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Rating: Column: Value for Free
Title: Harmony vol. 1 The Whistling Melody
Author: Claudia Piano
Publisher: Youcanprint
Genre: Fantasy/Youth Fiction (366 pages)
Synopsis:
Giulia is a fourteen-year-old girl experiencing the transition from middle school to high school. When the time comes to decide, she chooses to follow her passion, music, opting for the Alternative Agricultural Institute with a musical focus, Harmony. However, what she doesn't know is that the institute will hold many surprises that will repeatedly test her and help her discover her true personality. At Harmony, she will learn to use her musical instrument to perform magic, and she will meet new friends and loves. Friendships that will bind her not only to other people but also to special animals that will accompany her until the end of the story.
Review:
In my long studies of economics, first in high school and then in university, I was repeatedly taught that a fundamental and essential element that drives any economic entity is its mission. To clarify, the mission of an entrepreneur is to achieve profit through a complex and coordinated series of operations. That of the State, on the other hand, is tied to satisfying the needs of the entire community, achieved by maintaining its sovereignty constant through tax imposition.
To get to the point, the mission of a book is to entertain the reader, and this can happen in a dual manner, either alternative and/or complementary. Firstly, by leading the reader into the world described in the text without them realizing it, isolating them from the surrounding context and plunging them into an alternate reality with which they gradually become familiar. Secondly, by evoking in the reader memories roughly connected to what is described in the pages penned by the author, leaving them with a sense of joyful melancholy capable of inducing them into a state of healthy bliss.
Reading The Whistling Melody, I found myself in the second scenario just described. The school environment, the succession of lessons, the assignments to complete, the creation of new friendships, rivalries, and adolescent disputes acted as a time machine taking me back to the high school era, now more than a decade distant. In this case, the book succeeds in achieving its primary mission.
Now, moving on to the analysis of the story, let's start with the idea. The latter proved to be quite original, appealing, and mysterious. In the book, which constitutes the first in the saga, not everything that governs the world of Harmony is clear yet, but this ends up creating that halo of curiosity that a saga cannot do without and which, consequently, I particularly appreciated.
The characters are, on average, sufficiently characterized. The protagonist, Giulia, around whom all the narratives revolve, is a girl who initially appears aloof, disinterested, and presumptuous but then evolves in such a way as to overturn this description, becoming a strong, competitive, altruistic person capable of facing every vicissitude that comes her way with dignity. The contrast created of the unflappable girl who needs no one to a girl who discovers she is sensitive and needs the support of the people she loves is beautiful.
Among the co-stars stands Pietro, a boy extremely outgoing and affectionate. Thoughtful and loyal. Strong and determined, always ready to defend those in difficulty and rescue his beloved Giulia in times of need. A mix between a heterosexual version of Nolan Ross from the popular TV series Revenge (played by Gabriel Mann) and Naruto from the manga of the same name. He too undergoes a gradual evolution throughout the story, which will make him one of the most central characters in the narrative. However, he may elicit contrasting reactions from the female audience! No spoiler.
Then there are Camilla and Arci. The former, completing the trio of friends with Giulia and Pietro, is the least successful in characterization, and her presence is rather marginal compared to the aforementioned characters. She is a shy, sweet, and introverted girl who does not (yet) have a well-defined role in the story. The latter, on the other hand, is the antagonist in terms of sentimentality towards Pietro, different from him by being less loyal and more overbearing and insecure. Insecurity that he tries to hide behind his good looks but which shines through whenever he tries to approach Giulia with whom appearances do not work.
Professors Filippo, Diana, and Giorgio will immediately establish a connection with the reader, making them wish they had (or have) them in their own class!
Gradually, all the others fulfill roles subordinate to the main ones.
The story, despite its length, is fairly smooth, in line with expectations, and unexpected twists and revelations are not lacking.
However, I would have preferred that magic had taken on a much more central and relevant role in the story, as, for long stretches (perhaps too many), it is subordinated, leaving ample space for the protagonists' interpersonal events, during which there is a strong sensation of being in front of a romance novel rather than a fantasy or adventure novel.
Another thing, the rhythm is slightly fluctuating. This does not particularly undermine the enjoyment of the title, which remains at a good level, but in this regard, it would have been helpful to pay more attention to the main theme, whose brief phases proved to be the most exciting and interesting in the story.
A possible explanation for these issues probably lies in the desire not to "spoil" the subsequent stories that make up the entire saga, prematurely anticipating events filled with greater emphasis. However, this slightly penalizes the degree of interest sparked by this book.
Lastly, a note that stems from mere personal taste concerns the love story between the two protagonists. I would have liked it to be more diluted, less immediate, and for the maturation of mutual feelings to occur more gradually over the course of the entire saga. But I repeat, this is merely a comment that springs from a highly personal preference on the overall view.
The story is well-made, original, crafted using a fluent, direct, and effective writing method; it captures the reader's attention (although only at times) and proves to be quite compelling in certain passages.
Thanks to its simple metric, low complexity of the speeches, and the right mix of themes covered, ranging from friendship to love, to the sense of justice, the ability to believe in oneself, and the invitation to look beyond appearances, I feel compelled to recommend it to a young target audience, approximately in line with the age of the protagonists and to all enthusiasts of fantasy stories centered on magic and incorporating a strong sentimental component. I also consider the title perfectly suitable as a first read for those who want to approach that magnificent world comprised of inked pages. A challenging task it could carry out with few problems. Having said that, the book is, all in all, sufficiently enjoyable even by a more mature audience like the author of this review, as well as for anyone wishing to undertake a quick, carefree, evocative, and not particularly demanding read. However, it could be unpalatable for those intolerant of the characters' romantic entanglements and who prefer a story with few frills, more verve, and that focuses more on the main plot.
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