Saved by the Music, by Selene Castrovilla, was a rather interesting and insightful book. When Willow is unwillingly sent to live with her aunt by her irresponsible mother, she meets Axel. Axel is a troubled boy with a complicated past. Willow and Axel confide in each other, becoming very good friends through their serious problems. Axel helps Willow when she is troubled by her aunt’s helper, Craig, a man meant to help the aunt restore her barge.
Her aunt’s dream is to renovate a barge and turn it into a concert hall for chamber music, a dream Willow finds foolish and absurd. Axel and Willow share their deepest fears and secrets. Axel is, surprisingly, an excellent musician from a wealthy family. Willow struggles with anorexia, among other, perhaps more pressing issues. Willow manages to better understand her aunt, Aunt Aggie, and falls very much in love with Axel. A suspenseful twist at the very end keeps the reader agonizing over the fate of the characters.
Saved by the Music was a very good book. I enjoyed the fairly original plot and the characters. Not very many books take place on a barge in New York. Willow’s problems, such as her struggles with her irresponsible mother, seemed realistic. However, it was odd to imagine that her mother actually threw Willow out of her house so that she could live with her boyfriend. Although this is not an entirely happy book, nor a light read, it is still remarkable and gripping.
This is definitely not the book for those wishing for a light-hearted, fun read. It was intriguing to see how Willow developed throughout the novel, losing some of her worries and trust issues behind and accepting her aunt and her far-fetched dream. There are some very mature issues that make this book unsuitable for younger readers.
- Publisher: WestSide Books
- Date of Publication: October 1, 2009
