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Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah 273 pages



It is a testament to the strength of Sophie Hannah’s ability as a writer that she can create a character so annoying and unlikeable, who complains bitterly and incessantly throughout most of the book and yet I never once considered putting it down Not once. Few authors can bring a character to life like Sophie Hannah.

Louise Beeson’s neighbor likes to blasts his music of a Friday and Saturday night. Not often, just enough to drive her crazy. When she complains he blasts even louder and longer. Her 7 year old son Joseph attends prestigious Saviours College as a chorister where he is required to board. And even though she sees him several times a week it is not enough. Her husband wants to sandblast their house which requires closing off the windows and the light. Apparently all this is enough to drive her off the deep end. She begins hearing choral music during the night and she’s convinced her neighbor is responsible. So she bullies her husband into buying a vacation house in a gated community where all noise is prohibited-even children splashing in the pool-yet still she hears the music. At this point the story takes off. Too bad it had to be two thirds of the way through. Still I was really surprised at the ending. I had it pegged all wrong. 

I read somewhere after I finished the book that it was supposed to be a horror/ghost story. Really? Who knew?

I would caution anyone who decides to read Sophie Hannah not to start with The Orphan Choir. It really is not reflective of her normal body of work. Even so, I enjoyed it immensely.

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