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Jan 10, 2017411ninja rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Marie-Helene Bertino's novel about a 9-year-old aspiring jazz singer named Madeleine unfolds in language that's like jazz itself: lithe and liquid and surprising. Three separate storylines--one Madeleine's, one her teacher's, and one of the hard-up owner of the jazz club The Cat's Pajamas--converge at 2 AM. But interwoven with these three main plotlines are many smaller strands, like little riffs and improvisations mingling with the melody. The result is a charming confection of a book, sassy and funny and sweet. There is a small subplot near the end (you will know it when you get there) that goes off the rails and I don't understand the point of it. I would recommend this book to people who are interested in character driven novels.