A Well-Tempered Heart (Art of Hearing Heartbeats)

A Well tempered Heart by Jan-Philipp Sendker was a disappointing sequel for this reader. The author is clearly a masterful writer, but this novel did not live up to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, which I loved. This book could have taken a more effective direction. Wouldn't it have been interesting to write the sequel from Julia's mother's point of view? There is an undeveloped storyline with Julia's mother and I think it was a mistake not to pursue it.Why would Julia lose touch with her newly discovered Burmese half brother, U Ba? Her initial journey to Burma and her discoveries from book one were supposedly transformative, but book two starts ten years later without any real face-to-face contact with her half brother, and Julia's life seems unchanged by her previous life-changing journey. It appears she has learned nothing from her father's story. It just didn't make sense to me. Additionally, Julia hearing voices didn't work for me either, and seemed just a means for getting Julia back to Burma.There was definitely a well-developed story here, but the way it came about did not feel authentic. Perhaps if this story was not so intricately tied to the first book, it would have been a better read for me. I seem to be in the minority here though. There are many 4 and 5 star reviews. It is always best to judge for yourself.

This is the second book in the Art of Hearing Hearts series and it is just as beautifully written as the first. The books in this series speak to the soul-they are the essence of everything beautiful. I could not put this book down and will be beginning the last book in the series immediately!

This was a wonderful story once again and a continuation, given to us by the author of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats.This story begins 10 years after the first Novel takes place, and it is about Julia Win's return to Burma, her fathers birth land, both to see her half brother, U Ba and to find herself once again but also to solve something that has been plaguing her.The story is told in part about a woman named Nu Nu, her life and family and that of Julia and her brother. Beautifully woven together with the same magical feel of Heartbeats.The story also takes one through the turbulent years of corrupt military actions, the actions of having lost people, and ones family and the action of forgiving or being forgiven and of finding love.I hope there is a continuation to this story and of Julia, Thar Thar and U Ba, as I love this authors interesting stories and characters.Here is a link to a short video of the author talking about his book[...]

This book two of a trilogy is complex, deeply moving and a bit mind-boggling. Like first book, I feel sorrow blended with joy. The power of real love is shown in these book. Take time to savor it.

Book One was balanced between reality and fantasy. In this book fantasy leaves reality far behind. Yet the story is nearly credible. Place it into the mind's eye of an Eastern philosophy and it seems more possible. Not once did I consider not finishing, even though the plot barely crawled through the overgrown description which overwhelmed the story. Every object, every action and every thought are detailed to a degree which makes the reader wish one could push the story along in places.Yet, despite the pace, I was moved by the talent of this unique novelist. The translator was so good, I doubted in places that it wasn't written in English. And it finished in a manner which suggests that Book Three is imminent. I will buy and read it.

This is sequel to the first book, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. It's a pretty quick read if you're committed, I read the first one on a 4 hour flight and I read the sequel on the return flight. I think the first book had a lot more development but I also enjoyed this. It's a good mixture of a developed novel but also a light romance story. I also really enjoyed this because it was really an optimistic story, a lot of involved romances can turn really heavy but this never did. I never usually read romances but after Sendker's stories, I'm way more open to trying more.

I read the first book The Art of Hearing Heartbeats , and I couldn’t put it down ! This book ( the sequel) is good however it doesn’t compare to the first as most sequels don’t . This is more about her story and finding herself . She does travel back to Burma to see her brother in this second book . Well written and definitely a page turner , but not as good as the first book

This continuation of the story begun in Art of Hearing Heartbeats is as intriguing as the earlier book. Contemporary life in New York is juxtaposed with life in Burma in the life of the main character. She is an attorney who is recovering from a recent breakup with her fiancee. In a quest to discover who she is after the breakup, and what she really wants most in her life she returns to Burma where her brother has always lived. Her new insights about herself and about the realities of life are unfolded by this skilled author. I found myself wanting to jot down many gems of wisdom to explore later.

