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    Composing Amelia: A Novel
    Composing Amelia: A Novel
    Composing Amelia: A Novel
    Audiobook8 hours

    Composing Amelia: A Novel

    Written by Alison Strobel

    Narrated by Ann Richardson

    3/5

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    About this audiobook

    How can you choose which dream to follow? Newlyweds Amelia and Marcus are recent college graduates, working hard to stay afloat in Los Angeles while they search for their dream jobs. Marcus, with an MDiv, seeks a pastoral position at a large multicultural city church Amelia has a music degree and hopes to play piano professionally. But God has other plans. When a small church in a small Nebraska town offers Marcus a job, their dedication to their dreams-and to each other-is put to the test. Leaving the city means putting aside Amelia's career in favor of Marcus's, and it's hardly fair, but their compromise is worse, driving Amelia to the brink of a mental breakdown. As Amelia struggles with a reality that will change her life forever, Marcus makes a discovery that leads him to question every hope he's had for his own life. What will they do with the new lives they've been handed? Will their marriage-and their own identities-survive?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOasis Audio
    Release dateSep 1, 2011
    ISBN9781608148998
    Author

    Alison Strobel

    Alison Strobel writes novels that explore life, love and faith. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at www.AlisonStrobel.com

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    Reviews for Composing Amelia

    3/5

    11 ratings3 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Another repeat author for me, I really enjoyed her previous novel Heart of Memory which was a nook freebie some time ago and I was really look forward to this novel.

      Composing Amelia is the story of a young, broke married couple- Amelia and Marcus who begin the novel living check to check in a cramped L.A. apartment, working three jobs as they each focus on building their dream careers. For Marcus, this career is a as pastor and Amelia hopes to become a renowned pianist. Both have agreed to look for jobs that will offer them both something but all that changes when Marcus gets the opportunity to interview for a coveted senior pastor position in…. Nebraska. Not just Nebraska, but a small town in the middle of nowhere. To complicate matters, Amelia has just accepted a position as a pianist in a newly formed theater group and finally feels as though she is on her way.

      Both Marcus and Amelia balk at the turn of events and when Marcus gets the position they decide on an un-easy compromise that turns out to be much harder than it sounds- Marcus goes to Nebraska and Amelia moves in with friends to continue her new gig. They will re-evaluate in 3 months after the opening of Amelia’s first show. What happens next begins Amelia’s downward spiral and struggle with depression and anxiety. Even a reprieve of moving to Nebraska with Marcus can help Amelia and as she continues on a downward spiral, Marcus caught up in his own spiritual struggle must step aside and help his wife with her own.
      This book had several plot twists that I didn’t particularly care for and in my opinion didn’t really fit in with the storyline. I did enjoy the struggle that was portrayed as Amelia and Marcus struggled to find their callings and battle the demons and ghosts that haunted them. I found that struggle really unique and accurate in the way it was portrayed.
      Overall I give this one 3.5 stars. Good overall story, but I feels as though there were some “holes” in the story ( which I explain after the spoiler alert).
      ********Spoiler Alert*******

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      By one main issue with this book, and it was pretty big for me was the way in which Amelia suicide attempt was handled my Marcus. IF he felt strong enough to go hide all potential items but not enough to say anything just seems so phony, especially considering Amelia was pregnant with their child. Without the pregnancy, that would seem somewhat more plausible but to me it didn’t ring true. Also, the fact that there were no repercussions for Amelia's suicide attempt while pregnant seemed suspect. Even with the mental illness, I suspect that there would be something more than just medication.
      That brings me to the 2nd point, the pregnancy plot twist seemed out place. It was almost like an afterthought to the entire story- I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more without it.
    • 3/5
      without spoiling it for future readers...
      Alison writes of tough, real life issues, with candor and insight. helpfully directing our attention to realities we regularly bump up against. unwanted pregnancy, in-law struggles, choices between her career/his career, cross-country moves, friendships, depression...
      well done, Alison, for your creatively realistic writing and for competently tackling the challenging situations of Composing Amelia ...
    • 1/5
      I.. get the feeling this book was supposed to be about mental illness. Instead, what I got was a story about an incredibly immature couple who make unrealistic choices over, and over again. This book paints Christianity, rather.. Christians, as being incredibly naive, and selfish. Then – story aside, the characters were annoyingly two-dimensional. There was nothing but fluff there – and don’t get me started on the musical references when it comes to Amelia.All I have to say about the musical aspect of the story is this – if you do not have access to a professional, classical musician when you write a story like this, then get access to one. Having played piano, played classical music (as in, the kind Amelia would have been playing at Julliard), you could not catch me with a keyboard for my permanent practice. There’s too many different sizes of pianos (if you absolutely cannot have a Grand). This is just one of the things that hit me and, yes, I know I’m a music snob, but it really brings the story down and makes me wish that there’d just be more research done into it (by the way, a “song” has words, classical pieces do not).Then there’s the husband, the minister, who’s been offered a position out of nowhere in Nebraska. Really? And because there’s not enough tension between him and Amelia, we have to throw in complications and.. ugh ok, this review is so disjointed by this point and honestly, I just don’t care about this book enough to go back and re-write it. This is Christian “fluff”- it’s feel-good nonsense that’ll give you a warm and fuzzy feeling as long as you don’t look too deep for a message, because it’s just not there.