Alison narrates in a loquacious inner monologue that sometimes veers off the track. She describes George as singing “like a heartbroken Negro,” and one of his original melodies as “Arabian-esque” like a “snake-charmer.” These unfortunate passages sour the rest of the narrative. If the era is sometime in the 1980s, as the setting details indicate—characters mention John Bonham’s death, work on a computer referred to as a CRT, and see Bambi in the theater—then why is a hip young rocker using terminology that fell out of common parlance decades before (not to mention calling her fridge an “icebox”)? Such befuddling details can jar the reader out of the story.
West has created two multifaceted leads. Alison’s monologues are darkly comedic as she analyzes the various characters in her office, sometimes prying for more details even as she wonders why she cares about gossip. George plays off her cynicism and sharp observations with his idealism and passion for music. Their strong personalities and enjoyable interplay will satisfy fans of stories in which ordinary people make a grab for a brief moment of glittering joy.
Takeaway: Fans of character-driven drama will be drawn to this story of ordinary people who harbor rock-and-roll dreams.
Great for fans of Jessica Chiccehitto Hindman's Sounds like Titanic, Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: C
Marketing copy: B
