Review of Keys to Harmony

[Ditte Inez Johansen]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Harmony" by Margalit Jakob.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Margalit Jakob's life story unfolds in this book, Keys to Harmony, through her relationship with music. She is a gifted pianist, but depression takes away her love of playing. The book follows her healing journey, but it is never a straightforward path. I found some valuable insights in Margalit Jakob's memoir and appreciate the themes in this book.

In my experience, this type of book often ends in a big revelation, where the main character is magically cured. I liked how Keys to Harmony has more nuance to it. I loved the message of this book and could relate to the struggles she goes through, even though our lives are very different. Even if the book isn't supposed to be instructional, it gives some great perspectives on depression that I found very helpful.

The country of Israel plays a big part in Jakob's life story, and her love for Israel is very prominent in this book. Her Jewish heritage is a very moving part of this memoir. The generational traumas of her family and religious guilt are woven into the story beautifully. I am not Jewish but I still found a lot of inspiration in the book.

Jakobs writes beautifully about her pain, and the story flows effortlessly from the pages. I enjoyed her storytelling.

I found four editing mistakes, which is a shame. The writing is otherwise beautiful.

In my opinion, the cover art doesn't do the book justice. It looks a bit outdated. I only picked up this book because I read the description. If I had only seen the cover I would not have picked it up but I am glad that I gave the book a chance.

I give the book a 4-out-of-5-star rating because I feel like I cannot give a perfect score when I find editing mistakes. Otherwise, I would have given 5 out of 5 stars.
I got a lot out of reading this book. It is a beautiful portrayal of what depression can look like. I recommend Keys to Harmony to people who have dealt with depression or know someone who has.

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Keys to Harmony
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