BOOK REVIEW: A THOUSAND PERFECT NOTES

Author: C.G. Drews

Released: June 2018

Pages: 282

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a reader, once I picked up a new book to read, I always anticipate to benefit something in some way especially in helping me to grow as a person. It's very amazing how we can live a thousand lives just through pages of book. So, I'm really intrigue that this book kind of had an impact on me and it surely have a special place in my heart. Most of the events that happened in the book are not really happening in my real life but I find the story is  connectable somehow. But, I think this book could be improved since I'm not really a fan of the third person point of view.

This book follows Beck and her little sister, Joey as they try to survive and just live their brutal and conflict life without minding other people's business. Specifically for Beck, everyday is a winding road. Bound by the fact that he is the firstborn of Ida Magdalena Keverich, a well known German pianist, he is demanded to be like her mother. Forced to play every notes with perfection hour after hour and day after day, Beck suffers a lot of mental and physical abuse. His mind and heart revolt to let his own music out as he is meant to be a composer, but he didn't do anything. He has to follow orders so that Joey, his pillar strength will never be harmed by their monstrous mother. Every day he reluctantly plays the same song until destiny brings him and August together. His heart starts to beat differently, full of hope and love.

The story is depressing making my heart aches but I absolutely adore this book. It is well written and it feel so real. One thing that really bother me is that at some point of the story I feel sick how no one ever come to their house to offer help  because obviously if you're living in a neighborhood, you can easily sense something's wrong in any household. But maybe, it's the social stigma that it's better for people to get out of trouble by not meddling with other's concerns or problems. I admire Beck for his courage and determination. Even he hates her mother, her music, he still practices hard and ought not to make any mistakes. One wrong note can mess up an entire performance and he's so tired of his mother insults for not being perfect. I learn that all that Beck wants is that her mother to recognize and appreciate his efforts.  And most importantly to realize that he's not a disappointment to her, that he tried his best. I believe that when we do something, even if we failed, being acknowledged makes every hard work that we put so worthy. So. it's not wrong for us to be kind by congratulating or respect other's achievement or even an attempt to be something. Despite having a broken and empty soul, he's still a loving and protective brother to his sister. It's very heartbreaking to deal with the parts where their mother dare to unleash her anger by hitting her favorite daughter and Beck reliably come to the rescue and switch the place for Joey. Beck personality just got to me and didn't let me go once I started reading. Anyway, being a mother does not give you a ticket to hit your children. I feel sorry for both of them as I know all the pains, the beating will be seared into their memories forever. It will be hard for them to forgive or even love her after the tragic incident that happened at the end of the story. No matter how many times they tell themselves or try to believe that their mother loves them, there will always be a time where they will fantasize that their mother would die. I learn that you can't control things to happen our way. You can't oblige your kids into something they don't want to do and bear in mind that passion is not born from perfection. I really love how the writer portrayed August as the wacky and cheerful girl that sparks Becky to stand up against her mother and be true to himself. It's very nice to see how inspiring she is to Beck's life. It's nice to know that we are the reason to someone's happiness right ;')

I highly recommend this book!

'Sharing music is personal because music speaks, it feels, it breathes. 

And it always says something about you.' - C.G. Drews, A Thousand Perfect Notes

Lots of love.