Books in Brief: The Composer is Dead

Reviewer: Angela

The name of the book being recommended: The Composer is Dead, by Lemony Snicket

Please give us five reasons why this book is awesome:

1. It's by Lemony Snicket = Awesome. Who else could get away with words like "xylophoniness" and "cymbalism?"

2. It's illustrated by Carson Ellis, who may be best known for her album covers for The Decembrists. I confess that I was a little hesitant to accept anyone other than Brett Helquist as an illustrator for Lemony Snicket, but Ms. Ellis does great work that is a lovely fit with the story.

3. It's a murder mystery.

4. It's a murder mystery where the primary suspects are musical instruments. Not only does this provide a chance for readers to get acquainted with the different sections of the orchestra, it also gives us a glimpse of what those same instruments might be like if they had personalities. For example: "Everyone forgets about us," said the Violas bitterly. "We play the notes in the chords that nobody cares about. We play crucial countermelodies nobody hears."

5. It comes with its own symphonic score, composed by Nathaniel Stookey and narrated by Mr. Snicket himself. You don't need to listen to the CD to enjoy the book, but I highly, highly recommend that you do, especially if you know and like symphonic music even a tiny little bit.

How can I find this book in the library? It can be found in the children's department, in fiction, under the call number j SNI.