Author: Lisa Genova
ISBN: 9781925685299
RRP: $32.99
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
Lisa Genova is the bestselling author of Still Alice which has been made into an award winning film. It is the only Genova title that I have read but she is certainly one cemented on my watch list.
Every Note Played is an in-depth and insightful exploration of the insidious ALS, the disease at the heart of the Ice Bucket Challenge; suffered by Lou Gehrig and Stephen Hawking. ALS is a disease that doesn’t discriminate, it could strike anyone.
Genova pens a heartbreaking tale of ALS when it strikes an accomplished concert pianist, whose first love has always been the piano. On tour and in the prime of his life Richard heads to the doctor for what he thinks is a bout of tendonitis, only to discover that it’s the early stages of ALS.
Less than a year later and things are progressing faster than he would like. Denial is no longer an option and Richard is watching his life slip further away, and take his independence with it.
Karina is Richard’s ex-wife and the mother of his child. The two have a volatile relationship and now that their daughter is away at college they don’t speak at all. Karina is a piano teacher and not finding it as fulfilling as she once did but she is still paralysed by excuses and fear, afraid to pursue the career path that once excited her.
Every Note Played explores ALS and the effect it has on Richard’s body, and on his mind, but it’s also a story of making peace. Karina and Richard are both holding onto more than their fair share of resentment and anger about their failed marriage and they don’t seem to own any of the responsibility for what went wrong.
Richard finds himself unable to live on his own and the only real option is for Karina to become his carer and have him move back into the house they once shared. Their relationship is still strained and there is a lot of resentment, living in such close quarters gives them endless opportunities to work through their issues and find forgiveness but will such strong willed people allow themselves to bend that far.
Genova pulls no punches in her stark and heartbreaking portrayal of ALS and the devastation it wreaks on bodies. She shines a light on the 24/7 nature of care required and gives a nod to some of the other high profile personalities living with ALS. This story is touching as well as devastating. The long road that wound down a lot quicker than expected and the long road to forgiveness for a passionate couple who were once so deeply in love.
All relationships were assessed and analysed as Richard became more and more trapped inside his head, being cut off from reliable communication leaves him introspective. Terminal illness can make or break a family and in this case, I think there was finally some progress made, but it was still a long time coming.
Karina and Richard are both characters who were drawn in great detail, who we got to know intimately as they wrestled with their issues. They held resentments from long before Richard’s disease brought them back under the same roof but once they are back in their marital home and Karina becomes his carer they start to grow new resentments.
My favourite character in the whole story is Bill, he is one of the home health aides caring for Richard and he is the absolute embodiment of compassion. If I ever need a personal care nurse I want someone just like Bill. We learn the motivations for his chosen career and we get to know him. He is empathetic but he is also more than just a nurse. He becomes a friend but he also treats more than just the challenges Richard faces, his care encompasses the family. He is invested and makes sure that he can remain one of the carers after Richard moves out of his area.
Every Note Played is a story of finding the courage to forgive and to really live, it’s about learning the peace that you can find for yourself when you offer forgiveness. It is raw, heartbreaking and sometimes hard to read but at the same time it is well worth the read. Genova has obviously done her homework, the story is well researched, beautifully written and emotional. I love that she is shining a light on tough topics and helping to bring these diseases into conversation, to make them talking points and hopefully bringing them extra attention can assist in the long term goals of treatments and cures.
Definitely well worth read, I would wholeheartedly recommend Every Note Played.
Lisa Genova can be contacted on LisaGenova.com, Twitter and Facebook.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster 30 of our Beauty and Lace Club Members will be reading Every Note Played so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
Every Note Played is published by Simon & Schuster and available now from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
This is a book that will stay with you long after you close the cover. Lisa Genova has written an engrossing, moving and thought provoking story that will also teach you a lot about ALS and neurological disorders. Lisa allowed us to intimately get to know the main characters with all their flaws and idiosyncrasies and explore the complexity of various relationships. Richard, a famous pianist, loses the use of one hand and is diagnosed with ALS. After a period of denial the disease rapidly progresses and Richard starts to lose his independence. A difficult relationship with his family means that he does not have anyone to care for him other than his ex-wife Karina. My sympathies switched between both Richard and Karina as details of their relationship were exposed – neither wholly the victim or the aggressor but both with their own faults and mistakes. The book made me reflect on how quickly life can turn and the importance of not leaving things unsaid until it is too late. I loved this book and give it 5 Stars!!! Thanks for the opportunity to read it Simon & Schuster and the Beauty and Lace book club. I will definitely be reading Lisa’a other books now although the bar has been set high!
Lisa Genova, best known for her novel Still Alice, which was made into a major motion picture, resulting in an academy award for leading actress Julianne Moore, is back. Lisa Genova is a great campaigner for neurological based medical diseases. In Every Note Played, Genova pits a famous concert pianist against the debilitating ALS or Motor Neuron disease. It is the same disease which finally claimed the life of world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, just over a month ago.
