Comments (45)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 45 items
Dec 21, 2022SCL_BookClubs rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Overall, our book club agreed that it was a well-written book with memorable descriptions. However, while some of us thought that the language was musical and added authenticity to the story, others felt that the slang used was frustrating…
Mar 25, 2021TJH1229 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
An important and difficult story about black musicians in Nazi-occupied Paris. I wish the feelings of the main character had been more fully explored. As it is, his abrasive and sometimes cruel friend often takes center stage. It poses the…
Aug 26, 2020mmlotok rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book. The ending came together a bit fast and neatly tied up, but other than that I loved the book. It reminded me of my time in Paris over one winter and also all the jazz I go hear in Greenwich Village when I lived in New…
Nov 01, 2019pridi_o rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal book. Loved every page of it. Thank you Esi. :)
Jul 24, 2019
Wonderful description of the times from that real-time awareness. Great characters and language of the people.
May 12, 2017Dub rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Recommended, especially for the music scene in pre-WWII Berlin and Paris.
Dec 16, 2015DAISYKINS rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Amazing book! A wonderful treat to read. I learned more about jazz as well as the persecution of African heritage people by Germans in ww2. The dialect really grew on me. Very engrossing!
Nov 09, 2014GLNovak rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
This book did not engage me much at all. At the beginning I had to acclimatize my ear to the dialect and wrap my head around the many jazz references. This led to some skipping of pages. Throughout the whole narrative I felt more for…
Oct 30, 2014Arjava rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The lives and the passion of being a musician and in the arts - blacks suffering during the Nazi occupations
Apr 30, 2014natalieruhl rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
I was disappointed. I expected this book to be more interesting -it's topic should be super interesting- and yet I found it lacking. It had a lull in the middle that made it hard to get through...
Feb 25, 2014smc01 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
It took me a while to warm up to this novel, but after I did, I found the story fascinating and moving. The author does a terrific job of depicting a time and place. The friendship between the musicians is moving and I liked that Louis…
cvleblanc
Feb 05, 2014
So glad that this is one of the selections for Canada Reads this year! It's a really original story, and in addition to being well-researched it is quite engrossing.
Jan 17, 2014molmil8 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Read this for Canada Reads, a book I would never have picked otherwise; I hate jazz. However, I loved that book, it made me wish I loved jazz. It feels like you are taking a trip through WW2 Europe. The dialogue is a little hard to get…
Jan 10, 2014erinsnest rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
Thurs. Jan 9, 2014......Well, I notice I didn't make a note of when I started this book. I believe it was about a week ago (Thur Jan 3, or possibly Wed Jan 2.) I am about 1/2 way through it and I must say, it really has not engaged me yet.…
Nov 29, 2013diggie rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The jazz musicians providing the soundtrack to Weimar debauchery were not welcome in the Reich, especially mixed race German jazz musicians. Decades after the war a long-scattered band reunites and confronts conflicting memories of guilt,…
ggpro
Aug 20, 2013ggpro rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
interesting depiction of life for black jazz musicians during WWII. Good read but the jargon was quite challenging.
Jul 15, 2013nicolenozick rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
gave up on it. read about half. didn't get me. shd try again.
Mar 30, 2013John_M rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book very much for the plot and the character development. The historical setting at the beginning of WW2 was fascinating. I will look for other books by this author.
Jan 23, 2013DanglingConversations rated this title 1.5 out of 5 stars
I found the story line jagged and unpleasant. It was difficult to understand the motivation of the characters and the background of Nazi Germany and constant threat to life made the reading more stressful. The dialogue is written in…
Jan 02, 2013chichilia rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I found that jumping back and forth between the time of the German occupation and modern-day made the story-telling interesting without giving too much away all at once. Hard to put down for the most part, but I did find the ending a bit…
Nov 20, 2012ceedeegee57 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I loved this, mostly for the writing. It's not the greatest ending ever, but It does cast light on a somewhat unknown (to me) way of life. I love the "voice" of this novel. Not for everyone but if you like the voice... read on.
jaelle
Sep 18, 2012
Recommended by Maple Leaf Book Club - GVPL
Sep 16, 2012
started...10 pages.....started to read something else and didn't really get into the book....next time
Aug 04, 2012loonylovesgood rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A very well-written book. I enjoyed the story and the characters. There was some really witty dialogue throughout. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, though.
Jul 12, 2012
Just finished Esi Edugyan’s Half-Blood Blues. It is not hyperbole to call it a “literary masterpiece.” It has nothing to do with Canadian literature, but for exceptional writing, it is deserving of every literary award out there. The voice…