Chopsticks

Chopsticks
Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral (illustrator)
272 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Goodreads win!
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

After her mother dies, young piano prodigy Glory is left to be raised by her father who wants her to use her talents to play all around the world.  When a new boy, Frank, moves in next door, she spends more time with him using him as an escape from her father and piano.  But the more she falls in love with him, the more she can only play Chopsticks on the piano...

I won an ARC of Chopsticks through the Goodreads First Reads program (this did not affect my review) and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.  When the package showed up today and I flipped through it, I was very surprised to see... no text.  This is not a traditional novel at all.  The story is told through photographs, art, as well as snippets of IM conversations between Glory and Frank.  I was afraid the lack of text would lead to a lack of understanding the plot, but I was so, so wrong.

The story itself is a sad one.  Glory loses her mother and her father pressures her to spend her time being a piano prodigy.  When she must leave Frank for a European tour she's heartbroken.  As the book continues, it becomes apparent that Glory knows somethings wrong with herself.  It's a very sad book overall, but also very beautiful in the way the story is conveyed.  When I closed the book, I knew I loved it.

The description of the book also says, "...it's up to the reader to decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along..." and that really rings true to this book.  By the end of it, my head was spinning.  I know what I think happens, but I know there will be several interpretations as more and more people read it.

Chopsticks is out now!  It's beautiful, unique, and amazing.  You seriously must find yourself a copy of this book and read it, examining every picture cover to cover.  I know I'll be looking for the finished copy myself!  This is a book you'll want to talk to someone about when you're finished, so let your friends borrow it, too.