An emotional, touching and provocative novel highlighting the effects and impact of motor neurone disease. Concert pianist Richard is diagnosed with ALS (motor neurone disease), the progressive paralysis begins with his right hand, no longer able to work, unable to use his arms, his condition quickly deteriorates, and his ex-wife Karina and estranged daughter Grace find themselves stepping back into the picture. Lisa Genova writes with incredible sensitivity, the words can be factual, blunt, yet the almost diary like feel allows the feelings to take centre stage. Focusing on Richard and Karina, on living with dying, memories, triumphs and regrets scatter the pages. Both have cause for remorse, both display unlikeable attributes, and yet, and yet… This isn’t a fairytale, I knew there wasn’t going to be a happy ending, yet I was surprised at the amount of love and hope between the pages. ‘Every Note Played’ is powerful, stark, and strangely beautiful, I truly loved it ~ Liz Robinson
A virtuoso performance by the bestselling author of Still Alice, Lisa Genova delivers a stunning novel of finding harmony amidst the most tragic of situations.
An accomplished concert pianist, Richard has already suffered many losses in his life: the acrimonious divorce from his ex-wife, Karina; the estrangement of his daughter, Grace; and now, a devastating diagnosis. ALS. The relentlessly progressive paralysis of ALS begins in the cruellest way possible - in his hands. As Richard becomes more and more locked inside his body and can no longer play piano or live on his own, Karina steps in as his reluctant caregiver.
Paralysed in a different way, Karina is trapped within a prison of excuses and blame, stuck in an unfulfilling life as an after-school piano teacher, afraid to pursue the path she abandoned as a young woman. As Richard's muscles, voice and breath fade, the two struggle to reconcile their past before it's too late.
With a strong musical sensibility and the staggering insight of Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, Lisa Genova has delivered a masterful exploration of what it means to find yourself within the most shattering of circumstances.
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