Songspinners by Sarah Ash

Music has been forbidden to Orial - she misses out on musice lessons at school, and no instrument or song is heard in her home. But her mother was a renowned songstress praised across international borders - why is her fathers so adamant that she remains silent? The secret of her mother's early death hold the key to this mystery and when Orial becomes the amanuensis for a crippled composer, she finds that music is a tool for rebellion and the notes she transcribes are the battle hymn of a people. But more than this, she is changing.. her vision is becoming blurred, her eyes changing hues, and she is hearing music - music that is not heard by others, but their thoughts.. She helps Khassian the composer who has lost the use of his hands, to record his opera - the one he was crippled because of its existence..

this was a wonderfully refreshing book - completely original, and extremely interesting!

8/10