THE MUSIC SHOP Written By Rachel Joyce

JANUARY 2, 2018; 320 Pages (Doubleday/Random House)
Genre: fiction, humour, literary

(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)

RATING: 3.5 STARS

I have heard only good things about Rachel Joyce so I was excited when I was approved to read her newest book, the Music Shop. This novel I set in 1988 and 1989 respectively, and it is a time when vinyl records are no longer what music lovers’ purchase. Frank prefers records, and in his music shop that is all he will sell. His gift is that he can find the perfect album for a person, even if that is not what they wanted when they came in. His shop is among other stores on a dead-end street. It is the “beacon” for the down and trodden and the trouble. One day a German girl, Ilse faints in front of his shop and things change for Frank. He falls for her but she is engaged to someone else.
This was a great book for a rainy afternoon. It is a sweet story where nothing huge happens, but that is what makes it realistic. The story also has Frank’s memories with his mother, who give him a love of music. Okay, I am going to admit I glossed over these chapters. Maybe something big happens and I missed it, lol. While the story between Frank and Ilse is sweet, it is the characters around him and the way he can recommend an album that was the most endearing part of the novel. If you like books like, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, The Man Called Ove and The Story of Arthur Truluv you must read this one!

This was an interesting story but I don't think it stands a chance against her earlier work. I did like the last half the most because it was just really sweet that they did that for their friend

I did not have any expectations starting "The Music Shop." I did not know of Rachel Joyce's previous work, nor did I really read much in regards to what it was about. I just knew the title was attractive to me because I like stories about music and stories about quaint little shops. How happy I am to learn about Frank, a large man with the ability to read the mood or aura of the customers that come into the shop and offer them vinyl records that they might no necessarily want, but they definitely need. Enter the strange German woman, Ilse Brauchmann, whom faints one day in front of Frank's shop, only to have a flittering relationship with him, while having a fiancé and disappearing for months on end for something Frank innocently said. The two of them have a rocky relationship, but Frank is getting used to a rocky life. This is the late 80s, when compact discs are taking over and people are selling their vinyl for pennies on the dollar. Frank refuses to do anything different, says CDs are bad for music, and refuses. Frank also refuses offers from a developmental group who wants to raze his shop and put up bigger, shinier buildings. Frank is tempted by everything big and shiny, but the reality is that Frank only has an eye on one thing, the person that he is waiting on, Ilse Brauchmann.

Joyce's strength is her character development. Though the story is simple, she fleshes out all of her characters to such a strength that when something happens, the reader knows who is the most logical culprit because of the way the person has been described. Maud the tattooist grumbles, the twin undertakers are grim but optimistic, and Kit is a loveable klutz who is doing his best in every situation. Along with Father Anthony, the retired priest, the Chopin man, and many others, Joyce really connects characters to the reader, and this is a group I hated to see go.

I also loved the music. Joyce writes Frank as an expert on how a record should make a person feel, and she has very good segments of description, as if Joyce herself could stand behind the counter and be Frank. Joyce even put a playlist on Spotify for this novel, and it really enhances the reading experience to hear what Frank is talking about when he describes the feelings that the songs should invoke. The music and description of songs and feelings in this novel are wonderful, and I have some new songs and artists on my playlist that I did not have before.

I love stories about music and good character development. Fortunately I received both in this novel, and I was happily surprised by how well the plot moves along and the characters are fleshed out. In the end, I was attached to Frank and Ilse, and the entire gang of misfits that ran the shops on the dead end block, and I wanted each of them to have their own book, even though I feel as if "The Music Shop" was not only about Frank and Isle, but about everyone in the shop. And the final scene actually gave me chills, something a book has never done before. None of these things are simple feats, but Joyce pulls everything off so nicely. I cannot recommend this book enough.

There is another book about a record shop in addition to High Fidelity and Telegraph Avenue, but this one is filled but with Rachel Joyce’s wonderfully unique and quirky characters. It struck me as a combination of delayed coming-of-age and love story. Ilsa and Frank have a whole lot of growing up to do and it’s through Ilsa’s inner voice that Joyce reveals it to us.

Ilsa had expected to become a famous person but after some painful setbacks, she realized that in truth what mattered was to love another person and to be kind. But how to do that? After caring for her mother until her death, she woke up to see that she didn’t even know what “home” was anymore. Looking around her mother’s house she noted the collection of figurines that her mom had spent her life collecting and asked herself, Is this what life is? The steady acquisition of things that will in the end being wrapped up in newspaper and taken to the thrift store?

It’s the steps that she takes to recover what she realized that she had lost and to find the people who had been her “tribe” during her special six months in England. When she returned years later, she realized that just because you’re ready to go back and claim something, there’s no guarantee it will there. Her journey to find the people she had lost was utterly charming and enjoyable, but then journeys are something Joyce is very good at writing about.

