| What a wonderful book! Beautiful, lyrical, writing. I found myself actually reading the descriptions of the countryside with care (I usually skim long descriptions as I find them boring) because they were so beautiful and so evocative of mood and place. The book tells Harry’s story as anchored in two time periods: just after WWII when he and his brothers try to save the family hall from ruin and towards the end of his life. There is a compelling story of Harry’s great love – which happens to be his brother’s wife – and the many relationships between family and friends across Harry’s lifetime. Characters are both appealing and painted in depth. However, what I loved most about this book were the ubiquitous musical themes. Harry is a song collector – from childhood he has collected old songs from locals and captures them in writing to keep them from disappearing forever. He becomes a composer and winds both these songs and feelings for the land into his compositions. His grandson turns out to be a musical prodigy on the piano and there are many compelling sections in the story that address this. All in all, a book that grabbed my attention, didn’t let go, and kept me thinking for days after I finished. Highly recommended! (less) | |
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