Palouse by rec (aka vwl)

[Merkin]

I hope you've all been following Palouse or have it on your 'to read' list now that it has been completed. This gripping tale takes up several themes important to all of us, including SPOILER ALERT a repressive, controlling foster-mother who 'only wants what is best' for the boy in her care. Mix in fundamentalist religious zealots and a botched childhood and the irresistible temptation to experience hardcore adolescent life once the hormones begin to flow. Frame all of that within the scope of a musical prodigy whose genius is never in doubt but whose abilities to succeed as a human being is always in question, and you have a great read.

Compassion and understanding drive this brilliantly written tale of a boy whose love for the land, his friends and his family persists in the face of much trial. Thanks for this, vwl.

[Cole Parker]

A tremendous amount of work went into creating this story, and it shows in the brilliant execution. It deserves more than three cheers.

C

[bi_janus]

Virtuoso!

[The Pecman]

And the link is here:

http://www.awesomedude.com/vwl-rec/Palouse/index.htm

I agree, very well-done. I particularly liked the specific time and place in each story, which added a lot to the verisimilitude. The fact that it takes place over a couple of decades adds a lot to the degree of difficulty -- definitely a very ambitious story. Congrats on a successful conclusion!

[vwl]

Thanks, all. I appreciate the support from some of the AD and GA regulars -- editors and beta types.

[Altimexis]

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of triumph. It was very well written and captured the nature of true genius beautifully. I think rec handled the nature of Micha's sexual evolution very nicely. A story well done overall.

This brings to mind my first encounter with a musical prodigy. I don't remember the year exactly, but I was finishing medical school and would soon be leaving the city where I grew up for the last time. My mother mentioned a concert she planned to attend, featuring a thirteen-year-old boy playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto along with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She asked me if I'd be interested in going with her and I readily agreed. The name of the young prodigy was Joshua Bell. An interesting aside is that Bell's violin instructor refused to take him on as a pupil unless his parents agreed to let him have a normal childhood.

[alandwight]

This is an outstanding story written with compassion, true understand of humans, and a wonderfully nuanced plot. A must read for everybody!