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Gill Hornby
Read by Lucy Price-Lewis
Little, Brown and
Company
07/21/2015 / ISBN 9780316234733
Hachette Digital, Inc
Fiction / British / Singing / Humor / Audiobook -Unabridged
Reviewed
by Brenda Weeaks
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And
each town looks the same to me, the movies and the factories.
And ev'ry stranger's face I see reminds me that I long to
be Homeward bound.
- Simon and Garfunkel
All Together Now takes place in a small town in England
called Bridgeford. The storyline is about the local choir
and their personal lives. Connie, the voice coach, is in a
car accident just before a regional contest. When the members
of The Bridgeford Community Choir hear about Connie, they
move from panic to a Circle of Trust, which means they all
sing the same and have a say in all decisions. After a while,
the unique telepathy they once had while singing is gone.
The Circle of Trust and free democracy eventually leads to
chaos. However, it also leads to new members, including those
much-needed male voices. As the choir practices for the competition,
we learn more about the characters: Tracy, Bennett, Annie
and others. For this eclectic group of singers, it's all about
the music. Music reaches into the soul and heals. We find
the Choir takes their singing to the community in various
ways. The competition is the main concern; they also have
a talent show, and it's nothing compared to the protest -
too funny. Judith's scene in the talent show as a French actress
with an imaginary Orca had me laughing. All Together Now is
full of genuine, likable characters; you may identify with
one or two yourself.
A lively
narration by Lucy Price-Lewis brings characters to life. She
translates the characters tiredness, woes, humor, excitement,
and love of music. It's a narration that will make you smile,
laugh and grimace at the real life of a dedicated choir. Lucy's
narration makes you the listener-without-judgment to those
who mean well, and you'll wish them a happy ending.
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