In The Music Makers by James D. Snyder we get not only a reflection of our own time but a glimpse into a potentially parallel point in history. It is 1989 and the people of East Berlin are struggling to break free of their dictatorship. Greta is a civics teacher, a rather eccentric one actually, who is also writing a novel about being a dictator and the skills you would need to do so. One day she runs into Leo, a former janitor at her school, who happens to have a street organ. While striking up a conversation with him she manages to convince him to bring his street organ to the local square and play music for the public. She also talks her daughter, who plays violin, into joining. Over the next few months this becomes a weekly event that people look forward to as well as a silent protest against the ruling communist party. The more they continue the more attention they attract and the more perilous things start looking as they work on finding their freedom in all of the little ways while trying to find a big way to have their freedom.
This was a good book but also rather unusual in some ways. There was a bit of a time skip right in the middle where things seemed to develop rather quickly without a lot of explanation but considering the overall story it still makes sense. At the same time the events covered in the rest of the story seem, not necessarily rushed, but fast-paced I guess you would say. The story was still good but I was mildly confused at times about the pacing. There also was this weird little aside right at the beginning where the characters and the author broke the fourth wall that did not seem to make any sense. While it was interesting I am not sure what the point of it was. What I did find rather interesting was how it incorporated parts of Greta’s own manuscript in the story so we got to see bits and pieces of what she was writing mixed in with the rest of the story. It definitely added an interesting layer to the story. I would have liked to see a bit more depth to the story as it felt like the story as a whole was short and sweet. Don’t get me wrong as it did seem to be suitable for the story but I tend to prefer longer and more in-depth works. I am still happy giving this one four out of five stars though.
This is a good work of historical fiction with some rather interesting modern implications as well if you are paying attention. Considering the time frame and events being covered the story is rather lighthearted with little that would potentially be concerning. I would recommend this book for adults and teens with an interest in what life was like behind the Berlin Wall. Hope you consider the book and also consider sharing your thoughts in the comments if you do. I acquired this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.