Songs in Ursa Major

A novel

By: Emma Brodie

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

A scintillating debut from a major new voice in fiction, Songs in Ursa Major is a love story set in 1969, alive with music, sex, and the trappings of fame.

Raised on an island off Massachusetts by a mother who wrote songs for famous musicians, Jane Quinn is singing in her own band before she's old enough to even read music. When folk legend Jesse Reid hears about Jane's performance at the island's music festival, a star is born--and so is a passionate love affair: they become inseparable when her band joins his on tour. Wary of being cast as his girlfriend--and haunted by her mother's shattered ambitions-- Jane shields her relationship from the public eye, but Jesse's star power pulls her into his orbit of fame. Caught up in the thrill of the road and the profound and lustful connection she has with Jesse, Jane is blind-sided by the discovery she makes about the dark secret beneath his music. Heartbroken and blackballed by the industry, Jane is now truly on her own: to make the music she loves, and to make peace with her family Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early 70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major pulses with romantic longing and asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?

A Lullaby for my Hippie Heart

Beautifully written and narrated, the story is told with such truth and honor. I could hear the music!

Enjoyed

This was a run relaxing easy book to listen to. Kristen Sieh is a wonderful
Narrator.

a romance novel about the music industry!

Oh! It was a romance novel about the music industry! I get it! Because if it wasn't intended to be that, I didn't get the point of why this book as written. In reading other reviews, it appears people think it was loosely about James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. If I had known that I probably would have skipped it; why would we care if James and Joni had a relationship?

I suppose the music industry then and now was/is very political, sexist, and lacking basic morality, as were the people in the industry. No surprises there. As I was writing this review I actually downgraded my rating to a three. It was okay, but just okay. There were some gratuitous sex scenes that were probably unnecessary, and which were distracting. One thing that I found completely lacking in credibility was that Jesse could sit and have a conversation with Jane after his overdose, while in withdrawal. Not likely, he would have been jumping out of his skin.

The most interesting parts of the book to me were a) the relationship and rallying behind of the Quinn women, and b) that the main characters did not end up together in the end (which, if this was about James and Joni is factually correct, but it would have been a better romance novel ending to let them be together!).

Pretty Good But

Good story, very good narration, could have much better. Needed more in beginning as to family mystery

Such a beautiful story

I absolutely loved this book! It transported me into time! I highly recommend this book!