The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce is a love letter to music and to London, as well as a love story. Set in 1980s London, this book introduces the reader to characters Frank and Isle. There is great character development, and there is a charming cast of secondary characters in this book.

I love how music can change your life and I loved how this book took us on a journey with Frank and Ilse to show how it impacted and changed their lives! The story is a sweet and at times sad as we learn the history of each of the characters in the book. Music and their small businesses create the community in which they live and work.

The ending felt a little forced but I was willing to go along. I like the writing style that Rachel Joyce employs and look forward to continuing to read her books!

Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book and share my thoughts!

Sweet story that captures loneliness in a great way. We all are waiting for that perfect person. Sometimes they come to us. Good read

This book absolutely has my heart! Within reading the first few pages, I was immediately drawn in and wanted to find the nearest chair so I could curl up and immerse myself in this charming book.

The Music Shop is such a rich multi-layered story. It centers around Frank, who owns the record shop on Unity Street and has a gift for knowing exactly what kind of music his customers need, even when that music is the exact opposite of what they believe they are looking for. But we also get the privilege of meeting the adorable and exasperating Kit, Frank's assistant, who no matter how he tries just can't quite get things right; Maud, the tattooist from Unity Street, that holds a special place in her heart for Frank; and Father Anthony, who owns a religious gift shop on Unity Street, but has a story all his own. Into this eclectic mix of characters comes Ilse Brauchmann who immediately captures Frank's attention in a unique way, but Frank is just fine on his own, or is he?

I can only imagine the amount of research that the author did to make this novel such a moving tribute to music itself and the emotions it makes all of us feel. It really is a musical journey along with an engaging love story but it is also so much more than that. Each character has their own unique charm and are so vividly developed that they simply leap from the pages. Also, I have to say that the cover is spot-on. I just relished each page and savored every moment. Five star read for me.

I received this book courtesy of Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A good read. I loved the different ways the music was ‘felt’ and described. I knew many of the songs, and the ones I don’t, I want to listen to simply based on the book. It makes up one heck of a soundtrack.
I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to everyone, especially music lovers.

You will want to listen along with Frank's customers as you read about this almost magical music store where the proprietor knows what you need to listen to before you even ask for it...or maybe in spite of what you ask for. Frank has the ability to 'listen' to his customers and can tell them what they need to listen to (on vinyl only, please) in 1980's London. Then he meets Ilse Brauchmann, a mysterious young women that Frank can't 'hear'. When she wants to learn about music, he must share the music of his life. You will find yourself seeking out the music that Frank is sharing so that you can 'hear' what he hears and join in the magic.

An enjoyable, musical read that was a bit more romantic than I was expecting. The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce was an ARC that I was thrilled to get! I absolutely adore Joyce’s book The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and I was so excited to hear that she had a new book coming out. While The Music Shop ended up being too romantically focused for me, there were parts of it that I really enjoyed, and I think a lot of people will like this book!
Set in England in 1988, the main character is Frank, and he has a musical gift in that he can look at someone and know what song to give to them to change their life. Because Frank’s gift is so life changing for those he meets, this really speaks to the power of music. Much of The Music Shop is talking about different musicians and songs, and how they change people. Those into music will really enjoy these scenes, and I wrote down several songs to listen to afterwards. I can’t listen to music while I read, otherwise I would’ve listened to them right then and there! The music described is all genres of music: classical, rock, soul, you name it! Frank is an encyclopedia and really knows his music.
Frank has an employee at the shop, named Kit, and Kit was my favorite character in the book. He was humorous and sweet, and just made me smile as he caused all kinds of unintended trouble in the shop. Another character I enjoyed was Maud, a local tattoo artist, who was blunt and surly, but has a soft side, too.
One day a mystery lady comes to the shop, named Ilse, and Frank falls instantly in love. I didn’t really care for the character of Ilse, and this was where I struggled with The Music Shop. What I thought was going to be a story about music (and don’t get me wrong, a lot of it is about music), also ended up being very much a romance novel. Not a “sexy times” romance novel, but more of a “will they/won’t they find true love” romance novel. I generally don’t enjoy romance novels, and this one was borderline too much romance for me. I just didn’t like Ilse and Frank for each other, and therefore couldn’t get invested in their romantic story line. I wanted Frank to find his happiness, but I just couldn’t root for him and Ilse to be together. No particular reason why, I just felt he had more chemistry and understanding with another character in the book.
The ending of the book fell a bit flat for me. There is a “grand gesture” scene at the end, and it all felt a bit silly to me. Also, and this is something that really irks me, but we spend the majority of the book focused on Frank, seeing his story, and then the last section of the book focuses on a different character. This shift in focus is something that bothers me as a reader. I felt a bit cheated at the end in that I would’ve rather had the focus be on Frank, especially after spending most of the book on him! The shift just didn’t work for me.
Even though I had a few issues with The Music Shop, I think this would make for a great movie. There are many humorous scenes, and this is a book that would come alive on the screen I think. Especially as then you could hear the music that the characters talk about. While this one focused too much on romance for me, I still did enjoy it, and would recommend to readers who like sweet stories, especially those who are into music.
Bottom Line: Too much romance for me, but I still enjoyed it!