Every Note Played signals the third novel that I have read by the bestselling author of Still Alice fame, Lisa Genova. I am always quite astounded at Genova’s ability to bring yet another neurological condition to the forefront of her novels and she does it again with her latest release. Overall, I would best describe my experience of reading Every Note Played as educative, penetrating, piercing and deeply honest. It is confronting and hard going at times, but it is worth persisting with this important tale.
At the centre of this tale is respected professional pianist Richard. Richard first came across to me as an arrogant, unlikeable and imperfect character. He has made mistakes in his life and is estranged from a number of family members as the book opens. Still, my sympathies towards Richard strengthened as the book progressed. I found it truly awful watching his fall from grace. From his first diagnosis, to the slow and painful progression of losing control of nearly all parts of his body, the whole experience is just heartbreaking to witness. Genova takes a seething approach to highlight just how powerful this disease is when it takes hold. She carefully catalogues the medical issues at the heart of the disease and the nonstop regression it takes on its prisoners. It is a disease we learn does not discriminate, it doesn’t target any particular set of people. ALS can touch anyone, at any time. Many scenes involving the loss of bodily functions and Richard’s loss of control over his body, as well as his life, were gut wrenching scenes. Genova also juxtaposes Richard’s loss over the physical aspects of his life, to the emotional semblance he gathers at the book progresses. Watching on as Richard tried to make amends with estranged family members and come to terms with the downfall of his marriage was a poignant journey that I appreciated following.
Genova’s fine characterisation extends to the other narrator in this novel, Richard’s ex, Karina. Karina is also a character who has her flaws and she has also made some mistakes during her life, which Genova extends upon. We witness Karina’s forgiving and kind nature as she takes Richard, her ex, back into the home, despite it being a painful, as well as a draining move. Through the character of Karina and daughter Grace, we gather a sense of understanding as to how ALS effects family members and those who unconditionally take on the care of sufferers of this disease.
The secondary characters are also a highlight in Every Note Played. Recognition must be given to Bill, Richards’s carer. Bill is a true champion for carers and the tireless work they perform every day. These miracle workers are truly amazing and Genova gives us a glimpse of their world through Richard’s team of carers, such as the endearing Bill.
Music features as an undercurrent in this novel. If you are a fan of classical music and jazz this novel will have added appeal. Personally, it was a nice offset to the stark tone of the novel. I loved the placement music had in the final moments of the book. Music also presents a form of hope to Karina, a woman with an unfulfilled dream to work in the jazz music field. The added little motif of a musical note on each page printed on this novel was a nice touch. I think it gently reminds us just how important music was to Richard’s life and that he should not be defined by his diagnosis.
It is clear that Genova is passionate about raising awareness to ALS, through the publication of her novel, Every Note Played. There are some personal reasons why Genova chose to write this novel and to specifically share the story of a sufferer of ALS, which is covered in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section of the novel. There is no faulting the level of dedication and research Genova has conducted to inform her novel, it is a comprehensive and revealing snapshot of ALS.
I can recommend this novel to all readers, especially if you appreciate well researched psychological based stories.
*I wish to thank the publisher, Simon & Schuster and Beauty & Lace Book Club for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.
Thanks Beauty and Lace along with Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review every note played.
Wow Lisa Genova you definitely know how to write a very emotional read. Plus the understanding of how ALS actually effects not only Richard but everyone and everything he ever loved.
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova is a story about Richard, who is a very successful concert pianist who has ALS. This disease hasnk cure and the story covers the loss of his independence, and how his estranged wife, Karina, moves back home to help look aftef him. This book is an emotional read, both from Richards perspective, learning to rely completely on others as his disease progresses, and Karina’s perspective, becoming the carer for her invalid husbànd.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It did make me cry though. Thank you to Beauty and Lace, and Simon and schuster for the opportunity to read this book
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova is a confronting, hard hitting and well researched novel.
This book is about a world famous concert pianist who is diagnosed with ALS,
an incurable motor neuron disease.
Richard thinks he originally has tendonitis, a common ailment for pianists.
When he receives his diagnosis of ALS, he understandanlly is in denial.
Richard has to cancel his booked concert tour as he is no longer able to play his beloved piano.
His Manager reports Richard has a bout of tendonitis, so as his diagnosis is revealed, his fans are shocked.
He admits to his ex-wife, Karina, he is terminal and can no longer look after himself.
He does have some home care and one of his carers, Bill, is portrayed as a wonderfully warm, professional with a quirky nature.
Richard sees a multitude of specialists of ALS and it is explained to him the progression of the disease,
how slowly, one by one, his muscles and organs will fail, leading ultimatlely to his death.
Richards ex-wife Karina agrees to become his carer.
