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Title: A tedious read- I finally gave up.
Review: Like "berniebo2" (last critic), I have enjoyed Proulx's past writing immensely. The Shipping News and Postcards were wonderful novels. The premise of this book has promise- tracing an accordian's journeys through time and owners, giving the reader a sense of the many cultures within American life. But the bottom line was that the book was too wordy, too long, and not very compelling. I couldn't identify well with the characters even in the abstract. If you want to be exposed to a story with this same fascinating theme- only much cleaner- see "The Red Violin" in VHS or DVD. It, too, traces the path of a musical instrument (a violin)though many owners and countries. However, the pace is much swifter and the characters are more engaging.
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