Wonderful characters. Frank stuck to his beliefs and he got a happy ending. Loved the mystery of who was Ilse.

The Music Shop is at times melancholy, sad, sentimental, reflective and hopeful. It is the story of a 40 year old music shop owner in 1980s England, who refuses to give up on vinyl records at the dawn of compact discs. It is also is the story of England in the 1980s, a time when the economy was depressed and evolving simultaneously. It is a gentle read (it will not keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next), but I was impressed by how much the story stuck with me after I finished it. Rachel Joyce brilliantly depicts the rougher side of life in the 1980s, as well as middle-age angst and romance that is rarely examined in literature. A thoroughly enjoyable story, I would recommend The Music Shop to anyone who enjoyed Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop or Nick Hornby's High Fidelity.

Oh where do I begin with this book to do it justice? I adored it from the first word to the last. Music is big in my house so this book touched at a part of my soul. Frank owns a music shop that only sells vinyl. Frank has an almost magical gift of hearing what music people need. To the man who only likes Chopin....Aretha Franklin- you get the idea. One day, a woman faints outside his shop. When he tries to help her, Frank gradually realizes that he cannot "hear" her music. His life is changed forever. This book is a journey that is so emotional, it pulls you along every step of the way.
This book has a similar feel to Little Paris Bookshop but, in some way, was more fulfilling for me. There is a playlist on Spotify that is AMAZING. I wish I had known about it while I was reading. I found myself looking up each song so that I could hear it while I was reading. If you are just starting the book or haven't read it yet, turn on this playlist while you are reading! This book has a special something that compels you to read and hear the music the way Frank does- with his whole heart and all the love and sadness that is stored in there.
Thank you so much to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book.

Rachel Joyce is a master at writing about ordinary people and their often hidden struggles, and celebrating their courage and resilience in the face of those struggles. In “The Music Shop” she once again writes about those “ordinary” people in a clear-eyed, unsentimental, and inspiring manner. The book focuses on a group of seemingly unremarkable people who have businesses on Unity Street. At the center of those shops and of the story itself is Frank and his music shop. Frank has an unusual and magical gift; he can listen to people’s conversations and suggest specific pieces of music to help with whatever difficulties they may be having. As Frank describes it, “Sometimes all that people needed was to know they were not alone. Other times it was more a question of keeping them in touch with their feelings until they wore them out— people clung to what was familiar, even when it was painful.” Because of this gift Frank has devoted customers, but the music delivery business is changing and Frank is unwilling to accommodate those changes. He knows that the totality of the musical experience provided by vinyl records cannot be matched by cassettes or cd’s. (I heartily agree!) When devastating losses occur in Frank’s life, he finds himself unable to cope. He has always been able to rescue others but doesn’t know how to rescue himself. But rescue does occur, and the manner in which it plays out is joyous and heartwarming.

In addition to a great story, Rachel Joyce’s knowledge of all types of music, from classical to punk, adds a wonderful sonic dimension to the book. I frequently found myself interrupting my reading so I could find and listen to specific pieces she refers to. (That search would have been much easier if I had known that at the end of the book there is a Spotify link for all the music!)

My review was posted on Goodreads on 1/7/18

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

I really enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, so I was happy to receive her latest, The Music Shop, from Netgalley to review.

This is another sweet story about a lonely man with some endearing quirks who overcomes a painful past to find love.

Frank owns a music shop on a dead-end street in a not very fashionable corner of London. He was brought up by an unconventional mother who was obsessed with music and men, but not so much with being a mother. She raises Frank to distrust relationships both by example and by instruction. From his mother, he has learned to appreciate any kind of music so long as it is played on vinyl. He believes CDs are a fad and refuses to stock them. What keeps customers coming back is the service. Frank has a sixth sense for what customers need. He listens to their stories, learns what they think they want which usually isn’t really what they want, then plucks out just the right record to heal their souls.

One day, a slight, pretty woman faints in front of his store. Frank and his employee bring her in and revive her. She (Ilse Brauchmann) has a German accent and mysterious ways. She and Frank gaze into each other’s eyes and something happens. But they are both wounded and frightened. She disappears then returns with a “thank you” plant, disappears again but “forgets” her purse. Before long, she and Frank are meeting on Tuesday evenings for music lessons. He enthusiastically teaches her about all sorts of music, giving her records and instructing her to listen.

