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Songs in Ursa Major
Emma Brodie
Narrator Kristen Sieh
11 Hours
Published June 2021 by Random House Audio
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About the Book:
A scintillating debut from a major new voice in fiction, Songs in Ursa Major is a love story set in 1969, alive with music, sex, and the trappings of fame.
Raised on an island off Massachusetts by a mother who wrote songs for famous musicians, Jane Quinn is singing in her own band before she’s old enough to even read music. When folk legend Jesse Reid hears about Jane’s performance at the island’s music festival, a star is born–and so is a passionate love affair: they become inseparable when her band joins his on tour. Wary of being cast as his girlfriend–and haunted by her mother’s shattered ambitions– Jane shields her relationship from the public eye, but Jesse’s star power pulls her into his orbit of fame. Caught up in the thrill of the road and the profound and lustful connection she has with Jesse, Jane is blind-sided by the discovery she makes about the dark secret beneath his music. Heartbroken and blackballed by the industry, Jane is now truly on her own: to make the music she loves, and to make peace with her family 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?
My Review:
I really loved Daisy Jones and the Six and had hopes that I would love Songs in Ursa Major just as much. The idea of stories focusing on women in Music is immediately a draw for me.
So I’m a bit surprised why I didn’t enjoy Ursa Major more. It was just ok for me.
The timeframe was perfect – the era in which I grew up. I always think of Steve Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, Joan Jett, Madonna, so many great 70’s and 80’s female breakout artists that had no problem flipping the music industry the finger and still coming out on top.
Jane was an awesome character, until she wasn’t. During most of the story, she was the one who stood up to the man! Loved it! She fought for what she believed in, what she wanted for her and her band. When she realized that her relationship was going nowhere, she stood up for herself.
Then, somewhere in the mix, she became a completely different character. She settled. And that sucked! I’m all about compromise but that’s not what happened in Jane’s story. I hated everything about the ending, as it felt like it was all for nothing. She gave up and accepted something that wasn’t good for her.
I know so many people love this book, but it was just ok for me. The ending was a huge let down.
Thank you to #KnopfDoubledayPublishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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