Broken Chords

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: "Broken Chords", by Barbara Snow Gilbert was a great young adult novel for anyone who enjoys piano, romances, or just a wonderful, thought provoking read!

Clara, 17, is an extremely talented pianist who is trying out for an important scholarship. With her pressuring parents, thoughtful teacher, and a romance, however, she begins to wonder what she really wants from her life.

This book was excellent, and I'd definitely recommend it! Be sure to also read "Among Friends", by Caroline Cooney.

Rating:
Summary: Provides no easy answers
Review: Clara's future has been determined most of her short life: as a talented pianist, she is certain to have a sterling career as an accomplished musician. But does she love playing the best, and does she want to continue to give up pleasures for work? This provides no easy answers as Clara makes her decisions about the future.

Rating:
Summary: A Gift For Piano
Review: Have you ever wanted to be the best at something so badly that you would do almost anything to make it happen? This type of obsession happens in the novel, Broken Chords, by Barbara Snow Gilbert. Clara Lorenzo had an amazing gift for playing the piano. Her talent being discovered at a very young age, Clara's parents had done everything they could to see that Clara advanced as far as she could. Though Clara loved piano and was practicing endlessly for the upcoming Nicklaus competition, she also had a strong love for ballet and was in "The Nutcracker." Her parents did not approve of this; they wanted her to spend all of her time practicing piano. Clara sneaks off to ballet, and was getting away with it until she had an accident and hurt her wrist. She knew her parents would be extremely mad if they found out what she did, so she lied to the doctor, said her wrist was fine. She began practicing day and night for her piano competition. Only Clara seems to know the truth about her injury, and it is causing her a lot of pain to try to be the best. Her parents push Clara so hard because she has the chancde to get into Julliard if she wins this competition. While Clara wants this, she wants more to be a normal teenager, instead of having to play piano for six hours a day. Clara misses the non-stressful atmosphere of her ballet world, instead of the hectic one of piano. Clara discovers that she loves ballet more than piano and could not spend her life doing something just to please others, no matter how talented she was. This was a great story that is sure to be a fan of music lovers, or anyone who would just like to read a really good book.

Rating:
Summary: A Gift For Piano
Review: Have you ever wanted to be the best at something so badly that you would do almost anything to make it happen? This type of obsession happens in the novel, Broken Chords, by Barbara Snow Gilbert. Clara Lorenzo had an amazing gift for playing the piano. Her talent being discovered at a very young age, Clara's parents had done everything they could to see that Clara advanced as far as she could. Though Clara loved piano and was practicing endlessly for the upcoming Nicklaus competition, she also had a strong love for ballet and was in "The Nutcracker." Her parents did not approve of this; they wanted her to spend all of her time practicing piano. Clara sneaks off to ballet, and was getting away with it until she had an accident and hurt her wrist. She knew her parents would be extremely mad if they found out what she did, so she lied to the doctor, said her wrist was fine. She began practicing day and night for her piano competition. Only Clara seems to know the truth about her injury, and it is causing her a lot of pain to try to be the best. Clara discovers that she loves ballet more than piano and could not spend her life doing something just to please others, no matter how talented she was. This was a great story that is sure to be a fan of music lovers, or anyone who would just like to read a really good book.

Rating:
Summary: An engaging and generally fantastic book
Review: I must say, I really could not put this book down. It paints a beautiful picture of the conflicts that consume Clara Lorenzo, the 17 year old piano prodigy. She is competing in the Nicklaus competition, in which first prize is a 4 year scholarship to Juilliard. A fall in ballet practice brings her to realize that she does not truly love piano, despite daily three hour practices.
Even non-musical people can understand and even relate to this book, because it conveys inner conflict and finding one's true self so flawlessly. Teens will love this book for its accurate description of parental pressure and adults will better understand the trials and tribulations of growing up after reading it.