#also seems to be jumping from head to head

I’m listening to Light from Uncommon Stars. I’m not 100% sold on the book – at least one element it’s trying to work in isn’t fitting for me, like too many plot/universe ideas were jammed in – but I like the transgender protagonist, the cultural descriptions… and the violins.

It’s a little weird, because it’s referring to a top-tier hyper-competitive classical world I was never in (I was a solidly mediocre player in a top-notch high-school orchestra; I never even tried the state solo and ensemble contest, and I really deeply dislike applying competitiontomusic), but then they walk into a violin shop…

Lady Luthier: “Dominants?”

Me:Oh, ms top-flight teacher isn’t going to like that.

Ms. Top-flight Teacher: “Evah Perazzis.I want a little bit of attitude.”

Me:Yeah, ‘attitude.’ They were too brash on my brash fiddle.

Ms. Top-flight Teacher: “The E might be a little bright…”

Me:She’ll want a gold E, then.

Ms. Top-flight Teacher: “..maybe a gold E.”

Definitely like the luthier parts best so far, but I’m also really hoping it manages what it’s trying to do and weaves the rest of the disparate elements together, because there’s a lot of good here.