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• Page Count: 336
• Publisher: Vintage at Penguin Random House
• Genre: Literary fiction, historical fiction

Emma Brodie’s Songs in Ursa Major is a vibrant story set in 1969, during the rise of a young singer-songwriter’s career. Music and book lovers alike will love this gem of a novel. Brodie’s vulnerable story of the young Jane Quinn rising from a small-time band member to one of the world’s most mysterious and entertaining musicians is a page turner.

A star is born when Jane Quinn sings a cover of famous folk singer Jesse Reid’s top hit at the local Massachusetts music festival. Jane’s history with the music industry runs deep. Her mother is a once respected and since defamed songwriter. Jane’s jaded view of the industry has kept her away from the spotlight, but her effervescent stage presence sends her on a trajectory towards fame. As Jane becomes involved in the complexly political musical—and enters a romantic relationship with Jesse Reid in secret—her stubborn commitment to art and independence is challenged at every turn. Can talent survive an industry blackballing, or is it only singers who “play the game” that can succeed in the business?

Songs in Ursa Major is packed with secrets and romance. Leading the story alongside Jane are her fellow band members and her island’s most famous musician, Jesse Reid. Jane and Jesse’s relationship takes center stage for multiple sections of the story, and it is an interesting look at how class and gender influence a character’s experience.

Jane is a great main character because her unflinching commitment to family and her natural creativity motivate her and drive her to be radical in an industry that’s unaccepting of women who refuse to comply to the patriarchal status quo. The Quinn family is made up entirely of women, and the family’s dealings with their gendered experience, alongside the stigmas of mental illness that weigh on their situation, are a highlight of the story. Brodie writes not only a main character with many layers, but a supporting cast too, and the secrets reveal new layers of connection unseen in the early pages of the text. Surprises are always around the corner in Songs in Ursa Major.

This is a story about chasing dreams, and how it’s not always easy as one thinks to make it to the top. The themes of individuality, legacy, and the tensions of monetizing one’s art come together for a richly packed story. Fans of musician based novels like Daisy Jones & the Six will surely appreciate the well researched and vivid world created in Emma Brodie’s Songs in Ursa Major.