Crescendo was a captivating read. The manner in which Joanna wrote of the chaos of dysfunction within this family was brilliant. Seeing how the siblings navigated the tragedy of their parents’ death was both heartbreaking and realism at its finest. Seeing how each of the siblings were impacted definitely made this read all the better. As a debut novel, this was one the easiest reads I have ever read. The manner in which Joanna was able to show how death rips and rebuilds was fantastic. I would say that this was a medium paced read for me. Though that is the case, the characters were phenomenal.

Rating: 4.25 🌟

Crescendo by Joanna Howat is an authentic exploration of grief surrounding death and the unmistakable loss of direction that plagues them. When we meet Jamie and Cassandra, the siblings are stuck in a mortifying case of arrested development despite their outward appearance.

Cassandra, having turned a 180 from her wild rebellion days, is now happily married and a mother of two girls she adores. A reformed alcoholic, she is sober but tightly wired with anxiety. James, fresh off university, adroit in playing classical music, is adrift from himself and the identity that ties him to his family.

Listless and in shock, both the siblings find themselves struggling with grief following the death of their parents in a freak fire incident. Howat critically captures this phase of sadness, anger, denial, and bargaining with a concrete deftness. Cassandra relapses finding solace in her teenage habits, and Jamie struggles with his sense of morality and responsibility.

Howat channels their inner emotional currents into waves of despair and hurt, rising higher as both the siblings find themselves struggling to place their head above water. Each emotional surge, deeper than the previous exerts different reactions from the siblings — James finds himself rising, breaking the surface on occasions, while Cassandra sinks, knowingly, but helpless to stop.

The bond between the siblings reaches at a crescendo, but by then you see how the plot is going to unfold, maybe not a terrible turn of events in this plot. One must always hope that the next turn of page will elicit hope. Howat’s very real writing on grief and its portrayal as GREEDY, almost desperate in its ambition to remove any and all vestige to balance and semblance of stability is finessed by a gentler touch than the reality. But that doesn’t mean the effect is less. The inner monologues of James and Cassandra are poignant and relatable. The helplessness faced by Ruth, Steve, Zoe, and Charlotte as they watch the siblings venture down a path that is unknown to them, is excruciating but real.

Grief is palatable and settles in, and Howat’s exploration of it will stay with you long after you have turned the last page of the book

Brief overview:

When Jamie and Caz lose their parents in a freak fire after an argument, their lives begin to spiral. Fueled by grief, guilt, and anger, the siblings each struggle to return to their before fire selves.

My thoughts:

Honestly, I did not find any of the characters to be enjoyable. As we got no real visual of life before the fire, we weren't able to really see how they changed. In fact, the only characters that I really could feel legitimate sympathy for were the poor children. We didn't really get to see any personality from the main characters until about 40%, and once we did, it wasn't great. Certainly this must have been because of the trauma, but there is no way to know that, as we didn't get to know the characters before hand. The slight romances in this story felt weird. There was no chemistry and not really even any reason for these characters to be attracted to each other, let alone in a relationship, and that's never really addressed. Overall, I did not enjoy it much myself, but I'm sure there are plenty of people that will! It did remind me a bit of A Little Life, so if depressing and traumatic is your thing, add this to your TBR!

Splendid debut novel from Joanna Howat! Her writing style is wonderful, as are her (at times harrowingly human) characters. While not an easy, lighthearted read, it was definitely worth my time. I found myself wanting to continue reading, even though the book covers some very heavy topics, which is an impressive feat on Howat's part.

Good book.

4,5 stars that don't deserve to be rounded down to 4 :)

I'm thankful to NetGalley and Flying Dog Press for the ARC.

Rating: 4+/5 stars

Joanna Howat's Crescendo is a deeply introspective and emotionally resonant novel that takes its time to unfold, drawing the reader into a story of family, grief, and personal growth. It follows siblings Jamie and Caz as they navigate the complexities of their relationships and the weight of their past.

At first, the pacing feels a bit off, and the introduction of many characters early on can be overwhelming. However, the novel quickly finds its rhythm, pulling the reader in by the third chapter. The writing is strong, with well-crafted inner monologues that bring the characters' struggles to life. The family dynamics feel authentic, and every relationship, emotion, and hardship depicted carries a weight of realism.

One of the standout moments in the beginning is the fire scene, which is exceptionally well written, showcasing Howat’s ability to create vivid, immersive tension. The novel as a whole requires the reader to sit with it, to allow its introspective nature to sink in, and once it does, it becomes deeply engaging.

While it may take some time to fully settle into the story, Crescendo is ultimately a rewarding read—one that lingers in the mind long after finishing. Highly recommended for those who enjoy character-driven narratives with rich emotional depth.

I received this novel for free and write this review voluntarily.

Artemis had the chance to read elegantly written Crescendo by Joanna Howat. While reading this beautiful novel, Artemis felt a sense of tranquility and cosiness, as if she has returned to a familiar place. Reading also felt like reading the first chapters of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, who is one of Artemis' favourite authors. So, the experience of reading Crescendo was a great one for Artemis.

This novel has everything, a normal story of a normal family who encountered a shocking event. Characters are the ones one can see in real life and connect with. Being a journalist, Joanna Howat realistically creates the world, breaks it apart, and puts it together, where now the world is imperfect version of its previous version. Artemis finished the novel in one night (she stayed awake until this great novel finished). If you like novels that feels like a blanket that wraps you softly, Crescendo is great for you.

