Rate this book

L'esatta Melodia Dell'aria (2010)

by Richard Harvell(Favorite Author)

3.99 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

8842916390 (ISBN13: 9788842916390)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Editrice Nord

review 1: This is a breathtaking book. For me, it's awesomeness lies in Harvell's descriptive passages, where he makes sounds come alive and assume a persona. The sounds of bells, of music, of breathe, of hooves on cobbles, of lovemaking, of a cat's hiss, of so many sounds so beautifully described that they become a character that invades the book in such a magical and believeable way that it would be impossible for the book to exist without it. The author begins the book with a letter from the narrator's son. This part of the book was absolutely lost to me, because Act 1 begins with a story of a boy born to a mad woman who lives in the church belfry and rings the bells. Quickly the reader learns that the woman is deaf and the boy's father is Father Karl Victor Vonderach, the s... morehepard of the town church. We learn the history of the bells and what brought them into being. The meat of the story at first is just a little difficult to follow and the letter at the beginning and Act 1 talk of two boys who have questions about their paternity. The letter at the beginning is short and faded so quickly into the background music of the book that its low hum made no effect on me whatsoever. I had completely forgotten it, so when I came to the end, I reread it and said, well, of course. However I was happy that I hadn't realized the impact of the letter. Better not to know, not to realize, better to wonder how things are going to turn out. I think the letter would have better served as an epilogue, and for me, that was ultimately the purpose it served. The boy narrator is Moses Froben and his mother is a tragic character as well as is his father. However the mother, Adelheid's life is shot thru with threads of gold, which she spins about her son. Moses Froben becomes a tragic character as well, but like his mother, he makes use of tragedy and sorrow, weaving them into his world, often with extreme angst. He meets extraordinary characters, characters that use and manipulate him and others that exude an otherworldly grace and kindness, the music of love. Such a beautiful book. I hope I never forget Moses, Nicolai, Remus, and Amalia. Amalia, his sweet love, his musical counterpoint, the one who gives Moses's life meaning. Exquisite!
review 2: Read this title for my book group & probably would not have picked it up on my own..... But in the end I did enjoy it after a rough start. The characters are all damaged in some sort of way and must navigate life in the poorest conditions in & around mid 1700's. ( a time when I would not have wanted to live...ever. But then again I'm sure future generations will look at our existence in disgust as well.) I learned a bit about operas & even watched a clip on you-tube of the one performed near the end of the book. Cringe worthing reading as the young boy Mosses is castrated against his will midway trough the book, giving way to tragedy upon tragedy. In the end we find a young man that has surprisingly navigated all the bad to raise a son with love & affection amidst his band of misfits. Proving that what doesn't kill you.....will make you stronger. less

Download links for: L'esatta melodia dell'aria

Advertising