3 stars

The synopsis of this very quick read sounded fascinating to me, but in practice, this didn't grab me in the way I had hoped.

Elsa, the m.c., is a talented musician who is coming off of a crushing episode, and readers find her in two forms buying and coveting the same object. I'm an English professor, so the psychoanalytic potential immediately hooked me, but then...I just got a bit bored. I listened to this straight through in part because it's brief but also because I kept waiting to connect in the way that I expected, and it just did not happen. This felt too *literary* for my taste (i.e., that the goal was to achieve something aesthetic and esoteric rather than a meaningful insight or connection).

I remain surprised by the disconnect between my hopes and expectations and the end result, and this compels me to want to read more of Levy's work for reference. This is an intriguing concept, but the journey was not what I anticipated.

AH! Omg, I'm so thankful to Deborah Levy, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and FSG for sending me audiobook access and a physical ARC of August Blue before it publishes on June 6, 2023. It's looking like June 6th will be a HUGE publication day, and I can't wait to celebrate!

August Blue tells the tale of our piano prodigy, Elsa, who's burnt out from concert piano circuits and is bumbling around Europe aimlessly after bumping into her near-doppelganger, or double. With her adopted father on his deathbed and her life not yet begun, she's left confused on many matters, including sexuality, her biological mother, her future, and her current state of being.

This quick read is a feel-good narrative with a settled ending and a manic journey that many people likely feel as they grow and mature.

Wow. I am at a loss for words, and if you knew me, you'd know that is rare.

August Blue is my first Deborah Levy book, but if the Goodreads community is correct, she is a writer to check out and all her books leave the reader with emo.

I cannot say a lot about August Blue, because this is a thinker that is best read with little knowledge. Go in cold. Watch for the layers and nuances and Easter eggs you'll discover as you read. Although it's a short read at a little over 4 hours for the audio, and slightly over 200 pages for the paper version, there is a ton to unpack. I'm unsure the last book I read that was not what I expected, and I'm better for having read it.

A genuine heartfelt thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen in advance of the June 6, 2023 release date.

August Blue
Elsa is an accomplished pianist who froze during a performance and walked out of the theater. She now works giving piano lessons and seems haunted by a familiar looking woman she keeps seeing.

This is a poetic and layered story filled with lots of metaphors. Although I was left with many questions, it was no doubt beautifully written. This one is hard for me to rate, so based on the beautiful writing, I’m settling on a 4 and then I’m putting Hot Milk on my TBR to I can read another book by this author.

At 208 pages, this is a quick read. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator has a lovely voice.

Thank you to @netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.