The Boy Who Loved Bach by T.L. Peters

Publisher: Self

Format: eBook

Published: March 7^th 2011

Number of Pages: -

Book: For Review From Author

Genre: Realistic-Fiction, Coming-of-Age, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Nothing Unsuitable

No Alcohol, Drug References, Violence

Available On: Amazon (Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Nook), Smashwords

Author's Blog: T.L. Peters

THE BOY WHO LOVED BACH is about a ninth grader at the top of his class trying out for the football team who just can't seem to remember the plays, much to the consternation and bewilderment of his coach and teammates, not to mention his girlfriend, all of which makes him miserable. But when Ed picks up the violin at the urging of his mother and learns to play Bach, his perspective changes.

Review:

Edward P. Studt is drowning in responsibilities.  He’s very, very smart – nerdy even.  But all he wants is to be on the football team.  So, as he moves from middle to intermediate school, he tries to achieve him goal: the football team and to go out with head cheerleader Heather Blake.  He has violin practice, football practice, homework and an English class where the teacher only assigns one A, so the competition is fierce between him and equally clever Georgianna Radcliff.  Can he manage everything?  Of all of them, football is – of course – the most important.  Until his violin teacher gives him Bach to play.  And then everything changes…

I really liked this book!  It just felt so authentic to me: like all the characters and events were actually real.  Ed could have been an actual teenager: I’ve met Eds.  And T.L. Peters managed to completely nail the difficulties of growing up: the uncertainty and the hard decisions.  I just loved this book, so thank you to T.L. Peters!

Ed was wonderful!  He was smart – super smart.  But all he wanted was to be on the football team.  He only played the violin because his mom made him: Bach changed all that.  I just loved his passion.  The way he approached everything was rather amusing too.  He was rather philosophical: he had a habit of looking at things and drawing conclusions – deep, wise conclusions that actually made a lot of sense.  Ed was a teenager, and he felt so real.  One-hundred per-cent real.

Denny Newbaker was Ed’s best friend.  He was great, and very funny; completely addicted to football.  Which was good, really, as he was a brilliant player. He was good to Ed, and the two of them really helped one another: Ed helped Denny with physics and Denny helped Ed figure out the football plays.  A perfect relationship!

Ed’s parents, on the other hand, had a rocky relationship.  They argued – a lot.  But, I think they loved each other, deep down.  Or maybe deep-deep?

The plot was one of self-discovery.  There wasn’t suspense or a paranormal in sight, but this book really was amazing.  We all know how awkward being a teenager is.  And T.L. Peters just got everything right.  From the pressures to the schoolwork to the romance.  It was beautiful.  Perfect.  I loved it.  And the writing was just wonderful, adding to the amazingness of the story.  Somehow T.L. Peters got it to sound like a real teenager narrating, and made me completely believe in both Ed’s genius and his average-teen-ness.  Ed came across as very clever, very mature, but at the same time, just a teenage boy like any other.  And I loved that.

The only downside?  The football.  I suck at sports anyway, and being British I have no knowledge of American Football.  It wasn’t the most interesting part of the book but it was Ed.  So, ok, it was slow and maybe a little overwhelming to begin with.  But it wouldn’t have been Ed to leave out the plays.  And, hey!  If I happen across an American Football game, I maybe might just know how to play! 

I felt everything Ed did, felt his passion.  This book was wonderful and I can’t wait to read more by T.L. Peters.

Star Rating:
4 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

Drawing With Light by Julia Green

No and Me by Delphine de Vigan

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

2011 E-Book Challenge (Hosted by The Ladybug Reads)

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from author in exchange for an honest review