There are complications. She has a fiancee, so Frank won’t confide how he feels. Frank is so stand-offish that she won’t confide anything.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood is going downhill fast and record suppliers are pressuring Frank to sell CDs or else they will cut him off.

The story is sweet; however, it was an average read. The over-the-top quirkiness was a bit too much. The lack of communication between the characters was necessary and understandable, but it got to the point where I no longer cared if they got together. Frank, in particular, took so long to get over himself that I started to think Ilse was better off looking elsewhere–even if he was generally kind. Still, I think I would have enjoyed this more if it didn’t seem like I’d already read variations of the story. I’ve read a few books where bookshop owners had the unique gift of knowing just what book to put in the hands of characters drifting into their shops with various emotional needs, so it felt as though Joyce simply exchanged records for books. I am impressed, however, with the detailed knowledge of music and musicians Joyce was able to express through Frank.

For music lovers looking for a sweet love story, The Music Shop is a good bet. But for those who haven’t read Rachel Joyce yet, I’d recommend starting with The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

What a lovely book. Set in the late 80s in (maybe) London, Frank is a giant man who loves and knows music. He can instinctively know what his customers need to hear, rather than what they think they want. It's a special gift that he has developed after a lifetime with a wild mother who FELT music and taught Frank to do the same.

One day, the lovely Ilse Brauchmann faints outside of Frank's store and that's where everything changes.

This is a book about life, music and a community that is rapidly dissolving but holding tight to each other.

As a bonus, Rachel Joyce has a Spotify playlist of all the music from the book, which I HIGHLY recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is simply adorable. Cross The Rosie Project with High Fidelity, and you might get something close to this book, but it has plenty of charm all on its own. I wasn't sure at first if I would like Frank or his world, but we've all known someone like him, who hasn't fully adapted to modernity and never will. He definitely grew on me over time, as did the rest of the motley cast of characters.

There are a few missing pieces to the story, but I suspect in retrospect, I'll conclude the author intended it that way. It's a fairly quick read, and very engaging, and while it's set in England, the economic aspects of the story will be familiar to those in the US as well. All in all, a book I enjoyed greatly and will highly recommend to others.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful! Frank owns a music shop in a down-and-out neighborhood. Selling only vinyl, Frank refuses to change with the times (this is set in the late 80s when CDs are becoming the big new thing in music) but loves helping people find the music they need on any given day - even if they don't know it yet. Frank's friends are the hapless Kit who works in his shop and other local business owners, including a punk rock tattoo shop owner who's rough around the edges, two brothers who own a mortuary, a recovering alcoholic who is also a former priest and a little old Greek lady and her chihuahua. Frank was raised by a less than traditional mother who insisted he call her by her first name, Peg, and taught him about the feel of music. which helped Frank develop his intuition about the music a customer "needs". He leads a solitary life and prefers it that way until the day Ilse appears at his shop - more accurately, faints in front of it. Frank is smitten but Ilse is engaged. Should Frank accept the limitations and suffer unrequited love? Should he sell his shop to the developers who want to turn the declining neighborhood around? Will Kit ever stop hurting himself? Enjoy these lovely characters and the ride!

This book description had me at record shop and set in the 80s.

This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but at the same time it was more than I had hoped for.

The story is about Frank, the owner if a record shop in 1988 London that only stocks vinyl. There is a cast of supporting characters that make up the small neighbourhood the shop is located in. Frank's life changes the day that Ilse, a mysterious woman, faints outside his shop one day.

Frank's gift is that he can tell the song that you need to hear to fix what ails you. I am a huge music fan, and I am aware of the healing power of music. I was very much into the concept of music as a prescription for healing.

This could have been a simple love story. Between Frank and Ilse. Or between Frank and music. But it's more than that. There are themes of moving on from your past, standing by your principles, and fighting for what you believe in.

There is a thread of what I thought was sadness, but I think it's more accurate to say that it's tenderness. The author obviously has great emotion for the topics that she writes about. This book is also, surprisingly, laugh out loud funny. (I won't spoil it for you.)

If you are looking for a good read, that isn't too taxing but is rewarding. This is your book. And, if you are a fan of music I would definitely check this out.

As a bonus, there is a Spotify playlist that goes along with this book: https://open.spotify.com/user/penguinbooks/playlist/1skEBZppUBtHBXxdcYIHns
(If you are like me, in these situations, you like to listen along with the songs.)

I rated this book 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Full disclosure: I received this eARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review. (Thanks NetGalley!)