Songs in Ursa Major
Ratings6
Average rating3.2
15
Ratings6
Average rating3.2
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?
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My rating: 3 stars
Although inspired by the true story of James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, this novel feels a lot like Daisy Jones and the Six. I know that's unfair, as the true story obviously happened decades before the TJR book was published, but that's honestly all I could think of while reading this.
The story kicks off at a music festival in the summer of 1969 where local band The Breakers gets an opportunity to play the main stage when festival headliner, Jesse Reid, is a no-show. The Breakers' lead singer, Jane Quinn, captivates the disappointed audience with her rendition of Jesse Reid's current hit song. This kicks off a chain of events that ends up with Jane meeting Jesse and the two of them jumping into a whirlwind relationship. Catapulted by a successful debut album, a drug-fueled concert tour, and being hounded by the press, the relationship quickly implodes. From here, the rest of the story is a long, melodramatic (SOOO melodramatic) tale of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” culminating in the revelation of a family secret that Jane never wanted anyone to know about.
This book was well written and the story interesting enough, but I just could not get into it. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters and was even a bit annoyed by them. It was also way too much non-stop drama, with one thing after another. It just never seemed like any of the characters were having any fun and, if anything, a story about rock and roll should be fun. And again, for me, it read too much like DJ&T6.
I thought this book was just okay; I didn't hate it and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. However, I know it won't stick with me in the long run and I would have a hard time recommending it to anyone other than maybe a hardcore James Taylor and Joni Mitchell fan.
CW: drug use
