Song For My Father

LoveReading Says

Available in Kindle and Paperback from Amazon.

As you may expect, music and family are strong themes in ‘Song For My Father’ by J M Stoll. We are introduced to a young Geoff while being tutored by amateur musician Ted ahead of auditioning to attend a choir school. After an incident of sexual assault Ted, operating as a guardian for Geoff removes him from the school and when his parents disappear and relinquish all responsibility, raises him as his own. 

I liked the clever use of perspective in the story. To begin with, the reader is introduced to the storyline from the third person, allowing us access to areas of the story Geoff is kept out of or may not fully understand, as well as developing a connection with Ted and Mary. When Geoff turns eighteen the narrative shifts to the first person and we see how he processes his childhood and develops into an adult while building connections with his biological family.

The characters are well-drawn and the storyline allows the reader to contemplate what they think Geoff should do, as well as raising the topic of familial love. After the initial choir school audition, music remains a strong theme throughout the book, connecting Geoff to both father figures and remaining a constant through his life. 

A literary story about human connection and families made and born, ‘Song For My Father’ is entertaining and endearing as we see Geoff grow and find a loving family after a rather rough and neglected start. 

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