He has not admitted to his daughter he has a fatal disease and when she discovers his prognosis through a friend,
she is understandadly hurt and angry.
Lisa Genocva has deeply researched the stages that a patient with ALS goes through,
and as Richards disease progresses, we follow the heartbreaking loss of his muscles one by one.
She has written with such depth that you can feel the loss of each muscle as it happens.
Richard and Karina have had a rocky history, she blames him but her cannot see where he wronged.
We follow them as they work through their issues and try to make peace with each other and themselves before they run out of time.
I found this review difficult to write as I work in the local Hospital and see the heartbreaking effects of conditions like ALS, Dementia, Huntington’s
and other terminal diseases everyday at work.
Sadly, these effects people of all ages, gender and nationalities.
Most people have little to no knowledge of the medical, social and financial impact of this.
Lisa Genova is also the author of Still Alice, one of my top 5 best reads and Every Note Played has taken its place with them.
I highly recommend this book but don’t pick it up and expect an easy read or a happy ending.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace Book Club and Simon and Schuster for the oppertunity to read and review this amazing book.
Every Note Played is an emotional rollercoaster , poignant, beautifully written and gripping.
It’s based around Polish immigrant Karina and her conceet pianist estranged ex-husband Richard. Their relationship was complicated…Richard cheated and Karina had her own secrets too.
Now bound together only by their college student daughter Grace, Karina learns that Richard is suffering from the debilitating and terminal condition ALS, otherwise known as Motor Neuron disease or ‘What Stephen Hawking had’.
This is all the more topical as Stephen Hawking only died recently and this has brought the conversation about quality of life vs quantity to the forefront of our minds.
Karina, through misdirected guilt, pity, duty or a mixture of reasons eventually decides to become Richard’s carer.
Richard’s decline in functionality is all the more horrid because his career, his life, his very existance revolves around his beloved piano and his career as an acclaimed classical concert pianist.
Karina was also destined for greatness as a classical pianist, but her true love is jazz. Something Richard could never understand and a love she dissolved as a dutiful wife and mother.
I found myself constantly drawn into the debate of what would I do if I was in this situation…knowing the outcome?
And Lisa Genova’s ability to weave the classical music into the text, like a constant calming accompaniment is brilliant.
I loved reading Every Note played and I love Lisa’s mentions of the ALS charities at the end.
Most of us would be familiar with Stephen Hawkings journey with ALS and the devastating effect it has on ones physical body, but not the mind.
Richard, a revered and accomplished concert pianist, finds his body quickly starving away and the author, Lisa Genova, captures all emotions and rollercoaster ride that Richard experiences – from disbelief, reluctance, resentment to overcoming his pride and the heartbreak of living with this neurological disease.
Also struggling with Richards diagnosis and his aloof relationship with their daughter, is Karina, Richard’s ex wife, herself a pianist but not as accomplished. Afraid of being pushed away but with no one else to care for him Karina becomes his reluctant carer along with the help of caring and compassionate Bill.
Before reading Every Note Played, I was not very familiar with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease and it is very evident by Lisa’s extensive research that this is a true to life, almost biographical novel of a once known friend. Lisa is a brilliant writer, having written the Oscar nominated ‘Still Alice’ and having studied a PHd in Neuroscience at college, this deeply passionate, human story is also intermingled with the actual symptoms, signs and side effects of ALS.
If you think you would enjoy a deeply touching, personal and unforgettable novel that makes you think as well as tugs at the heartstrings, give Every Note Played a read,
Every Note Played was one of the most emotional and raw books I’ve ever read. It was both educational, heart warming, and heart wrenching all at the same time. I didn’t know anything about ALS before I read this book, but feel I have a good understanding to the horrible symptoms and decline that the sufferers and their families go through.
While I didn’t like Richard as a character, I would never wish the pain and suffering he experienced on anyone. It is an eye opener that we need to put our loved ones first, as we never know what will happen. It was well written, especially the raw honesty of the emotions the family and loved ones experienced.
Thank you Beauty and Lace, and Simon & Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Lisa Genova’s new novel Every Note Played is a moving and profound study in the hideous death sentence that is ALS and its inexorable and inescapable march on the lives of its sufferers and in turn their families and loved ones. At times almost too sad to bear, this novel explores not only the disease but the relationships of Richard and his family which are quite suddenly and forcefully brought to the forefront.
Certainly a tearjerker but also leaves the reader feeling somewhat incongruously hopeful, I will certainly be recommending this book to family and friends, Thanks to Beauty and Lace, Lisa Genova and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review Every Note Played.
i found this quite an emotional book to read as my father in law suffered with MND similar but different, and it was so very hard as a family to watch his independence fade away.
I thought it was very well written and didnt hold back what its like to suffer such horrible illnesses
Have already passed this along to other family members and i am sure it will “do the rounds”
My heart went out to Karina and felt every emotion with her.
11/10 stars