'A Well Tempered Heart' is the sequel to Sendker's bestselling 'Art of Hearing Heartbeats'. It could be enjoyed as a standalone novel, but it does contain spoilers for the first therefore readers might prefer to read in order. The main character, Julia, is a successful but unhappy lawyer in New York. She has mostly lost touch with her Burmese half-brother since discovering him ten years before (the story of 'Art of Hearing Heartbeats'). When she starts hearing a voice in her head she returns to Myanmar in the hope of finding a cure.Sendker's prose is very easy to read and draws the reader in from the start. The novel bowls along at a good pace and never drags. The sections focussed on the Burmese family whose mother is apparently the disembodied voice in Julia's head are the best and most intriguing. It's really readable and an enjoyable book whilst you're swept up in it. I did care about the outcome for the characters.But I found I had the same problem with this novel as I did with its predecessor. It presents a very rose-tinted, stereotypical view of people from the region. Everyone is a zen-like philosophical saint, content with very little, full of deep wisdom. Certainly there is truth that European/North American cultures could learn a lot from south-east Asian cultures. But presenting Burmese people in the simplistic way Sendker does feels wrong, like any stereotyping of a race or nationality - even if the stereotype is a flattering one. It would be more tolerable from an author of Burmese ethnicity. From a white European it just doesn't sit right with me.I also chafed against the very convenient narrative that these economically disadvantaged people are content with so little and in fact much happier than financially wealthy people in Europe and America. Again, there is some truth there, but it doesn't excuse their poverty or mean that they wouldn't prefer to also be content with more - particularly when it comes to healthcare and food. I don't think it represents a true picture of Burmese culture, rather a romanticised version that exists in the minds of wealthy foreigners who distil an entire nation - entire region of nations - into yoga and meditation and not much else. The sections set in the recent past, depicting the civil war, were the best because they felt more real.Julia is a rather empty character - she's a generic 'American who is unhappy in her life despite having many material comforts'. As much a cliché as her overly wise Burmese brother. Again this plays into the whole cliched narrative of a wealthy American/European visiting a south-east Asian country and finding a deeper meaning in life. The same one that drives thousands of young people from western nations to travel to Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries in the area every year. The whole 'magical' element of the story with the disembodied voice doesn't help lend credibility.Ultimately, this is a novel of two levels. At one level, it's a moving if overly sentimental tale that is very readable, and is underpinned by a genuine admiration of Buddhist culture. And whilst you're reading it's easy to be carried along by that. On the other, it's a rather shallow tale relying on cliche and dodgy magical-realism. Sendker is a good writer, but I much prefer his grittier 'Dragon Games' series.

I read this book and the prior book about Julia in the original German text. I became immersed in the story and felt transported to Burma. I read at a slower pace when I read in German and absorb the meaning of the words and I am unlikey to forget the characters who made an impression on me. The book takes the reader to a simpler way of life and I could vividly imagine the countryside and the teahouses and Buddhist Temples and altars. American patent lawyer Julia is a conduit for us to get to know characters such as her Burmese half brother U BA and the character NuNu. She first presents as a voice in Julias mind and who we later discover had great tragedy in her life and was faced with a dreadful decision to make arising because of the Burmese Civil War. There is violence and tragedy but also great love and forgiveness.Thar Thar 's story brought me to tears. The end of the book left me wanting to know more.I wonder if there will be another book ?

I read the previous book in the series," The At of hearing Heartbeats" when I was in Myanmar and enjoyed it so when I saw this I added it to my kindle.It has the same quite unusual, slightly spiritual element to the story which I enjoyed. I love the two main characters especially the Burmese brother who is so calm and deep thinking .It makes you take stock of your own life and think about what is important when Julia stays with her Burmese brother who is happy in his basic house with leaking roof while she struggles with inner demons and stress etc while living in New York.It is a very different sort of story and I have really enjoyed both this and the story before " The At of hearing Heartbeats". They are both quite original love stories set in beautiful Myanmar.

I downloaded this immediately I had finished reading The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and it did not disappoint . For us cynical westerners, it requires a shift in thinking towards a spirituality of which we have little or no experience , but the reading is all the more beautiful for making that shift.The quality of the writing is lyrical at times and I found myself profoundly moved by the story and its outcome.

At first I thought I was not going to enjoy A Well Tempered Heart ap much as I enjoyed The Art of Hearing Heartbeats. However I was wrong! Admittedly it did take me a few chapters to get involved with Julia's story but once I was I hooked by this beautiful sensitive story, which tells of Julia's search for answers as to why she is hearing a voice. The women's voice is asking her unsettling questions Julia can't answer about her life and life style. So she goes on a quest to quiten the voice and answer the questions. The quest takes her back to Burma and her half brother. The story is told with perception and sensitivity and helps us at to understand a little more about love. Tho we are left with the question - what happens next? A sequel please!!