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Dirigent (2011)

by Sarah Quigley(Favorite Author)

3.82 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Jota

review 1: A really interesting read about Shostakovich's writing of his seventh symphony as the German army bombard Leningrad. There are three main characters Nikolai, a violinist, Elias the conductor of the radio orchestra, and Shostakovich himself. The author captures the tension and hardships in the city together with a great picture of the individual characters and demonstartes the drive and single mindedness of the composer. A very good example of historical fiction.
review 2: This book had great potential and was at times very good. It kept my interest enough to finish it. The word that best describes the book for me is inconsistent. There are long stretches that are just too long - the author could have cut back significantly. The historical authenticity seem... mores pretty weak at times and left me wondering whether it was really about the Soviet Union under Stalin. It seems that the author could not decide who should be the narrator, so it jumps around. I could imagine a book having success with this strategy, but not here. It just makes the book seem choppy. The reason for this approach is not clear to me, as it did not add to the dramatic tension, the historic accuracy or some deep symbolic value. less

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