I come from a musical family and played the piano for years so I was thrilled to read this book which is ALL about an international piano competition. Honeybees and Distant Thunder was an instant bestseller when it came out in Japan, recently translated to English, it provides a fascinating insight into the pressures, sacrifices, and ambitions of three young pianists vying against each other to win a gruelling, prestigious two-week piano competition. It’s also a wonderful reflection on the joy and beauty we find in music. If you are a classical music aficionado, or play an instrument, or are simply interested in what it takes to become a professional musician, then I thoroughly recommend this book. If you don’t know a thing about classical music, be prepared to do a fair bit of research (or simply let the names of pieces and composers go right over your head) as you go!
— Olivia