Sonata for a Scoundrel by Anthea Lawson

Sonata for a ScoundrelNarrated by Hollis McCarthy

Sonata for a Scoundrel tells the story of Clara Becker, a gifted composer, and Darien Reynard, a masterful violinist who makes her music come alive.

Clara lives with her father and brother in one of the poorest sections of London. Her music is magnificent, but she cannot take credit for it. Female composers are unheard of in the 1830s. Instead, her pieces are published under her brother’s name. They barely manage to scrape by.

Darien Reynard is an up-and-coming violinist, searching for a composer whose work will present the kind of musical challenge that will make him known worldwide. When he stumbles upon a few pieces written by Nicholas Becker, he knows he’s found exactly what he’s been searching for. He shows up at Mr. Becker’s door, intent on making the young man an offer he can’t refuse, but Darien doesn’t count on Nicholas’s one condition. Clara must accompany them on the European tour. Darien is miffed, but decides to allow Clara to travel with them, especially when Nicholas admits to periods of melancholy that only Clara knows how to fix.

Nicholas, Clara, and Darien set out on a journey that will change each of them in unimaginable ways. Clara is worried that Darien will discover their secret. Nicholas slips deeper and deeper into depression, and Darien is sure everything he’s worked for is finally paying off. What will happen if he learns the truth?

Sonata for a Scoundrel is a beautifully rendered work of fiction. Ms. Lawson made me long to hear the music written by Clara and played by Darien. Her descriptions of people, places, and music were lush and vibrant. This would have been pure perfection if narrator Hollis McCarthy hadn’t sounded seconds away from bursting into an enormous, toothy grin. A book as multi-layered as this deserves a narrator who is up to the challenge. Sadly, the many emotional nuances seemed to elude Ms. McCarthy, and the perpetually happy sound of her voice was quite distracting. I longed for the well-modulated tones of Kate Reading or Corrie James. This audiobook could have shone in the right hands.

It isn’t that Ms. McCarthy is a bad narrator. It just seems as if this book was not the best fit for her. I think she’d do quite well with something lighter. Her character differentiation is passable, although there were a few instances where I had difficulty telling Nicholas and Darien apart. Other than that, people are distinctly voiced. Regional accents are used to great effect and pacing is well-done.

Although the characters were easy to tell apart, Ms. McCarthy’s depictions didn’t always mesh with the characters Ms. Lawson created. Nicholas, for example, is weak-willed and given to throwing rather unattractive temper tantrums. Ms. McCarthy gave him a suitably truculent sound, but failed to convey the emotional torment he went through on a regular basis.

The romance between Clara and Darien is somewhat understated. We know they have feelings for each other, but it takes them quite awhile to act on those feelings. Instead, Ms. Lawson creates an environment that sizzles with sexual tension that is only relieved when the two of them are either making love or working on music. How can they work on music together when Darien isn’t supposed to know the identity of the composer? That, I fear, is something I cannot reveal. Trust me when I say it’s one of the most beautifully rendered parts of the story. Everything Clara and Darien long to say to each other is beautifully communicated through her piano and his violin.

I recommend this as a book you’ll want to read rather than listen to. Allow your imagination to create the emotional depths Ms. Lawson’s work deserves.

Shannon


Narration:  C-

Book Content:  B+

Steam Factor:  Glad I had my earbuds in

Violence:  Fighting

Genre:  Historical Romance

Publisher:  Anthea Lawson

 

Sonata for a Scoundrel was provided to AudioGals by the author for review.

1 thought on “Sonata for a Scoundrel by Anthea Lawson

Comments are closed.