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Book Review
May. 21st, 2023 10:39 pmAn Equal Music
by Vikram Seth
This novel is told from the point of view of Michael, the second violinist in a string quartet. Years ago in Vienna he loved and left a pianist, Julia. When he re-encounters her in London, married and with a child, he rekindles their old relationship. Woven into this are Michael's relationships with the other members of the quartet, with the music he plays, with other friends and family, and with his instrument.
An Equal Music is at its best when its exploring experiences relating to music, such as Michael's relationships with his quartet and his feelings about his violin. The prose is lovely and Seth has some real and interesting insights about music. However, the love affair between he and Julia is fairly lackluster. Michael is very focused on his own experience and his own needs and seems pretty oblivious to what this all means for Julia and her life. Also, aside from his desire to spend time with her, the portrayal of their relationship lacked emotion. It was hard to care about it. Given how central a role the affair plays, this lack made a lot of the book fall a bit flat.
by Vikram Seth
This novel is told from the point of view of Michael, the second violinist in a string quartet. Years ago in Vienna he loved and left a pianist, Julia. When he re-encounters her in London, married and with a child, he rekindles their old relationship. Woven into this are Michael's relationships with the other members of the quartet, with the music he plays, with other friends and family, and with his instrument.
An Equal Music is at its best when its exploring experiences relating to music, such as Michael's relationships with his quartet and his feelings about his violin. The prose is lovely and Seth has some real and interesting insights about music. However, the love affair between he and Julia is fairly lackluster. Michael is very focused on his own experience and his own needs and seems pretty oblivious to what this all means for Julia and her life. Also, aside from his desire to spend time with her, the portrayal of their relationship lacked emotion. It was hard to care about it. Given how central a role the affair plays, this lack made a lot of the book fall a bit flat.
