Review: Unforgettable!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 8, 2013
Heartbreaking and deeply inspiring at turns, Leona Bryant’s ‘Music City’ is that rare literary gem that will make you glad you’ve found it. Reminiscent of that old movie, ‘Pay it Forward’, reading this book feels like warm rain washing over your soul—it haunts you days after reading it.‘Music City’ is the story of a young girl with big dreams. Shelly Shepard is one of the biggest, most popular music artists of her time, yet she wasn’t always this successful. Three decades ago, as a young teenager, she escaped her abusive alcoholic mother to find her destiny in Nashville. With nothing with her but her most basic, even pitiful, possessions, a young girl in a new city almost had no chance—well, almost. Because out of the fog of anonymity came a person who changed her life forever and helped her eventually become the big-shot entertainer that she is now. But there’s only one problem: thirty years, and Shelly still doesn’t know who that stranger was. Now at the pinnacle of her career, Shelly finally resolves to clear up the mystery by hiring a couple of detectives to try and find that mysterious stranger. What follows is a meandering, touching story that is as much as journey into the self as it is about anything else.‘Music City’ is, for lack of a better word, enchanting. And then there’s Bryant’s writing—the magic ingredient that has made this story compelling and beguiling. Bryant has a knack for getting under your skin and into your heart, the way she fleshes out the emotion of her characters is uncanny, the way she makes you sit there reading this book with your mouth hanging open. Her language is indeed pure gravy.Overall, Bryant’s ‘Music City’ is probably one of the best books from its genre that I’ve read in a while. If you love music or if you love stories that deeply inspires and puts a smile on your face, order a copy of this book—or maybe send this to a friend or loved one. I’m sure they’ll be immensely delighted. This book deserves all the five-star ratings it gets.