Uprooted

by Naomi Novik

[celinenyx]

Random personal anecdote: I've played the piano for over seven years. It doesn't come naturally to me at all. I struggle through every bar of music when I learn something new, and it often takes me over a month to learn a new song. I suck at reading sheet music and figuring out what all those squiggles on paper mean. The structured, scholarly approach to music doesn't work for me at all.

When I was in the middle of Uprooted, I decided to try to improvise a piano piece. Let go of all the sheets and structure, and just see where it takes me. I haven't enjoyed playing this much in years, and I'm learning so much more than I did trying to follow other people's pieces. Just like the main character of Uprooted, I find a new way through the thicket of music every time.

In an indirect way, I have this book to thank for my renewed love of playing music, because it shows how it's okay not to follow the rules and do magic/music/life your own way.

***

What a lovely book. Was hesitant to read it because of all the praise, but it deserves all of it. It took me a little while to get into it, as the beginning was a rather standard fantasy premise. When it goes its own way, it's fantastic.