BOOKS FROM AZERBAIJANThe Orphan Sky
by Ella Leya
Description:
Leila, a young classical pianist, dreams of winning international competitions and bringing awards to her beloved country Azerbaijan. When she receives an assignment from her communist mentor to spy on a music shop suspected of traitorous Western influences, she is determined to prove her worth to the Party. When Leila meets Tahir, the painter who owns the music shop, his jazz recordings, abstract art, and subversive political opinions crack open the veneer of the world she's been living in. Now her comrades force her to make an impossible choice.
Reviews:
(2 weeks ago) |
06 Jan, 2025
Leila is growing up among the Communist elite in Soviet Azerbaijan. She's a musical prodigy who dreams of representing her country in international piano competitions. As the story begins, Farhad, a leader in the Communist youth organization, assigns her to spy on the owner of a record store. When she meets Tahir, Leila is initially unsettled by his art and American jazz music. As she gets to know him, she starts to see the lies and corruption that exist in her world.
Music plays such an integral role in this story. I almost felt this book needed a soundtrack, so I made a playlist in Apple Music. Listening to the music mentioned in the book added to the experience.
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