Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
Description: “An accomplished concert pianist, Richard received standing ovations from audiences all over the world in awe of his rare combination of emotional resonance and flawless technique. Every finger of his hands was a finely calibrated instrument, dancing across the keys and striking each note with exacting precision. That was eight months ago.
Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. His fingers are impotent, still, devoid of possibility. The loss of his hand feels like a death, a loss of true love, a divorce—his divorce.
He knows his left arm will go next.
Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall and hung a mirror there instead. But she still hasn’t moved on. Karina is paralyzed by excuses and fear, stuck in an unfulfilling life as a piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman, blaming Richard and their failed marriage for all of it.
When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker. As Richard’s muscles, voice, and breath fade, both he and Karina try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.
Poignant and powerful, Every Note Played is a masterful exploration of redemption and what it means to find peace inside of forgiveness. “
Review: I had a difficult time finishing “Every Note Played.” I read this book because I really enjoyed “Still Alice” and was hoping for something similar. While “Every Note Played” is similar in theme I felt that I was unable to connect to the book. Richard is not a likeable character, he is very arrogant and it’s hard to feel for him and his diagnosis with ALS. That’s not to say that I didn’t feel for him, I just wasn’t able to fully feel the pain and sadness that one would expect. I also found Karina to be a frustrating character. She often declares that Richard is the cause of all her problems when really it is herself. She uses him as a crutch to not live her life to the fullest and therefore I couldn’t connect with her. The story is well written but I would have enjoyed it more if I was able to connect with the characters and really feel for them.
*please note that I received an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley