Stephen Rice’s BLUES JAM tells the story of Sarah, a teenager living in middle America who pursues her dream of becoming a drummer in a blues band—battling drug addiction all the while. The opening chapters are heavy with exposition, some of which is rather heavy-handed; the reader is never left to discover such relationships and traits naturally as the book unfolds. Sarah is born to loving parents—the father a frustrated musician turned cab driver, the mother a record store employee with a burgeoning opioid addiction thanks to a serious accident—but her mother dies of an accidental overdose. These first half-dozen chapters show both this tragedy and its effect on Sarah, as well as her talent for music. Unfortunately, they drag somewhat, having the unintended effect of postponing plot development.
The writing style is straightforward, though there are occasional asides in the narrative that feel like pontification. A description of a female character’s small salary compared to that of a man is followed by, “A sad commentary, still true for many working women” (which is of course true). Similarly, a passage about Anne Frank is accompanied by an incidental comment about the (admittedly egregious) banning of books in today’s America. In both cases and more, this jolts the reader out of the story.
The novel shines, however, in its appreciation of music. Not just blues; pop and rock are given warm and appreciative treatments, too, and Sarah’s aptitude for playing is complemented by her (and many other characters’) pleasure in listening to good music played well.
The plot is a little diffuse. Before much is done with the idea of Sarah becoming a drummer, a great deal of time is spent setting up her social circle—particularly her extra-curricular sporting activities in school. Yet almost one half of the novel has gone by before she finds herself participating in a sports tournament, during which she sustains an injury and is prescribed opioids for the pain—just like her mother. Just a few pages later, she confides that she’s a drug addict. This is a jump to conclusions from a young girl, and the uneven pacing detracts somewhat from the otherwise congenial tone.
BLUES JAM offers insights into teenage life, but it would certainly benefit from editing down. Too many episodes occur that neither advance the plot nor do much to develop character. However, in its passion for music and living life, it offers much diversion for readers of coming-of-age fiction.
Stephen Rice’s debut novel BLUES JAM offers an interesting look at addiction and music as seen through the eyes of a teenage girl.
~Craig Jones for IndieReader