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Book Review of A Song for a New Day

A Song for a New Day
esjro avatar reviewed on + 906 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


I purchased this book as part of a "mystery box" from the publisher during a virtual book con.

"A Song for a New Day" takes place in a future world in which viruses and terrorism have made it illegal for people to congregate in groups, and the entertainment companies have a vested interest in keeping things that way. The chapters alternate between the stories of a once popular and now underground musician named Luce, and Rosemary, who takes a job for the future equivalent of Live Nation because she is naive, likes music, and wants to see more of the world than her job as at a Walmart/Amazon-type corporation allows. Their paths intersect when Rosemary unknowingly destroys what Luce and other artists have been trying to build.

The book was published in Sept 2019 as a work of speculative fiction, so surely the author did not anticipate that the beginnings of the world she envisioned would be 6 months later. As I receive email cancellation notices for the concerts and music festivals I had tickets for come in, this book really hits a nerve, and I can relate to the message of how important the shared experience of live shows means to fans and the performers. But.... it is only May 2020, so stay home for now, but in a few years remember this book as a cautionary tale.