Review by hyuga_hanabi -- Band in the Wind

[hyuga_hanabi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Band in the Wind" by William John Rostron.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Band in the Wind is a story of a young boy who lives in a place where peace is yet to get a good hold. At a time when every kid of his age is either getting into drugs or alcohol, he chooses to follow his dream of becoming a musician in a band. He tries to make plans so that one day he can get out of that 'hell of a place'. It showcases the naivety of youth and how easy it is to stray from reality and get lost in one's imagination.

The book also opens the reader to the world of post-war problems and suffering that people endure until the peace finally settles into every household. Not every law is accepted easily, peace is never instantaneous, people go through life everyday, not knowing which moment will be their last. When you have a power hungry and merciless people as your local ruler there is nowhere safe for you, certainly not with a limited amount of money. It shows us the importance of staying positive even in dire situations.

This book has crime, action, drama and a little of romance and sadness, all of it packed in a few 100 pages! This story emphasises the importance of daring to dream and actually trying to achieve them, even if the odds are stacked against you and there seems to be no right path to follow. It also brings to our notice the amount of pain and regret one feels if things don't go the way you want them to even if you did your absolute best.

William Roston has done a spectacular job of pairing his entire story with music and songs. Even for someone with no knowledge of chords and tunes, I think the story will be just as enjoyable. The description of each of the characters and their interactions with our young dreamer is very well written, how each of them affected him and helped him grow into a better person.

I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4. No doubt the book is well written and the various plot points wonderfully described but the mention of the impending doom that awaits our heroes after every good thing that happens with the band is a little discouraging for the reader to be happy for the characters. Although in some places the author has done an amazing job of describing how people take things for granted not knowing what can happen at the very next second.The book has a slightly unexpected ending then one might hope for, but it is good nontheless.

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Band in the Wind
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