Thank you so much for this free eARC copy Joanna Howat, NetGalley and the publisher.

Siblings Jamie and Caz both deal with the deaths of their parents, each in ways that feel deeply human.

Gorgeous prose, with interesting characters. I found Caz to be a bit heavy-handed as a character and preferred Jamie's perspective. Ultimately I don't think this book was meant for me, but I would recommend it to anyone who liked the emotional conflicts between siblings dealing with grief of Intermezzo but with a bit more meat to the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flying Dog Press for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyed this one! I found Caz and Jamie’s relationship intriguing following the death of their parents. Caz’s sudden decline was hard to read, but I found the book overall very interesting and well written.

A really great debut about family dramas and then some! The growth of Jamie was particularly well written. This story does not shy away from big topics which were handled sensitively yet Caz’s battles were raw and not sugar coated.
A book which had me gripped and I loved the early 1990’s setting.
I will look out for more from this author in future.

After Jamie and Caz Felton's parents die, they are left to navigate their grief and their demons.

This novel deals with HEAVY topics. Reading about the characters' struggles was emotionally taxing but despite the heavy subject matter, the charceters and their struggles were portrayed with compassion and sensitivity.

This was equal parts sad and beautiful and overall an impressive debut. I'll be reading anything else this author writes!

I love books about family disfunction and generational trauma - each unhappy family is unhappy in it's own way, etc etc. This story was so artfully written and easily held my attention. Everything was realistic yet unpredictable. I really enjoyed - recommend!

This is a family drama that takes a dramatic turn quite close to the start of the novel. As the Fentons are celebrating a somewhat awkward, tension-filled New Year's Eve, none of them are aware that something devastating is going to tear the family apart in the small hours. From the opening, readers are taken on a journey which specifically focuses on Jamie, the youngest, and Caz, his sister - and they see the devastation that such an event can cause.

Aside from the fire which guts the family home and ends the lives of the parents, Jamie is a troubled soul, both in his personal and professional life. The event triggers a deterioration in Caz's life, too, and much of the novel focuses on this - as well as Jamie's relationship with Zoe. I find it a little implausible that Jamie and Zoe are only together for a few weeks before the fire - it doesn't quite ring true to me, given what we see and learn about their relationship.

I really like a family drama and Howat tells a good story throughout. I am not entirely convinced by the 1991 setting as it feels more 1980s in places, although this is perhaps my subjective interpretation. Howat mentions how Take That were very popular - maybe they were - but I thought it was a little later. There are some aspects that jar, too - things like magazines 'slithering across the carpet' which I don't think works (thinking more 'sliding' but, again, maybe this is my subjective interpretation!) Also, things like how 'the dresser quivered in reproach'. I think some of the prose is a little over-written and would be more impactful if simplified.

Overall, I enjoyed 'Crescendo' and I like the way the title is significant and symbolic in different ways - specifically how it ties in with Jamie's love of the piano (the 'Pleyel') and the role this has in his life. It is a motif for the book, something that survives the fire and keep Jamie sane. And - of course - we all root for Jamie and Zoe to get back together, something that seems unlikely, but... I will leave you to read the book and find out for yourself! One final thing - I didn't like the font and it seems to be different to others on Kindle.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A beautifully written and deeply touching novel about family, relationships and grief. The characters are well drawn and complex and the plot unfolds beautifully. Difficult subjects such as self-harm and alcoholism are dealt with sensitively and realistically. A moving read that deals with the complexities and emotions of familial relationships in an overall positive and engaging way. Very well done.

I liked how easy the writing was to read in this one. The characters progressed a lot in this book and there were events that happened that were interesting. I think the author did well to balance events and dialogue.. I think Caz was my favourite character from the book, I could see his growth the most throughout it.

Thank you to the publisher and author for sending mw this book.

The central character of Crescendo is a piano.
Jamie and Caz are siblings. They are different, life has treated them differently, yet soon, they experience the same loss.
Jamie is a charming character with interesting life choices and conflicting traits - conflicting but not unrealistic. He is absolutely authentic and fresh at the same time.
This novel unfolded a bit like a well-written mini TV series for me with great characterisation, a setting that serves the story and via emotional themes, or the themes are revealed via the characterisation and the plot.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Plot 3
Characterisation 4
Themes 4
Setting 4
Writing 3.5

A beautiful written story.
Relatable characters and plot.
Couldn put it down all day.
Highly recommend.

Stand out debut novel. When faced with grief, two siblings take very different paths to help them cope with their loss. Beautifully written story that deals with very difficult topics.

Debut author Joanna Howat flexes her writing skills in Crescendo, creating complex characters, but ultimately, the storyline is a bit too flat. I wanted to love this because I was quite drawn in by Howat's literary style and the depth and relatability of her characters, but the lack of plot combined with the mourning and addiction made the book such a downer that I struggled to get through it. That being said, I will absolutely read her next book, as I think the author has tons of talent and a lot of promise, if channelled into a project with slightly more inertia.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I always learn so many things when I read a book not set in my native country. This story was beautifully written. Highly recommend

I liked this book but I couldnt say I loved it. I struggled to connect to Caz's character. I loved the way the author writes but the connection with Caz affected my enjoyment.