Broken Strings by Maria Farrer

 
Broken Strings
Written by Maria Farrer
Contemporary, Musical
Published July 2014
352 Pages
Thank you to Scholastic and Scholastic Australia 
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It is the story of a brilliant young violinist, her determination and struggle to achieve her dreams and the discovery that she is at the center of an extraordinary secret that has pulled apart her family for two generations. Jess, a talented seventeen year old violinist, suffers from stage fright as she auditions for a place at a prestigious music school. Her family do not have enough money for her to continue to study so when she fails, she vows not to play again. Until her wealthy grandmother, estranged from her family since Jess's mother fell pregnant - shows up at their doorstep and promises six months of tuition in exchange for Jess moving to live with her. Once ensconced in her grandmother's rich, but empty, life she starts to uncover the mystery of why her grandmother never spoke to her mother again, and the secret which tore her family apart.  

Eight years of violin lessons has been reduced to a half hour audition, now sixteen year old Jess has just destroyed what may have been her only chance at a music scholarship, the pressure of the performance chasing her from the stage. Not only is Jess's musical career on the verge of ruin, but also that of her accompanist Stefan. But respite comes in the form of her estranged grandmother, who Jess has never met. She offers Jess the opportunity to move to London to continue her studies, an all expenses paid private tuition to be overseen by the stern woman who expects Jess to abide by her strict rules and against her parents wishes, she leaves for London leaving only a note.

Her sprawling home for the next six months comes complete with a hectic work schedule, private tutors and live in staff including housekeeper Sarah and driver, twenty three year old Charlie. But as the days pass, Jess's mind never strays far from Stefan, the boy she left behind. Unbeknownst to Stefan, he was more than her accompanist, but a friend and the reason Jess strives to achieve. As she begins to repair her relationship with her parents, Jess is looking for answers as to why her mother and grandmother have an estranged relationship, why Charlie is showing interest in her and why her grandmother is so interested in Jess's future. Just when Jess is beginning to soar, her world will be turned upside down with revelations, hidden secrets and a chance meeting.

My Thoughts

Broken Strings was a surprise read. After seeing a review on Those Smushy Notebookers, I prepared myself for the inevitable cliched contemporary, but it was engaging and entertaining. Aside from the musical inaccuracies, I found I was unable to tear myself away from Jess's story. Jess is an overachiever and seen as a musical prodigy, but sadly only caters to her own needs, as evidence of leaving after her parents had specifically forbid her and left them only a note. Her father then gives Jess an ultimatum, to either come home or she won't be welcomed again. It was frustrating and I can't imagine parents that supported and nurtured her talent for eight years would suddenly disown her so blatantly. But rather than worry about their parental distress, she pines for Stefan. 

She hasn't seen on heard from Stefan since she fled the stage during their audition and with her phone in ruin, she has no idea how her career ending stage fright impacted on her accompanist. Jess is self absorbed and her only interest in Stefan is only to her own benefit, believing she may very well be in love with him. But when her grandmother's driver Charlie shows an interest, she's reluctant but still crosses the line into dangerous territory. Charlie is willing to risk his job for a girl who is only interested in a distraction. But even with it's discrepancies, the storyline was still entertaining and surprisingly a quick read for it's length.

None of the characters were relatable or too in depth, and only the elderly piano virtuoso Mr Richie had any likability. If Jess hadn't been so self indulgent, more readers may have been able to connect with her passion. For a girl who supposedly understands the discipline and hard work it takes to reach her goals, she does an awful lot of complaining when her grandmother instills the same values in her education. If you're looking for a purely entertaining read, then definitely give it a go. The overall storyline and uncovered secrets will keep you guessing until the very end and despite it's flaws, I quite enjoyed it.