How could I resist a book about a record store owner? Part High Fidelity, part Empire Records, part Notting Hill, The Music Shop mostly takes place in England in the 1980s where a crew of misfits work for their boss Frank – a guy who refuses to sell anything but vinyl. An analog music fan living in a world where CDs (which he will not sell) are the new thing, he loves helping his customers through hard times by finding the perfect song or album to ease their pain.
Frank lives a simple life and doesn’t allow himself any joy beyond the store – that is, until a mysterious woman in a green jacket named Ilse walks into his shop. Because he is so afraid of rejection, he can’t bring himself to say hello or be nice. It’s hard reading the tragic way his fear takes over no matter how hard Ilse tries to get his attention. “His thoughts seemed made of wood.” Although they are clearly both enamored with one another, Frank won’t make a move – even though “without warning, the world had snapped into sharper focus and become more interesting” when she starts coming around the record store.
As the novel moves along, the reader is introduced to Frank’s eccentric mother – someone who sadly maybe should not have been a parent but clearly leaves an impression on her only son. Her sole redeeming quality is her love and respect for music which clearly informs Frank’s life. “Music was a part of him – he had been brought up that way.”
But the most interesting relationship is of course the central one – between Ilse and Frank – which would not have happened without her creating a reason for them to talk and meet each week. I love that she has endless gumption. “They had so much to say, their words toppled into each other.” Those meetings, and what transpires after, make the second half of the book way more exciting than the first half. Also, the much-needed time jump elevates the last 50 pages into storytelling worth waiting for – and that goes for the characters and the reader.
Showcasing themes of the power of music, love, and never giving up, The Music Shop is a sweet story about the importance of making things happen, leaving nothing to chance, and a reminder that sometimes you can go home again.
Quotes:
“Vinyl had a life of its own. All you could do was wait.”
“Sometimes all that people needed was to know they were not alone.”
“When a man has the passion to stand up for something crazy, it makes other problems in people’s lives seem more straightforward.”
“What he felt in those moments was like being wired up to something explosive.”
“We are acknowledging the importance of music and beauty in our lives. You don’t get that if you’re not prepared to make an effort.”
“The human adventure is worth it, after all.”
“Because that was where life happened: when you were brave enough to free-fall.”
“I think that loving another person and being kind is about the best thing you can do.”
“These days you have to stand up if you want to be counted.”
“The thought of seeing him slings [her] heart sideways.”
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