An equal music - BookWyrm

380 pages

English language

Published July 11, 2000 by Vintage International.

ISBN:: 978-0-375-70924-1

(5 reviews)

The author of the international bestseller A Suitable Boy returns with a powerful and deeply romantic tale of two gifted musicians. Michael Holme is a violinist, a member of the successful Maggiore Quartet. He has long been haunted, though, by memories of the pianist he loved and left ten years earlier, Julia McNicholl. Now Julia, married and the mother of a small child, unexpectedly reenters his life and the romance flares up once more.

Against the magical backdrop of Venice and Vienna, the two lovers confront the truth about themselves and their love, about the music that both unites and divides them, and about a devastating secret that Julia must finally reveal. With poetic, evocative writing and a brilliant portrait of the international music scene, An Equal Music confirms Vikram Seth as one of the world's finest and most enticing writers.

5 editions

Chris reviewed An equal music by Vikram Seth

None

3 stars

This is a tale set among musicians of a violinist who meets up with his former lover and starts an affair with her even though she's married and has a child. She is also going deaf. "People travel about too much," says a musical instrument-maker. "If they were made of wood they'd be more careful." Yes, but I defy any reader around these parts not to go "Has - ty. Ve - ry has - ty." at this point. Constant Reader went treeish. Much takes place in a Venice which does not seem at all romantic.