just the rules of the road. I wrote an extended metaphor essay at this character's age that was about finding friendship and road signs seen from a bus were calling out the phases of that journey. It felt the same.
Overall I think this book does an excellent job of conveying what it's like to be a teenage girl discovering certain adult things in life and learning to find balance between that and other responsibilities. I think a lot of teen girl readers would find Anna relatable. I do feel the need to warn potential readers and their parents/guardians that there is very detailed description of porn and sexual fantasies.
September 10, 2023
It’s no surprise that I jumped at the chance to read this book. A coming-of-age story featuring a bisexual piano player? Sign me up!
Chasing Harmony proceeded to surprise me in many ways. The writing is very lyrical, making it so relaxing to read and just sink into. It’s weirder than I expected – mostly in a good way, I think – and wasn’t afraid to embrace the emotional, physical, and spiritual turbulence of teenage-hood.
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The story is told in multiple timelines, spanning about eleven years. I thought this was done really effectively, using both timelines to raise questions and add suspense. With a book as character-driven as this one, it was really good to know the start and the end before having the journey revealed to us over the course of the novel.
I really liked the main character Anna, and while some of the other characters weren’t explored as much as I’d have liked, we got to see them through Anna’s eyes which, inevitably, had some bias. I would have liked to explore the relationship between Anna and her mother a bit more, but I found the relationship between Anna and Liss very moving and true to life.
The whole story was grounded in the story of Anna’s journey as a performer, and it was really nice to see the parallels of her musical journey alongside her personal life. It added a nice depth to the story and made for a moving conclusion.
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.
Chasing Harmony proceeded to surprise me in many ways. The writing is very lyrical, making it so relaxing to read and just sink into. It’s weirder than I expected – mostly in a good way, I think – and wasn’t afraid to embrace the emotional, physical, and spiritual turbulence of teenage-hood.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
The story is told in multiple timelines, spanning about eleven years. I thought this was done really effectively, using both timelines to raise questions and add suspense. With a book as character-driven as this one, it was really good to know the start and the end before having the journey revealed to us over the course of the novel.
I really liked the main character Anna, and while some of the other characters weren’t explored as much as I’d have liked, we got to see them through Anna’s eyes which, inevitably, had some bias. I would have liked to explore the relationship between Anna and her mother a bit more, but I found the relationship between Anna and Liss very moving and true to life.
The whole story was grounded in the story of Anna’s journey as a performer, and it was really nice to see the parallels of her musical journey alongside her personal life. It added a nice depth to the story and made for a moving conclusion.
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.
September 13, 2023
"Chasing Harmony" by Melanie Bell explores identity, music, and the complexities of growing up. In this young adult novel, Bell skillfully weaves a narrative that touches on the poignant aspects of adolescence while also delving into the LGBTQ+ experience.
The story offers a genuine and relatable coming-of-age experience, blending themes of music, identity, and LGBTQ+ representation. Melanie Bell's storytelling is both poignant and heartfelt, creating a story that resonates with its readers. While there are minor issues with character voice consistency, the book remains a worthwhile read for those who appreciate young adult fiction with a focus on the pressures of talent, the quest for self-discovery, and the intricacies of relationships.
It's essential to note a content warning for detailed mentions of pornography and sexual visualization in the book. This element may be unsettling for some readers and should be considered before delving into the story.
Please read my full thoughts on this book on my website: www.ginaraemitchell.com.
I received a digital copy for a Goddess Fish Book Tour. This review is my honest opinion.
The story offers a genuine and relatable coming-of-age experience, blending themes of music, identity, and LGBTQ+ representation. Melanie Bell's storytelling is both poignant and heartfelt, creating a story that resonates with its readers. While there are minor issues with character voice consistency, the book remains a worthwhile read for those who appreciate young adult fiction with a focus on the pressures of talent, the quest for self-discovery, and the intricacies of relationships.
It's essential to note a content warning for detailed mentions of pornography and sexual visualization in the book. This element may be unsettling for some readers and should be considered before delving into the story.
Please read my full thoughts on this book on my website: www.ginaraemitchell.com.
I received a digital copy for a Goddess Fish Book Tour. This review is my honest opinion.
September 16, 2023
This was a beautiful coming of age story, with a relatable teen at the epicenter. Anna has been under so much pressure, and with her personal life in upheaval with teen hormones raging, she has a lot to navigate. I thought Bell did an excellent job of drawing the reader into Anna's world, and letting us see her emotions and inner thoughts. This is dual timeline - young child and teen Anna. Although there isn't much difference in the narrative style of either, I chalked this up to the younger Anna narrative likely being teen Anna recalling her life then. Overall, the story moves along smoothly, and I found it to be an easy read, perfect for teens in your life who like slice-of-life and coming of age books.
March 17, 2023
I struggled to get through the book. I started and restarted 4 times before making it through. The idea is a great one, and I didn't mind jumping between the two timelines, but I didn't feel like the voice of young Anna was any different from the voice of 16-year-old Anna. This made it feel less believable and jumpier between timelines than it could have been.
Content warning: porn is discussed and the main character vividly visualizes sexual acts
Content warning: porn is discussed and the main character vividly visualizes sexual acts
October 1, 2022
Beautiful prose, a great (and realistically imperfect) main character, and a story that's instantly relatable to anyone who grew up under the weight of expectations -- both others' and their own.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews