library holds, and a book that made me say, Wow.

This past week, my local library started providing curbside pick-up for books we had placed on hold, prior to the pandemic, that arrived during it.

I had many books for my students, in this batch, that now I won't be able to use (but will read, and hopefully buy/then utilize in the fall).

This title, A Song for a New Day, I couldn't remember why I had placed it on hold.  Reading the back blurb was astonishing.  There's been a pandemic, large crowds are prohibited etc. I had heard, and later read, The End of October was prescient, but that title while yes, had many sentences/issues that were pretty spot on to what we were dealing with, it wasn't that great a book.  I love Wright's nonfiction, but this fiction novel just didn't do it for me.

Pinsker's debut novel is however wonderful.  Much of it is eerily what we are dealing with (this was published in 2019). The other aspect, is it is beautifully written, with great character development.  It features Luce Cannon and Rosemary Laws as the main characters.  Their two timelines are handled quite well, and yes, do eventually come together.

I loved how the author handled their timelines, and their eventual encounters.  Music is key in this novel.  So is hope, and the notion that change can come from within, or without an institution/society.

I highly recommend this novel.