The Piano Tuner
(Daniel Mason)
Daniel Mason?s debut book is a haunting tale of the self-discovery of a man set in the background of war and intrigue. It combines adventure, travelogue, history, music and romance and each is merged effortlessly (well, mostly) and handled sensitively. The story is set in 1886 in Burma and traces the physical and metaphoric journey of the protagonist Edward Drake. Drake is a piano tuner in London and his services are commandeered by the War Office. He is to go to Burma and tune an Erard grand piano. The mystery of a piano shipped to the forests of Burma at the insistence of Surgeon-Major Carroll is built up well. Edgar?s physical journey, his introduction to the war and his readiness to merge into the new land and its ways are told well. The author has used engaging techniques like letters, tales from different characters and viewpoints to introduce Edgar and the reader to the situation in Burma. The warring factions- the Shan states, the Burmese and the British, the stand of the empire and the current situation. The mysterious Surgeon-Major Anthony Carroll looms large from the beginning and the reader begins to enquire about this doctor and his motives along with Edgar. The prose never falters and the description and the suspense keeps you hooked. The tentative and hesitant romance between Khin Myo and Edgar is told with a rare sensitivity and sweetness. The piano tuner stays with you long after you have finished the book because he elicits a rare empathy with his quiet, shy and trusting nature. Edgar knows he is waiting for something yet he is not sure what he is looking for. A man who lives by rules is thrust into a collision with chaos and harsh reality. A rare treat.
Resumos Relacionados
- Children Of The Dragon
- The Shadow Of The Wind
- Life Of Pi
- The Glass Palace
- Voyage To The End Of The Millenium
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