The Music Shop by Rachel JoyceMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Music Shop is an easy to read, nice story about a Vinyl record shop. Set in the 80s with the emergence of the compact disc and chain retailers like Woolworth's peddling the top 40.
Frank is a real music lover with an unusual upbringing and a firm belief and love for the Vinyl format, refusing to accommodate CDs in his little record store. He may not sell you what you want but he has an uncanny need to sell you what you need. The entire community driven street on which Frank's records resides, with it's little shops all struggling to stay in business, is slowly being bought up by a development company and things don't look good for the neighbourhood.
Then, Frank meets Ilse Brauchmann who insists Frank teach her about music. He delivers are crash course in music appreciation rather than music theory, talking about what he sees, feels and imagines when listening to different music, from Vivaldi's Four Seasons to Arethra Franklin with more in between. Ilse is besotted by Frank's passion in how he talks about music.
As things progress, Frank's life takes a dark turn and he goes out of his way to expunge music from his life. Can Ilse and his old friends rescue Frank from his spiralling depression and reignite his love of music?
This is a really nice love story set in a small community with a really likeable and diverse cast of characters. Frank's attitude at times can be downright frustrating but I imagine this is what Joyce intended. There are definitely a few "Oh Frank, just do it!!" moments where you wish he'd pull is finger out.
It's an easy read and not something I'd normally go for, but easy to drop in and out of and it's a really (eventually) feel good story.
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Thanks for sharing!
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