Review by jwalker73 -- My Trip to Adele

[jwalker73]

[Following is a volunteer review of "My Trip to Adele" by A.I.Alyaseer, R.I.Alyaseer.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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My Trip to Adele by A.I. Alyaseer and R.I. Alyaseer is a fictional novel that follows the story of three culturally diverse people, the complexity of relationships in their lives, and their personal struggles for freedom. The underlying theme that connects these unique characters is Adele’s music. Each person can identify lyrics from Adele’s songs which resonates with what they are currently feeling or going through.

The first protagonist introduced is Elias, who travels from his homeland in Rome to Marrakesh, Morocco, in search of a girl from his past. His memory of this girl has prevented him from moving forward in life and so he sets out to find her. The second character is Yaser, who lives in Las Vegas. Yaser finds himself in a marriage which, although initially based on love, has since become mundane. Nowadays the only commonality he shares with his wife is the love for their children, so he searches for a way to return the relationship to what it once was. The third protagonist is Nadia, who resides in Amman, Jordan. She is a single mother who just wants to be able to give her son experiences without being restricted by her controlling ex-husband. All three characters learn that Adele is holding a concert in Verona, Italy, and hope that their attendance at this concert will hold the key to addressing and resolving their individual problems.

I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars. I found the novel easy to read, with characters that were likeable and diverse. I was immediately drawn into the book as the settings were described in such detail that I was soon transported to each location. It took my mind on a tantalising journey to places I have never been. I also appreciated the fact that, while each of the protagonists were vastly different, everyone’s story had some aspect, whether large or small, that the reader could relate to.

Although I considered this book to be an easy read, many of the themes had the potential to be controversial. Some of the revelations may ‘shock’ the reader but I feel they have been included to provide some insight in to the fact that, in certain countries, these practices are sociably acceptable and a part of daily life. I think the non-judgemental way the authors wrote about these topics helped to keep the focus on the story they wanted to share. This unprejudiced way of writing may also make this story more appealing to a wider range of readers and cultures as it ultimately accepts each culture for what it is.

Another aspect I enjoyed was the unpredictable ending to this book. I had been expecting a ‘happily ever after’ outcome whereas it ended up providing a much more realistic conclusion. I think this made the book more memorable as it left the reader with opinions and views open for further thought or discussion. It also highlighted that freedom often comes with a price.

The main reason for scoring a three rather than four-star rating for this novel was because I felt that the way lyrics were used throughout the book was somewhat excessive and not always beneficial to the storyline. The authors frequently quoted lyrics from Adele’s songs in, what I assume was, a way of reinforcing the connection between these otherwise diverse characters and stories. While this concept had the potential to work, and be very powerful, I found that routinely using them to conclude each chapter soon became both monotonous and distracting. I also felt that, by the end of the novel, the authors, too, were struggling to find some aspect significant enough to warrant these lines being included. Perhaps the selective use of lyrics carefully interwoven throughout the story, rather than routinely at the end of each chapter, would have given more credibility to their worth and have a greater impact on the reader. I do not think reducing the frequency of lyrics would detract from the binding theme as the stories of the characters, and their personal reasons for seeing Adele’s concert, were powerful enough to maintain that connection. As the story progressed I found it easier to skip over the lyrics as I often got side-tracked trying to recognise the music and song rather than taking in the actual words and their significance.

This book would appeal to readers who appreciate descriptive writings that allow their imagination to travel to distant places. Readers who do not value in-depth descriptions may find themselves losing interest before reaching the actual theme of the story. I also think that the reader needs to have the ability to read a story for what it is and not get tangled up in potential social or ethical issues. While this book refers to often taboo subjects, the authors have only described these practices as a normal part of a specific culture and have, in no way, tried to discuss these topics in detail. Adele fans may also find a deeper meaning to the lyrics used throughout the book and be able to appreciate them more than I did.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would be interested in reading some more fictional work by these authors.

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My Trip to Adele
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Like jwalker73's review? Post a comment saying so!

[MoseyProse]

This was a fantastic review of what sounds like a really interesting story!

I love stories that take place in different countries and it sounds as though this book is very descriptive about its locations! I also really appreciate that the reviewer is open minded and doesn't get shocked by certain themes in this book. It's great to see other reviewers who understand how cultures can differ from ones own.

I'm also a big fan of books that don't necessarily go for a happily ever after ending. It's always refreshing to see a novel go down this path when other similar ones may swerve away from it.

It's a shame about the lyric situation though, I can imagine how tiresome this can become. I do agree with that reviewer, they really only should be used when necessary!

I also really like how you've explained which readers would and wouldn't like this book and why, it is very helpful!

All in all this was a well written review! I hope to read more from you in the future!

[jwalker73]

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my review and for your supportive post!

[Naval Aulakh]

The review is very good. I enjoyed reading it ?

[jwalker73]

Thank you very much.

[Ashley Crane]

Great review! I appreciate all of your insights on the controversial topics, use of quotes, and descriptive writing. It provided really good information to help someone decide if the book would be a good fit for them. While I do appreciate the skill of an author being able to transport the reader with descriptive writing, it does tend to make me a bit bored and wonder when the actual story will begin, so this book is probably not for me.

[Julez]

Lovely review on your part jwalker73. I agree with you on one getting easily sidetracked by the lyrics and trying to recognize the song which ends up messing with your concentration. It must be the reason why I was not totally engrossed by the book. I still found it a nice read though. Well done.

[Harmony Hills]

I've read some reviews and they all say that there are these excessive use of lyrics, added to that i'm not really a fan of Adele. I thought i would give this book a chance but i guess this is not the book for me. Nice review jwalker73.

[Kelebogile Mbangi]

Potentially controversial themes...interesting! The more reviews I read on this book, the more I want to read it! Your review is very informative, thank you for it!

[jwalker73]

I've read some reviews and they all say that there are these excessive use of lyrics, added to that i'm not really a fan of Adele. I thought i would give this book a chance but i guess this is not the book for me. Nice review jwalker73.

It is worth reading this book solely for the story. I do not think it would lose any of its essence if you skipped the lyrics. These are just at the end of each chapter, so easy to move past, and I did not think they really influenced the story anyway.

-- 02 Aug 2017, 18:44 --

Thanks to all who read my review. I really appreciate any feedback and would like to hear people's thoughts if they have gone ahead and read the book afterwards!

[Manang Muyang]

Hi, jwalker73. I read the book and rated it 4 stars. I do appreciate your review (which was extremely thoughtful and well-written) and your reservations about the songs and their placement.

What amazed me about the book though, aside from the good plot and all, was the writers' ability to make the songs fit in. Obviously, the writers planned it as a tribute to Adele. (The title is a dead giveaway and the authors do admit they are Adele die-hards.) If I were Adele, I'd be deeply honored.

[ReviewerDiksha]

I agree that the use of songs seemed excessive at some points. I too rated it 3 out of 4. You did a nice job with a review. You are welcome to read and mine and let me know how it fares with you.

[KlareAllison]

This is the second review I have read about this book. This one also offers a different perspective, for example, l like the fact that you pointed out the distracting effects of weaving in so many songs into the stories of Elias, Yaser and Nadir. Beyond this, I still think the book is unigue because of its style of delivery.

[Donatelloo]

I have heard so much about this novel . Great review ??
Do check out my latest review and share your views. I'll be glad to see you there