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Please note:
I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.
Synopsis (from GoodReads):
The time—now; the place—America, but in a world where the government controls all forms of art and creativity. Any music sowing the seeds of anarchy is banned—destroyed if found—its creators and listeners harshly punished.Merrin Pierce works as an undercover Patrol officer assigned to apprehend a fugitive musician who threatens the safe fabric of society, only to confront everything she thought to be true – her values, upbringing, job, and future.
Review:
When I first started reading Melophobia the premise, an alternate version of America where popular music has been banned since the late 1960's, seemed far-fetched. I mean, how could there be a country where music would be banned? That could never happen! I remarked about this to my husband and he correctly pointed out that there are several countries where music and western culture ARE banned right now. With my western arrogance, I hadn't even considered this, and yet there are people right now who live with a moral police and bans on entertainment, and free speech. When I wrapped my head around THAT reality, this book came to life for me.Merrin leads a complicated life. As an undercover officer in The Patrol, she must pretend to love music in order to infiltrate the illegal music scene. When she begins to actually appreciate and cherish the expressive freedom of music, she must come to terms with what she has been told all her life was corrupt and sinful. How can something so beautiful be wrong?
I really enjoyed this book. It reads like a crime thriller. Who is The Source? Will Merrin and her partner, Anders, crack the case? And what will happen to The Source if he or she is caught? To what lengths will the State go to maintain control? Merrin's transition from obedient daughter and citizen to an independent thinker is joyous to read. Author James Morris does a wonderful job of articulating how powerful music is, especially to someone who is new to the listening experience. The themes of censorship and government control are extremely timely and thought-provoking.
Rating:
Release Date: September 22nd, 2015
Source: Received from the author
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A tense crime thriller that raises challenging questions of safety vs. censorship. A great read.
Will I read more from this author? Yes!
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