Book 308

Beethoven in Paradise, by Barbara O'Connor, Frances Foster Books, 1997.

I didn't actually buy this book.  Instead, I bartered with the author for a signed copy.  I think that still counts as a book I would "buy".

I've been following Barbara O'Connor's writing since Fame And Glory in Freedom, Georgia.  I think I've read everything that she's written since Fame And Glory, but I haven't read everything she's written before it.  Beethoven in Paradise is her first novel.

One of the things I've always liked about O'Connor's writing is her quirky, well-developed characters.  I've wondered if her characters were always quirky or if she developed that as her writing style.  This book answered that question:  Her characters were quirky right from the start.  As in the other books she's written, the setting is as much of a character and an influence as the people.

Again, as in other books, I love how she resisted the urge to tie up the story in a tidy, happy bow.  The story ends on a positive note, but not all the problems have been solved.