Songs in Ursa Major

A novel

De: Emma Brodie

Narrado por: Kristen Sieh

From the author of INTO THE BLUE, a transporting love story of music, stardom, heartbreak, and a gifted young singer-songwriter who must find her own voice: “In the vein of Daisy Jones and the Six and The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, [this] is an intoxicating chronicle of the music industry, inspired largely by the love affair between artists Joni Mitchell and James Taylor” (Elle).

The year is 1969, and the Bayleen Island Folk Fest is abuzz with one name: Jesse Reid. Tall and soft-spoken, with eyes blue as stone-washed denim, Jesse Reid’s intricate guitar riffs and supple baritone are poised to tip from fame to legend with this one headlining performance. That is, until his motorcycle crashes on the way to the show.

Jane Quinn is a Bayleen Island local whose music flows as naturally as her long blond hair. When she and her bandmates are asked to play in Jesse Reid’s place at the festival, it almost doesn’t seem real. But Jane plants her bare feet on the Main Stage and delivers the performance of a lifetime, stopping Jesse’s disappointed fans in their tracks: A star is born.

Jesse stays on the island to recover from his near-fatal accident and he strikes up a friendship with Jane, coaching her through the production of her first record. As Jane contends with the music industry’s sexism, Jesse becomes her advocate, and what starts as a shared calling soon becomes a passionate love affair. On tour with Jesse, Jane is so captivated by the giant stadiums, the late nights, the wild parties, and the media attention, that she is blind-sided when she stumbles on the dark secret beneath Jesse’s music. With nowhere to turn, Jane must reckon with the shadows of her own past; what follows is the birth of one of most iconic albums of all time.

Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early 70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major pulses with romantic longing and asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?

A Lullaby for my Hippie Heart

Beautifully written and narrated, the story is told with such truth and honor. I could hear the music!

Enjoyed

This was a run relaxing easy book to listen to. Kristen Sieh is a wonderful
Narrator.

a romance novel about the music industry!

Oh! It was a romance novel about the music industry! I get it! Because if it wasn't intended to be that, I didn't get the point of why this book as written. In reading other reviews, it appears people think it was loosely about James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. If I had known that I probably would have skipped it; why would we care if James and Joni had a relationship?

I suppose the music industry then and now was/is very political, sexist, and lacking basic morality, as were the people in the industry. No surprises there. As I was writing this review I actually downgraded my rating to a three. It was okay, but just okay. There were some gratuitous sex scenes that were probably unnecessary, and which were distracting. One thing that I found completely lacking in credibility was that Jesse could sit and have a conversation with Jane after his overdose, while in withdrawal. Not likely, he would have been jumping out of his skin.

The most interesting parts of the book to me were a) the relationship and rallying behind of the Quinn women, and b) that the main characters did not end up together in the end (which, if this was about James and Joni is factually correct, but it would have been a better romance novel ending to let them be together!).

Pretty Good But

Good story, very good narration, could have much better. Needed more in beginning as to family mystery

Such a beautiful story

I absolutely loved this book! It transported me into time! I highly recommend this book!