It tells the overtly-simple story of Frank the music shop owner as he attempts to connect to the one person who might carry him to salvation, the mysterious Ilsa Brauchmann. Inexplicably drawn to each other, they both come to learn about the healing powers of music and love, and perhaps gain a chance to overcome their emotional baggage.
Rachel Joyce Explores the Human Connection
Despite our greatest efforts to divide ourselves with walls and houses, humans have always remained social creatures to a large extent, and few are those truly capable of leading their lives way outside of society. Even those of us on the introvert side of the equation have to admit the benefits of living in a modern society are too much to pass up. Nevertheless, we have pushed ourselves to disconnectedness with the rise of technology in the past few decades, and for many people their phones have become their primary companions. In Rachel Joyce's The Music Shop, we go back to the somewhat simpler time of 1988, where a human connection unlike few others is about to be formed.
The novel begins by introducing us to Frank, the music shop owner on a dead-end street in a run-down suburb. Crammed with records of every kind, the store stands as a little beacon for the restless souls in the neighbourhood, the drifting insomniacs seeking a bit of comfort. Over the years, Frank has learned to understand and interpret people, to find the one record they need when they come into his store. A sort of conductor for the lost and wounded, the only person he can't figure out is himself.
One day, Frank's life hops onto the tracks of change as the beautiful and enigmatic young woman, Ilsa Brauchmann, enters his store. What she seeks isn't merely a record, however, but knowledge of music itself. She asks Frank to teach her about it, and though he is terrified of true closeness, he vanquishes his instinct to turn and run, agreeing to help her out. However, Ilsa herself is not all she seems to be, with a heavy past of her own she keeps dragging around. Slowly but surely, both of these wounded souls will discover the healing power of music, and how love might be able to save them.
A Slice of Meandering Life
Contrary the types of novels I assume most of us tend to read, The Music Shop doesn't exactly have any tremendous stakes, nor a plot which keeps moving non-stop and derailing into countless twists and turns. On the contrary, this book is more akin to a long walk in a giant park, one where you're encouraged to take your time and enjoy all the elements you're observing. This is definitely the type of story which can be better enjoyed by paying attention to what is in front of you, rather than try and guess where it's all going.
Now, with this being said, the crux of the progress in this book is in the character development. In addition to Frank and Ilsa, we meet quite a lot of other people, each one going through his or her own journey. While we don't exactly have the time to see them all through from start to finish, our characters never remain indifferent to events which should mark them in one way or another.
In my opinion, this might be Rachel Joyce's greatest strength as an author: to develop her characters in a complex, yet logical and natural manner. I personally never thought of any of her characters as cliched or archetypes, but rather they came across as real people, just like you and I, busy trying to make their own lives work. For the most part, they were quite pleasant to learn about, and despite some of the more irritable quirks they possess, always come back together. Joyce really succeeded in making her ensemble feel like a regular group of people: ordinary on the surface, yet unique and original once you start learning about them.
The Profound Appreciation of Music
Now, I'm sure you've guessed by now music plays a rather important role in this novel, being present virtually everywhere starting from the title itself. Joyce aptly uses it to colour the various scenes and passages, helping to create in them the needed atmosphere, whether it be melancholy, joy, or anything else. It shows she is definitely a big fan of diverse genres of music herself, and her ability to describe and dissect it is second to none. To me, this is a rather amazing accomplishment, for I can probably count on one hand the authors I've witnessed succeeding in carrying music over to the written word.
With this profound look at music, largely conveyed through Frank and his discussions with Ilse, the author also imparts on us new and different ways of appreciating music. It feels correct to say she is trying to help us learn various facets of the language of music, the ways in which musicians communicate with their audience through song and note structure. While I was never really interested in such a profound analysis of music, I found myself fascinated by Joyce's perspective to the point where I myself am trying to adopt it on some level.
Of course, the author also takes many moments to explore the positive effects music can have not only on our own lives, but also on our ability to connect with strangers. Watching Frank and Ilse's sometimes awkward relationship slowly blossom thanks to their first common interest in the art of music is simply wonderful and doesn't feel forced in the slightest. In the end, it is what leads both of them to joy and a kind of personal salvation, even if it may never be absolute for those too heavily marked by their past.
The Final Verdict
The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce is an insightful and enthralling romp through the realms of music, life and love, with many original qualities which make it feel quite fresh in relation to other works in the genre. If you enjoy slice-of-life-type stories heavily centered on human connections and music, then I strongly suggest you give this novel the shot it deserves.
 | Rachel JoycePersonal site Rachel Joyce is a British author who has, until recently, been spending most of her time writing plays for BBC Radio Four, having been awarded the 2007 Tinniswood Award from To Be a Pilgrim. Her debut novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, for which she was awarded the New Writer of the Year by National Book Awards. |
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