tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622828765030571851.post1866941188910710775..comments2024-03-28T15:34:22.750-04:00Comments on Chick Lit Central: Book Review: RhapsodyMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06488832373580617482noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2622828765030571851.post-67331257951024376932022-02-20T12:50:06.788-05:002022-02-20T12:50:06.788-05:00I love Gershwin’s music but knew very little about...I love Gershwin’s music but knew very little about the man. I had never heard of Kay Swift, and by all accounts she provided Broadway and the music world with many wonderful contributions. I learned a great deal about music and the lives of rich socialites and famous musicians during a very interesting and volatile time in American history. I loved the descriptions of the music scene in NYC in the 1920’s, and Kaplan is an excellent writer with well researched information. However, I felt the book lacked focus in that it was more a loose compilation of the personalities and the times, versus being about Gershwin, swift and their incredible love affair and musical collaboration. The relationships described made no sense to me. How does a woman marry a man, have three children and go off to become so self engrossed with her career and lover that she simply ignores her family? Granted there were a few times where she self reflects on her selfishness, but I truly find it hard to believe that any woman would have been able to get the “free pass” she was given without major inner turmoil. I didn’t think the author did a good job with her character development or inner conflict . I also didn’t learn much about what made Gershwin tick and I was hoping to understand more about his inner longings besides writing music and being famous.<br /><br />As a portrait sketch of the changing musical/Broadway scene and times this book succeeded, but on more of the story line (I.e..the character study of Swift and Gershwin and their relationship) I felt there storyline fell a bit short. Still, this was a good read, and made me want to listen to their music. Oriedoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14331240749765687681noreply@blogger.com