The Music Teacher

Details: Pearl Swain grew up in a dysfunctional family.  A father who wanted control of everything but couldn't learn to cope with not having all the control he desired.  A mother who regretted marrying a poor man, wishing she could have her high rich and famous life back, but was stuck.  For Pearl music was better than messing around with boys, sex, and experimenting.  The story starts in her mid life but as she remembers everything about her life, she tries to rid herself of guilt, and trying to figure out why her whole life is full of failures.  Her marriage failed, her music failed, she failed at having children, and then her best student has disappeared and Pearl has failed her too.   Can one so destined for failure ever find love, and happiness?

My Review:  I have had quiet a few music teachers, and was really curious why someone would want to write a novel about a music teacher.  The inside summary of the book mentioned students teaching the teacher, not just learning from the teacher.  I thought that would be great to read about.  But after reading half the book I had yet to learn a lesson, and had yet to find anything good about the story.  Pearl is all depressed, and complains, works in a depressing music store, wishes she could reconnect with her Ex-husband, but can't.  Even in the end there are so many unresolved issues, it leaves me as the reader hating life, and really disliking this book.

Pros: written very well, author is able to attack your emotions and pull you along a very hard unhappy road called The Music Teacher

Cons: very depressing, all about sex and unhappy drugged up, drunk and smoking people, the star of the book is a little girl who is beaten in her "foster" home.

                                                                               My Rating